Keith Laumer (1925–1993)
Author of Bolo
About the Author
Keith Laumer was born John Keith Laumer in Syracuse, New York on June 9, 1925. Before becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force and a U.S. diplomat. He is best known for the Bolo stories and Retief series. His other works include The Other Side of Time, A Trace of Memory, show more Dinosaur Beach, and A Plague of Demons. He suffered a stroke in 1971, which negatively affected the quality of his work and his career declined. He was also a model airplane enthusiast, and published two dozen designs between 1956 and 1962 in the magazines Air Trails, Model Airplane News, Flying Models, and Aero Modeler. In 1960, he published How to Design and Build Flying Models. He died on January 23, 1993 at the age of 67. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: www.keithlaumer.com/
Series
Works by Keith Laumer
The Frozen Planet and Four Other Science-Fiction Novellas (1966) — Contributor — 64 copies, 2 reviews
Prototaph [short story] 7 copies
Galaxy, Nr. 10: Eine Auswahl der besten Stories aus dem Science Fiction Magazine Galaxy (1968) — Contributor — 5 copies
The Castle Of Light 4 copies
Hybrid 4 copies
Once There Was A Giant [short story] 4 copies
The Brass God 4 copies
The Devil You Don't 4 copies
Le stelle aspetteranno 3 copies
Palace Revolution 3 copies
Worldmaster 3 copies
Ballots And Bandits 3 copies
Protocol 3 copies
Native Intelligence 3 copies
Sealed Orders 3 copies
Corrupção nas galáxias 3 copies
Mechanical Advantage 3 copies
The Planet Wreckers 3 copies
Wicker Wonderland 3 copies
Giant Killer 3 copies
The Forest In The Sky 3 copies
Policy 3 copies
Grime And Punishment 2 copies
The Keith Laumer SciFi Collection, Greylorn, It Could Be Anything, Gambler's World, Retief: The Yillian Way (2011) 2 copies
The Forbidden City 2 copies
Retief ambasciatore galattico 2 copies
Short Science Fiction Collection 058 2 copies
The Madman From Earth 2 copies
Mightiest Qorn 2 copies
The Governor of Glave 2 copies
Fantalmanacco 2 copies
Dam Nuisance 2 copies
Mind Out Of Time 2 copies
Fremde Dimensionen 2 copies
The Body Builders 2 copies
The Lawgiver 2 copies
The Hoob Melon Crisis 2 copies
The Piecemakers 2 copies
Internal Affair 2 copies
Pime Doesn't Cray 2 copies
Message To An Alien 2 copies
The Soul Buyer 2 copies
The Exterminator 2 copies
Founder's Day 2 copies
The Other Sky [short story] 2 copies
The Prince And The Pirate 2 copies
Placement Test 2 copies
A Trip To The City 2 copies
Protest Note 2 copies
Ultimatum 2 copies
Goobereality 2 copies
Three Blind Mice 2 copies
Trick Or Treaty 2 copies
The Troubleshooter 2 copies
Gambler's World and Other Works by Keith Laumer (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics) (2010) 2 copies
Der Drachentöter (Terra 183) 1 copy
Keith Laumer's Retief 1 copy
Feinde aus dem Jenseits 1 copy
The Wonderful Secret 1 copy
Colony 1 copy
The Time Bender; The World Shuffler; The Shape Changer; The Galaxy Builder (Lafayette O'Leary) (1966) 1 copy
WORLDS OF ILLUSION 1 copy
Zeit-Odyssee 1 copy
ll Clandestino dei Mondi 1 copy
The Breaking Earth 1 copy
Il ciclo di Retief vol.1 1 copy
Night of Delusions 1 copy
De onnavolgbare 1 copy
Birthday Party 1 copy
The Half Man 1 copy
Truce Or Consequences 1 copy
Overpopulation 1 copy
Bolos: Last Stand, Honor of the Regiment, Unconquerable, Triumphant, and Complete Bolo (1995) 1 copy
Der Mann vom CDT: Fünf neue Planetenabenteuer mit James Retief, dem Diplomaten der Galaxis (1971) 1 copy
Retief Sealed Orders 1 copy
The Big Show [short story] 1 copy
Retief Ultimatum 1 copy
Retief Wicker Wonderland 1 copy
Retief Aide Memoire 1 copy
Retief Palace Revolution 1 copy
