Customer Reviews

Retief and the Warlords (Jaime Retief Series #4)

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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.

_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.

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.