Book Description
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

The onslaught of the Melconians was not the last conflict that humanity's interstellar Concordiat would have to face. For now the Kezdai -- a newly encountered species with war at the center of their philosophy -- have taken to arms against the Concordiat and its colony worlds. For war, the Terrans have only one answer:

Break out the Bolos!

Self-aware robotic tanks, the Bolos have fought bravely and well since the days when humans fought each other. Now they battle across the stars to defend us all...and though the times are perilous, we've never been in better hands than those of our old metal guardians: Keith Laumer's greatest creation, the Bolos.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Send in the Bolos!
I enjoyed the three stories contained in this book.having not known that before I read the book, it was interesting to discover it.I believe the stories gave an impression of the flow of war, and that Bolos provides protection, or at least a menance to the Concordiate's enemy on all fronts.

The Bolo'sand their commanders see alot of action in and around the Delas system by a horde of attacking Kezdai - creatures that resemble bird-like reptiles.Hellbores away!Infantry, tanks, and and full scale battles rage over the planet systems.And the book shows that Bolos should be left alone to do their jobs - to protect humanity.

The book earned a 4 stars instead of 5 stars because the first story - seems like it was cut off.3 characters were introduced, and two at great length, but each had no impact on the story's ending.It seemed the story was cut off.In the second story, a Concordiate Officer ignores his Bolo, and the result is death and and some destruction to a Concordiate task force.The commander, supposedly academy trained, is told to "just forget about it" and to get back into the war because "he did a good job" because he came up with a good idea prior to his terrible orders.Only one sentence was givin to a possible court martial.I wanted the character to be punished, not patted on the back.I believe the first two stories dragged a little when they went into the Kezdai personal worlds, except for one plot line.

The third story, the shortest - was marvelous.And the final moments of the the battle should have been made into artwork for the book cover with the vivid descriptions of the battle.

A look into the future
This book is a compilation of short stories by different authors. What I found uniqe was the fact that all of the short stories take place on the same planet. A look at the future of AI and future applications in war. The star of the books, of course, are the Bolos. A self-aware robotic tank with a long distinguished history.Some of the story lines move to fast, so as to not be developed to my taste. But I assume that is the problem with short stories in this series....

No, no, no, no, no.This should not be!
I am sure that the Bolos books were a good read.It is unfortunate that I happened to begin with the dregs of short stories written by different people.This is obviously an attempt to captialise on what must have been a good series.

This book does not stand on its own.As far as I can tell the Bolos are just very big tanks that can do a bit of thinking for themselves.After that it's a case of bang bang flash, ten year old kid's stuff with ray guns.No characterisation, no empathy with the characters, who they defend or the "dreaded" enemy.Nothing.This is cheap thin cardboard and is just the kind of rubbish that should not be published.

Whoever the editor and publisher are - shame on you.There are too many good books waiting to be published to put this trash on the shelves.Go hang your heads in shame.

There is so little substance in this book, it is impossible to really attack it.How can you attack something without substance.I want my money back!

Lancelots of the future V
Time changes all things, and the latest installment in the multi-author universe of the Bolos is no exception.As the books have become either more popular or more prized, a certain sense of community seems to have developed between authors:all of the short stories in this book, unlike its predecessors, are woven together by tales of the same planet, and the same conflict.

This has obvious advantages and disadvantages- first and foremost, the line between authors has blurred.Part of the fun of the series was recognizing the times and places each author chose to put themselves in, usually by creating an entirely new conflict in which they make the rules of the plot.However, with the setting concretely agreed upon, that freedom was lost.Also, by creating a singular time in which to play, the authors didn't have a chance to tinker too much with the machinery or sentience of the Bolos themselves- which, aside from the Bolo soul, are the essence of the stories.

That said, the book was, to me, enthralling.I'm a Bolo finatic, what can I say?And the connectivity of the plot did make the anthology feel much more like a novel than previous editions- but all in all, my favorite Bolo book remains undisturbed as Book 3.

