Phule's Company

by Robert Asprin

PHULE'S COMPANY by Robert Asprin is one of those books that I love to reread. The whole book is funny but there are certain scenes that just make me laugh even when I think about them. This book isn’t what you might call fine literature, but it paints the picture well and has loveable characters, even if the plot isn’t deep or convoluted. The story is a bunch of rejects are given the opportunity to become more than anyone thought possible. But the real questions isn’t whether they can believe in themselves and take the risk.

The story follows the Omega company in the Space Legion. This is the rejects of the normal space military. This is where soldiers go when they don’t want to answer questions. Practically everyone goes by a nickname and it isn’t because they are on the right side of the law. The person in charge of this group of misfits is a man by the name of Phule. He is put in command as a punishment for strafing a peace meeting. He doesn’t just rise to the challenge, he buys anything and everything that could possible help, and then pounds the challenge into the ground. Though he may be only Captain Jester to the military, to the rest of the universe he is one of the richest men ever. But his money isn’t the only reason why his troops follow him.

There are particular scenes and characters that make me smile every time I read the book. There are several books in the series, but my favorites are PHULE’S COMPANY and PHULE’S PARADISE. The books may be a little rough around the edges but that only adds to the characters themselves. Robert Asprin can make even the most unusual aliens loveable and human.