Foundation and Chaos

1998 novel by Greg Bear

Foundation and Chaos

The Second Foundation Trilogy: Foundation and Chaos

Author| Greg Bear
Cover artist| J.P. Targete
Language| English
Series| The Second Foundation Trilogy
Genre| Science fiction
Publisher| Harper Prism

Publication date

| February 1998
Publication place| United States
Media type| Print (hardback & paperback)
Pages| 352
ISBN| 978-0-06-105242-2
OCLC| 37993248

Dewey Decimal

| 813/.54 21
LC Class| PS3552.E157 F65 1998
Preceded by| Foundation's Fear
Followed by| Foundation's Triumph

Foundation and Chaos (1998) is a science fiction novel by Greg Bear, set in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe. It is the second book of the Second Foundation trilogy, which was written after Asimov's death by three authors, authorized by the Asimov estate.

## Plot summary

[edit]

The novel is the second part of the Second Foundation Trilogy and takes place almost entirely in the same time frame as "The Psychohistorians", which is the first part of the novel Foundation. In addition to telling a more expanded version of Hari Seldon's confrontation with the Commission of Public Safety, it also interweaves R. Daneel Olivaw's struggle against a sect of robots who oppose his plans for humanity.

While covering the same period as in Asimov’s "The Psychohistorians", Foundation and Chaos focuses more on paternal super-robot R. Daneel Olivaw than on Hari Seldon. Olivaw’s 20 millennia of machinations and contrivances are questioned by “Calvinian” robots who do not observe Olivaw’s Zeroth Law (“No robot may harm humanity or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to harm”) developed in Asimov’s Robots and Empire. Olivaw’s actions dampen human intellectual growth and variation until the human species matures. The novel’s primary issue is whether Olivaw’s ends justify his means.[original research?] Does the ancient Auroran robot really serve humanity’s greater good? Should Olivaw decide this for himself?

Seldon seems unaware of Olivaw’s role in perpetuating brain fever and other dampeners. But Seldon would probably approve,[original research?] considering his quarantining of the New Renaissance worlds when Seldon served as Imperial 1st Minister.

Foundation and Chaos portrays the rise of mentalics (telepaths who can influence other’s thoughts) such as Wanda Seldon and Stettin Palver, who will form the Second Foundation. Twisted rogue mentalic Vara Liso even foreshadows the mutant Magnifico’s (i.e. the Mule) spectacular rise 310 years later. Powerful Public Safety Commissioner Linge Chen again plays a prominent role as the true Imperial power behind fatuous playboy Emperor Klayus. Reconstructed super-robot Dors Venabili also appears.

## Reviews

[edit]

* Review by Gary K. Wolfe (1998) in Locus, #446 March 1998
* Review by Thomas Marcinko (1998) in Science Fiction Age, May 1998
* Review by Curt Wohleber (1998) in Science Fiction Weekly, 1 June 1998
* Review by Mark L. Olson (1998) in Aboriginal Science Fiction, Summer 1998
* Review by Nigel Brown (1998) in Interzone, #138 December 1998
* Review by Steven H Silver (1998) in SF Site, Mid-April 1998, (1998)
* Review by Darrell Schweitzer (1999) in Aboriginal Science Fiction, Fall 1999
* Review by Gary Wilkinson (1999) in Vector 208[1]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Title: Foundation and Chaos". www.isfdb.org. Retrieved November 27, 2022.

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Isaac Asimov's Foundation series

Asimov writings|

* Foundation
* Foundation and Empire
* Second Foundation
* Foundation's Edge
* Foundation and Earth
* Prelude to Foundation
* Forward the Foundation

Others' writings|

* Foundation's Fear
* Foundation and Chaos
* Foundation's Triumph
* Foundation's Friends
* Psychohistorical Crisis
* The Originist

Other media|

* Radio programme
* TV series

Foundation universe|

* Characters
* Cleon
* Demerzel
* Gaal Dornick
* Salvor Hardin
* Hober Mallow
* The Mule
* R. Daneel Olivaw
* Bel Riose
* Hari Seldon
* Encyclopedia Galactica
* Psychohistory

Preceded by: The Robot series and The Empire series

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Works by Greg Bear

Darwin|

* Darwin's Radio (1999)
* Darwin's Children (2003)

The Forge of God|

* The Forge of God (1987)
* Anvil of Stars (1992)

Songs of Earth and Power|

* The Infinity Concerto (1984)
* The Serpent Mage (1986)

Quantico|

* Quantico (2005)
* Mariposa (2009)

Quantum Logic|

* Queen of Angels (1990)
* Slant (1997)
* Heads (1990)
* Moving Mars (1993)

War Dogs|

* War Dogs (2014)
* Killing Titan (2015)
* Take Back the Sky (2016)

The Way|

* Eon (1985)
* Eternity (1988)
* Legacy (1995)
* The Way of All Ghosts (1999)

Contributions to series|

* Second Foundation series: book 2
* Foundation and Chaos (1998)
* Man-Kzin Wars
* The Man Who Would Be Kzin (with S.M. Stirling) (1991)
* Halo Forerunner Saga (trilogy)
* Halo: Cryptum (2011)
* Halo: Primordium (2012)
* Halo: Silentium (2013)
* Star Trek: The Original Series
* Corona (1984)
* Star Wars
* Rogue Planet (2000)
* Foreworld Saga
* The Mongoliad (2012–2013)

Non-series novels|

* Hegira (1979)
* Psychlone (1979)
* Beyond Heaven's River (1980)
* Strength of Stones (1981)
* Blood Music (1985)
* Dinosaur Summer (1998)
* Vitals (2002)
* Dead Lines (2004)
* City at the End of Time (2008)
* Hull Zero Three (2010)
* The Unfinished Land (2021)

Short stories|

* Hardfought (1983)

Collections

* The Wind from a Burning Woman (1983, vt The Venging 1992)
* Early Harvest (February 1988)
* Tangents (1989)
* Bear's Fantasies (1992)
* The Collected Stories of Greg Bear (2002)
* W3: Women in Deep Time (2003)
* Sleepside: The Collected Fantasies (November 2005)

Anthologies|

* New Legends (1995, with Martin H. Greenberg)
* Multiverse: Exploring Poul Anderson's Worlds (2014, with Gardner Dozois)
* Nebula Awards Showcase 2015 (2015)

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