Keith Laumer

[lazarus]

Hello to Everyone who reads this.
I recently found
A trace of memory - Keith Laumer
in my local secondhand bookstore and loved every page of it,never having heard of him before I wondered if anybody could recommend anything by him or maybe push me in the direction of similar authors.
Thanks

 

[Erebus]

Welcome to the Forum, Lazarus.

I haven't heard of Keith Laumer before, but there is a lot of listings for his work at Amazon.com if you'd like to do a search there using his name. They even have some secondhand books for sale there as well!

 

[phil_geo]

Yeah, I like Laumer too. I find his books in used book stores; I think most of them are out of print now.

He's famous for inventing the Bolo, and wrote a ton of books about it. The Bolo is basically a hi-tech tank, but he took it to the next level with plenty of books about Bolos throughout history - some are hi-tech but have problems, and the people in them must learn to deal with their quirkyness. Some Bolo books are set so far in the future that the Bolos are sentient and do everything themselves, and have enough firepower to destroy a city. Lots of battles and character conflict - good fast reads, imho.

Both Bolo and Rogue Bolo were good, but really you can't go wrong picking up any book with Bolo in the title. I think his other big series is about a guy named Retief, but I haven't read those - I might have to pick one up next time I'm in a used book store.

 

[lazarus]

Thanks erebus and phil_geo
I'll lookout for them.

 

[aldiboronti]

Just to add a little on Laumer. This guy was a marvellous writer, I think he died a few years ago. Read the Lafayette O`Leary parallel worlds series and the Retief series, and individual novels like Plague of Demons.

[This message has been edited by aldiboronti (edited October 22, 2001).]

 

[mundanemies]

I have this warm sopt for Laumer's Retief of the CDT. I used to read them when I was... much younger than now. They were delightful, funny and enjoyable light-hearted SF with a dashing main character.
I was saddened to hear that the author himself had terrible troubles with his health (mental?) on the eve of his life.

 

[Corwwyn]

Aye, Keith Laumer had some good books/stories.

I highly recommend the following:

Bolo
A Plague of Demons

as well as, of course, A Trace of Memory

 

[Carmichael]

For any Laumer/Retief fans, they have started making a series of Retief compilations edited by Eric Flint. The first one is already out. The second one, Odyessy comes out sometime this year.

Carmichael

 

[Cicero]

And the Bolo series was continued by such author as David Weber, David Dark and Mercedes Lack and William Keith . The first the book book came out in 1993 Bolos Honor of the Regiment and ther several more anodes and novels , and a well worth reading, I read 4 bloke in the relief series . I loved his stuff and wish he were still around to write more of his wonderful stories.

I hope he doesn't become a forgotten writer , he deserves better.

 

[Cicero]

His nolvthe Star Must Waitestarted out as short shote which bace novle . I was original a bolo story . My favorer Bolo story A Relic of Wars. with relic, poignant and sad . a great short story by a great writer. The irony is the Bolo is i weapon or was but , you can't. help but care about, they far more then just mere machine Lumer gave them personality , depth and dimension, It makes them truly memorable and likable.