I want to like this, but it's only so-so for me. 
 No one can say that Asimov is a poor storyteller. The worlds he builds are compelling, his sense of historical progression equally so. However, it's difficult to name him a great writer of *characters.* 
 Foundation and Empire lacks the time skips of its predecesor in the trilogy, with the unfortunate result of casting a glaring spotlight on the weakest points of the writing. Paper-thin characters, while typical of the genre, are difficult to get attached to. And while grander political plots can often save a book that's weak on characters, I found The Mule uncompelling as an antagonist. 
 I'll probably finish out the Foundation books at some point, but they're no longer at the top of my reading list.