Retief Piecemakers 1 copy
Retief Pime Doesn't Cray 1 copy
Retief Policy 1 copy
Retief Prince and the Pirate 1 copy
Retief Protest Note 1 copy
Retief Protocol 1 copy
Retief Saline Solution 1 copy
Planet Wreckers 1 copy
The Choice 1 copy
The All-Together Planet 1 copy
Retief: Issue 1 1 copy
Exterminator 1 copy
Keith Laumer's Retief #1 1 copy
Body Builders 1 copy
Choice 1 copy
The Plague 1 copy
Associated Works
Isaac Asimov's Magical Worlds of Fantasy, Volume 3: Cosmic Knights (1954) — Contributor — 145 copies, 3 reviews
Dogs of War: Ten Classic Stories of Men and Machines in War (2002) — Contributor — 116 copies, 1 review
The Infinite Arena: Seven Science Fiction Stories About Sports (1977) — Contributor — 75 copies, 1 review
The Mammoth Book of New World Science Fiction: Short Novels of the 1960's (The Mammoth Book Series) (1991) — Author — 67 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVII, No. 10 (October 1977) (1977) — Contributor — 27 copies, 1 review
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVI, No. 3 (March 1976) (1976) — Contributor — 26 copies, 1 review
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVII, No. 9 (September 1977) (1977) — Contributor — 25 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCV, No. 2 (February 1975) (1975) — Contributor — 24 copies, 1 review
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine: Vol. 2, No. 1 [January-February 1978] (1978) — Author — 15 copies, 1 review
Worlds of If Science Fiction 152, January/February 1971 (Vol. 20, No. 9) (1971) — Contributor — 11 copies
Worlds of If Science Fiction 153, March/April 1971 (Vol. 20, No. 10) (1971) — Contributor — 9 copies
Worlds of If Science Fiction 156, September/October 1971 (Vol. 21, No. 1) (1971) — Contributor — 9 copies
Worlds of If Science Fiction 85, December 1964 (Vol. 14, No. 7) (1964) — Contributor, some editions — 7 copies
Die besten Stories aus The magazine of fantasy and science fiction. Folge 24. Der letzte Krieg (1969) — Author, some editions — 5 copies, 1 review
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Laumer, John Keith
- Other names
- LeBaron, Anthony
- Birthdate
- 1925-06-09
- Date of death
- 1993-01-23
- Gender
- male
- Education
- Indiana University
Stockholm University
University of Illinois (BA - Architecture) - Occupations
- science fiction writer
- Organizations
- United States Army (1943 - 1946)
United States Air Force (1953 - 1956, 1960 - 1965)
United States Foreign Service (vice-consul & 3rd secretary in Rangoon, Burma, 1956 - 1958)
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America - Agent
- Robert P. Mills
- Relationships
- Laumer, March (brother)
Laumer, Frank (brother) - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Syracuse, New York, USA
- Places of residence
- Brooksville, Florida, USA
- Place of death
- Brooksville, Florida, USA
- Burial location
- Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Sumter County, Florida, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Florida, USA
Members
Discussions
Horny Shin Guard in Good Show Sir! — bad science fiction and fantasy covers (March 17)
Celestial Seasonings: Alt Earth in Good Show Sir! — bad science fiction and fantasy covers (January 16)
Found: "Space Odyssey" in Name that Book (December 2024)
Found: Classic scifi book alien abduction. in Name that Book (June 2021)
SciFi - Story about a guy named Dammy in Name that Book (July 2012)
"Surrogates"-esque sci-fi short story in Name that Book (February 2012)
Reviews
Laumer, Keith. Galactic Diplomat: Nine Incidents of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne. 1965. Retief No. 2. Orion, 2016.
