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Retief! Hardcover – January 1, 2001

by Keith Laumer (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings
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Publisher's Note: The stories and novel herein have previously appeared in parts in Envoy To New Worlds, Galactic Diplomat, and Retief's War. This is the first unitary edition.

Contents:

p. 1 Extraordinary Diplomats (Retief!) (2002) essay by David Drake

p. 5 Diplomat-at-Arms (1960) novella

p. 57 Protocol (1962) shortstory
(aka The Yillian Way)

p. 75 The Brass God (1965) novelette
(aka Retief, God-Speaker)

p. 111 Sealed Orders (1962) shortstory
(aka Retief of the Red-Tape Mountain)

p. 131 Palace Revolution (1961) novelette
(aka Gambler's World)

p. 155 Cultural Exchange (1962) shortstory

p. 175 Saline Solution (1963) shortstory

p. 195 Native Intelligence (1963) novelette
(aka The Governor of Glave)

p. 229 Policy (1962) novelette
(aka The Madman from Earth)

p. 257 Ultimatum (1963) novelette
(aka Mightiest Qorn)

p. 278 The Prince and the Pirate (1964) novelette

p. 302 The Castle of Light (1964) novelette

p. 333 Retief's War (1966) novel

p. 493 Wicker Wonderland (1964) novelette
(aka The City That Grew in the Sea)

p. 521 Courier (1961) novelette
(aka The Frozen Planet)

p. 549 Protest Note (1962) shortstory
(aka The Desert and the Stars)

p. 570 Aide Memoire (1962) shortstory

p. 591 Afterword (Retief!) (2002) essay by Eric Flint
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    SFBC
  3. Publication date
    January 1, 2001
  4. ISBN-10
    073948740X
  5. ISBN-13
    978-0739487402
  6. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ SFBC; Reprint Ed. edition (January 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 073948740X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0739487402
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 25 ratings

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
25 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Tek2000
5.0 out of 5 stars Most, but not all, of the best Retief stories.
Reviewed in the United States on April 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
Having read the paperback edition many times over the years, I decided it was time to toss that tatty version and buy myself a treat. This hardback was in new condition and sold at a very decent price.
If you like capers where goobermint bumblematic corpses, I mean government diplomatic corps, are made fools of, you will love the Retief stories. Sadly, the stories are all too realistic depictions of the state departments of the world today. I mean that in the most deprecatory way.
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Karen511
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny Brit sci-fi
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2012
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If you're a fan of the dry Brit wit of sci-fi like Douglas Adams'"Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", and Connie Willis'"To Say Nothing of the Dog", you should check out the "Retief" series. Very funny satirical space-farce, with a rather inept space diplomacy corps trying to keep the galaxy from erupting into complete chaos & warfare, with Retief as a seemingly minor-diplomatic aide being the only one capable enough to actually do the job (and the job of his utterly clueless superiors as well), while being surrounded by all sorts of pompous, ambitious and dodgy sorts of characters, both human and alien and all angling for power in a Pythonesque universe! And speaking of Monty Python, I couldn't help but mentally cast them in all the character roles in my head, since their brand of humor, silliness & social satire would've dove-tailed nicely with the Retief stories if they'd ever been made into movies! I could also picture Stephen Fry & Hugh Laurie nicely plugged into this universe as well, since there was something vaguely Wodehousian about the satire of the pompous, contrived,upper-class mannerisms of many of the diplomats & other characters as well, so I can even see fans of "Jeeves & Wooster" enjoying Retief if they happen to enjoy cracking good Brit sci-fi!
4 people found this helpful
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doc3d
5.0 out of 5 stars A great assembly of 17 classic Retief short stories
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2022
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Keith Laumer's Retief stories are great send-ups of governmental overblown bureaucracy, where politicians shovel out blame, grasp at glory, and backstab. Retief continues bailing his bosses out of trouble in a future space opera setting that has political values unchanged from the ones we now experience. The stories are very funny, in a sad sort of way...
One person found this helpful
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The Alpaca Herder
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Stories
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2012
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In this age of The Diplomatic Reset being pushed by the Obama Administration, the Retief tales collected in this volume by Eric Flint do show a bit more muscular, realistic, down-to-earth view of interacting with others. If only the current US Department of State could be inspired by this...
2 people found this helpful
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George Comeaux
5.0 out of 5 stars If you're never read Retief: Galactic Diplomat at Arms ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2015
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If you're never read Retief: Galactic Diplomat at Arms, you must. If you are over fifty or sixty, you will howl at the references. Buy this book if you want to be entertained!
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Bruce Miles
5.0 out of 5 stars great stories
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2013
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One of my favorites from the '60s, Retief has the right mixture of humor, mystery, action...the James Bond of the Diplomatic Corps. Nice to see so many stories in one large volume.
One person found this helpful
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Trakehner
1.0 out of 5 stars Wrong book..typical
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2013
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I ordered this book for Kindle...what came through was a single short story "Yillian"....what a bunch of crap that was....99 cents for an Analog length story. Amazon need to get their act together and make sure their system is accurate. This book isn't on Kindle...surprise!
2 people found this helpful
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Chuck V
5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied the urge for more Retief
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2013
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I've read shorter Retief books before. This is a nice long collection, with enjoyable stories, including my favorite from my youth, Diplomat-at-Arms.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Ozwaldo
4.0 out of 5 stars James Bond of the diplomatic service
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2003
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Read this book some time ago, but when I look through long lists of books without any reviews, I don`t buy, so i hope this helps somebody. This book is a bunch of short stories about Retief master diplomat working his way round a universe of the good the bad and the mostly incompetent and saving the day in a clever and amusing way. The first story is particularly impressive and is perhaps the most serious one. Not a book to read all in one go , but to carry round in the pocket.
13 people found this helpful
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