Not as good as previous books in series
Readers of the previous books in the series, take note: you may be disappointed.I was.Much of this book may not be up to the standard of quality that you're used to.Be prepared for weak storylines, relatively shallow development of human characters, a lack of character development in the bolos themselves, a *striking* (and very irritating) lack of consistency with previous books, a weak understanding of the setting, and, well, grammatical errors (sigh).This is not one of those books that's hard to put down; if anything, it's hard to pick up again.Earlier books in the series accustomed me to the casual, easygoing excellence of authors like David Weber, Linda Evans, Mercedes Lackey, David Drake and others.I don't know what happened to this book, whether it was the authoring or the editing, but much of it just doesn't "feel" like the quality work I enjoyed in the previous books.The major exception is the last story- kudos (and thanks!) to William Kieth, author of the last story (and, incidentally, author of two complete bolo novels), for the only story that reminded me of previous Bolo books.If you're a bolo fan, I'm not recommending that you not buy this book; I'm simply recommending that you be prepared to be a bit disappointed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A long struggle
I've read all of the Bolo books since day one and have fond memories of the stories - some being better than others.However this book was a real, real struggle to finish.Not enough about the Bolos, too much on the humans and creatures they were fighting.Could easily have been condensed to 20 - 30 pages.Get it to complete the set but don't expect too much from it.

This was a Bolo Book?
They weren't needed in this story - the Concordiate could have sent a few dozen grav tanks to fight the Tersae.

The novel starts out smooth, a once peaceful world, is smashed by war, and Bolos and their commanders risk their existence to fight the attackers.But the novel's most touching plot line of a Bolo modified for a mining colony ends in the middle of the book.The novel then concentrates on the warfare that erupts around the humans, that evolves into almost trench warefare, or Korean war style conflict.

Bolos do arrive in the nick of time and save the day, but a couple dozen grav tanks could have done the same thing it seems.And - the humans did as much as the Bolos to save themselves.More hellbore shots were made to get a bolo unstuck from the mud - than there were in anger.If this novel was to demonstrate that a Bolo can do more than fight in thermonuclear environments, and fight jungle warfare - it was done in a poor manor.Having read many of the Bolo books, it was downright dissapointing to see the hellbores fired only four or so times against enemy targets.

The plot line went into a major 40-60 page deviation about a scientist making first contact with the Tersae.But this was drawn out far too long.And if you are a Bolo book fan, you always know how many pages there are until you get to the italics....20 pages into this muck of first contact, I finally skipped the other 40, and it had no impact on the rest of the story.

As a novel, it is _good_.But as a Bolo novel, it was dissapointing.I had to decide hard between a one star and a two star.The touching story line of the mining bolo earned it a 2nd star.

Another Bolo story... read it twice!
This is Book 6 in the Bolo series, originally created by Keith Laumer. The action takes place on a remote mining colony world that has an... indigenous population of a sort... that no one knew existed previously.

When things go sour, the colonists enlist the aid of the bolos... one of whom, Dirk, is an obsolete hulk that has been converted to a strip mining machine, and another, Senator, who is an upgraded antique who does not have proper control over his weapons systems.

For those not familiar, a bolo is a self-guided tank of sorts, though they are much more massive and powerful than any tank currently in use by anyone... it would be more accurate to say that they are land-going battleships on treads... though even that analogy is flawed. Bolos... at least the later marks are self-aware and there are not many forces that can stand against their might.

As badly prepared as these particular bolos are, the massive metal soldiers do their best and inspire the efforts of the Human colonists as well. The Humans are down to using WWI marble throwers, longbows, and a Sharps breech-loader... but they hold their own against an enemy that is not the real enemy.

With Humanity embroiled in a dispute with the Deng, not much effort can be spared to defend the colony. This book also introduces the Melconians to the time-line, with whom Humanity is destined to have another Galaxy-wide conflict that will leave both races barely enough genetic material to survive.

Like all the bolo books, this one is worth reading twice. The self-sacrifice and dedication that these living machines display will inspire the heart of any desk-bound warrior. Go ahead and buy it, if you like action-adventure, and/or hard science fiction, you won't be disappointed.