Galactic Diplomat is a creature of its time in several ways. It is a fix-up of previously published magazine stories that have been retitled and linked with brief transitions. This was a marketing technique common in the 1960s. Add a new cover, and browsing through the paperback racks, it would have been hard to know how many of the stories one had read before. The show more stories were fun, but Laumer and his publishers were experts at recycling and repurposing. Retief is also the kind of hero one seldom encounters in today’s science fiction, a cigar-smoking, hard-fighting, snappy dresser with an eye for the girls. He always knows that he is the smartest guy in the room. Think James Bond in a fancy diplomatic uniform. His cigar is designed to be annoying, because when he smokes it in a conference room, he finds it shortens the sessions. He is content to play third fiddle on the team, making sure that his blowhard bosses receive the credit and that he gets his vacation perks. Retief is not slow to satirize diplomatic circumlocution. Here is an example:
“Oh, it’s not an Embargo, Your Highness,” Retief said. “I believe Ambassador Hidebinder refers to it as a unilateral shift in emphasis balance-of-trade-wise to a more group oriented—”
The monarch in question figures out that means his navy is grounded. Recycled though they be, the Retief stories always entertain. 4 stars. show less
Galactic Diplomat is a creature of its time in several ways. It is a fix-up of previously published magazine stories that have been retitled and linked with brief transitions. This was a marketing technique common in the 1960s. Add a new cover, and browsing through the paperback racks, it would have been hard to know how many of the stories one had read before. The show more stories were fun, but Laumer and his publishers were experts at recycling and repurposing. Retief is also the kind of hero one seldom encounters in today’s science fiction, a cigar-smoking, hard-fighting, snappy dresser with an eye for the girls. He always knows that he is the smartest guy in the room. Think James Bond in a fancy diplomatic uniform. His cigar is designed to be annoying, because when he smokes it in a conference room, he finds it shortens the sessions. He is content to play third fiddle on the team, making sure that his blowhard bosses receive the credit and that he gets his vacation perks. Retief is not slow to satirize diplomatic circumlocution. Here is an example:
“Oh, it’s not an Embargo, Your Highness,” Retief said. “I believe Ambassador Hidebinder refers to it as a unilateral shift in emphasis balance-of-trade-wise to a more group oriented—”
The monarch in question figures out that means his navy is grounded. Recycled though they be, the Retief stories always entertain. 4 stars. show less
Laumer, Keith. Retief: Envoy to New Worlds. 1963. Retief No. 1. Baen, 1987.
Imagine that James Bond turned in his license to kill for a good course in martial arts and a career in extraterrestrial diplomacy. That brings you close to Keith Laumer’s Retief. He is a diplomat in Earth’s Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne. Their job is to spread goodwill to new races and keep their interstellar competitors from gaining influence. The Corps suffers from a bad case of red tape and rank inflation, show more but in any given mission, whatever his putative rank, Retief is always the third man in the diplomatic pecking order. At the top is a self-absorbed, grossly incompetent ambassador. The satirical attack on him reminded me of Joseph Heller’s satire of the military in Catch 22, published just two years before Envoy to New Worlds. The ambassador’s second in command is the well-meaning but none-too-bright Magnan. Retief is always Magnan’s subordinate. Magnan is often assigned to keep Retief out of trouble but usually needs to be rescued himself. Retief is observant and can always tell the good guys from the baddies, because unlike his colleagues, he bothers to learn the alien languages. He is always the epitome of cool. Retief began, I think, as a character in the science fiction pulps. Laumer recycled the stories in several collections, and the character became a 30-year favorite. This earliest collection was fun to reread. 4 stars. show less
