Legions of Space

By Keith Laumer

Book Overview

An omnibus edition containing two complete novels and four short novellas features A Trace of Memory, in which a drifter named Legion, hired by an amnesiac millionaire, finds himself on a prehistoric... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743488555
• ISBN13: 9780743488556
• Release Date: September 2004
• Publisher: Baen Books
• Length: 470 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.3" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Free SF Reader

As the title suggests, this Laumer collection is of the space opera flavour. It starts and ends with a novel, the first a slightly odd slightly Arthurian bundle of stuff, and the latter an exploration adventure. In the middle are four above average tales of mostly alien encounters in various parts of space. Legions Of Space : A TRACE OF MEMORY - Keith Laumer Legions Of Space : THE CHOICE - Keith Laumer Legions Of Space : THREE BLIND MICE - Keith Laumer Legions Of Space : MIND OUT OF TIME - Keith Laumer Legions Of Space : MESSAGE TO AN ALIEN - Keith Laumer Legions Of Space : PLANET RUN - Keith Laumer His Name Is Legion. For a while, anyway. This novel certainly changes as it goes on. From the start of the book on Earth where an advertisement finds him looking into a case of amnesia - to discoveries of extended lifespans and hunts by the military. That is not all though, as this ends up way off in space, on another world, and gets going on a somewhat Arthurian theme. Still another of Laumer's first person tough guys with a sense of humour at the core of it, in admidst all the strange happenings. 3 out of 5 Space grab study death choice denial rules. 3.5 out of 5 No multiple understanding space war co-operation explanation thaw. 4 out of 5 The Big Jump. 4 out of 5 "Dalton's the name, Captain." "That name is known to me. I am Ch'oova. I was with the Grand Armada at Van Doom's world." "The Grand Armada fought wellbut not quite well enough." 3.5 out of 5 A big opportunity awaits, and it is the title of the book: "For a stake like that, every gambler, pirate, soldier of fortune, and con man in forty parsecs would sell his hope of a ringside seat in hell . . ." ... The right man for the job is available, with a partner, but they have to take a rejuvenation treatment first, that could be deadly. "Face it, Larry. New land on virgin worlds isn't doled out like slices of cake at a church social. They can make all the rules they want, back at Galaxy Centralbut on Corazon, it'll be nature's old law. It's not the Statistical Average that survivesit's the son-of-a-b1tch that's tougher than the hard case that's hunting him. Maybe the Survey Authorities don't know thator maybe they're smarter than we give them credit for. You don't tame alien worlds with busloads of bureaucrats." "But this arrangement is an open invitation to lawlessness." Henry nodded. "And you can count on it there'll be plenty of takers." When he and his new straight man get to their destination, it is somewhat of a lawless hive of scwm and villainry, as he expects. Even with an illegal Bolo they will be in big trouble getting out of this one, with all the dodgy dealings around. An adventure, a survival story, and funny at times, too. 4 out of 5

First Laumer, but not the last

This is the first book (well, technically, set of stories) I have read by Keith Laumer, but it won't be the last. Written from the late 60s into the early 70s, many of these stories still seem fresh today. Space exploration, coming of age, alien invasions - all of these and more are covered in the stories in this excellent book. Although sometimes the writing jumps between scenes without warning, it is for the most part crisp and clean and very enjoyable. Eric Flint did the editing honors and there is a foreword by Joel Rosenbaum that helps to set things into perspective. All-in-all, highly recommended by this reviewer.