The great Galactical Empire, many centuries old, is in danger of collapsing.  A new science, psychohistory, has foreseen this since long.  According to this science an evolution of a group of people can be mathematically predicted.  Nonsense according to the Empire's traditional scientists, but the Emperor does allow the inspirator of the scientists, Hari Seldon, to create two communities, Foundations, but not after some struggle.  These Foundations are at the edge of the galaxy, as far away from each other as possible.  The first Foundation is being built without any secrecy, noise about the second is avoided as much as possible.  These two Foundations should help mankind overcome the collapse of the Empire.

Just like with Dune, I just borrowed a book from the library without really knowing what I borrowed.  Science-fiction, that was all I knew.  It was a trilogy containing the first three Foundations, and I read them in one go.  Asimov is not the guy that will come up with extreme surroundings, like Herbert does, he is more the one that will carefully paint the interactions between humans and their surroundings.  And the Foundation-idea is just perfect for that.  Don't expect lasers and strange beings and funny plants.  Just expect a good story, told by a good narrator.