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Phule's Company

Book 1 in the series:Phule's Company

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Phule's Company by Robert Lynn Asprin is a lighthearted take on the military sci-fi genre, following a ragtag company of aliens and misfit humans lead by a trust fund kid with lofty ambitions. The story revolves around newly minted Captain Jester, a.k.a. Willard Phule, who finds himself in command of a group of rejects and no-goodniks on a backwater planet, Haskin's Planet. Despite the initial challenges, Phule sets out to turn this ragtag group into an effective and cohesive unit, with a humorous and tongue-in-cheek writing style that introduces quirky characters and incorporates Asprin's typical humor.

Characters:

The characters are unique and well-developed, transitioning from comedic roles to more serious, effective personas throughout the story.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is characterized by a light-hearted tone and situational humor, well-crafted but somewhat inconsistent in delivering laughs.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative mainly revolves around character introductions and team dynamics, with a late-arriving but well-written main plot.

Setting:

The setting in a space military context provides a humorous backdrop, emphasizing the themes of misfit camaraderie.

Pacing:

Pacing begins slowly with character setups but picks up as the main plot unfolds, maintaining engagement throughout.
Some have commented that the executive mind tends to expand work to fill, or overfill, available time. While I will not attempt to comment on the overall accuracy of this statement, it was certainly t...

Notes:

Phule's Company is a comedic military sci-fi book by Robert Asprin.
The protagonist, Willard Phule, is a wealthy heir and an unexpected leader.
The story revolves around a company of misfits in the Space Legion on a backwater planet.
The book features a long setup with character introductions before the main plot kicks in.
Characters are distinct and well-developed, contributing to the humor and situational comedy.
The main plot arrives late but showcases Asprin's typical humor.
The book emphasizes teamwork and finding strength in individuality.
Some readers find the humor lacking compared to other authors like Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett.
Phule's Company mixes humor with serious themes about confidence and pride in oneself.
It has a unique perspective on military life, focusing on a ragtag group instead of traditional heroism.

From The Publisher:

After being court-martialed by the Space Legion for ordering the strafing of a treaty-signing ceremony, multimillionaire Willard Phule receives his punishment: He must command the misfit Omega Company on Haskin's Planet, a mining settlement on the edge of settled space. At his duty station, he leverages his personal money and a knack for managing people to get the company to come together as a unit. Phule convinces the governor to leave the contract for an honorary duty up for competition between the Space Legionnaires and the Regular Army. The Army sends some of their most elite troops to take part in the competition, but Phule's company operates with their own unique tactics....

Ratings (4)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (2)
It Was OK (1)

Reader Stats (6):

Read It (4)
Want To Read (2)

About the Author:

Robert Lynn Asprin was an American science fiction and fantasy author, best known for his MythAdventures and Phule's Company series. As an active fan of the genres, he was a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, a co-founder of the Great Dark Horde, and founder of the Dorsai Irregulars. He was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramtic Presentation for The Capture in 1976. Asprin died in 2008 at the age of 61 having published over fifty novels and several short stories.

 
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