:''This is about the 1990 novel. For an overview of the whole series of novels, see

Phule's Company (series) Phule's Company is a series of comic military science fiction novels by Robert Asprin (later co-written with Peter J. Heck), beginning with '' Phule's Company'' and ending with ''Phule's Errand''. The series takes place centuries in the future, ...

.'' ''Phule's Company'' is a

comic a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicat ...

military science fiction Military science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction and military fiction that depicts the use of science fiction technology, including spaceships and science fiction weapons, weapons, for military purposes and usually principal characters ...

novel written by

Robert Asprin Robert Lynn Asprin (June 28, 1946 – May 22, 2008) was an American science fiction and fantasy authors, fantasy author and science fiction fandom, active fan, known best for his humorous series ''MythAdventures'' and ''Phule's Company (series), ...

and originally published in 1990. The book follows the comedic events as Willard J. Phule, the rich son of a millionaire arms manufacturer, reforms a group of misfits in the

Space Legion Space is a three-dimensional continuum containing positions and directions. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions. Modern physicists usually consider it, with time, to be part of a boundless four ...

, a fictional organization similar to the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...

, into an "elite fighting force". The book is primarily narrated by Phule's butler Beeker. ''Phule's Company'' received generally positive reviews and made the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list.

Plot

The book begins as Willard Phule, a multimillionaire, is

court-martial A court-martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the arme ...

ed by the Space Legion for ordering the

strafing Strafing is the military practice of attacking ground targets from low-flying aircraft using aircraft-mounted automatic weapons. Less commonly, the term is used by extension to describe high-speed firing runs by any land or naval craft such a ...

of a treaty signing ceremony. For his punishment, he is given command of an Omega Company full of misfits on Haskin's Planet, a mining settlement on the edge of settled space. He quickly goes to his duty station and leverages his personal money and a knack for managing people to get the company to come together as a unit. His antics attract the attention of the local and interplanetary press, but create a very cohesive unit of the Legionnaires. When a contract for an honorary duty is awarded to the Regular Army on Haskin's Planet, Phule convinces the governor to leave the contract 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, and through an impressive show of cooperation and teamwork, Phule's company ties the regular troops. In the final episode of the book, Phule's company encounters lizard-like alien explorers from the Zenobian Empire. Quickly reverting to his business instincts, Phule negotiates a business deal to sell swampland to the creatures in exchange for new technologies. This again enrages some of his superiors, but because of a show of support from the Legionnaires for their commander and a complete conviction of his own innocence, Phule evades court-martial again.

Critical reception

While reviewing the book for ''

Legends Magazine ''Legends Magazine'' was a literary and music magazine founded by writer Marcus Pan in 1990. Over a 15 year period, the magazine released 150 issues. It covers themes of dark horror, fantasy and science fiction and surrealism in its literary sc ...

'', Marcus Pan commented that the book was "rather engrossing", "lighthearted" and had character development complete with character flaws and "endearing personalities" that made ''Phule's Company'' "a fun book to read." Similarly, Paul Stuewe in the ''Toronto Star'', noted how "Phule's company spoofs the space-soldier brand of science fiction" classifying it along with

Kim Stanley Robinson Kim Stanley Robinson (born March 23, 1952) is an American science fiction writer best known for his ''Mars'' trilogy. Many of his novels and stories have ecological, cultural, and political themes and feature scientists as heroes. Robinson has ...

's ''

Escape from Kathmandu ''Escape from Kathmandu'' is a 1989 collection of novellas by American writer Kim Stanley Robinson, about a group of American expatriates in Nepal. Contents The novellas are: * ''Escape from Kathmandu'' ( nominated for Nebula Award for Best No ...

'' as "low-key ndsomewhat lightweight entertainments that keep pages turning pleasantly enough."

References

{{Asprin Phule's Company 1990 American novels 1990 science fiction novels Ace Books books American science fiction novels Comic science fiction novels Military science fiction novels Novels by Robert Asprin