Let me first say that I enjoy all of Robert Aspirin's books. He cracks me up. I enjoy the Myth Series and may at some point do a post on that, but even as a Robert Aspirin fan, I stumbled onto Phule's Company several years after it was first released.
In Phule's Company, a lieutenant is punished with the command of a company of men who have been shuffled off to the most undesirable placement in the legion, Haskin's Planet. The captain and colonel gave the command of the company of "losers and problem cases" to the lieutenant who is the wealthy son of the owner of Phule-Proof Munitions, hoping to entice him to resign. He happily accepts the promotion.
But Phule didn't know he was supposed to fail. And he didn't do things the way everyone expected. With plenty of laughs along the way, Phule finds the special abilities his troops possess and teaches them a new way of looking at things. They learn to work together and when problems come, surprise everyone with their success.
A fun and entertaining read. One I can highly recommend.
Showing posts with label science fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label science fiction. Show all posts
Monday, February 4, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
How Much for Just the Planet? By John M. Ford
It’s almost embarrassing to admit, but somewhere in my dark history I was once a trekkie, and I have the books to prove it!
There were some decent writers in the Trek universe back in the day (maybe still are, but I’ve moved on since).
I enjoyed The Great Starship Race by Diane Carey and may even write about that one in a few years when I’m ready to mention my 2nd favorite Star Trek book. But for now, let’s talk about the best. How Much for Just the Planet? What I love about this book is the humor. It’s just funny. It has a vaudeville tongue-in-cheek type of appeal that had me actually laughing. And let me tell you, there are only a few books that I’ve had that kind of reaction to, and I read a few books a week.
As usual, the Federation needs dilithium crystals. And an abundance is found on a tiny out-of-the-way planet which, surprise, the Klingons have found as well. Now the fun begins. Because the two groups are ready to compete for the lucre. What they don’t realize is that the people of Direidi are full of pranks and will lead them all on a merry chase.
It’s true that only a Trek fan will really understand the nuances, but if you’ve ever loved Star Trek and missed this book, it’s well-worth the read. (Even if the show looks totally cheesy in retrospect…and I’m sorry to say it does.)
I enjoyed The Great Starship Race by Diane Carey and may even write about that one in a few years when I’m ready to mention my 2nd favorite Star Trek book. But for now, let’s talk about the best. How Much for Just the Planet? What I love about this book is the humor. It’s just funny. It has a vaudeville tongue-in-cheek type of appeal that had me actually laughing. And let me tell you, there are only a few books that I’ve had that kind of reaction to, and I read a few books a week.
As usual, the Federation needs dilithium crystals. And an abundance is found on a tiny out-of-the-way planet which, surprise, the Klingons have found as well. Now the fun begins. Because the two groups are ready to compete for the lucre. What they don’t realize is that the people of Direidi are full of pranks and will lead them all on a merry chase.
It’s true that only a Trek fan will really understand the nuances, but if you’ve ever loved Star Trek and missed this book, it’s well-worth the read. (Even if the show looks totally cheesy in retrospect…and I’m sorry to say it does.)
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