Customer Reviews (8)

Amazing adventures
"Retief! (A Collection of Stories) is good science fiction reading.Imagine James Bond, under a different name, with a different profession, with more humor, and set a thousand years into the future.That is fairly close to Retief.Our hero is a junior ambassador.The only serious competitors to humans in the galagy are the Groaci.And, Retief believes in getting things done.Unfortunately, the rest of the human diplomats and ambassadors worry much more about how they look to the upper echelons, who seem to be a Politically Correct crowd.

Retief has some amazing adventures.The results of each adventure seems to be some light humor and some serious accomplishments.But, Retief's career plugs along, because he seems less than PC and is not afraid of doing rough things, such as fighting.
These are good, fun, stories.However, take care to read one, put the book down, do other stuff, including reading some other author's stories, then go on to the next Retief story.Otherwise, Retief can get to be TOO MUCH.So, go gently and you will, likely, have many good times in reading the individual stories.

Diplomacy Saves the Galaxy--Sort Of
Keith Laumer is among my favorite writers of "light" sf, and these three books, the first in the long series (13 volumes that I know of, counting each original volume as one) of Retief adventures, show why.Filled with sharp pokes at government bureaucracy (Laumer himself was connected with it for many years and knew whereof he wrote), they follow the wild adventures of Jaime Retief, a member of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne with more than a touch of James Bond in his makeup.Constantly redeeming his superiors' blunders, usually by making an end run around the "accepted" way of doing things, he bounces in and out of serious bodily peril and thwarts at every turn the machinations of the Groaci, whispering five-eyed aliens with a penchant for torture and a thirst for universal domination.(The books were originally published in 1963, 1965, and 1968, in the very heart of the Cold War, which suggests that these villainous beings were intended as an analogue of the Communists.)Yet the stories never take themselves too seriously, and very little happens that couldn't safely be shared with a child.I've collected Retief religiously, and joyously, for some 30 years, and I don't regret a bit of it.You won't either.

Best book I've read in a month!
This book was soenjoyable, funny, well written, entertaining, and compelling that I read it in one sitting. Then I walked several miles to the nearest used book store and bought every novel by Keith Laumer they had. Didn't even have to feel guilty, since all of them were out of print. But this book is so much worth the price... it's just funny! Unfortunately I think it's sometimes too close to home, especially the story about "Retief of the Mountain of Red Tape".

Diplomacy as it ought to be
Most SF readers have heard of Laumer's Retief series. Many of them have read some of them. There've been compilations, sets, and short stories release for years. This time, however, Baen and Mssr's Flint and Drake have done a wonderful job compiling some of the best (and hardest to find) Retief stories in one place.

If you've never read Retief, try it - you'll like it. And this is a great way to get your feet wet.

Undiplomatic Diplomat
I first came across the Retief stories in Analog/Astounding in the early '60's. They were greatly enjoyable then, and still retain their pleasure.

Unfortunately, we can see from current events that diplomats still screw up international relations, which makes these stories topical today.

Retief is a very junior diplomat when these stories begin(as edited and arranged by Eric Flint) and they follow him through his career. He never rises very high, because he is more concerned with results than appearances. As a result, he gets the job done, but never finds approval of his superiors, who are only concerned with how it looks.

Laumer's foreign service experience makes these stories quite effective. I only wish we had more diplomats like Retief, instead of what we have.

His characters act believably, even if the situations are somewhat unbelievable. Then, I remember the history of the second half of the 20th century, and the situations become quite believable. They are both enjoyable as stories and as satire, and the humor is quite good. ... Read more

Product Description
Chronicles the history of the BOLO, a futuristic man-made machine that symbolizes brute force, defiance, and rigid will and is responsible for defending humanity against an invading alien group. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

sentimental about AI killing machines?
If Google died today, would we mourn?
The idea of intelligent machines that kill isn't new.
Making them seem "nice" is just hard to swallow
for me.
The short stories are well written for the most part, just
we are getting to the point where machines nearly like this will be used on human populations. Mostly that doesn't seem any better than using
cannon to quell riots in France.
Weapons are weapons and if the are also intelligent,
then we are going to be in real trouble.

Bolo, the Ultimate Fighting Machine.
Bolos: Book 1, is the first in a series of books based on the fighting machine created by Keith Laumer.The idea was that tanks would develop not only better weapons and stronger hulls, but would also have computers build into them which would allow it to perform certain duties without a crew.By the time Bolo Mark XXX was developed, human strategic thinking was no longer required.Book 1 and the rest of the series are short stories done by some of the best, including David Drake, S.M. Stirling, Mercedes Lackey and more.Bolos may be machines, but the ones in the stories show heart.

BOLO power!
I had never read a book that is a collection of works by different authors on the same topic.I was not sure I would like it.As it turned out I liked it very much.I am an avid sci-fi reader and this book really satisfied me and I found myself ordering book 2 before I even finished book one.

If you absolutely insist on full character development this book is not for you.Each of the stories are fairly short and really only tell a comprehensive tale when taken together.I was also longing for much more of the story from the POV of the BOLO than was given.

Keeping the faith with unit honor and history.
"Bolos Book 1: Honor of the Regiment" (ISBN 0-671-72184-4) is a collection of stories written by several of today's best science fiction-fantasy authors and edited by Bill Fawcett, continues the history of the Bolo,huge, self-directing and self-aware combat vehicles, first penned by KeithLaumer.Honor of the Regiment is a title, I feel, was developed from KeithLaumer's story "Field Test," which tells the story of the first Bolo, namedDenny, to use the full capabilities of self-directing and self-awarecomputer circuitry.Denny's unknown capabilities and the fear by hiscreators of not being able to control this powerful war machine alsoprevent him from being deployed to fight off an invasion of his creatorscountry.When Denny was deployed there appeared to be no chance ofstopping the enemy advance, even with his added firepower and othercapabilities.Denny does the unexpected, instead of doing a fightingretreat against a superior force he charges towards the enemy's lines. This charge eventually breaks the enemy's invasion and forces them toretreat, but the victory came with a price.Denny, in human terms, wasgoing to die from the many wounds he had taken in his charge, and there wasno way to save him.Just before Denny dies, his Commander asks "Why he hadcontinued his charge, when he knew he would be destroyed?"Denny's lastwords were "For the HONOR OF THE REGIMENT."Each of the stories in "BolosBook 1: Honor of the Regiment" continues the story line penned by KeithLaumer.Further, after serving my country during a twenty-year navalcareer I can relate to the ideal of self-sacrifice in the face ofoverwhelming odds and to maintain the history and traditions of my unit andbranch of service.I highly recommend the book to all science fictionreaders.

One of the best Sci-Fi reads ever.
One of the few books that I have read were I found myself cheering out loud for victories, and tearing up over the loss of friends. Truly a well written work. Causes empathy for our mechanized warriors. All of this series are must reads. ... Read more

Product Description
Three complete novels of cross-time action and suspense by Keith Laumer, grand master of science fiction adventure. Brion Bayard was an American diplomat . . . until he was kidnapped on the streets of Stockholm, and thrust into what he thought was a truck. At first, he was relieved to find that his abductors were very apologetic, and very British. Then they began speaking about nations and leaders which Bayard had never heard of. That was understandable, they told him, because they were from Earth, but not his Earth. There are millions or more parallel Earths, each different in some slight way from the other, where history has taken every possible turn, where the heirs of Napoleon rule Europe, where King John tore the Magna Carta to shreds and executed those who had presented him with it, even one where the ancestors of Homo sapiens lost the evolutionary struggle to another upright ape, who became the dominant intelligent lifeform. But mostly there are uninhabitable worlds, destroyed by the discovery of the technology to travel from one parallel Earth to another and the misuse of it. The Earth of the Imperium is at war with another parallel Earth and Bayard can stop the war by killing the ruler of the aggressor Earth and replacing him-because the ruler is a parallel version of Bayard. But when Bayard goes on his mission to the alternate Earth, things don't turn out to be quite that simple. And that was only the beginning of Bayard's adventures as he defends his new homeworld, both from internal enemies and invaders from the other side of time, becoming the staunchest and most resourceful defender of the Imperium!Publisher's Note: Imperium has previously appeared in parts as Worlds of the Imperium, Assignment in Nowhere and The Other Side of Time. This is the first unitary edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Nearly Forgotten Work
The book deals with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The story deals with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the story was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well.

Great Reminder Of A Writer Too Often Forgotten
I picked this novel up with some trepidation.I am not usually one who enjoys omnibus editions of older works.I can get prejudiced by three or four supposed novels only taking up about 300 pages total.In this case there are three novels written by a writer who once was of some fame who is today nearly forgotten.Keith Laumer.

The books all deal with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The stories deal with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the stories was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

Of the three books in this omnibus I enjoyed the first two the best.The last had the main character in it but as a supporting role.I did not think the third book was written as strongly as the other two.