Dale A. Raby
Editor/Publisher
The Green Bay Web

Pure Excitement
There are two types of AI(Artificial Intelligence)that stand out very favorably in my extensive reading and viewing of sci-fi books and TV. One is Star Trek's Data, who, other than his presumably deceased evil twin, Lor, is literally in a class by himself. The other is a gigantic, self aware battle tank called a Bolo. Bolos are numerous, evolving over the courseof decades, even centuries into different classes and types. Of the two, I have found the Bolo to be the most compelling. Why? Picture a war machine endowed with enough firepower to glaze a planet,yet embued with the soul of a poet. This incongruity is all the more remarkable in that there is nothing remotely anthropomorphic about these machines in the physical sense.Unlike Data, whose resemblance to humans makes it easier for audiences to identify and sympathize with his desire to be human. The Bolos featured in the four books I've read so far, have no wish to be any more or less than what they are. However, they have all demonstrated the best qualities of human nature: honor, loyalty, integrity, duty,even humor. Their abilities to speculate and philosophize on matters unrelated to their programming makes them more than self aware, that designation, in my view, being a diminishing one, but sentient in very humanlike sense. The stories in Bolos: Cold Steel, continues in that fine vein of portraying not only the destructive capabilities of these facinating machines, but providing us with their thoughts in delightfully rendered first person sequences. The setting is a volatile planet called Thule, which is being exploited by the Confederation, a human dominated entity. The planet is rich in the type of deposits important to the Confederation's war against a hostile species. Suddenly, Thule's colonists find themselves under attack by natives whose existence escaped the notice of Confederation surveyers. The indigenous population is Stone Age primitive, but armed with hi-tech weapons and using them to devastating effect. Confederation reinforcements, including Bolos are sent to the rescue. There's a lot of great action in this book, not all restricted to Bolo combat. The non-Bolo characters, I'll call them organics, are interesting and suitably complex. But it's the Bolos who are the stars of the show. There was one minor, but persistent problem that the writers of each story shared: their referal to Thule's natives as aliens. If a population is indigenous to an area, it cannot be alien. Other than this redundant mistake, Bolos: Cold Steel, is a worthy contribution to the Bolos' ongoing saga. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Awesome space opera...and more
This collection includes some of Laumer's best work. If you like space opera in the "down-and-out earth guy kicks galactic but" vein, you'll love Galactic Odyssey.Other selections include the Twilight Zone-like "A Trip to the City", the Bolo story "Combat Unit", the awesome time travel paradox novel "Dinosaur Beach", and a couple of others that are incredibly enjoyable but less easily categorized. "Once There Was a Giant" is one of the most powerful fiction pieces I've ever read, and it never fails to choke me up.But I'm a softy. If you like good SF (and who doesn't?) you'll enjoy this collection.Thanks to Baen for bringing Laumer back into print!

Odyssey
When I first read this book about 40 years ago I remember thinking that no government could be so spineless. Today when I see the way politicans are acting it is enough to make me wonder if Keith Laumer had a crystal ball or just a lot of experience with governments. I enjoyed this book immenselly when I was 16 and enjoyed re-reading it today. The adventures of Billy Danger as he wonders thru the Galaxy are fun reading.

Recommended for your collection
Odyssey is a joy of a book.

First of all, it's not a novel and it's not a collection of short stories; it contains `Galactic Odyssey' and `Dinosaur Beach', both older, shorter novels; `Once there was a Giant', tipping the scales at a novella; and four significant shorter stories: `A Trip to the City', `Hybrid', `Combat Unit', and `the King of the City'.

I wouldn't mind owning any of the longer books just for itself and the combination of short stories is also attractive.Having all of them together in one package is very convenient - I don't have to worry that somewhere down the line I will pick up the book to re-read my favorite story and continue reading and waste my time with a stinker.There is no stinker in this collection.

What do you get with the collection?Here are my summaries of each story.I recommend every one of them.

Galactic Odyssey is the prototypical `man kidnapped from Earth who meets the space girl, loses her, and spends many episodes trying to rescue her'.However, it's more than cheap space opera - the writing is smooth and transparent, so that when Laumer introduces little futurisms like `a dreamer and a supply of tapes' to explain Our Hero's further education you nod and go on.The characters are all interesting, the dialog is quirky rather than dated, and the story is still completely believable - something hard to get from a plain old space opera first published in 1967.

A Trip to the City presents another idea that has been explored many times - what if part of the world we live in is a stage set that has been set up by aliens for reasons of their own?Laumer's hayseed Brett, with his open mind and disdain for pretense, is the perfect man to deal with the situation.

Hybrid throws together the big, tough bully, the nerdy biologist who knows a lot but isn't listened to, and a giant alien tree with a very strange method of reproduction.The story is just the right length for the idea and one to come back to again.

Combat Unit is a Bolo story in all but name.(I checked and the word `bolo' is not used in the story.)Those of us who enjoy these giant robotic tanks will also enjoy this story of an big intelligent weapon that wakes up in a room in bad shape but determined to carry out its mission - if it can figure out what its situation is and remember its mission.

The King of the City starts off with the hero signing on as a driver for a transportation company in a post-apocalyptic Greater New York - but since this isn't a movie the point isn't just to shoot the gangsters up or exact revenge on some bad guy.Laumer reminds us that real heroes have a purpose in mind when they wade in.

