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Keith Laumer (1925–1993)

Author of A Plague of Demons

262+ Works 15,434 Members 208 Reviews 16 Favorited

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

A Plague of Demons (1965) 401 copies
Retief's War (1965) 370 copies
Retief and the Warlords (1968) 321 copies
Retief of the CDT (1985) 296 copies
The Time Bender (1966) 293 copies
Retief at Large (1978) 291 copies
Honor of the Regiment (1993) 288 copies
The World Shuffler (1970) — Author — 286 copies
Earthblood (1955) — Author — 283 copies
A Trace of Memory (1962) 280 copies
Worlds of the Imperium (1962) 279 copies
The Great Time Machine Hoax (1963) 279 copies
Envoy to new worlds (1963) 275 copies
Dinosaur Beach (1971) — Author — 265 copies
Star Colony (1981) 260 copies
The Compleat Bolo (1990) — Author — 244 copies
Retief : Diplomat at Arms (1982) 244 copies
The Return of Retief (1984) 232 copies
Galactic Odyssey (1967) 228 copies
The Star Treasure (1971) 219 copies
The Unconquerable (1994) 219 copies
Rogue Bolo (1986) 214 copies
Retief and the Pangalactic Pageant of Pulchritude (1986) — Author — 213 copies
Retief in the Ruins (1986) 212 copies
The Ultimax Man (1978) — Author — 203 copies
Retief Unbound (1979) 202 copies
The Glory Game (1973) 193 copies
Old Guard (2001) 192 copies
The Shape Changer (1972) 185 copies
Knight of Delusions (1972) 184 copies
The Long Twilight (1969) 184 copies
Five Fates (1970) 183 copies
The Infinite Cage (1972) 172 copies
The Triumphant (1995) 170 copies
The Galaxy Builder (1984) 165 copies
Last Stand (1997) 161 copies
The Monitors (1966) 161 copies
Time Trap (1970) 156 copies
Odyssey (2002) 148 copies
End as a Hero (1985) 135 copies
Legions of Space (2004) 133 copies
The Other Side of Time (1965) 131 copies
Beyond the Imperium (1981) 127 copies
Imperium (2005) 116 copies
Nine By Laumer (1960) 115 copies
Future Imperfect (2003) 112 copies
Planet Run [Expanded Edition] (1982) — Author — 108 copies
Retief and the Rascals (1993) 108 copies
Zone Yellow (1990) — Author — 102 copies
The Best of Keith Laumer (1976) — Author — 102 copies
The House in November (1970) 100 copies
The Invaders (1967) 99 copies
Galactic Diplomat (1965) 98 copies
Catastrophe Planet (1966) 97 copies
Judson's Eden (1991) 97 copies
Retief's Ransom (1971) 96 copies
Assignment in Nowhere (1968) 94 copies
The Breaking Earth (1981) 93 copies
Greylorn (1968) 90 copies
Once There Was a Giant (1600) 90 copies
Planet Run (1967) 86 copies
Retief: Ambassador to Space (1967) 82 copies
Alien Minds (1991) 78 copies
Back to the Time Trap (1992) 75 copies
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad Galaxy (1965) — Author — 69 copies
Dangerous Vegetables (1998) 68 copies
THe undefeated (1974) — Author — 60 copies
Chrestomathy (1984) 59 copies
The Universe Twister (2008) 58 copies
The Frozen Planet and Four Other Science-Fiction Novellas (1966) — Contributor — 57 copies
The Big Show (1972) 49 copies
Envoy to New Worlds / Flight From Yesterday (1963) — Author — 46 copies
The Drowned Queen (1968) 42 copies
Earthblood & Other Stories (2008) — Author — 39 copies
The Afrit Affair (1968) 37 copies
Fat Chance (1974) 32 copies
The Gold Bomb (1968) 30 copies
Gambler's World (2009) 21 copies
The Yillian Way (2009) 18 copies
Ruimte-Odyssee (1975) 17 copies
In strijd met de chaos (1988) 13 copies
In the Queue [short story] (1970) 13 copies
Het laatste bevel (1977) 13 copies
Embassy (1965) 12 copies
SF 130 GTX de Luxe (1978) — Contributor — 11 copies
Dinochroom (1973) 11 copies
Galaxy Science Fiction 1965 April, Vol. 23, No. 4 (1965) — Author — 10 copies
It Could Be Anything (2009) 9 copies
Doorstep (1961) 8 copies
Bolo Night Of the Trolls (1963) 8 copies
Cultural Exchange (2016) 7 copies
The King Of The City (2016) 7 copies
Prototaph 7 copies
Aide Memoire (2020) 6 copies
Bolo: Rogue Bolo (2020) 6 copies
Star-Sent Knaves (1963) 6 copies
Saline Solution (2020) 6 copies
A Bad Day For Vermin (2019) 5 copies
De andere hemel (1988) 5 copies
The Frozen Planet (2016) 4 copies
Courier (1961) 4 copies
Hybrid 4 copies
The Brass God 4 copies
Of Death What Dreams (1970) 4 copies
The Desert and the Stars (2020) 3 copies
Protocol 3 copies
El gran espectáculo (1972) 3 copies
Policy 3 copies
Worldmaster 3 copies
The Garbage Invasion (1991) 3 copies
Combat Unit (1960) 3 copies
Thunderhead (1967) 3 copies
The Negotiators (1975) 3 copies
Sealed Orders 3 copies
Giant Killer 3 copies
Dam Nuisance 2 copies
Goobereality 2 copies
Cocoon (2020) 2 copies
A Hoax in Time (2014) 2 copies
Niss Soul Buyer 2 copies
Un resto de memoria (1977) 2 copies
El largo crepúsculo (1969) 2 copies
Protest Note 2 copies
Internal Affair 2 copies
Street Scene (1968) 2 copies
Founder's Day 2 copies
Trick Or Treaty 2 copies
Fantalmanacco 2 copies
Placement Test 2 copies
The Walls (2020) 2 copies
Greylorn [short story] (1959) 2 copies
Ultimatum 2 copies
The Piecemakers 2 copies
Choice 1 copy
The Choice 1 copy
Science Fiction Special 37 (1981) — Contributor — 1 copy
Colony 1 copy
Exterminator 1 copy
The Half Man 1 copy
The Plague 1 copy

Associated Works

Dangerous Visions: 33 Original Stories — Contributor — 1,879 copies
Alchemy and Academe (1970) — Contributor — 571 copies
Partners in Wonder (1971) — Contributor — 461 copies
Bolo! (2005) — Created by, some editions — 425 copies
100 Great Science Fiction Short Short Stories (1978) — Contributor — 405 copies
Old Soldiers (2005) — Created by, some editions — 347 copies
The World Turned Upside Down (2005) — Contributor — 217 copies
A Century of Science Fiction (1962) — Contributor — 190 copies
Dangerous Visions 3 (1967) — Contributor — 181 copies
Nebula Award Stories Six (1971) — Contributor — 135 copies
My Favorite Science Fiction Story (1999) — Contributor — 133 copies
Analog: The Best of Science Fiction (1982) — Author — 126 copies
The Year 2000 (1970) — Contributor — 112 copies
Combat SF (1951) — Author — 106 copies
Time Wars (1986) — Contributor — 101 copies
The Second IF Reader of Science Fiction (1957) — Contributor — 84 copies
Orbit 7 (1970) — Contributor — 80 copies
The Best of the Bolos : Their Finest Hour (2010) — Contributor — 76 copies
Citizens (2011) — Contributor — 71 copies
Best SF: 1967 (1968) — Contributor — 68 copies
Orion's Sword (1980) — Contributor; Contributor — 66 copies
The Many Worlds of Science Fiction (1971) — Contributor — 65 copies
Young Extraterrestrials (1984) — Contributor — 62 copies
The IF Reader of Science Fiction (1966) — Author, some editions — 59 copies
100 Astounding Little Alien Stories (1996) — Contributor — 59 copies
A Pocketful Of Stars (1971) — Contributor — 48 copies
Turning Points: Essays on the Art of Science Fiction (1977) — Contributor — 46 copies
Analog 7 (1966) — Contributor — 36 copies
Sense of Wonder: A Century of Science Fiction (2011) — Contributor — 29 copies
Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ... (1974) — Contributor — 29 copies
The Bank Street Book of Science Fiction (1989) — Contributor — 22 copies
Gates to Tomorrow: An Introduction to Science Fiction (1973) — Contributor — 21 copies
The Best from Fantastic (1973) — Contributor — 21 copies
The Best from Amazing Stories (1973) — Contributor — 20 copies
Alfa Vier: SF-Verhalen (1976) 12 copies
International Relations Through Science Fiction (1978) — Contributor — 11 copies
SF Inventing the Future (1972) — Contributor — 11 copies
Fantastic. No. 131 (January 1966) (1966) — Contributor — 10 copies
Worlds of Tomorrow No. 01, April 1963 (1963) — Contributor — 10 copies
Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazin I. (1978) — Contributor — 10 copies
Alfa vijf : sf-verhalen (1976) — Contributor — 9 copies
Worlds of If Science Fiction 85, December 1964 (Vol. 14, No. 7) (1964) — Contributor, some editions — 7 copies
Worlds of Tomorrow No. 22, February 1967 (1967) — Author — 7 copies
Worlds of Tomorrow No. 02, June 1963 (1963) — Contributor — 7 copies
American Government through Science Fiction (1974) — Contributor — 4 copies
Worlds of Tomorrow No. 24, Summer 1970 (1970) — Contributor — 3 copies
Thrilling Science Fiction, April 1974 (1974) — Contributor — 3 copies
Thrilling Science Fiction, October 1974 (1974) — Contributor — 1 copy

