YMMV / Retief

• Funny Moments: What most stories are made of.
• Harsher in Hindsight: An unusual example in that it results from Reverse Cerebus Syndrome and the fact that the first story is chronologically the last in the series. Reading "Diplomat-at-Arms" for the first time, we are introduced to a Retief past his prime, and an unsympathetic Magnan who's trying to undermine his career. After reading all the subsequent stories set when the two were younger, and knowing all the wacky adventures Retief and Magnan had together (including several times they saved each other's asses) their sour relationship in "Diplomat-at-Arms" becomes quite sad.
• Nightmare Fuel: Keith Laumer himself served in the United States Foreign Service, and his experiences no doubt influenced the Retief tales. One hopes that its just parody. However, as one person once noted "if the stories offer an accurate, rather than exaggerated, picture of terrestrial diplomacy it is rather worrying."

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