Imagine that James Bond turned in his license to kill for a good course in martial arts and a career in extraterrestrial diplomacy. That brings you close to Keith Laumer’s Retief. He is a diplomat in Earth’s Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne. Their job is to spread goodwill to new races and keep their interstellar competitors from gaining influence. The Corps suffers from a bad case of red tape and rank inflation, show more but in any given mission, whatever his putative rank, Retief is always the third man in the diplomatic pecking order. At the top is a self-absorbed, grossly incompetent ambassador. The satirical attack on him reminded me of Joseph Heller’s satire of the military in Catch 22, published just two years before Envoy to New Worlds. The ambassador’s second in command is the well-meaning but none-too-bright Magnan. Retief is always Magnan’s subordinate. Magnan is often assigned to keep Retief out of trouble but usually needs to be rescued himself. Retief is observant and can always tell the good guys from the baddies, because unlike his colleagues, he bothers to learn the alien languages. He is always the epitome of cool. Retief began, I think, as a character in the science fiction pulps. Laumer recycled the stories in several collections, and the character became a 30-year favorite. This earliest collection was fun to reread. 4 stars. show less
Making my way through the Retief series, and making up for lost time as it were, Retief's style of, uh... physical ... diplomacy brings chuckles. Still, I suspect Laumer matures his product over time. There are still raw points, but also gems. Snark:
“Hardly the diplomatic approach,” Magnan sniffed. “For centuries now it’s been understood that if enough diplomats go to enough parties, everything will come right in the end.”and
“As Chargé d’affaires in the absence of theshow more
Minister, I forbid drinking on duty!” Magnan roared. [Retief]“Surely you jest, Mr. Magnan ; it would mean the end of diplomacy as we know it—”Wisdom:
Retief sighed. “The trouble with taking over your boss’s job is discovering its drawbacks. It’s disillusioning, I know, Sozier— but—”More humor:
“Well, gents, I guess maybe I had you figured wrong,” he said. He looked at Retief. “Uh . . . got time for a drink?”And tucked away in this 1966 science fiction short story collection is a keen observation future reflective of 21st century American right-wing adherents (and Twitter users as a rule):
“I shouldn’t drink on duty,” Retief said. He rose. “So I’ll take the rest of the day off.”
“There’s always a certain percentage of any population with the conviction that society is a conspiracy to deny them their rights. The right to be totally ignorant of any useful knowledge seems to be the basic one."Spot on. Things don't seem to change, eh? show less
Written at the beginning of Laumer's peak in popularity, A Trace of Memory is a fast-paced adventure/thriller mystery about a lone-wolf human aiding and befriending a stranded humanoid alien on Earth. Legion is a layabout itinerant worker with former Army intelligence training, who uses an opaque job posting in the paper to avoid going to jail. Foster, the large and imposing man who posted the advertisement (seeking a willing companion for an unspecified adventure) suffers from long-term show more amnesia, but possesses an indestructible journal with indecipherable hints as to his history.
The novel version of A Trace of Memory still roughly contains the three chunks that it was serialized in, all told through the first person perspective of Legion. Unfortunately, some of these chunks are better drawn than others. Perhaps the best of the three is the first, where the majority of Foster's identity is unraveled through high-action drama. The pair travel to Stonehenge, battle mysterious life-stealing orbs, and cope with Foster's sudden rejuvenation into a younger body. Laumer throws lots of twists and turns into the mix which keeps things fresh and exciting, diverting attention away from a plot that suffers from a lot of conveniences and believability issues. The middle third is by comparison more bland, bridging the gap between more interesting plot threads with Legion's rise to wealth exploiting some of Foster's alien technology. Doing so exposes him to the fury of U.S. and Russian government agencies, which he predictably escapes the clutches of by seeking asylum on his friend's distant world.
The climactic final portion is certainly the most interesting from an ideas perspective but is also messy and less coherent than the other two. Foster's alien culture has achieved near immortality through bodily rejuvenation and memory transference, though it's implied that his species and humans come from the same stock, the difference being that they developed an inoculation against a disease that causes aging in both body and mind. Because of their longevity, they have the continuity required to develop a better form of society and high technology. It is in describing this culture that Laumer can tend towards clunky, mystifying passages. Unfortunately for Legion, the society he finds on the planet has fallen from these heights into a more socially mobile version of medieval earth, complete with feudal territories, slavery, despot kings, and war. Legion must climb the social ladder and find Foster while trying to unleash the potential that he knows exist within this alien world.