This was the first time I remember reading Laumer although his works have been on my bookshelf for years.The experience was one that I enjoyed enough that the next book I picked up to read was Laumer's Legions of Space.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well.

classic tales of multi-universal hopping
This book reprints 3 classic stories by Laumer, about alternate history and a multi-universe spanning organisation. If you have read and enjoyed the works of H Beam Piper and his Paratime universes, and Poul Anderson's Time Patrol, then Laumer's stories will be a great treat.

The first story of the book starts off the series, explaining how an American diplomat in our universe, in the years after World War 2, gets kidnapped by the Imperium, based in a Sweden [!sic] that benignly rules another Earth. The stories are now some 40 years old. But they hold up well. Plenty of action, without drowning you in the cyberpunk pervasive computing of more recent science fiction. Laumer had a gift for combining the spy novel with high technology in a fluid synthesis that sweeps the reader along.

The only pity is that Laumer never wrote many stories in this series.

Flint and the publisher are to be thanked for bringing these stories back into print for a new generation of readers.

Great classical SF multiversal yarn
I just love tales of parallel universes and time-travel, and this classic by Keith Laumer is one of the best of the genre, rich both in action and in daring speculations. Intriguing as Paratime by H. Beam Piper and Time Patrol by Poul Anderson. A must have for the transdimensional SF fan! ... Read more

Product Description
A complete novel of science fiction adventure and a host of short novels in one large volume. A Plague of Demons: One man found out the secret behind the aliens who controlled the world, harvesting "dead" soldiers to fight wars on distant worlds-and only he could stop them, if he could keep from getting harvested himself. Thunderhead: An officer has manned an outpost on a lonely planet for years, watching for the alien enemy that may never come, forgotten by the bureaucracy which sent him there-and then the enemy came! Test to Destruction: Aliens are testing a human prisoner to determine how serious a foe the human race might be-and they have chosen the wrong man to Test to Destruction. And much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

"For Those Of You Confronting Laumer for The First Time... I envy You..."Harlan Ellison

John Keith Laumer (June 9, 1925 - January 23, 1993 (aged 67)) was an American science fiction writer. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force and a U. S. diplomat. This collection includes eight of his shorts, including probably his most famous:

A Plague of Demons (1964) - More people are dying than are being buried. Your mission ... The first Bolo story.

Thunderhead (1967) - They just called a Category One Emergency for all the Outer Beacon Line Stations and you have to respond.Unfortunately, your flitter is broken, now you have to climb old Thunderhead by foot, and it's snowing outside and it's been years since you last climbed it.Also, the Djang are coming.

End As A Hero (1963) - They've sent you out to investigate the Gool, a race that can manipulate the minds of humans, but you're a trained psychodynamist so you are prepared, but will Earth believe you?

Doorstep (1961) - Brigadier General W. F. Straut saw this as his opportunity to get his second star.Boy, was he wrong."Please take..."

Test To Destruction(1967)- "Aboard the interstellar dreadnought cruising half a parsec from Earth, the compound Rhee mind surveyed the distant Solar system"

The Star-Sent Knaves(1963)-Valuable painting are disappearing from in penetrable vaults.

Greylorn(1959)-The Red Tide is advancing all over earth and can't seem to be stopped.Earth's last chance is to hunt out the colonial missions that were searching for a new world, the Omega Mission.The author borrows some from a real incident that happened circa 1840's with the initials the DP party, but never fear, Greylorn is here to save the day and earth.

Of Death what Dreams(1970)-Bailey went in to lie on a slab and never thought that he'd ever wake up again.

Afterword by Eric Flint (2003)- When I saw this in the Table of Contents I assumed it would be some recollections about Keith Laumer and the editor, maybe how the editor choose these particular stories, but no.It's just balant promotion of the next Laumer book by Baen.Flint has his nose stuck so far up Baen's rear end I'm surprised he can breathe, I'd suggest you skip this.

highly recommended for fans of Keith Laumer, especially for fans of his BOLO stories.

Gunner 2008

Not every story should be reissued
Keith Laumer has always been a favorite author of mine. The "Retief" stories- where an interstellar diplomat swashbuckles through red tape and alien invasions alike - are some of the funniest and most entertaining SF that I've ever read.The "Bolo" super-tanks that he created to fight humanity's wars amongst the stars were similarly some of the best military sci-fi of its era.

But a writer as prolific as Laumer cannot always be at the top of his game, and the stories collected here are prime examples of why some work should be left in the dust.Of the eight stories collected here only one, titled "Doorstep" entertained me in any way.It is only ten pages long, but it nicely illustrates a sub-genre of sci-fi that is largely out of style; the ending with a twist.This is where you think you know what is happening, but as the reader you are missing one crucial fact that, when revealed, completely changes your perception of what has gone before."Doorstep" has a clever twist that is accomplished with aplomb.

Unfortunately those are the only ten worthwhile pages in this collection.The sixty page long novella "Thunderhead" deserves a mention for being a good concept poorly executed, but the rest of the stories don't even rise to that level.The title book, "A Plague of Demons", and a later story, "Greylorn", are the two worst offenders.Both have plots that jump from one setting to another in the last act with little to no foreshadowing or justification, and you can't help but thinking that Laumer had simply written himself into a corner and forced the story into a new channel to get a conclusion.

The remainder of the stories vary from uninteresting to mildly bad.Overall, none of them come close to justifying the eight dollar cover price.If you're a Laumer fanatic, it is interesting to see some of his lesser-known work, but if you're a science fiction fan looking for a good story, check out the Retief or Bolo books instead.

The short story that made me love SF
A plague of demons" is a great story. I recommend it to anyone who likes a fast pace storyline and an ending you didn't know was coming!

The other stories in this book is good too, but "A plague..." is truly great fiction!

Classic Stuff, if you're up for it.
This collection of Keith Laumer's works is part of the Baen Books republication of Laumer's writings. It seems that Laumer is one of those authors that people either love, or can't finish the first paragraph without screaming.If you are one of those who loves his work, get the whole series.You won't regret it.

Many of these stories have been out of print for a while and have been hard to find.I have fond memories of reading Laumer while serving in the Air Force on missions in the Middle East (ironically, detached to the State Department much as Laumer himself was), thinking "aside from the advanced hardware, this isn't fiction". Many of the stories in this volume are inspirational in a dark way, as they share a common thread of many of his works, that of the lone man doing what is right, against hopeless odds, even to self destruction, because of principle.It's a timeless lesson, but one many need to learn.

Skip Eric Flint's rather pointless comments, and just read the stories and David Drake's memories of Laumer. ... Read more

Product Description
Great Pulp Space Adventure Classic from Hugo and Nebula and Hugo Nominee Author!From the Ruins of Stonehenge to the Starships of Vallon he sought the secret ofa trace of memory. When the man named Legion signed on as a soldier of fortunehe did not expect to end up as the master of a private island nor to cower inancient druid pits nor fight for his life in the great hall of Okk-Hamiloth, ona planet galaxies away. Keith Laumer, the master storyteller of interstellaradventure sweeps you through time and space in a novel of retribution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Man of Two Worlds
A Trace of Memory (1963) is the second SF novel by this author.It starts in the far past and continues into contemporary times.

Far in the past, a man awoke in a starship to find himself surrounded by dead men.Only Ammaerlin was still alive, but close to death.He made a recording of Ammaerlin's memories and pocketed the cylinder containing his own memory trace.Then the Hunters found him and he fled the spacecraft.

When the shuttle landed on the world below, he buried Ammaerlin within the landing circles.Then primitives armed with bronze weapons cut him off from the shuttle.The locals looted the landing craft, but they did something that caused it to return to the spaceship in orbit.

In this novel, Legion is a former music student, military intelligence agent, and hard luck case.If it wasn't for bad luck, he would have no luck at all.He reads an advertisement in the Mayport newspaper about adventure, but crumples the paper and returns to his intentions of robbing one of the stores.

Foster had placed the advertisement and others like it in various newspapers for over eight years.Many had answered the ads, but none were suitable for his task.Then he gets a call from the local police about a man claiming to be answering the ad and drives to the station to meet him.

Foster believes that Legion is the man that he wants.Still, Legion lacks self-confidence.Only the appearance of Hunters in the house convinces Legion to stick with him.They manage to elude the Hunters and flee out of state.

In this story, the Mayport police discover that Foster is no longer present in his home.They find various weapons within the house and suspect the structure has been used by criminal elements.They decide that Legion was a northern hoodlum who had murdered Foster and put out an all-points bulletin on him.

Then the local police find Foster's car parked outside the hotel where they are staying.When he returns to the room, Foster has gone through the Change and now remembers nothing of his former life.The car -- with its box of money and papers -- is unattainable, so Legion and Foster take a bus out of town.

Foster has an unusual notebook containing strange writing.Some entries are written in plain English, but the first such are dated in the eighteenth century.Legion starts reading the English entries and discovers that the entries are identical with Foster's handwriting.

Foster notices a scruff mark on the nearly indestructible back cover of the notebook and Legion uses a microscope to see an encryption key.He translates the encrypted middle section and finds some coordinates of the home nest of the Hunters.They interpret the writings to refer to Stonehenge.