Once There was a Giant stars an antihero, a civilized contract killer who `always made a point to accept contracts only on marks that I agreed needed killing'.Of course he gets framed into taking on a job he wouldn't necessarily want to take. Through the clever device oftrying to make murder look like an unfortunate accident, our assassin's murder weapon is attempting to run his victim into the ground by having him help rescue a crashed ship's container full of medical patients just too far away from to get to in deadly territory.Our hero spends plenty of time getting to know the Giant, long enough that he (and we readers) gets to know what really makes a great man.

Dinosaur Beach is the last story and bookends the collection with another novel-length story.This is one heck of a convoluted time-travel story.What if time travel not only exists, but it's poking holes in time, and an agency has been created to go back and fix things messed up by earlier time travelers?Not only that, but a 2nd, then a 3rd agency have come along whose missions are to fix the messes created by the earlier agencies?And what if our hero has not only been planted at some moment in time with the tools to do his job but also conditioned not to realize that he's a time agent or that he has certain skills until he needs to know his job or use his skills?And while we're at it, how many times and ways can this guy interact with the same-but-different girl?If you think an author can't tie up all the possibilities in such a mess - read the story, Laumer did it.

That's it, a fine collection of work by a great science fiction author.Recommended for any decent SF collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Possibly Laumer's best work
I've been a fan of Keith Laumer since the 1960s.Most of his novels are considered "light" science fiction, but that doesn't begin to describe the strength of the writing.He usually seems not to take his own stories very seriously, but that's just his writing style.I guarantee he labored hard over them.Dinosaur Beach is one of his more serious efforts, and in my opinion his best work.The main character is a time traveler, on a mission to undo a lot of damage done to the timestream by previous time-travelers.The book starts, in typical Laumer fashion, with the main character being warned that he's about to he murdered.He's not impressed with the news, and asks what business the guy has telling someone they were going to die, even if it's true.Things get crazier and crazier, and in the end, make perfect sense.Laumer is a master at creating situations where things get so screwed up that one starts to think no author could make sense out of it, and then he proceeds to make such perfect sense of it that the reader asks himself how he didn't see it coming.And in the meantime, as one tries to unravel the plot, the writing style keeps the reader marvelously entertained, never letting up on the pace and keeping us guessing at every turn.I've read this book several times, and lent it to friends so often that I had to buy it again twice.This is a science fiction classic, and a masterpiece.

Poignant
This book can be read on many levels. At once it is a love story, a book about time travel, war, the future of mankind and above all, consciousness itself.
Perhaps I am reading too much into this little novel, but it struck me on a very deep level. The last 3 chapters of the book have a poignancy for me which I will never forget, which, upon reading it again, still brings a tear to my eye. It speaks to me of the nature of consciousness itself, which is not destructive, but loving.
To me this is a superbly written classic, a beautiful novel that can be read as just good SF, or as a description of the universal nature of consciousness.
I rank this little book at the very top echelon of the greatest SF of all time; indeed as one of the best works of fiction I've ever read.

You won't find a better time travel book
This one is pretty much definitive. It will keep your attention. Tersely and well written. Pretty amazing considering how early in Keith Laumer's career this was - a pretty diverse guy in style.

A Time War Classic
Put this on the shelf next to The Big Time-- together these books say everything interesting there is to say about time travel based warfare. This is one of Laumer's best, with a nice balance between his silly and hisserious sides. Highly recommended-- hope it's back in print soon.

Dinosaur Beach; Revisited
I read Dinosaur Beach years ago; the delightful imagination and use of the time travel angle coupled with a love story made an interesting and wide ranging yarn. One of my Laumer favorites.I actually met with Keith Laumerin 1986 at his island house in Florida, and among other interesting topics,he stated that the book was even being considered for a movie at one time. ... Read more

Book Description
Peace, it's wonderful! Except when the Peace Movement is actually a subterfuge by the warlike and imperialistic Krll to get the Terrans to get off of a planet, leaving it defenseless 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 Terrestrienne ! And Retief has never been more dangerous to the villains than when he's operating outside the rules of diplomacy!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

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.

