View source for Foundation's Fear

{{Short description|1997 novel by Gregory Benford}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}}{{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name          = Foundation's Fear
| title_orig    = 
| translator    = 
| image          = FoundationsFear.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = Cover of the Harper Prism edition
| author        = [[Gregory Benford]]
| illustrator   = 
| cover_artist  = J.P. Targete
| country       = United States
| language      = English
| series        = The Second Foundation Trilogy
| subject       = 
| genre         = [[Science fiction]]  
| publisher     = [[Harper Prism]]
| pub_date      = February 1997
| english_pub_date = 
| media_type    = Print (hardback & paperback)
| pages         = 624
| isbn          = 978-0-06-105638-3
| oclc= 38587275
| preceded_by   = [[Forward the Foundation]]
| followed_by   = [[Foundation and Chaos]]
}}

'''''Foundation's Fear''''' (1997) is a [[science fiction]] novel by American writer [[Gregory Benford]], set in [[Isaac Asimov]]'s [[The Foundation Series|Foundation]] universe. It is the first book of the [[Second Foundation Trilogy]], which was written after [[Isaac Asimov|Asimov's]] death by three authors, authorized by the Asimov estate.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sobczak |first=A. J. |title=Magill Book Reviews |date=1998 |chapter=Foundation’s Fear |chapter-url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=751895&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |via=[[EBSCOHost]]}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
''Magill Book Reviews'' noted that Benford avoided mimicking Asimov, adding "large elements of action and political intrigue" while remaining consistent with the intellectual foundation of the Asimov universe.<ref name=":0" /> ''[[Library Journal]]'' praised the author as a "gifted storyteller" who "makes the characters come alive".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hamburger |first=Susan |date=1997 |title=Book Reviews: Fiction |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=lkh&AN=9703263839&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |access-date=2024-08-10 |work=[[Library Journal]] |via=[[EBSCOHost]]}}</ref> 

== Plot summary ==
Emperor [[Cleon I]] wants to appoint [[Hari Seldon]] as the First Minister of the Galactic Empire. Powerful [[Trantor]] High Council member Betan Lamurk opposes the independent Seldon's appointment. Seldon himself is reluctant to accept the position because of its time constraints pulling him away from the [[Psychohistory (fictional)|psychohistory]] project. The project is led by Seldon, [[Yugo Amaryl]], and Seldon's advanced humaniform robot-spouse [[Dors Venabili]].  Seldon needs to curry favor with the emperor, however, and advises Cleon I informally.  For example, Seldon suggests a decree that [[Damnatio memoriae|erases terrorists' names from records]], denying them immortality, discouraging chaotic actions.

Besides the [[Psychohistory (fictional)|psychohistorians]], much of the novel's action revolves around advanced sentient simulations (sims) of [[Joan of Arc]] and [[Voltaire]]. The sims have been recreated by Artifice Associates, a research company located in [[Trantor]]’s [[Galactic_Empire_(Asimov)#Administrative_sectors|Dahl Sector]]. Artifice Associates programmers Marq and Sybil plan to use the Joan/Voltaire sims for two money-making projects. First, Hari Seldon’s psychohistory project. Second, Trantor’s Junin-Sector “Preservers vs Skeptics Society” debate whether mechanical beings endowed with artificial intelligence should be built. If they are to be built, it is argued whether they should receive full citizenship. The Preservers’ champion will be Joan, the Skeptics’ champion Voltaire.

Hari Seldon and Dors Venabili flee [[Trantor]], escaping High Council member Betan Lamurk's forces.  During their galactic odyssey, Hari and Dors experience virtual reality as [[Common chimpanzee|chimpanzees]] on planet Panucopia.  They also visit helter-skelter New Renaissance world Sark.

Meanwhile, back on Trantor, sims Joan and Voltaire escape into Trantor's Mesh (Internet). Joan and Voltaire interact with ancient aliens on the Mesh. These aliens fled Trantor's physical space when [[terraforming]] robots arrived on Trantor more than 20,000 years ago. Via Joan and Voltaire, Hari allies with the mesh aliens. The aliens aid Seldon's return to Trantor, and his defeat of High Council member Lamurk through [[Tik-Tok (Oz)|tik-toks]]. The novel ends with Seldon accepting his position as Emperor Cleon's First Minister.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Gregory Benford}}
{{Foundation series}}

[[Category:Novels by Gregory Benford]]
[[Category:Foundation universe books]]
[[Category:1997 American novels]]
[[Category:1997 science fiction novels]]


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