This tale takes Legion and Foster inside an ancient control center with instruments and screens.The radar screen shows an object at a very high altitude.Legion pushes a button and the shuttle returns to Earth.Then they board the landing craft and fly off to the mother ship.

The story follows one of the major themes in this author's works.Something strange is found and further investigation reveals an even stranger situation.In Worlds of the Imperium, Bayard finds evidence of alternate worlds.In this story, Legion finds artifacts of an ancient interstellar civilization.Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Laumer fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of ancient civilizations, strange enemies, and high adventure.

-Arthur W. Jordin

I Remember Camelot
_A Trace of Memory_, Keith Laumer's second novel, was originally serialized in _Amazing_ in 1962 and published in book form the following year. It was immediately recognized as a good science fiction adventure story by critics and readers alike.

What was not discussed-- at least, not to my knowledge-- were the Arthurian threads running through the novel. The enigmatic Foster is revealed fairly early in the novel to be the historical King Arthur, who abandoned the throne of England when his knights began to realize that he did not age. A number of the names of people and places are Arthurian. Foster's companion whom he buries is named Ammaerlin (Merlin); his home planet is Vallon (Avallon), and its capital city is Okk-Hamiloth (Camelot); the villainous despot of Vallon is Ommodurad (Mordred); and the identity that Legion adopts on Vallon is Drgn (dragon). There are other names of this sort that you may look up if you wish. I don't want to give away the ending of the novel, but I think that it is fair to say that the last few chapters draw heavily on Arthurian legend.

Laumer reinforces the Arthurian threads with a number of circle images throughout the novel: a notebook cover and signet rings embossed with two concentric circles... Stonehenge... the double orbits of the two planets in the Vallonian system... the rings on a tabletop in an ancient English pub... the great ring-boards of Okk-Hamiloth and Bar-Panderone... a sword embedded in a circular design in a castle wall... Collectively, they are reminiscent of the round table or of Excalibur-- of age, solidity, tradition.

Laumer also uses occasional musical images that reinforce the Arthurian tone of the novel. The hero, Legion, is a one-time music major. When Legion first stays at Foster's home, Foster is listening to the _Liebestod_. When Legion first enters the beautiful but empty city of Okk-Hamiloth, he plays Ravel's _Pavanne for a Dead Princess_ on the clarinet "and felt a forlorn nostalgia for a glory I had never known..." (109). But shortly afterward, when he is enslaved by a baser, more primitive civilization, he plays only tunes such as the _Beer Barrel Polka_ and _Little Brown Jug_. Laumer uses musical imagery to comment on man's nobility or lack of nobility.

Laumer also uses musical imagery to comment on Legion's character in one scene. Halfway through the novel, Legion has made his fortune on Earth. He is sitting on his island retreat smoking a fine cigar "and listening to the best music a thousand dollar hi-fi could produce" (76). It is an indication that Legion's concerns at this time are largely materialistic. He has not yet learned to to be more altruistic, to live for higher ideals.

It would be overstating the case to say that _A Trace of Memory_ is a retelling of the Arthurian legend. For one thing, Legion does not seem to be modeled on any Arthurian character. Indeed, through most of the novel, he is set up as a foil to Foster. He is more informal, more down-to-earth, more democratic, more practical, more witty. For another thing, the overall plot of the novel does not seem to rely heavily on any Arthurian legend. It is only at the end that the Arthurian references become obvious.

But if the novel is not a strict retelling of the Arthurian legend, it does seem to use Camelot as an ideal of chivalry and nobility that Laumer feels that most of mankind fails to obtain. It is also a goal toward which Legion unconsciously, almost against his will, strives. At the opening of the novel, he is a self-pitying vagrant contemplating robbery. At the close of the novel, he is a genuinely noble hero. Part of the fun is watching Legion change and grow along the way.

It's OK, I wouldn't say it's his best
It's got one of the usual Laumer plots - an unusually gifted mentor (with a long lifespan) teaches a moderately ordinary guy incredible stuff with which the guy can conquer incredible odds and live in an exotic place. It's a good read and I can understand people wanting to read it again after a few years. His stuff is like that. But this isn't the book I'd recommend to a first-time Keith Laumer reader. (Dinosaur Beach, probably...)

Trace of Memory
The librarian at my high school introduced me to this book in 9th grade (1977) I was blown away by the creativity of the story.Today, I read the same tattered text (purchased during a library book sale) bound by the library.The story of Foster and his odd memories creates a world familiar yet surreal.Truly one of the best sci fi books I have ever read.

A Trace of Memory
Always been a fan of Keith Laumer but this is one of his best.His books are full of wit and one liners.Hard to believe this book is out of print.I've read every book I could find by Keith Laumer and this is one of hisbest.I must have read this book 20 times at least.When I go on a shorttrip and am not reading anything else, i bring this book to re-read.Itsfull of action and humor.A great story from a great but under ratedwriter.I wish the science fiction book club would re-issue this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Gambler's World

Greylorn

It Could be Anything

Yillian's Way ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tiny fraction of the works.
This is just a tiny fraction of the works of Keith Laumer.There should be a description of what is included.These works are just four books, two of which are Retief books. ... Read more

Product Description
Standing guard as the tireless protectors of the human race, the electronic Bolos fight against alien computer viruses that infect them, repel attacks by space pirates, outmaneuver alien robot intelligences, and struggle with their own programming. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

More BattleTech than Bolo.Shame!
A friend of mine who was "into sci-fi" convinced me to read a "BattleTech" book.Cheap fireworks for understimulated teenagers; a complete waste of time.But long before this pulp a master of the Golden Age wrote the best-ever stories of this genre', the Bolo stories.Keith Laumer's Bolo wasn't just big guns incidentally slaved to a good computer.It felt pain; passion; dismay; hope; joy; and above all else desire.It spoke with cold logic, never wasted a word.But its nanosecond thoughts were lavish with emotion.As with tales of soft-spoken heroes of the martial arts or the Old West, they think much and speak little -- and only then carry a big stick.Honor and desire, not mere power, are the Bolo's allegories.The authors of "Unconquerable" have insipidly shifted the focus from guts to guns.Laumer's passion and vision extinguished in these stories, they might as well carry the "Power Rangers" brand name -- it would be just as relevant, and more apropos.

a bolo a day keeps the deng away.
Bolos are awsome. There are very few things even in fiction that I can think about and say that is just the ultimate. A previouse reveiw leads you to beleive this book is not good. that is not the case it was rated a 7. what it is is that the bolo series is so good that this one had trouble reaching that peak. its like saying the superbowl is not that big, well thats true when you compare it to the Olympics but that dosn't make the super bowl any less enjoyable. If you like bolos read this, if you dont know about bolos read this and you will love them.

Bolos: lancelots of the future IIII
Tis book was a little dissapointing: it tried to concentrate on the technological aspects of the bolos, but got many , manythings wrong. Dates, times and other small details are not correct, and two of the stories have said the the Bolo's main weapon, a hellbore energy cannon, uses shells. This is not a bad book, but none of the stories are especially outstanding

A must read- this book will be glued to your hands til read!
Anything with the word Bolo and Laumer is going to be very good, the type of book you save for reading that is special.This book reaches deep and connects .... you will really enjoy it!! ... Read more

Product Description
Controlled by their tireless electronic brains which were programmed to admit no possibility of defeat, the gigantic robot tanks known as Bolos were almost indestructible, and nearly unstoppable. Their artificial intelligences were designed to make them selflessly serve and protect humans throughout the galaxy and made each Bolo the epitome of the knight sans peur et sans reproche, and often far more noble than the humans who gave them their orders.

Created by Keith Laumer, the saga of the Bolos has been extended by several of the best writers in science fiction. Now, the best stories of the saga are collected in one Omni-Trade volume, including work by New York Times best-selling writers David Weber, Mercedes Lackey and S. M. Stirling, military science fiction grand master David Drake, and Laumer himself, who recount the exploits of the dauntless Bolos in Their Finest Hour. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Bolos Galore
BolosTheir Finest Hour
(2010)
This is a selection of stories about the Bolos, huge tanks with artificial intelligence, created by Keith Laumer. This volume contains ten stories by Laumer and other writers, an Introduction by David Weber, and a timeline.

- "Introduction" (2010) by David Weber tells something about Laumer and the origins of the Bolo fighting machines and about the role of the Bolos in SF literature.

- "Combat Unit" (F&SF, 1960) by Keith Laumer

- "Lost Legion" (1993) by S. M. Sterling

- "A Time to Kill" (1997) by David Weber

- "Operation Desert Fox" (1993) by Mercedes Lackey andLarry Dixon

- "The Last Command" (Analog, 1966) by Keith

- "Little Dog Gone" (1995) by Linda Evans


- "As Our Strength Lessens" (1993) by David Drake

- "The Traitor" (1997) by David Weber

- "A Relic of War" (Analog, 1969) by Keith Laumer

- "Hold Until Relieved" (1997) by William H. Keith, Jr.

- "A Brief Technical History of the Bolos" (1995) by David Weber.



It does not contain "Big Boys don't Cry" by Tom Kratman.I wish it did.For it you have to go to Tom's Website.

Read and enjoy!

