This is, without any doubt, one of the best collections in the series, and notably one with aliens of many sorts: Martians and Venusians with a different approach to warfare and radically original new senses, and Ganimedians who just want what’s due for Christmas.
What makes this reading an exploration of all that’s best about Asimov, in my opinion, is that it has it all: the hard science fiction with its unwavering love for science, the passionate celebration of human ingenuity, the condemnation of war and, particularly, the dread for nuclear weapons that’s completely understandable in the context of when these short stories were written and of what, perhaps, we need a reminder.
Their tone spans from slightly humorous to plain hilarious, from dead serious to gently meditative. This is where I’d advise you to start if you only know the Foundation Cycle, because Asimov is and was so much, so much more.
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