Yet another Retief story
William Keith's RETIEF'S PEACE presents yet another Retief story of the diplomat who returns to action to thwart invaders and dangers to Terran diplomats. Retief may even face being expelled from the Corps for his efforts - but those who would thwart him find him even more deadly operating outside the law...

fine satirical action-packed science fiction thriller
On planet B'ruckley in the Shamballa Cluster, the protests for peace are growing though the natives are not involved except as observers.The local diplomatic corps wants to make no waves against the Peace Movement that could cost a careerist their job and pension even as the evidence grows that this group wants theTerrans to leave.

Second Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne Jame Retief finds the reaction of the Terran Diplomats normal as a bureaucrat's first job is to save one's flank.He has major concerns over the concept of leaving this plant without protection from alien invaders as the Peace Movement demands.Retief begins to make inquiries to determine who stands to gain the most if the seemingly innocent student protestors succeed and the Terrans depart until he concludes that the feral Krll want this orb without any real opposition.His peers need him out of the way so they can save their butts, but that will not stop Retief.

William H. Keith captures the essence of Keith Laumer's Retief in this fine satirical action-packed science fiction thriller.The story line is fast-paced, but owned by Retief who employs his own methods to insure the job is done correct.His understanding of the Terrans is priceless especially in light of what has happened with the hurricane though in the latter case the politicos and their appointees at all levels failed leading to CYA with bush league comments of not me - the others screwed up.RETIEF'S PEACE is a strong deep outer space entry in a wonderful series that timely highlights the objectives of the top layers of the bureaucracy within a mano a Krll confrontation.

Harriet Klausner

Silly and satirical
This book is all silliness and satire. Retief is the very capable straight man in a world of send-ups of various stereotypes.

If puns don't offend you, you may well enjoy this book. It certainly made me smile. ... 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

Customer Reviews (9)

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.

for the honor of the regiment
now that I have finished the book and have to catch up on all the things I put of for fear of tearing my eyes away from the paper (things like food, sleep, s-x) I feel that I should tell you one simple thing. READ BOLO BOOKS they are plain awsome they are stand alone but each builds on the whole univese so you do not have to read them in any order. And when you are driving to work imagining that you are a hellbore blasting, infinite repeating, morter spewing incarnat of destruction, just remember that you are supposed to protect all those buggers who cut you off. (the life of a bolo aint easy) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Bolo short stories that must be read
The Last stand is a compilation of short stories written in the world developed by Keith laumer. I enjoyed them all. You will not want to put this book down. You see Bolo's as they were meant to be seen; in battle. One even turns on its regiment and is pursued by another bolo. Must read.

Lancelots of the future IV
Though not as potent as the previous installment, Book 4 consists of a more balanced mix of the two themes of Bolodom:Guns and Glory.Book Three obviously is the emotional peice of this anthology, Book 4 deliverssome touchy-feely stuff as well.The terror one feels in The Traitor asthe reliable Bolo succumbs to damage is a shade away from compelling, butstill a darn good read.The most technically engrossing as well astouching (and, I believe, the best) account of this book was the yarn ofteam Shiva.All in all, a good book.

This book was action packed and seat binding from page one!
This book was a giant step forward in the evolution in the great story line of the bolo series.This book is action packed but still lets you unfold a relationship with the characters and even the Bolo itself!Iwould reccomend this book to anyone that has every picked up a Sci-Fi book!

Another excellent collection of well written tails.
Once again a perfect read. If you enjoy heroism, honor, and characters you miss when done with a book, this is one for you. The Bolo series is one of the best for any genre, and THE best in military sci-fi. If you liked Hammer's Slammers you will love the bolos. This series has an addictive quality, don't start it before final exams, or tax return time!! Mechanized warriors with traits we should all strive towards. I wish I were a Bolo.

Bolo Smash
Bolo's are basicly what tanks will become if they are not skiped over by other technologys in the future. They are fortresses on treads that in their later desighns are self aware and massivly powerfull. In this book you learn alot about bolos over a wide span of time and will see the absoulute power and rage of a bolo. though the books are obviously fiction you will find you self memorizing all the detales of their weapons, personalities and variose designes and you will no doubt find you self comparing bolos to every thing thinking "Yea thats cool but it couldn't stand up to a mark XXV!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

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.

Old-style fun
Retief, the unorthodox diplomat, is assigned the hardest jobs(often self-assigned), works against incompetence and active opposition from his side, not to mention the opposition's opposition - and succeeds.This was one thing I enjoyed when I first read the stories in the magazines, and maybe what I enjoy most now.You don't have to have perfect conditions or helpful allies to get results.This is frequently screened by strange-looking aliens, odd cultures, color and glitter, and some laughs - but those are also aspects of the stories that I enjoy. ... Read more

Book 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 (1)

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. ... 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

Customer Reviews (6)

This book rocks
Another great book in the Bolos series.If you like these books check out David Drake's Mutineer's Moon series.

