Plan for Chaos
Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the author’s death, Plan for Chaos presents a new work from this canonical author, whose previous novels – particularly The Day of the Triffids (in print continuously since 1951) and The Midwich Cuckoos – continue to sell widely through mass-market publishing houses. Secondly, and perhaps more significantly, this never-before-published novel was written simultaneously with The Day of the Triffids, making it a fascinating companion to the author’s most famous work. Wyndham continues to have a significant influence on the direction of SF writing: Ray Bradbury and Margaret Atwood are his most famous acolytes but others such as Kim Stanley Robinson and even Aldous Huxley have drawn heavily on Wyndham’s work. Wyndham himself is considered the direct successor to another canonical writer, H.G. Wells. The publication of David Ketterer’s authorised biography and the 40th anniversary of the novelist’s death are likely to stimulate considerable interest in the work of John Wyndham and Plan for Chaos offers reviewers and feature writers a new angle on this influential writer.