Tagged

alternate history (38) anthology (999) Baen (40) Bolo (70) Bolos (69) C (60) calibre (47) collection (174) diplomacy (72) ebook (367) fantasy (354) fiction (1,417) hardcover (58) Harlan Ellison (53) humor (299) Keith Laumer (37) Lafayette O'Leary (35) Laumer (59) magazine (40) military (85) mmpb (82) novel (100) own (87) paperback (312) PB (118) read (174) Retief (235) retief series (40) science fiction (4,495) Science Fiction/Fantasy (96) series (73) sf (1,784) sff (417) short stories (777) space opera (99) speculative fiction (93) stories (58) time travel (83) to-read (341) unread (137)

Common Knowledge

Members

Discussions

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

The set up here is that each contributing author has a short narrative to begin, and they must finish the story from there - the given narrative has a character going into a government administered euthanasia center and accepts his fate. But what fate? The best of the stories comes from [[Poul Anderson]], a surprise for me because I haven't otherwise enjoyed his work. Anderson takes the character through multiple, ever-changing iterations of an after-life - the purpose, to learn from these varying waters how to keep the destabilizing world on track. [[Harlan Ellison]]'s take was near undigestible altogether. The other three were passable, if a little strained for working too hard at the tasking. On balance, I expected more from these luminaries.

2 bones!!
… (more)
 
Flagged
blackdogbooks | 5 other reviews | Dec 3, 2023 |
Some of the best shorts

Some of the best shorts from a wide variety of styles and settings. These are all world lines independent of any of Laumer's major works. Written in the sixties, yet they still have punch
 
Flagged
acb13adm | Sep 13, 2023 |
Sometimes a bit raucous, sometimes serious, always thoughtful. Surprisingly not yet dated, these SF Masterpieces should not be passed by.
 
Flagged
acb13adm | 1 other review | Sep 13, 2023 |
Old but good

A little more of an action/drama type than I normally like, but still solid science fiction. An early work of Laumer, his later novels are better
 
Flagged
acb13adm | 3 other reviews | Sep 13, 2023 |

Lists

Awards

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Associated Authors

Gordon R. Dickson Author, Contributor
Frank Herbert Contributor
Lloyd Biggle, Jr. Contributor
Willy Ley Author
Eric Flint Editor
Barry N. Malzberg Introduction, Contributor
Dean Morrissey Cover art
Bentley Little Contributor
Ray Bradbury Contributor
David Mattingly Cover artist
Bob Eggleton Cover artist
F. L. Wallace Contributor
Clifford D. Simak Contributor
Daniel Keyes Contributor
Allen Kim Lang Contributor
Carlos Ochagavia Cover artist
Rowena Morrill Cover artist
Tom Kidd Cover artist
Richard Powers Cover artist, Illustrator
Richard M. Powers Cover artist
Wayne Barlowe Cover artist
Paul Alexander Cover artist
Lore Straßl Translator
Eddie Jones Cover artist
Vincent DiFate Cover artist
Mike Resnick Contributor
J.Andrew Keith Contributor
Todd Johnson Contributor
S.N. Lewitt Contributor
S.M. Stirling Contributor
David Drake Contributor
Larry Dixon Contributor
Mercedes Lackey Contributor
Alan Guiterrez Cover artist
Carl Henner Translator
Bob Layzell Cover artist
Gary Cooley Cover artist
Ed Emshwiller Cover artist
Michael Whelan Cover artist
Kelly Freas Cover artist
Stephen Hickman Cover artist
John Berkey Cover artist
J. K. Potter Cover artist
Richard Martin Cover artist
James Warhola Cover artist
Peter Goodfellow Cover artist
Bob Petillo Cover artist
Johannes Piron Translator
Les Edwards Cover artist
Jeff Easley Cover artist
Charles Moll Cover artist
Birgit Bohusch Translator
Arthur Vincet Narrator
Mark F. Smith Narrator
Thomas Kidd Cover artist
Peder Carlsson Translator
Jürgen Saupe Translator
Richard Weaver Cover artist
Jack Faragasso Cover artist
Ed Valigursky Cover artist
Emsh Cover artist

Statistics

Works
262
Also by
64
Members
15,434
Popularity
#1,470
Rating
½ 3.5
Reviews
208
ISBNs
418
Languages
7
Favorited
16
Touchstones
123

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