ABSOLUTELY SUPERB!
Bolo is, by far, the best science fiction series I've read, and book 3 is by far the best Bolo book. When you have a book that can shake all forms of emotions out of you, you know its good, and Bolos: The Triumphant does just that! There is an element for everyone in this book. There is plenty of action (heck, what do you expect from great military SF?), but there is also a boat load of wonderful emotion that gets the tears flowing. There are even some comical moments that can get a chuckle out of you. I find it to be very hard to find a story that has the ability to weave all types of emotion and action into one without sounding farfetched or stupid, but this one combines everything into one awesome package without ever dragging. You'll cry, you'll laugh, and you'll be up all night on the edge of your seat waiting for what happens next. David Weber and Linda Evans have really hit the bull's-eye with this one; The Triumphant is worth all your time and money. It is a true masterpiece, and that is really saying something.

Get ready to Rumble!
This one contains the classic Bolo against Bolo; Wriiten by no other than David Weber. Simply captivating, obsorbing and exciting! Imagine a Bolo Novel by Weber? Buy it, read it, write a review. Enjoy!

mother, friend, brother, and a hell 'ov alot of firepower
This is probably the best bolo book, why? Supose you had a friend or mother who could recite poetry, play wargames, explore the meanings of the univers and kick out megatons of damage!! that is a bolo and in this book you will see that even a "dead" bolo can figure out a way to get the job done. An interesting point in this book is that in all but one of the stories the bolo is either massively damaged or modified to the point of being considered combat ineffective and not all stories are happy. the technical readout in the back is a great bonus. A must for any bolo fan, and anyone who believes in the power of the heart be it a Bolo, a human, or a dog gone pup.

Bolos: lancelots of the future III
This is undoubtedly the best collection of Bolo storied collected to date. Only four stories, half of themm are stories you'd find in the other anthologies. The other two shine like the sun. Little Red Hen is the story of the pioneering attempts of humanity to create a complete AIthat feels emotions, and they have succeeded. I will not tell you what the main happenings in the story are because you have to read it to comprehend how masterfully it is constructed. Towards the end I actually found myself CRYING. Impossible, i tried to think to myself. It's got to be onions or mabye i stepped an a tack, but inside i knew exactly what i was crying for: LRH unit 1313 , bolo mk. 21,I(special). Miles to go is another example of the line of distinction blurring. Thee main Bolo in this story is an experimental mk 23, eighty years old. However, she packs a huge suurprise: he former Commander was a psychotronics tech and , for lack of better words, souped up the crud out of her. She is the first Bolo to mount a brain box, an integral part of more modern bolos. Her new Commander, however han one major failing: he is in love with her. Nice problem. Read tese two if you like just about any sci-fi- you wont be dissapointed ... Read more

Book 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 (2)

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

Customer Reviews (9)

For the Honor of the Regiment
This is one of my very favorite books. Just reading the chapter titles brings back a flood of emotions. And that's the special part, the emotions engendered by these stories. How can you feel a stab of pain when a tank dies? You'll find out!

Each of these tales depicts a Bolo that is either severely handicapped or hopelessly outnumbered. Most are sentient, although a few stories deal with earlier pre-sentient models. Each story stands on its own and can be read easily without need of prior Bolo knowledge.

At their hearts, they are tales of selflessness, loyalty, and duty. You'll have to keep reminding yourself that the main character is a tank.

NUCLEAR POWERED NOBILITY
My first Bolo story was "Rogue Bolo", which I read over 20yrs ago, and which got me
hooked on Mr Laumer's admirable and self-aware Continental Siege Units. Hidden meanings,
allegory and relentlessly stellar prose may be sparse, but well-rendered entertainment and
thought-provoking stories are common in the Bolo series. A noble, multi-PhD-level artificial
intelligence that is not a two-arms, two-legs "classical-style" robot is a suprisingly engaging
idea. These beings have 4 sets of treads,2 megaton per second firepower,and armor
that can survive a nuclear explosion 50yds away. Anyone who has an issue with "military scifi"
has an issue with scifi in general. As long as humans are human, there will always be those
who will stop at nothing to impose their ideas on everyone else by force, whether its a street
thug or an Evil Interstellar Empire. Warp drive and colonization of other star systems is just
going to export the same old crap out into a bigger playing field. The idea of the evil that
men do taking place on such a vastly magnified scale is a hideous contemplation that has given
any true scifi buff (military or otherwise) a shiver or two. The bad guys have the shortcuts and
hyperfocus of evil on their side - the rest of us have the Bolos!

