He has works published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey Decimal System (lacking only an entry in the 100s category of Philosophy).Īsimov is widely considered a master of the science-fiction genre and, along with Robert A.

Professor Asimov is generally considered one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000 letters and postcards. Review by Mark L.Isaac Asimov was a Russian-born, American author, a professor of biochemistry, and a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books.Review by Curt Wohleber (1998) in Science Fiction Weekly, 1 June 1998.Review by Thomas Marcinko (1998) in Science Fiction Age, May 1998.Reconstructed superrobot Dors Venabili reappears as well. Powerful Public Safety Commissioner Linge Chen again plays a prominent role as the true Imperial power behind fatuous playboy Emperor Klayus. Twisted rogue mentalic Vara Liso even foreshadows the mutant Magnifico’s spectacular rise 310 years later. But Seldon would probably approve, considering his quarantining of the New Renaissance worlds when Seldon served as Imperial 1st Minister.įoundation 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. Seldon seems unaware of Olivaw’s role in perpetuating brain fever and other dampeners. Does the ancient Auroran robot really serve humanity’s greater good? Should Olivaw decide this for himself?

The novel’s primary issue is whether Olivaw’s ends justify his means. Olivaw’s actions dampen human intellectual growth and variation until the human species matures. 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. While covering the same period as in Asimov’s 'The Psychohistorians', Foundation and Chaos focuses more on paternal super-robot R. Daneel Olivaw's struggle against a sect of robots who oppose his plans for humanity. In addition to telling a more expanded version of Hari Seldon's confrontation with the Commission of Public Safety it also interweaves R.

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. 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.

Foundation and Chaos (1998) is a science fiction novel by Greg Bear, set in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe.

Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov