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Foundation and Chaos
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Read Foundation and Chaos
Foundation: Book 9

Foundation and Chaos (1998) (edit title/settings)

by Greg Bear (Author) (edit contributors)

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Description edit see section history

Isaac Asimov's renowned Foundation Trilogy pioneered many of the familiar themes of modern science fiction and shaped many of its best writers. With the permission and blessing of the Asimov estate, the epic saga left unfinished by the Grand Master himself now continues with this second... read more

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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... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

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 superrobot 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. 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, considering his quarantining of the New Renaissance worlds when Seldon served as Imperial 1st Minister.

Foundation and Chaos portrays the rise of mentallics (telepaths who can influence other’s thoughts) such as Wanda Seldon and Stettin Palver, who will form the Second Foundation. Twisted rogue mentallic Vara Liso even foreshadows the mutant Magnifico’s 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 superrobot Dors Venabili reappears as well.

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First Sentence edit see section history

Hari Seldon stood in slippered feet and a thick green scholar' robe on the enclosed parapet of an upperside maintenance tower, looking from an altitude of two hundred meters over the dark aluminum and steel surface of Trantor.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 9 of 10 in Foundation. (standard series)

Preceded by Foundation's Fear, and followed by Foundation's Triumph.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Greg Bear (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Isaac Asimov (Creator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Harper Prism
Country: United States of America
Publication Date: February 1998
ISBN: 978-0061052422
Page Count: 352

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PS3552.E157 F65 1998
  • Dewey: 818'.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

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