I highly recommend this book for Bolo fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of artificial intelligence, and tank warfare.

GunnerAugust, 2010

This is where to start
I have been mesmerized by the Bolos since I read "Relic of War" in '69,
then my prized "Bolos,Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade" in '76.I carried that fascination into service as a USMC Tanker,and yes,there is something very special about Tanks,and Bolos still give me a special "rush" whenever mentioned,or a new story appears. This book is great for the Newbie,giving a taste of what is available.For the diehard Bolo fan,perhaps there is a story you don't have that appears here? Even though Laumer has passed on,the stories still grow,and David Weber has done magnificent Bolo work,"Miles to Go" still leaves me choked even after many readings.
Buy the book,and enjoy!!!

The Best of the Bolos?
Their Finest Hour (2010) is a selection of stories about the Bolos created by Keith Laumer.This volume contains ten stories by Laumer and other writers, an Introduction, and a timeline.All these stories have been published in previous collections or anthologies.

- "Introduction" (2010) by David Weber tells something about Laumer and the origins of the Bolo fighting machines and about the role of the Bolos in SF literature.

- "Combat Unit" (F&SF, 1960) by Keith Laumer describes the actions of a Bolo captured by the enemy.

- "Lost Legion" (1993) by S. M. Sterling features an early model Bolo engaged in jungle warfare.

- "A Time to Kill" (1997) by David Weber involves a damaged Bolo in a later conflict between humans and Melconians.

- "Operation Desert Fox" (1993) by Mercedes Lackey & Larry Dixon deals with a Bolo and his commander who both admire Erwin Rommel.

- "The Last Command" (Analog, 1966) by Keith Laumer confronts a group of construction workers with a highly radioactive Bolo awakened within a disposal area.

- "Little Dog Gone" (1995) by Linda Evans examines the friendship between a teenage girl and a damaged Bolo.

- "As Our Strength Lessens" (1993) by David Drake confronts a Bolo with a very different technology.

- "The Traitor" (1997) by David Weber recounts the pursuit of a Bolo who betrayed his unit.

- "A Relic of War" (Analog, 1969) by Keith Laumer explains why an abandoned Bolo took off on his own.

- "Hold Until Relieved" (1997) by William H. Keith, Jr., concerns some future persons finding a Bolo in an archaeological dig.

- "A Brief Technical History of the Bolos" (1995) by David Weber presents a timeline for various Bolo models and developments.Since Laumer had many inconsistencies within his stories, this document is only a guideline.

The Bolos -- and even earlier armored vehicles -- were treated as animate objects long before they became self-aware.Yet intelligence in the Bolos was much different than human intelligence from the start.As the Introduction states, Bolos had the virtues to which many humans only aspired, including duty, honor and loyalty to humanity.Even the later Bolos displayed these virtues unless badly damaged.

The intelligent loyalty of Bolos captured the respect and even love of their commanders.Bolos are much like the Knights of the Round Table, but even more loyal.These stories grab the imagination of readers like few other tales.

These stories are only a few of the Bolo tales available from Laumer and other writers.The definitive collection of Bolo short stories by Laumer is The Compleat Bolo.Laumer also expanded "The Night of the Trolls" (Worlds of Tomorrow, 1963) into the novel The Stars Must Wait.

In addition to this volume, the Bolo universe now includes six anthologies-- starting with Honor of the Regiment -- and six novels.Three novels are by William H. Keith, two are by David Weber, and one is by John Ringo & Linda Evans.

These stories were selected by Hank Davis.They may not be your favorites, but they ARE among the best. Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Bolo fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of artificial intelligence, armor tactics, and machine perseverance.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Enjoyable classic SF romps
KEITH LAUMER: THE LIGHTER SIDE combines two novels along with a number of short stories written by the SF classic author Keith Laumer.

In the Queue tells of a planet-wide waiting list. People wait their entire lives to move up, holding their places not only for themselves, but also for their children. A nice twist at the end makes this one memorable. The Planet Wreckers confronts an every-man with a galactic movie crew intent on staging the world's largest disaster film. The Body Builders explores a future where people (except a few fanatics) have abandoned their bodies for robots. The Devil You Don't is a romp with a demon. The Exterminator explores America's fascination with violence as a unversal solution. The Big Show blurs reality with entertainment. Gooberreality mixes an every-man with a government/business society where independence is impossible. Protothap confronts an every-man with the impossible--he can't buy life insurance (the twist is in why). Reflecting an earlier era in SF where the short story was a key part of the genre, these stories demonstrate Laumer's skill, provide insights into the America of the 1960s (most of which apply today), and generate some nice chuckles.

TIME TRAP, the first novel in the collection, puts Roger Tyson on the spot. When he tries to flag down a beautiful woman on a motorcycle, she crashes. Dying, she insists that he take her "hearing aid" which turns out to be a futuristic computer device. Roger discovers that the world has been segmented and that, unless he can do something, Earth's entire existance will come to an end. He faces an apparently immortal giant rutabaga, and is both aided and opposed by futuristic scientists--including the dead woman.

THE GREAT TIME MACHINE HOAX is the gem in this collection. Chester W. Chester IV has a tax bill due and nothing but a moth-eaten circus and an estate with an expensive computer to pay it with. Checking out the computer with his friend Case, they realize the potential to make some money in entertainment--by faking a time machine. What they don't realize is that the computer takes them very literally. The strength of this story comes when Chester is forced to confront his own weaknesses. In an accelerated learning program, which Laumer suggests might have benefit to all of us, Chester learns confidence and overcomes fear and pain.

Keith Laumer is one of the great writers of the 1960s and this is a fine introduction to his non-series work. Laumer definitely lacks a progressive attitude toward women, generally treating them as prizes rather than as intelligent players, but if you're willing to overlook this outdated perspective, you'll find a lot to enjoy in THE LIGHTER SIDE.

Humorous Scince Fiction Adventures
This book contains adventure tales that are a fast read, light yet satirically wild. There are two novels about hapless heros caught in a world with changing time streams out of their control. We follow the heros as they travel through these differrent times and deal with the obstacles they encounter, as they try to get back to where they started from.

This collection of Mr. Laumer's works even contains three short stories which are worth reading on their own merit. One has Satan asking a professor to aid him save Hell. Another is a movie production studio using Earth as a set, and they plan to blow the set up at the end of the movie. and the final short story is about a time where you can purchase any body you can afford.

If you do not have this book, buy it. If you have it, read it. You will be glad you did.

Laughs and fun..whit a black arriere-gout
These stories are a gas, but they often verge on the dark...think only of the poor guy in Time-Trap, maybe the best story in the book. This guy may be the predecessor of Paul Jonas, the Otherland character who was hurled from a strange environment to another, and who was alsopursued by ghastly creatures. Thanks to Eric Flint for having made us rediscover these classic stories! ... Read more

Product Description
When Brion Bayard was kidnapped and brought to the alternate world where Earth's history took a different turn, it was not a pleasant experience. It was, however, a startling experience. Here was a world that was just like the Earth he was taken from--with just a few subtle changes. On top of all this, Brion was given a puzzling assignment by his captors. He was to secretly enter a palace, and kill a dangerous and tyrannical dictator. There was one, small catch--the hated dictator in this world was the mirror image of Brion Bayard. For on an Alternate Earth, Brion's is his own worst enemy! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Really very good
Worlds of the Imperium is a parallel-universe novel, and one of the first to use this idea effectively. It creates the idea of a continuum (today we would call it a multi-verse), where we have counterparts in worlds with different histories. Once humans learned to travel between worlds, the common flaws of greed, avarice, and lust for power of course came into play. We follow a character named Brion Bayard as he is recruited into service by an intelligence service that patrols these parallel worlds. But things are not what they seem. An excellent novel by my favorite author. A real page-turner full of intrigue and fascination. Why couldn't *I* get recruited to travel between worlds, you will ask yourself.

Nearly Forgotten Work
The book deals with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The story deals with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the story was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well.

Nearly Forgotten Work
The book deals with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The story deals with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the story was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well.

Nearly Forgotten Work
The book deals with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The story deals with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the story was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well.

Nearly Forgotten Work
The book deals with the concept of parallel universes.The concept is relatively well thought out by Laumer and given to us in more detail then I expected he would do in such short novels.The story deals with the conflicts played out between the worlds of these parallel universes and how they impact each other both knowingly and unknowingly.

Overall I thought this was a really good read.The pace of the story was fast and what one would expect of a tightly written story.It always amazes me how much thicker today's science fiction novels tend to be versus those of 30 or 40 years ago.Could it be as simple as the art of tight writing and a strong editor are lost today?

The characters are not that strongly developed and this seems to be the sacrifice Laumer makes to keep the stories to the point.The characters are developed only as absolutely necessary to the story so of course the only character we are attuned to is the single main character.

I recommended and if you enjoy the genre at all I think you will enjoy the novel as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dirty Doings in the Goober Cluster
_Retief and the Warlords_ (1968) is the second Retief novel, and it shares the same strengths and weaknesses as its predecessor, _Retief's War_ (1967). On the positive side, it has a certain amount of color, dash, and wit. On the negative side, it contains obviously cardboard characters and relies on external action with no internal conflict; we are never privy to the thoughts or feelings of any of the characters.

