Operation Chaos by Poul Anderson
Operation Chaos is a novel by Poul Anderson that weaves together four previously published short stories into a cohesive narrative. The central characters, Steven Matuchek and Virginia Graylock, navigate a world where magic and science coexist, a unique setting defined by what Matuchek refers to as the "goetic age." This era is characterized by the removal of traditional barriers to magic, allowing for the creation of various magical devices that have replaced technological conveniences. The story unfolds against the backdrop of their struggles against the Adversary, a malevolent entity that seeks to thwart their lives and love.
The plot is structured around four adventures that portray Matuchek and Graylock's battles with supernatural beings, including an afreet, a salamander, and an incubus, leading to a climactic confrontation involving the kidnapping of their daughter. The tone of these episodes varies, with the first three being humorous and satirical, while the final segment adopts a more serious tone as the couple faces the dire threat to their family. Operation Chaos incorporates diverse mythological elements from various cultures, enriching its narrative and showcasing the interplay between dark forces and human resilience in the face of chaos.
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Operation Chaos
First published: 1971
Type of work: Stories
Type of plot: Fantasy—magical world
Time of work: The mid-twentieth century
Locale: Various locations on an alternate Earth and Hell
The Plot
In Operation Chaos, Poul Anderson links four short stories previously published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction into a novel. In order of publication, the stories are “Operation Afreet” (September, 1956), “Operation Salamander” (January, 1957), “Operation Incubus” (October, 1959), and “Operation Changeling” (May-June, 1969). Anderson added brief transitional sections that provide a larger context to link the stories. In this larger context, the main characters, Steven Matuchek and Virginia Graylock, are subjected to the long-term enmity of the Adversary. Each of their adventures results from the Adversary’s efforts to destroy them. Matuchek, who narrates the book, addresses his stories to possible audiences in parallel worlds, hoping to inform them about the “war between Law and Chaos.”
In Operation Chaos, magic and science combine with technology in what Matuchek calls the goetic age. The magic in Operation Chaos draws eclectically on a wide range of myth and folklore, including European, Native American, Near Eastern, and Asian elements. Magic works because in the early twentieth century someone discovered how to “degauss” cold iron. This process removes the traditional barrier to magic, allowing the development of any number of magical devices. For example, individual transportation is by broomstick or magic carpet rather than by automobile or airplane. Magic replaces commonplace household appliances; spell-driven devices wash dishes and clean house.
Stephen Matuchek and Virginia Graylock are in the United States Army when they meet. The novel tells of the romance and marriage of the two main characters. In the first plot segment, they defeat an afreet (a type of demon). The afreet is the major weapon of the “Saracen Caliphate,” which fights the United States in World War II. In the second plot segment, Matuchek and Graylock dispel a salamander (a fire elemental) that is loose in their university town. In the third segment, Matuchek and Graylock have finally gotten married, after an up-and-down courtship. Honeymooning in an isolated area in Mexico, they encounter an incubus, threatening their new relationship. In the fourth segment, a demon abducts their infant daughter into Hell. This last segment is the most serious in tone, the other three being satirical, with parodies of popular culture and a fair amount of humor.
All the troubles experienced by Matuchek and Graylock come from the Adversary. In Operation Chaos, the supernatural includes both God and the Devil. The Devil—the Adversary—inspires the Johaninne Church, a cult that claims to represent true faith for the modern age. Because of the threat that Matuchek and Graylock pose to this demoniac plot, the Adversary has their baby daughter kidnapped to Hell. They rescue the child in the last episode of the story.