Today in Sci-Fi history, June 21, in 1938, Isaac Asimov met John W. Campbell, Jr., the editor of Astounding Science-Fiction, for the very first time. 

This was the beginning of an “astounding relationship.” The editor of Astounding Science Fiction saw promise in a young Asimov. This gave him the jumping off point to be one of the greatest influences in the genre to this day. Born in 1920, Asimov was but 18 when he met Campbell with a recently completed short story.

Since then he had gone on to write and edit over 500 books.

Here are a few of Asimov’s great works:

• The Robot series:
  • The Caves of Steel. 1954. ISBN 0-553-29340-0. (first Elijah Baley SF-crime novel)
  • The Naked Sun. 1957. ISBN 0-553-29339-7. (second Elijah Baley SF-crime novel)
  • The Robots of Dawn. 1983. ISBN 0-553-29949-2. (third Elijah Baley SF-crime novel)
  • Robots and Empire. 1985. ISBN 978-0-586-06200-5. (sequel to the Elijah Baley trilogy)
• Galactic Empire novels:
  • The Currents of Space. 1952. ISBN 0-553-29341-9. (Republic of Trantor still expanding)
  • The Stars, Like Dust. 1951. ISBN 0-553-29343-5. (long before the Empire)
  • Pebble in the Sky. 1950. ISBN 0-553-29342-7. (early Galactic Empire)
• Foundation prequels:
  • Prelude to Foundation. 1988. ISBN 0-553-27839-8. (occurs before Foundation’)
  • Forward the Foundation. 1993. ISBN 0-553-40488-1. (occurs after Prelude to Foundation and before Foundation)
• Original Foundation trilogy:
  • Foundation. 1951. ISBN 0-553-29335-4.
  • Foundation and Empire. 1952. ISBN 0-553-29337-0., Published with the title ‘The Man Who Upset the Universe’ as a 35c Ace paperback, D-125, in about 1952
  • Second Foundation. 1953. ISBN 0-553-29336-2.
• Extended Foundation series:
  • Foundation’s Edge. 1982. ISBN 0-553-29338-9.
  • Foundation and Earth. 1986. ISBN 0-553-58757-9. (last of the Foundation series)

Lucky Starr series (as Paul French)

• David Starr, Space Ranger (1952)
• Lucky Starr and the Pirates of the Asteroids (1953)
• Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus (1954)
• Lucky Starr and the Big Sun of Mercury (1956)
• Lucky Starr and the Moons of Jupiter (1957)
• Lucky Starr and the Rings of Saturn (1958)

Norby Chronicles 

• Norby, the Mixed-Up Robot (1983)
• Norby’s Other Secret (1984)
• Norby and the Lost Princess (1985)
• Norby and the Invaders (1985)
• Norby and the Queen’s Necklace (1986)
• Norby Finds a Villain (1987)
• Norby Down to Earth (1988)
• Norby and Yobo’s Great Adventure (1989)
• Norby and the Oldest Dragon (1990)
• Norby and the Court Jester (1991)

Novels not part of a series

Novels marked with an asterisk * have minor connections to the Foundation series.

• The End of Eternity (1955) *
• Fantastic Voyage (1966) (a novelization of the movie)
• The Gods Themselves (1972)
• Fantastic Voyage II: Destination Brain (1987) (not a sequel to Fantastic Voyage, but a similar, independent story)
• Nemesis (1989) *
• Nightfall (1990), with Robert Silverberg (short story written by Asimov, novelized by Silverberg)
• The Ugly Little Boy (1992), with Robert Silverberg (aka: Child of Time) (short story written by Asimov, novelized by Silverberg)
• The Positronic Man (1993) *, with Robert Silverberg