The action of _Retief's War_ took place on a single planet. The action of _Retief and the Warlords_ takes place on a variety of planets and along the space lanes of the troubled Goober Cluster. Otherwise, the formula is familiar. The ambassadors of the Terran Diplomatic Corps have empowered both Terran space pirates and alien space invaders, known as the Hatracks, who are preying upon peaceful Terran colonists and traders. The Hatracks are planning to breed humans for food. Retief eventually straightens out the mess, escapes a firing squad ordered for him by a senior ambassador, and negotiates a peaceful settlement with his two-fisted diplomacy. There is also a marvelous rescue scene in which Ben Magnan, of all people, saves the day with style and cunning.

As with the earlier Retief books, there is a balance between action and satire. But the satire in _Retief and the Warlords_ seems to be just a touch more heavy-handed than it was in the earlier books. Not enough to destroy the basic good fun, mind you. But enough to make the reader wish that Laumer had told his tale with a bit more of a poker face.

Best Sci-Fi Ever Written!
By far the greatest sci-fi series ever written. Follow James Retief and Ben Magnun on thier action packed, tounge-in-cheek adventures across the galaxy.

The Retief series started out as a series of short stories published the various science fiction pulps during the 1950's through to the 1960's. These are classic sci-fi as it was written before the days of the moon landing. All together there were more than 60 stories about Retief's space adventures.

In the 1970's after the death of Keith Laumer, editors began to compile collections of these classic pulp fiction stories into a book series. Each collection contains 3 to 5 or more stories.

Of the series this (Retief and the Warlords) is my fave!

If you like Douglas Adams' Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy than you're sure to love Retief.

Science Fiction humor at its best!
I'd match Keith Laumer against Asimov, Heinlein or Clark in the SF arena when he's having a good day and in his Retief books he's at the top of his form. Jame Retief is a minor official in the interstellar diplomatic corps who always makes a major impact wherever he goes. Pulling chestnuts out of fires is his stock in trade. Retief works in a truly Dilbertesque bureucracy where most of the officials have not the slightest iota of common sense. There is no end of derring do and humor in the Retief series. Grab one and find out why. Big Hint. Get the early books. Later on when Retief's first name becomes Jim instead of Jame you'll be in for a let down. ... Read more

Product Description
When John Bravais was sent on a secret mission to observe a war in North Africa he found out more than it was safe for him to know—even after he had secretly been surgically transformed so that he was as strong as a Bolo tank, and nearly as tough: Wolf-like aliens, invisible to the ordinary eye, were harvesting the brains of the fallen fighters! Bravais might have become the Ultimate Warrior, but still he was only one man against A Plague of Demons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

John Keith Laumer
John Keith Laumer (June 9, 1925 - January 23, 1993 (aged 67)) was an American science fiction writer. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force and a U. S. diplomat. This collection includes eight of his shorts, including probably his most famous:

A Plague of Demons (1964) - More people are dying than are being buried. Your mission ... The first Bolo story.

Thunderhead (1967) - They just called a Category One Emergency for all the Outer Beacon Line Stations and you have to respond. Unfortunately, your flitter is broken, now you have to climb old Thunderhead by foot, and it's snowing outside and it's been years since you last climbed it. Also, the Djang are coming.

End As A Hero (1963) - They've sent you out to investigate the Gool, a race that can manipulate the minds of humans, but you're a trained psychodynamist so you are prepared, but will Earth believe you?

Doorstep (1961) - Brigadier General W. F. Straut saw this as his opportunity to get his second star. Boy, was he wrong. "Please take..."

Test To Destruction(1967)- "Aboard the interstellar dreadnought cruising half a parsec from Earth, the compound Rhee mind surveyed the distant Solar system"

The Star-Sent Knaves(1963)-Valuable painting are disappearing from in penetrable vaults.

Greylorn(1959)-The Red Tide is advancing all over earth and can't seem to be stopped. Earth's last chance is to hunt out the colonial missions that were searching for a new world, the Omega Mission. The author borrows some from a real incident that happened circa 1840's with the initials the DP party, but never fear, Greylorn is here to save the day and earth.

Of Death what Dreams(1970)-Bailey went in to lie on a slab and never thought that he'd ever wake up again.

Afterword by Eric Flint (2003)- When I saw this in the Table of Contents I assumed it would be some recollections about Keith Laumer and the editor, maybe how the editor choose these particular stories, but no. It's just balant promotion of the next Laumer book by Baen. Flint has his nose stuck so far up Baen's rear end I'm surprised he can breathe, I'd suggest you skip this.

highly recommended for fans of Keith Laumer, especially for fans of his BOLO stories.

Gunner 2010

Interesting Quick Read
This was an interesting and fun quick book. I have a few more of his I'm going to read as well.

Super Reader
Bloke recruited to be poor woman's Iron Man and goes Starship Trooping.

or

Given that he signs up for the Invulnerable Man program, and is assured he won't have to wear a red S, even though he has seen Batman and Robin, and is not an alcoholic womanising billonaire playboy weapons dealer, this is what he is stuck with.

Besides, given the measly one ton lifting capacity of his suit, an army of alien monsters has a lot more chance of survival than going to toe to toe with the Hulk for even the number of seconds you can count on one hand.

Laumer's Best
While I've always enjoyed his lighter works, such as the adventures of Retief, "The Time Trap", and the Lafayette O'Leary tales, Keith Laumer's finest work was in his stories of a lone man battling against overwhelming odds, usually against gigantic organizations or conspiracies. And, while I adore "Night of Delusions" and "The House in November", Keith Laumer's finest novel was "A Plague of Demons".

The action is first-rate, the science fiction concepts are solid and well-thought out...and exciting. And the story continually expands, like an onion being peeled in reverse...much as the Lensman stories of Doc Smith did. Bravais (the hero...and I do mean HERO) seems to be investigating a minor matter at story's beginning. By story's end, however, both story and Bravais have undergone astonishing changes!

Buy this book...read it...keep it...you'll come back and read it again!

Spy-fi!
Keith Laumer, A Plague of Demons (Paperback Library, 1965)

Keith Laumer may be a science fiction writer, but don't let that fool you. I'd bet a week's pay the guy was sitting there at his typewriter in a trenchcoat and fedora, unfiltered Lucky hanging from his lip, reading back his prose in a Bogart voice. The first two-thirds of this book is straight out of the world of hardboiled detective fiction. Well, okay, as long as you leave out the dog-faced aliens, invisibility suits, anti-gravitydevices, you get the idea.

The scene is present-day Algeria, where your basic world war has come down to a seemingly endless conflict between Algeria and Tunisia, with the rest of the world powers backing one side or the other. Jack Bravais, an American general, is sent to observe the fighting and report back to his superiors, or so we think. His best friend, an operative for a secret government espionage agency, has different orders for him and a cover that's bound to stir up trouble-- make Bravais look like he's plotting against the UN, and a fellow American general in particular. As if that isn't enough for Bravais to get himself into, he very quickly finds out that his real mission (find out why the estimated casualty numbers for battles dating all the way back to WWI don't match the actual body counts) involves proving the existence of aliens. Well, alrighty then.

The book's got a slow beginning, but it takes off around chapter three, and never looks back. The tone changes, inexplicably, about two-thirds of the way through and the book becomes much more a hard SF novel (one can almost hear the publisher screaming "there aren't enough damn robots in here!" at the first draft), but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment to be found in Bravais and his dimwit sidekick Joel (no last name). If you're a sci-fi fan looking for a good mystery, or a mystery fan looking for some aliens to play with, this is right up your alley. Have fun. *** ... Read more

Product Description
Peace, it's wonderful! Except when the Peace Movement is actually a subterfuge by the warlike and imperialistic Kril to force the Terrans to abandon the planet, leaving it defenceless and ripe for conquest. The Terran diplomats have their usual primary concerns; covering their, ah, flank and not doing anything that might threaten their careers, which means that they're not about to do anything, period. Once again, it's up to Retief to thwart the would-be conquerors, even if the unthinkable happens, and he's drummed out of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestriennel. And Retief has never been more dangerous to the villains than when he's operating outside the rules of diplomacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not as good as the real Retief
Sort of like the author had a check list of what Laumer would do and just repeated it over and over.Did not make an effort, in my view, to take the character some where a little new.Which would really have helped.

More adventures of the Galaxy's only Two-Fisted Diplomat!
Keith has done his homework here and it really shows. I've enjoyed his tackling of Laumer's Bolos genre.....and now he gifts us with a Retief novel! It's got all the hallmarks of a Retief Yarn. Humour, pacing, style & the like.....It's like Laumer the Master was standing at Keith's elbow as he sits at the word processor. Keith even tackles the little things that made the Retief stories just sparkle.....the use of catalogued CDT expressions (Retief fans know what i'm talking about), the distinct syntax of Groaci speed in Standard.....it's all there! I had to decide how to file this in my SF collection (with the Keith books or Laumer's). Ultimately, I filed it right next to the rest of my Laumer Retief novels.....It's *that* good! I hope to see more of the same.....Keep Up The Good Work Mr. Keith!

