Asimov: Foundation and Earth

The very last book in the Foundation/Robots universe. It was all right, but could have been stronger as an ending to the epic saga.

SPOILERS

The story picks up right where it left off in Foundation's Edge. Trevis cannot make his decision about the fate of the galaxy until he finds Earth (yeah, I also don't know why, but okay). So this sets him and his companion on an epic journey to find it, since nobody knows where it is and all the records are missing. They visit some interesting places on the way, which are mainly the long-deserted Spacer worlds! Ah, that was an awesome payoff for reading all the prequels, and I loved that. We got Aurora and even the original Settler's world (the first planet settled by Earthpeople in the Robot series). All the worlds are in decay, all except Solaria. In the Robot series, it is said that it got abandoned and no one knows where all the Solarians went. Well, it turns out they never left and just went into hiding. They genetically modified themselves such that they are all genderless and a hybrid of a man and woman instead. They also have cool telekinetic powers due to their enhanced brain lobes.

One of those Solarians is about to execute them for trespassing on his/her planet. They just barely manage to escape but take his child with them. Eventually, they learn the truth about Earth, how it was destroyed and rendered radioactive. A huge reveal is that Earth's moon has some of the last remaining robots in the galaxy, including Daneel. He tells them that due to upgrades his brain became too fragile and impossible to enhance further. Instead, he needs a host to merge with to then live the rest of his days as a mortal. The Solarian child is chosen for that purpose. Trevis finally decides that Gaia must take over the galaxy.

I liked the descriptions of the Spacer worlds and how it ties everything with the Robot saga. Incredibly satisfying to have the answers to the questions from five books ago. The whole planetary hivemind is an interesting concept, but I actually find it quite weak. I would have enjoyed the entire Foundation/Robots story more without any psychic powers and just the politics and conquest of planets, wars, and technological development.