Galactic Diplomat

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 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 show more 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

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 the 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.

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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?”
“I shouldn’t drink on duty,” Retief said. He rose. “So I’ll take the rest of the day off.”

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):

“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

An entertaining collection of the exploits of the efficient but raffish Jaime Retief. A pleasant time, and a good proportion of epigrams.