Wonderful satire
This book is great. William Kieth retains the style of the late Kieth Laumer, but adds some of his own humor as well. This really is political satire at it's finest. This book is truly a Retief story.

How Diplomacy Should Work
I started reading the original Retief books in the '70's or maybe the 60's.I really liked them from the start and it was fun to go back for a walk down memory lane.Senior Foreign Service Officers can be a naive as those depicted in the book.Many of them were always ready to see the good side of the Soviets and the dark side of any American ally.That's what happens in this book with intergalactic races standing in their Earth counterparts. It's a fun read.

A "new"Retief arises
I had my doubts when this pistache appeared, but I am now a true believer. It is the original Retief back. If you have ever read Laumer's Retief you will love it. If not you will discover a new love and likely end up buying all the originals. ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Fiction / Science Fiction / General; Fiction / Fantasy / Contemporary; Fiction / Fantasy / General; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Recommended
Keith Laumer is noted for his quirky takes on science fiction themes. In this time travel fantasy the science is out the window and light satire drives the story.

Our hero Chester W. Chester IV is elated to have inherited his great-grandfathers mansion and all goods within. His pleasure soon turns to ashes when he is informed of a colossal tax liability associated with the estate. While poking around his relative's clandestine computer lab he accidentally fires up a time machine and sends himself and his friends into the far past. As you can imagine plans are made to use time travel to resolve the estate issues.

Laumer's book is light entertainment but an enjoyable read.

Great fun - a classic
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and bought a copy for my adult daughter. It is an old-fashioned SF book that is just fun. The technology may be a bit dated, but that hardly detracts from the enjoyment.

The Girl, the Grandpa, and Everything
Perhaps I should open with a bibliographical note. I first read this Keith Laumer novel as a three part serial in _Fantastic_ back in 1963 under the title, "A Hoax in Time." I greatly enjoyed it. Several years later, I picked up a copy of _The Great Time Machine Hoax_ (1964), expecting to reread an old favorite under a slightly different title. Only, it wasn't the same novel. Some new scenes were added, and other scenes were cut. The sequence of events was drastically altered. Dialogue was modified. I won't make a laborious, point-by-point comparison, but the reader should be aware that the book version is markedly different from the original serial. I suppose that on the balance, it is a little better. But I sometimes find myself bemused by the multitude of changes that were made.

Whichever version you read, think of it as a fantastical romp-- the sort of novel that Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp used to write for _Unknown_. There's not really a serious bone in its body, but there is a philosophy of sorts. It may best be described as a kind of amiable hedonism. The hero tells a mountain man who is leading a bunch of grubby "free men" in the wild:

"You're echoing a long line of philosophers who concluded that the secret of the universe consisted of sitting around in your own dirt-- all the way from early Christians to twentieth-century beatniks. I can be just as self-righteous as the next fellow, while I'm sitting in an air-conditioned restaurant ordering _haute cuisine_ with one hand and lighting up an expensive dope stick with the other, with a well-stacked young lady occupying the rest of my attention." (130)

And the story? Chester W. Chester IV has inherited a run-down circus, a neo-Victorian mansion with some awesomely ugly artifacts, a super computer in the wine cellar with Great Grandfather Chester's personality... and millions of dollars in back taxes. Chester and his carney pal Case Mulvihill gradually hatch a plot. With a bit of preparation, they might be able to con the Internal Revenue Service into believing that they have a real live time machine.

And then we are off and running with an account of cavemen, dinosaurs, beautiful Genies, the _real_ story of the _Marie Celeste_, the truth about flying saucers, an unorthodox academy with an amiable but crafty instructor, hordes of bungling policemen, and model airplanes. (Laumer once wrote a nonfictional book on the subject.) It is a grand adventure. I won't say that _The Great Time Machine Hoax_ is the very best novel that Laumer wrote, but I will say that it is very good-- very good indeed. Put a double decker sandwich and a drink by your side. Nestle down into your favorite chair. Prop up your feet on a footstool. Pick up the book. Enjoy.

Great science fiction that borders on the profound
I've always been fascinated by the idea of time travel, so this book's title fairly jumped off the shelf of a used book store I frequented back in college.Don't let the title, The Great Time Machine Hoax, fool you.This isn't some piece of second-rate science fiction that winds up reneging on its promises of adventures through time; the essence of the "hoax" can only be found in the writing itself.I wouldn't call this novel incredibly visionary, either, but it does provide much food for thought in terms of the philosophy of science.

Of course, you can just read the novel for the story itself and get your money's worth.Laumer mixes plenty of wit and comedy into the adventures of our main characters.As the book opens, Chester W. Chester IV has been legally declared the sole heir of his quirky great-grandfather's estate; unfortunately, the back taxes that have accrued over the full century of legal wrangling over the will seem to do Chester more harm than good.In order to raise money, he is forced to close down his Wowser Wonder Shows circus.Case Mulvihill, the man running the circus, is determined to find a way to save the business, and he focuses his attention on the giant computer in Chester's great-grandfather's house.Chester's ancestor had poured the bulk of his money and the last quarter century of his life into building the Generalized Non-Linear Extrapolator; basically, the idea was to connect an ungodly amount of memory to the processor and input all the knowledge known to man into the machine.Of course, actually making use of all this information is the proverbial rub.Chester and Chase visit the house and start asking the computer questions.Eventually, Case tests the machine by asking for realistic looks into the distant past.This is where the trouble starts.The two men, and the female named Genie the computer creates to be their guide, wind up trapped and separated in time, in eras ranging from that of cavemen to a future society based on philosophy and science.For Chester, rescuing his friends and getting back home safe and sound stands as a true challenge indeed.

I think the writing in this novel is a tad bit uneven at times, but this is a quick and entertaining read blessed with both comedy and insight.By far the most fascinating section to me was Chester's reeducation in a future academy.A lifetime's worth of learning is packed into a single year, and Laumer takes the opportunity to introduce some truly thought-provoking ideas about mental and physical education, the mastery of mind over pain and boredom, and the making of a man in his most enlightened and nature-attuned form.Some of the philosophy proffered here borders on the esoteric (the starting point and unofficial school "motto" is "Is-not is not not-is") yet much of it seems to merit consideration in the reader's own approach to life.

Keith Laumer's 1963 The Great Time Machine Hoax is just very good science fiction.It offers a rousingly good story that anyone can enjoy, yet it goes beyond the surface to mine for a few nuggets of intellectual ore in the ground of the human mind.This is the kind of novel that can give birth to a love of science fiction in the mind of someone new to the genre.

Deep Fun
If one were to lift the edge of the cosmic consciousness and find a chuckle underneath it would be entirely congruent with Laumer's approach to the human condition. While dealing with the big issues of human evolution,civilization and the nature of time and matter "The Hoax" managesto be extremely humorous and cognizant, in a down-to-earth way, of themotives and passions of humans. I read this book when it came out (about 30years ago) and while it is not quite as well written as I remember it, theconcepts and synthesis are powerful and the humour is classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Recommended
Keith Laumer is noted for his quirky takes on science fiction themes. In this time travel fantasy the science is out the window and light satire drives the story.

Our hero Chester W. Chester IV is elated to have inherited his great-grandfathers mansion and all goods within. His pleasure soon turns to ashes when he is informed of a colossal tax liability associated with the estate. While poking around his relative's clandestine computer lab he accidentally fires up a time machine and sends himself and his friends into the far past. As you can imagine plans are made to use time travel to resolve the estate issues.

Laumer's book is light entertainment but an enjoyable read.

Great fun - a classic
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and bought a copy for my adult daughter. It is an old-fashioned SF book that is just fun. The technology may be a bit dated, but that hardly detracts from the enjoyment.

The Girl, the Grandpa, and Everything
Perhaps I should open with a bibliographical note. I first read this Keith Laumer novel as a three part serial in _Fantastic_ back in 1963 under the title, "A Hoax in Time." I greatly enjoyed it. Several years later, I picked up a copy of _The Great Time Machine Hoax_ (1964), expecting to reread an old favorite under a slightly different title. Only, it wasn't the same novel. Some new scenes were added, and other scenes were cut. The sequence of events was drastically altered. Dialogue was modified. I won't make a laborious, point-by-point comparison, but the reader should be aware that the book version is markedly different from the original serial. I suppose that on the balance, it is a little better. But I sometimes find myself bemused by the multitude of changes that were made.

Whichever version you read, think of it as a fantastical romp-- the sort of novel that Fletcher Pratt and L. Sprague de Camp used to write for _Unknown_. There's not really a serious bone in its body, but there is a philosophy of sorts. It may best be described as a kind of amiable hedonism. The hero tells a mountain man who is leading a bunch of grubby "free men" in the wild:

"You're echoing a long line of philosophers who concluded that the secret of the universe consisted of sitting around in your own dirt-- all the way from early Christians to twentieth-century beatniks. I can be just as self-righteous as the next fellow, while I'm sitting in an air-conditioned restaurant ordering _haute cuisine_ with one hand and lighting up an expensive dope stick with the other, with a well-stacked young lady occupying the rest of my attention." (130)

And the story? Chester W. Chester IV has inherited a run-down circus, a neo-Victorian mansion with some awesomely ugly artifacts, a super computer in the wine cellar with Great Grandfather Chester's personality... and millions of dollars in back taxes. Chester and his carney pal Case Mulvihill gradually hatch a plot. With a bit of preparation, they might be able to con the Internal Revenue Service into believing that they have a real live time machine.

