No Phule Like an Old Phule (Phule's Company)

While this book has nothing spectarular to offer it is true to the serise. All the old charecters are still here and they have not suffered or been changed into something different. The new member of the company Thumper was a welcome additon. The only part I didn't like was Barky the enviromental dog, that part was a totally useless plotline.

Sometimes it seems like there's more humorous fantasy stories out there (Discworld, etc.) than humorous SF stories (Hitchhiker's Guide, etc.). And that may still be true. However, from Robert Asprin we do have some good stuff for the SF side, namely the "Phule's Company" series. "No Phule" is the fifth book in this series, and the first one I've read. Willard Phule is known as Captain Jester in the Space Legion. He's the captain of Omega company, and by being wonderful and competent has arrayed the brass against him. So the SF equivalent of the Environmental Protection Agency (here known by the acronym AEIOU) has just dropped by for an inspection. He is also a billionaire, with extensive holdings in various enterprises, including casinos. His father has just dropped by one of his casinos and decided to show the management team just how much better they should be running things, if they were as smart as he. Overall this is a fun, easy read with some incredible groaner puns. It mocks some of the finer points of the military SF tradition as well as governmental and bureaucratic targets. A few times it had me laugh out loud. I will certainly find some of the earlier books in the series, and save them up for when I'm in a bad mood. They should certainly help.

General Blitzkrieg hates Phule (AKA Captain Jester) and his Omega Company, soldiers who fail to heed any rules except their own. To make Phule's life miserable, Blitzkrieg sends the Alliance Ecological Interplanetary Observation Union (AEIOU) to "join" the Omega Company on Zenobia. The wily General hopes the two groups interact in a manner that will cause aggravation and stress to Phule. Phule anticipates rewards for finding a new alien race on this planet.Phule copes with AEIOU and renowned genetically enhanced wonder dog Barky while also dealing with hunters desiring to bring home trophy dinosaurs. At the same time, his father Victor tries to work on conning two Grifters into selling the shares of Phule's Casino that they won for a nominal price.Most military science fiction is serious with a theme of saving the universe, but NO PHULE LIKE AN OLD PHULE is an upbeat lighthearted galaxy romp. The protagonist might ignore bureaucratic regulations and procedures furbished from a central location with no understanding beyond their beltway, but he also runs a tight ship. His crew respects Phule who goes out of their way to ensure they are cared for with proper equipment and supplies and are financially rewarded. Only a fool would myths a Phule's tale.Harriet Klausner

No Phule Like an Old Phule (2004) is the fifth novel in the Phule series, following Phule Me Twice. In the previous volume, Omega Company is called upon to protect an Alliance diplomatic mission to Zenobia. General Blitzkrieg separates Phule from the company and replaces him with Major Botchup. The Zenobians are being surveilled by the Nanoids, a race of extremely small creatures living in the desert, and are worried about a possible invasion. Sushi cracks the Nanoid communication codes and Phule's robot double manages to negotiate a cessation of aggressive activities. Phule himself establishes a good relationship with the dinosaur-like head honcho, Chief Potentary Korg. Despite every effort by Blitzkrieg, Omega company completes its mission with distinction. In this novel, Omega Company is expecting a visit from a group of VIP hunters. When a ship lands in the vicinity of the Omega encampment, Captain Jester welcomes the visitors to the planet, but soons discovers that they are not the expected guests, but rather a trio of environmental inspectors from AEIOU, the Alliance Ecological Interplanetary Observation Union. They have come to do an environmental inspection of Omega Company and the planet itself. Moreover, they have brought Barky, the Environmental Dog, who obviously has not been previously exposed to extraterrestrial aliens since he chases any that he smells. When the hunters finally land, Omega Company tries to keep them away from the AEIOU inspectors and Barky. The VIPS are hoping to hunt the huge dinosaurs they have heard existed on Zenobia and have brought a variety of large weapons. However, they would like to acquire some local weapons just in case. The VIP ship also brings a new recruit to the company. Thumper is rather like a rabbit, with large ears, and also runs like one. He is despised by his fellow recruits during boot camp because he is too gung ho and makes them look bad. His fellows get him in trouble with General Blitzkrieg and the general angerly assigns the recruit to Blitzkrieg's least favorite company in the Legion. Now Thumper learns how Omega Company does military training. In the meantime, the mob catches up with the con artists Lola and Ernie and insist that they finish the kidnap job bungled in Phule's Paradise. Moving back to Lorelei Station, the pair start casing the casino looking for Willard Phule, but instead find Victor. Willard's father is playing the slot machines at five thousand dollars a pull, certain that he has a system that will break the bank. Lola and Ernie can't figure his angle, since everybody knows you can't beat the odds on the slots. Back at camp, Phule is waiting for a promotion packet from headquarters. The Rev has learned about L'Viz from Lieutenant Qual and gets Sushi to hack into the Zenobian computer net to discover more about this mysterious person. Qual has his men doing maintenance on a large Sklern machine in the middle of the camp, although his explanatio