More like Foundation

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FoundationUniverse
universe123 books1940
About robots.
“There is a science that reads the future of quadrillions the way an astronomer reads the orbits of stars.”
from the catalogue
Start with Foundation →
includes Foundation, Trantorian Empire, Second Foundation Trilogy, The Collected Fiction of Isaac Asimov, Foundation (Original Stories), The Positronic Robot Stories
DuneUniverse
universe78 books1963
Set in other star systems.
“The desert planet, where empire runs on a single substance: the spice melange, which folds space, prolongs life, and unlocks prescience, and which exists nowhere else in the known universe.”
from the catalogue
Start with Dune →
includes Dune, Heroes of Dune, Dune Prequels, Dune Sequels, Background of the Dune Universe
TeixcalaanSeries
series2 books2019
Tense in tone, about identity, set in other star systems.
“A Memory Called Empire and A Desolation Called Peace pair court intrigue with Mahit's conflicted, outsider fascination with an empire she can't help admiring.”
from the catalogue
Start with A Memory Called Empire →
The CultureUniverse
universe21 books1987
About artificial intelligence.
“No money, no laws, no hunger, no death you didn't choose; a galaxy-spanning anarchy of humans and drones administered, gently and with enormous irony, by superintelligent Minds who name their warships things like *Frank Exchange Of Views*.”
from the catalogue
Start with Consider Phlebas →
includes Culture
Whipping StarNovel
Frank Herbertstandalone novel1970
First contact, adventurous in tone, about aliens.
“From Amazon: In the far future, humankind has made contact with numerous other species: Gowachin, Laclac, Wreaves, Pan Spechi, Taprisiots, and Caleban, and has helped to form the ConSentiency to govern among the species.”
from the catalogue
TritonNovel
Samuel R. Delanystandalone novel1976
Challenging in tone, about gender and society and identity, set in other star systems.