Unlike a lot of serialized adventure stories of the time, the central relationship is not one between a macho hero and a witless princess. The camaraderie between Foster and Legion is at the core of the novel, and with it comes a certain brand of uncontained optimism about human endurance and ingenuity. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds Legion never seriously doubts his ability to overcome his circumstances. Even when faced with certain death, Legion's internal monologue comforts him with the thought that at least he tried his best for his friend. Legion ends up sacrificing a lot for his friendship with Foster, but is ultimately rewarded for it.
Legion's biblical name suggests even more positivity, implying that most people (at least men) are capable of great achievements despite their mortal failings and limitations. Legion himself, however, suffers from an unbearable case of being a smartass, who is unable to stop himself from responding to every circumstance or question with dated zingers (like comparing Foster's forgotten spaceship to a taxi parked with the meter running). I could practically hear the drum sting implied with these lines which left me seriously distracted.
A Trace of Memory is a decent but unimpressive showing from Laumer, and from what I understand typical of his trappings and style. Despite some of the novelties it has in comparison to pulp contemporaries, it doesn't come off as very memorable or remarkable. Best fit for a brainless action/SF movie. show less
The novel version of A Trace of Memory still roughly contains the three chunks that it was serialized in, all told through the first person perspective of Legion. Unfortunately, some of these chunks are better drawn than others. Perhaps the best of the three is the first, where the majority of Foster's identity is unraveled through high-action drama. The pair travel to Stonehenge, battle mysterious life-stealing orbs, and cope with Foster's sudden rejuvenation into a younger body. Laumer throws lots of twists and turns into the mix which keeps things fresh and exciting, diverting attention away from a plot that suffers from a lot of conveniences and believability issues. The middle third is by comparison more bland, bridging the gap between more interesting plot threads with Legion's rise to wealth exploiting some of Foster's alien technology. Doing so exposes him to the fury of U.S. and Russian government agencies, which he predictably escapes the clutches of by seeking asylum on his friend's distant world.
The climactic final portion is certainly the most interesting from an ideas perspective but is also messy and less coherent than the other two. Foster's alien culture has achieved near immortality through bodily rejuvenation and memory transference, though it's implied that his species and humans come from the same stock, the difference being that they developed an inoculation against a disease that causes aging in both body and mind. Because of their longevity, they have the continuity required to develop a better form of society and high technology. It is in describing this culture that Laumer can tend towards clunky, mystifying passages. Unfortunately for Legion, the society he finds on the planet has fallen from these heights into a more socially mobile version of medieval earth, complete with feudal territories, slavery, despot kings, and war. Legion must climb the social ladder and find Foster while trying to unleash the potential that he knows exist within this alien world.
Unlike a lot of serialized adventure stories of the time, the central relationship is not one between a macho hero and a witless princess. The camaraderie between Foster and Legion is at the core of the novel, and with it comes a certain brand of uncontained optimism about human endurance and ingenuity. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds Legion never seriously doubts his ability to overcome his circumstances. Even when faced with certain death, Legion's internal monologue comforts him with the thought that at least he tried his best for his friend. Legion ends up sacrificing a lot for his friendship with Foster, but is ultimately rewarded for it.
Legion's biblical name suggests even more positivity, implying that most people (at least men) are capable of great achievements despite their mortal failings and limitations. Legion himself, however, suffers from an unbearable case of being a smartass, who is unable to stop himself from responding to every circumstance or question with dated zingers (like comparing Foster's forgotten spaceship to a taxi parked with the meter running). I could practically hear the drum sting implied with these lines which left me seriously distracted.
A Trace of Memory is a decent but unimpressive showing from Laumer, and from what I understand typical of his trappings and style. Despite some of the novelties it has in comparison to pulp contemporaries, it doesn't come off as very memorable or remarkable. Best fit for a brainless action/SF movie. show less
Lists
Awards
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Statistics
- Works
- 267
- Also by
- 69
- Members
- 17,439
- Popularity
- #1,268
- Rating
- 3.5
- Reviews
- 254
- ISBNs
- 434
- Languages
- 7
- Favorited
- 18