And then we are off and running with an account of cavemen, dinosaurs, beautiful Genies, the _real_ story of the _Marie Celeste_, the truth about flying saucers, an unorthodox academy with an amiable but crafty instructor, hordes of bungling policemen, and model airplanes. (Laumer once wrote a nonfictional book on the subject.) It is a grand adventure. I won't say that _The Great Time Machine Hoax_ is the very best novel that Laumer wrote, but I will say that it is very good-- very good indeed. Put a double decker sandwich and a drink by your side. Nestle down into your favorite chair. Prop up your feet on a footstool. Pick up the book. Enjoy.

Great science fiction that borders on the profound
I've always been fascinated by the idea of time travel, so this book's title fairly jumped off the shelf of a used book store I frequented back in college.Don't let the title, The Great Time Machine Hoax, fool you.This isn't some piece of second-rate science fiction that winds up reneging on its promises of adventures through time; the essence of the "hoax" can only be found in the writing itself.I wouldn't call this novel incredibly visionary, either, but it does provide much food for thought in terms of the philosophy of science.

Of course, you can just read the novel for the story itself and get your money's worth.Laumer mixes plenty of wit and comedy into the adventures of our main characters.As the book opens, Chester W. Chester IV has been legally declared the sole heir of his quirky great-grandfather's estate; unfortunately, the back taxes that have accrued over the full century of legal wrangling over the will seem to do Chester more harm than good.In order to raise money, he is forced to close down his Wowser Wonder Shows circus.Case Mulvihill, the man running the circus, is determined to find a way to save the business, and he focuses his attention on the giant computer in Chester's great-grandfather's house.Chester's ancestor had poured the bulk of his money and the last quarter century of his life into building the Generalized Non-Linear Extrapolator; basically, the idea was to connect an ungodly amount of memory to the processor and input all the knowledge known to man into the machine.Of course, actually making use of all this information is the proverbial rub.Chester and Chase visit the house and start asking the computer questions.Eventually, Case tests the machine by asking for realistic looks into the distant past.This is where the trouble starts.The two men, and the female named Genie the computer creates to be their guide, wind up trapped and separated in time, in eras ranging from that of cavemen to a future society based on philosophy and science.For Chester, rescuing his friends and getting back home safe and sound stands as a true challenge indeed.

I think the writing in this novel is a tad bit uneven at times, but this is a quick and entertaining read blessed with both comedy and insight.By far the most fascinating section to me was Chester's reeducation in a future academy.A lifetime's worth of learning is packed into a single year, and Laumer takes the opportunity to introduce some truly thought-provoking ideas about mental and physical education, the mastery of mind over pain and boredom, and the making of a man in his most enlightened and nature-attuned form.Some of the philosophy proffered here borders on the esoteric (the starting point and unofficial school "motto" is "Is-not is not not-is") yet much of it seems to merit consideration in the reader's own approach to life.

Keith Laumer's 1963 The Great Time Machine Hoax is just very good science fiction.It offers a rousingly good story that anyone can enjoy, yet it goes beyond the surface to mine for a few nuggets of intellectual ore in the ground of the human mind.This is the kind of novel that can give birth to a love of science fiction in the mind of someone new to the genre.

Deep Fun
If one were to lift the edge of the cosmic consciousness and find a chuckle underneath it would be entirely congruent with Laumer's approach to the human condition. While dealing with the big issues of human evolution,civilization and the nature of time and matter "The Hoax" managesto be extremely humorous and cognizant, in a down-to-earth way, of themotives and passions of humans. I read this book when it came out (about 30years ago) and while it is not quite as well written as I remember it, theconcepts and synthesis are powerful and the humour is classic. ... Read more

Product Description
Lafayette O’Leary was barely scraping by as a draftsman until an experiment with self-hypnosis catapulted him into the world of Artesia, an exotic land complete with swordplay, beautiful princesses, and very large and hungry dragons. And unless O’Leary could somehow become the hero he had always dreamed of being, he was going to be a dragon’s lunch. And that was only the beginning, as O’Leary began to understand the secret of the multiple universes, each with its own opportunities for exciting adventure—and very evil adversaries and terrifying dangers . . .

Publisher’s Note:  The Universe Twister appeared previously as the separate novels The Time Bender, The World Shuffler and The Shape Changer. This is the first time the complete trilogy has been published in one volume.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Old Style Science Fiction
This book is really three books in one, as it consists of three separate adventures for Lafayette O'Leary.It is written in an old style of science fiction and fantasy that you don't see any more and the first "book" was enjoyable because it seemed new.
But then it started to bog down.The second and third "books" regurgitated ideas and what was novel in the first book became tired by the second book and boring by the third.There were some good ideas in this book that I would like to have seen followed up more thoroughly.How exactly was the multiverse arranged?A deeper description of Central and where did the people of Central come from?How did Central start?
I happen to like Laumer's and Flint's books immensely, which was why I was so disappointed by this book.The best way I have found out if I like a book is by how long it takes you to read it.Previous books by Flint, Ringo, Weber, et. al, leave me exhausted for work in the morning because I stayed up until the week hours.I found myself just reading 40-50 pages a day with this book.

Too much universe...
I have always liked the prose of Keith Laumer.It's just plain fun to read.There was just too much of Lafayette O'Leary all at one time. I suggest reading one of the three, setting the book aside, read something else, then go back and read the second story, repeat for the last story.

Potboiler SF from Laumer which cribs from a better series
The Universe Twister is an omnibus of three Lafeyette O' Leary novels by the late Keith Laumer.

Lafayette O' Leary is somewhat different than the typical Laumer protagonist.A draftsman living hand-to-mouth, he has dreams and thoughts of other worlds, even as his mundane reality is rather drab and uninspiring.

A book on self hypnosis, however, proves to shake up Lafayette's world, catapulting him to a quasi-fantasy world called Artesia.Our protagonist isn't even sure that any of this is real, and even if it is, the power of common sense and explanations will get him out of his jams.

Or so he thinks.

And when he saves the kingdom and gets himself a wife, and gets the situation straightened out, he still finds himself falling into further adventures in other continua, with the same sort of results...

If you take The Incompleat Enchanter, with a dollop of Don Quixote, and set the lines to a strictly pulp formula, level and pacing, you will wind up with something like the three novels that comprise the Universe Twister.The book was entertaining in its way, certainly, but the more I read it, the more I missed the better writing and stories of Harold Shea.

Don't get me wrong, I love some of Laumer's other work (Retief, for example).Here, though, he is cribbing a lot from Pratt and De Camp, and even though he has his own spins on the idea of someone traveling to other universes by mental means, the end product never rises above the level and quality of pulp potboiler.

I had higher hopes, which were not fulfilled. The novels in the Universe Twister weren't bad, but not as good as I hoped they would be.

Now I remember why I quit reading Laumer
This book consists of three novelettes.I read and enjoyed the first one, but the second prompted the title of this review, and I haven't been able to get past the fourth page of the the third.

I belong to a writing club.Last year, to get everyone's juices flowing, someone suggested that we write a script, 5 pages at a time, each segment being written by one member, until everyone had written three segments.A serial script, if you will.It was science fiction (sort of) and soon we were each trying to one-up the previous writer with the most outragous twists and turns we could come up with.The plot (what plot?) be damned.

That's what the second story reminds me of -- and to a lesser extent the first story, too. Another analogy might be the ball in a pinball game, getting knocked around from bumper to bumper, seemingly at random, until it falls out the bottom.The first story at least had the "flippers" of the protaganist's power to move the plot around, but Laumer must have found that limiting (at least to number of words in the story, which is how he was paid) so he "suppressed" that power in the second story.

Keith Laumer certainly had an imagination, but sometimes he overused it.

The Continua Traveler
The Universe Twister (2008) is an omnibus edition of the Lafayette O'Leary humor SF series. It includes The Time Bender, The World Shuffler, and The Shape Changer.

In this series, Lafayette O'Leary was a penniless draftsman living in Mrs MacGlint's Clean Rooms.He had an inquiring mind, experimenting in plastic polymers, bacterial cultures and mesmerism.One day he was reading an old book by Herr Professor Doktor Hans Joseph Schimmerkopf and tried to induce a state of autohypnosis.

Time Bender (1971) is the first novel in this series.In this novel, Lafayette finds himself in a different world.Surely he is dreaming.Yet everything seems so sharp and colorful.Even the stench is authentic.

Lafayette encounters various inhabitants of Artesia, a world much different from his own.Red Bull is an infamous cutpurse and smuggler.King Goruble the First is the king.Nicodaeus is the court magician and Yokabump is the court jester.Princess Adoranne is the niece of the old king and heir to the throne.Daphane is a chambermaid.

