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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Twisted Humor & Alternate Universes in a Fantasy Wrapper, August 5, 2001
If you like the style of Laumer or of Roger Zelazny, this is a good book that you will enjoy. This book features the character Lafayette O'Leary, who is the aforementioned World Shuffler. The plot, tone, etc, is often reminiscent of Zelazny's "Nine Princes in Amber". I like this book, more than the sequels (the last book in the series was difficult for me to finish and it took me several tries). Personally, I enjoyed this first book (World Shuffler) so much that I've read it three times in the past ten years. I just revisit it. And various images, events, and phrases stick in my mind to never be removed. Must be good, eh?
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lafayette Rides Again, September 29, 2008
The World Shuffler (1970) is the second humor SF novel in the Lafayette O'Leary series, following The Time Bender. In the previous volume, Lafayette O'Leary rationalized his way through his problems and finally reached a happy ending with a little help from Yokabump.
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.
Then he finds a company of dwarves -- including an alternate persona of Yokabump -- manufacturing advances devices, including flying carpets and other gadgets. They insert him into the Glass Tree -- a branching office building -- to investigate Prince Krupkin. After meeting the man, Lafayette decides that he is an alternate persona of Goruble.
This tale has Lafayette getting into trouble time after time. He is firmly convinced that a rational recitation of the facts of the matter 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?
Highly recommended for Laumer fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of interdimensional travel, errant knights and naive optimism.
-Arthur W. Jordin
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by Keith Laumer
by Keith Laumer
