William H. Keith Retief’s Peace

Retief's Peace

William H. Keith

Baen, Sep 2005, $25.00

ISBN: 1416509003

On planet B'ruckley in the Shamballa Cluster, the protests for peace are growing, though the natives are not involved except as observers. The local diplomatic corps want to make no waves against the Peace Movement that could cost a careerist their job and pension, even as the evidence grows that this group wants the Terrans to leave.

Second Assistant Deputy Undersecretary of the Corps Diplomatique Terrestrienne, Jame Retief, finds the reaction of the Terran Diplomats normal as a bureaucrat's first job is to save ones flank. He has major concerns over the concept of leaving this planet without protection from alien invaders as the Peace Movement demands. Retief begins to make inquiries to determine who stands to gain the most if the seemingly innocent student protesters succeed and the Terrans depart until he concludes that the feral Krll want this orb without any real opposition. His peers need him out of the way so they can save their butts, but that will not stop Retief.

William H. Keith captures the essence of Keith Laumer's Retief in this fine satirical action-packed science fiction thriller. The storyline is fast paced, but owned by Retief who employs his own methods to insure the job is done correctly. His understanding of the Terrans is priceless, especially in light of what has happened with the hurricane, though in the latter case the politicos and their appointees at all levels failed, leading to CYA with bush league comments of not me - the others screwed up. RETIEF'S PEACE is a strong deep outer space entry in a wonderful series, that timely highlights the objectives of the top layers of the bureaucracy within a mano a Krll confrontation.