In this story, Lafayette returns to his own reality and begins to understand that he is not truly dreaming.So he can imagine objects in hidden locations -- like wardrobes and saddlebags -- and have them appear.So the wine bottle was never empty.Still, his wounds do not disappear when he tries to heal himself. He decides to just go with the flow and treat it all as real.

Lafayette returns to Artesia.Then someone abducts Adoranne and Lafayette is the chief suspect.But Lafayette believes the giant Lod is the most likely culprit.So he starts looking for Lod.

The World Shuffler (1970) is the second novel in this series.In this novel, Lafayette has his psychic energies suppressed by the Interdimensional Monitor Service, so he can't slip in a good bottle of wine from elsewhere.Walking in the Royal gardens, he loses his way to his favorite bench and ends up on the alternate world of Melange at the top of a windmill sail.He tries calling Central, but they are too busy to help him.

Climbing down, he wanders off and finds a tavern owned by Swinehild, an alternate persona of Princess Adoranne.Her cook Hulk is an alternate persona of Count Alain, who is just as jealous as the Count and who takes a strong disliking of Lafayette.Then Hulk finds him in bed with Swinehild -- she is very affectionate -- and attacks Lafayette.

After Hulk is knocked out, Swinehild decides to leave the tavern.She travels with Lafayette to Port Miasma, where he intends to elicit the assistance of Duke Ruldopho, an alternate personal of Nicodaeus.Despite good advice from Swinehild, Lafayette wakes Crunch -- a ten foot tall giant -- to take them across the bay to the city and finds himself being pursued by the owners of the rowboat.

In this story, Lafayette finds himself thrown in a dungeon, escaping only to be sent back.Then he escapes again and is recaptured again.This goes on several times and he discovers other alternate persona during the process, including that of his wife Daphane and his own alternate.

The Shape Changer (1972) is the third novel in this series.In this novel, Lafayette receives a note from some unknown source and goes out after midnight to a meeting at the Ax and Dragon.As he suspected, the note has come from the Red Bull, who has found a cave full of advanced devices.Red Bull brings along something called a Focal Referent Mark III to convince Lafayette to help sell the trinkets.

As usual, Lafayette tells Red Bull to be careful with the device, but goes ahead and pushes a button himself.Everything gets a little blurry and wavery, then snaps back to normal.Lafe takes the device and goes toward the palace.

On the way, he runs into some musketeers patrolling the alleys and orders them to accompany him to the palace.Yet they back him against a wall and frisk him, finding several valuable items in his pockets.Then Lafayette notices that he is not in his own body.

In this story, Lafayette pops into and out of several bodies.One has wings and has a girlfriend.After Lafe kisses her, the marriage is announced and her father comes to congratulate him.After some fast talking, Lafe manages to put off the marriage for a while.

Along the way, Lafayette talks to Central about his problems, but gets little assistance.Then Nicodaeus calls to explain the situation.He also describes the main suspect in the case.

Eventually, Lafayette discovers that a usurper has captured Princess Adrienne and Count Alain.The usurper is now acting king.Since the man is wearing Lafayette's body and Lafe is back in Zorro's body, the circumstances are slightly delicate.

These novels are alternate universe romps in the style of The Incomplete Enchanter.They have Lafayette being pursued by angry mobs, arrested by Royal musketeers, manhandled by court guards, thrown into the dungeons, manipulated by dwarves and insane commissioners, and undergoing other troubles.The poor man seems to do everything wrong.If it wasn't for Daphane and Dinny the iguanodon, he would have no friends at all.

Lafayette is firmly convinced that a rational recitation of the facts of the matter to the person in charge will clear up the confusion and result in enlightened assistance.Of course, his explanations make him appear to be deranged, but that never stops his efforts.Have I mentioned the similarity to Don Quixote?

These tales are totally fun reads.The author must have thoroughly relished the writing of these books.Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Laumer fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of crazy adventures, interdimensional travel, and a touch of romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hard-boiled virtual reality.
As a reading experience, I might actually have given Knight of Delusions a lower score. On the other hand, I give Laumer credit for developing a virtual reality story years before it was commonly attempted (1972).

A tough guy detective named Florin gets a very strange assignment. He is supposed to guard a senator during a last ditch effort to restore the senator's mental health. Or perhaps he is trying to guard the senator against the advisors who are actually trying to kill him? Or maybe he has some kind of future with the girl who seems to keep appearing in the bar with him? Or perhaps it really is all linked to giant alien lizards after all?

The prose is interesting, as Laumer uses the diction of hard-boiled detective fiction to take on a science fiction subject. It mostly works well, although there are times that it ends up making the description feel abbreviated, and not much time is spent exploring the world(s) the character moves through. My larger quarrel is with the plotting. It almost seemed as though Laumer had a really good idea, and then painted himself into a corner trying to work it out.

Knight of Delusions may well be a good read for people with a particular interest in treatments of virtual reality. The Tor 1982 edition comes bound with two other stories: "Thunderhead" and "The Last Command".

Ground-breaking
The alternate or simulated reality within reality idea has become almost a genre unto itself these days, but this was one of the earliest works I know of to explore the idea.Given that, is easy for me to forgive the fact that a sense of closure was difficult to achieve, or perhaps none was intended.I read this long ago, but I do recall feeling a bit lost and unsatisfied at the end.But its not the destination, its the journey, right? ... Read more

Product Description
Two complete novels of interstellar adventure: "Earthblood" by Keith Laumer and Rosel George Brown chronicles one man's struggle to find his destiny in a future where the very existence of Earth is a legend that few believe. Humanity was defeated by the hostile Niss millennia ago and humanity had scattered across the galaxy. Roan had been raised by aliens, but he knew that he was human and nothing was going to stop him from finding his lost homeworld, not even the space fleets of the Niss."Sibyl Sue Blue" by Rosel George Brown is the story of cigar-smoking Sergeant Sibyl Sue Blue, one of the toughest cops that the criminals on a future Earth hope never to meet. But she's not after burglars, muggers or drug pushers now. Her husband has disappeared on a mission to the planet Radix and she's going to get him back, one way, or another, and any unfriendly aliens had better get out of her way, if they know what's good for them. Plus, for the first time in one volume, all of Keith Laumer's other stories of the alien Niss, as well as a generous assortment of stories by Rosel George Brown, who was a master of pointedly humorous adventure.Science fiction adventure, ranging from the grim to the wildly comical in a generous volume by two masters of the form. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

One Good Novel by a Great Author
Although Amazon's product description says there are 'Two complete novels' in this edition, 'Earthblood' and 'Sibyl Sue Blue', there is actually only Earthblood. Keith Laumer is one of my favorite authors. However, I rank Earthblood in the lower middle of his works, it's somber and sad where many of his stories are powerful and noble and fun. I recommend Planet Run or Great Time Machine Hoax or The Long Twilight or, of course, any of the Bolo or Retief stories. I also credit Laumer with increasing my vocabulary, his use and play with words is edutainment of a high order.

Nice to have in print.
Great fun!Laumer deliver's (as usual).It's not Dune, and it's not aspiring to be high art ... more of an action packed Heinlein juvenile, which is not a bad thing to be.Typical Laumer elements.Hero who doesn't know when to quit.Fast paced action scenes.Self relience, luck, and grit win the day.Hope to see Baen put out some of his other novels packaged in future volumes, by Baen, but this was a good one to see, in their continuing republications.

disappointed not up to usual standards
The two produced a work far below what they normally write.The narrative was barely readable and did not flow smoothly.Characters presented were shallow and disappointing.

Fun Space Adventure
Earthblood (1966) by Keith Laumer and Rosel George Brown - 311 pages - rating: 7.0/10

A boy is born to foster parents in the slum of a far away planet and yearns to discover his roots.

This cross galaxy space adventure has weird creatures, mutant human pirates, space battles and lots of fighting. I like the gritty unpolished feel of the narrative. At times it feels like a book written for a younger audience and yet at others the violence and gore is clearly meant for older readers.

The sensibilities are unusual and one wonders at some of the authors' plot choices. But while its apparent that the authors do not necessarily give you the good feeling of everything working out well for the hero all the time the result does have a more realistic and less fairytale feel. Some people may not like this approach.

There were periods where I loved this book and others when I felt myself just waiting for it to get good again. Perhaps this can be explained by the fact it was written by 2 authors.

Overall a good, but not great space opera.


Claus Kellermann
2006 June 5
Sci_Fi_Researcher@yahoo.com

Would make a great movie
I read this many years ago a a teenager, I felt that it spoke to the yearning that many of us have to "do" something important with our lives. Over the years I have revisited this book several times until, during a move, it was lost.
Looking this book after a space of about 20 years I can more easily see its flaws (ethnocentrism), but in spite of that I believe that if anything this was an honest attempt to tell a good story.
This is one story that is begging to be made into a movie, I hope that someday it is and that the focus is maintained and the special effects are done as well as they can be with today's technology. ... Read more