Foundation and Empire is second book in Isaac Asimov Foundation trilogy. He wrote more Foundation books later making series longer than trilogy. When I wrote about Foundation I didn’t know it was collection of previously released stories. It explains structure which had several stories with beginning and end. Foundation and Empire has two such stories. Both have Foundation members visiting what is left of Empire.
Foundation felt like it told European history. Some of which was to happen when stories were written. Foundation and Empire’s stories took more direct inspiration from fall of Roman Empire. Foundation was first act introducing the world. Foundation was victorious. Psychohistory predicted what will happen. Psychohistory is science fiction science predicting future from large momentums.
First story hints individuals may change history in way psychohistory might not handle it. Events of last story of Foundation catch eye of strong general of Empire. He starts successful campaign against Foundation. Story takes inspiration from time when Constantinople captured Rome after Fall of Rome.
Second story takes inspiration from Attila the Hun. In it mutant the Mule shows limits of psychohistory. During crisis Hari Sheldon has had video message predicting what has happened and will happen based on psychohistory. Best moment of the book is when Hari Sheldon’s video message is shown during the Mule crisis. I won’t go deeper into it.
Foundation and Empire is darker middle act. In Empire men took control of events and helped Foundation to survive. In Foundation and Empire men are not able to turn the tide of history same way.