Combination of 1976 Bolo & 1986 Rogue Bolo
This is a combination of previously released works.The 1976 Bolo was a collection of short stories of the computer-controlled tanks called Bolo.Rogue Bolo is a novel from 1986.

1976 Bolo:
o A Short History of the Bolo Fighting Machines (intro)
o The Night of the Trolls
o Courier (aka The Frozen Planet)
o Field Test
o The Last Command
o A Relic of War
o Combat Unit

Combat Unit, written in 1960, was Laumer's first Bolo story.The Night of the Trolls is from 1968.The Last Command: 1971.A Relic of War: 1972.Field Test: Mar 1976.Don't let the 1990 date of Compleat Bolo fool you, these stories have been out for a while.However, that is not to say they are not worth reading if you haven't read them, They are considered classics and are the originals by Laumer.This is just to let those that follow the Bolo series that they may have already read some or all of these stories.

If you don't already know, the Bolo stories are of computer-controlled, extremely armored and weaponed tanks (think of the tanks in beginning of the movie `The Terminator') that typically act with a strong sense of integrity and honor.In a sense it is like mechanized human engineering since these tanks are programmed with these qualities, but nevertheless the Bolo's are at times, if not always, to be admired for their actions.To be fair to us human beings, it's easier to be a bad-ass when you're surrounded by several tons of steel and quite formidable fire power.

I suppose the Bolo series would fall under the category of Military science fiction, which is considered a contentious issue in the present day Speculative Fiction `cutting-edge' world.These stories are classics though and came out before I even heard the term Military SF, and are some of the originals of that entire subgenre.Not being familiar with Military SF, I cannot say how these stories compare to more modern works.To me, I found the stories just OK.The concept behind them was a lot more appealing than stories themselves.You can consider the stories to be a glorification of war as the speculative fiction writers would say or you can consider them to be the best representation of human emotions in extreme conditions.

A great introduction to the Bolos
Anyone wishing to become familiar with Keith Laumer's Bolos should start here. It collects many previously published and widely scattered stories into one handy volume, and the writing is terrific. The stories cover many different eras, from the mid-21st century to the far future. A great all-around collection of SF stories, and the perfect starting place for the universe of the Bolos.

NOTHING new, just reprints of old stories! Not worth it!
Very, Very disappointed.I have all of the Bolo books and love them, but this was nothing new, and that is what I expected.Some of the stories do not even fit in with the newer ones.If you want to read his oldest stuff, or are a first time reader, then this might be a good start.Paying a premium price is not worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
Black & White comic book published by Mad Dog Graphics. A high-quality adaptation of science fiction author Keith Laumer's Retief by Jan Strnad & Dennis Fujitake (the creators of Dalgoda). ... Read more

Book Description
A huge volume of edge-of-the-seat science fiction adventure, including:

* The Long Twilight: Grayle and Falconer met in relentless combat with no quarter in prehistoric ages past, their endless battle now remembered only as dark myths and legends. Now their long battle is nearing its climax¿and the final battleground is an uncontrolled experimental power plant that threatens the Earth itself!

* Night of Delusions: A detective is hired by men claiming to be government agents and given an assignment that may lead to his being hailed as the savior of the nationfor treason. His mysterious clients also give him devices to use in the assignment, devices which seem to be far beyond anything human technology is capable of. And as he doggedly pursues the case, he finds that the very fabric of reality seems to be changing around him, even to the point that he himself seems never to have existed!

* Plus three short novels of equally stunning concepts and breathtaking action.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A top pick for any serious science fiction collection.
Take suspense and blend it with science fiction using the short story format and you have a set of truly gripping adventures, as represented in Keith Laumer (Eric Flint, Editor)'s The Long Twilight and Other Stories. From a final combat between two forces in an uncontrolled experimental power plant that threatens Earth to a detective who is given devices to aid his investigation which seem far beyond any Earthly technology, this collection holds an outstanding selection of vivid plots and action, and is a top pick for any serious science fiction collection. ... Read more

Book Description

-

Book Description
TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS....

