The Stars, Like Dust
{4.5/5} “Of course, someday we will beat the Tyranni. It is fairly inevitable. They can’t rule forever. No one can. They’ll grow soft and lazy. They will intermarry and lose much of their separate traditions. They will become corrupt. But it may take centuries, because history doesn’t hurry.”
The Stars, Like Dust by Isaac Asimov, published in 1951
Biron is just about to graduate from university on Earth when an attempt is made on his life. His friend Jonti, who rescues him, reveals that his father, the Rancher of Widemos, has been taken by the Tyranni and will probably be killed. Jonti wants Biron to use his position to resist the Tyranni any way he can.
This is the 1st book in the Galactic Empire trilogy.
There’s an inevitable sexism that comes with stories from the 1950s.
There are people piloting space ships doing calculations by hand, and looking up figures in books.
As with all Asimov stories, it’s about people using careful reasoning to come to conclusions. Asimov likes to end with a surprise — the surprise here is a pretty nice one, as it fits with everything that came before.
I’ve read 14 books by Asimov, I previously reviewed Forward the Foundation.