Order of Greater Foundation Books
The Greater Foundation is a universe created by American author Isaac Asimov, considered to be a master of hard science fiction. The “Greater Foundation” universe consists of four actual series – the Robot series (best known for I, Robot), the Galactic Empire series (which Asimov used revisionism to go back and add them to the universe later in life), the Original Foundation trilogy and the Extended Foundation series.
The Greater Foundation universe dates back to 1940 when Asimov was writing short stories for science fiction magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction. Those stories would end up in the short story collection I, Robot in 1950. The first Greater Foundation novel was Pebble in the Sky in 1950, which was part of the Galactic Empire series and added to the Greater Foundation universe later on. The Original Foundation trilogy began with Foundation in 1951. Below is a list of Isaac Asimov’s Greater Foundation universe books and short story collections in order of when they were originally published (and in chronological order):
Publication Order of Robot Books
| I, Robot | (1950) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Caves of Steel | (1954) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Naked Sun | (1957) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Rest of the Robots | (1964) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Robots of Dawn | (1983) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Robots and Empire | (1985) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Robot Dreams | (1986) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Robot Visions | (1990) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Visiones de robot | (1990) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
Publication Order of Galactic Empire Books
| Pebble in the Sky | (1950) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Stars, Like Dust / The Rebellious Stars | (1951) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Currents of Space | (1952) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
Chronological Order of Galactic Empire Books
| The Stars, Like Dust / The Rebellious Stars | (1951) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| The Currents of Space | (1952) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Pebble in the Sky | (1950) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
Publication Order of Original Foundation Books
Publication Order of Foundation Books
| Foundation / The 1,000 Year Plan | (1951) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation and Empire / The Man Who Upset the Universe | (1952) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Second Foundation | (1953) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation's Edge | (1982) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation and Earth | (1986) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Prelude to Foundation | (1988) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Forward the Foundation | (1993) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
Chronological Order of Foundation Books
| Prelude to Foundation | (1988) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Forward the Foundation | (1993) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation / The 1,000 Year Plan | (1951) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation and Empire / The Man Who Upset the Universe | (1952) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Second Foundation | (1953) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation's Edge | (1982) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
| Foundation and Earth | (1986) | Description / Buy at Amazon.com |
Note: The Robot series is also known as the R. Daneel Olivaw series.
If You Like Greater Foundation Books, You’ll Love…
Though they’re not written Asimov, it would be good to see the Second Foundation series (Foundation’s Fear, Foundation and Chaos, Secret Foundation) listed here, as they’re officially authorized by his estate. Also, since they’re by 3 different authors, I don’t know if they’re listed together anywhere.