And this Victor is fully capable of raking them in, a Bolo Mark XXXIII of the 4th Regiment, Second Brigade, First Confederation Mobile Army Corps, in the vanguard of an all-out Bolo strike against the planet Caern. The enemy is the Aetryx, shadowy, unknown beings who enslave other species with nothing less than the promise of immortality. As a savage, interstellar war begins, Colonel Jon Streicher prepares to lead Victor and the rest of his regiment in that most difficult of tactical evolutions -- a planetary invasion.

But D-Day turns into a disaster, and Caern is a deadly trap. Colonel Streicher and his command team find themselves stranded on the target planet, desperately attempting to survive the hellfire chaos of modern warfare, as Bolo faces Bolo-human hybrid in a cataclysmic showdown that will uncover unexpected truths, reveal hidden secrets, and even call into question the loyalty of the Dinochrome Brigade itself.

For just what will happen if the Aetryx aren't slavers after all, but literal gods who can make good on their promise of eternal life?

The Dinochromes are about to find out.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A great disapointment
Being as longtime fan of the Bolo books, I was disapointed. The central third of this book needed severe editing. While it could have stood as a novel on its own- the endless feminist angle did not fit, nor did the extensive sociology (and again overly pressing a feminist viewpoint) just does not belong in this book. Nor does some of the somewhat obscure human relations (like the whole brother in law thing was a waste of my time).

The Bolo books are getting slightly stuck in a rut, but good lord, can we be spared this please and at least have someone write that has some military sense? Or an editor that understands the series and has the guts to chop out the amazing-astoundo-female-hunters-that-are-the-savior-of-their-race-but only when allied with human females who are of course much smarter then men due to their sensitive nature? My, how original. I sense a Star Trek script here.

There were some interesting concepts here, that could have made a great addition to concordiat history, but it was blown in this context. And yes, I do feel gyped for my $... Did anyone actually read the final text before agreeing to run it as a Bolo book? or did an editor OK it on an outline?

I give it two stars only for the first story which is the typical stuff we can expect, and the one or two interesting ideas in the second. Sadly, they were not well explored in a military SF way.

Maybe nmext time I will wait til the books hit the used stores.

Keith, oh why have you forsaken us?

Bolo versus Bolo!
The novel serves up great futuristic battle action with the immense, self aware, and incfedibly powerful Bolos.With Space engagements, ground engagements, and Bolos slugging it out against other run amok Bolo's - its a thrill.We even see a Bolo of the Line committ a mercy killing of another Human.It is a very engaged reading with constant action.

The ending?It fell apart at the very end.Otherwise it would have earned a 5 star.

Caern was once a human planet,
colonized during the Concordiat age.Cut off during the Melcon Armageddon the planet was absorbed by the Aetryx, an alien race who believed they were a race of Gods.The humans of the Cofederation Mobile Army Corps decide to launch an invasion to free the enslaved populace.But there seems to be a few problems.One, many of the people of Caern seem to be loyal towards the Aetryx.Two, the Aetryx seem to have Bolos within their ranks who are just as loyal.Three, the Aetryx may really be GODS!

The book is packed solid with good battle action, with savage space combat and lots of Bolos fighting on their own.Yes, sometimes the humans get in the way, but without humans the Bolos have no reason to fight, to reach for victory and to overcome their own limitations.Anyway the Bolos spend a good first-third of the novel on their own, fighting for their lives, before the humans even make land-fall.THEN things really get rough!

They just keep getting better.
How can you argue with a 32,000 ton Mk XXXIII Bolo Planetary Siege Unit?Veeeerrrry Carefully.Action, adventure, drug abuse and recovery, are there any bases Keith hasn't covered here?Well worth the read.

Take out the human element.
If there was no human element in this book, it might be 4 stars. It has a slow start. The star of the book,is Victor a Bolo Mark XXXIII of the 4th Regiment, Second Brigade, First Confederation Mobile Army Corps, in the vanguard of an all-out Bolo strike against the planet Caern. The enemy is the Aetryx, shadowy, unknown beings who enslave other species with nothing less than the promise of immortality. As a savage interstellar war begins, Colonel Jon Streicher prepares to lead Victor and the rest of his reigment in a planetary invasion. But the landing falls into a trap. They find themselves stranded and desperately attempting to survive the hellfire chaos of modern warfare as Bolo faces Bolo-human hybrid in a cataclysmic showdown that will uncover unexpected truths, reveal hidden secrets, and even call into question the loyalty of the Dinochrome Brigade itself.Should have only had the Bolo elements in this book. ... Read more