• (Tears) Bolo by Keith Laumer

    From jdnicoll@jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 08:53:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer

    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer
    --
    My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
    My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
    My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
    My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Christian Weisgerber@naddy@mips.inka.de to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 16:23:40 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"
    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan@tednolan to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 17:18:29 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story >descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    --
    columbiaclosings.com
    What's not in Columbia anymore..
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BCFD 36@bcfd36@cruzio.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 10:56:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these years?
    --
    ----------------

    Dave Scruggs
    Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
    Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
    Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I thinking?)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan@tednolan to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 18:13:25 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote: >On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a >construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these >years?


    That's certainly in the ballpark for a Bolo story, but it's not one
    I remember.
    --
    columbiaclosings.com
    What's not in Columbia anymore..
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BCFD 36@bcfd36@cruzio.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 11:21:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 6/21/26 11:13, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote:
    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de >>>
    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a
    construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these
    years?


    That's certainly in the ballpark for a Bolo story, but it's not one
    I remember.

    No, not the same story. I got on line, dug around, and found "A Relic of
    War". Not the same story. It is good, but not great. It is in a
    collection called "The Big Show" of which I found a PDF or something. I
    may actually have this buried somewhere, but I don't think so. The story itself was not familiar. That doesn't mean I haven't read it, just not familiar.

    https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/luminist/EB/L/Laumer%20-%20The%20Big%20Show.pdf
    --
    ----------------

    Dave Scruggs
    Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
    Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
    Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I thinking?)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From WolfFan@akwolffan@zoho.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 14:28:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On Jun 21, 2026, BCFD 36 wrote
    (in article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>):

    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan<tednolan> wrote:
    In article<slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll<jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these years?

    thatrCOs rCyThe Last CommandrCO.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From WolfFan@akwolffan@zoho.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 14:30:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On Jun 21, 2026, Christian Weisgerber wrote
    (in article<slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>):

    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll<jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book IIrCY
    The Last Command and A Relic of War are the two best Bolo stories, and probably LaumerrCOs best work.

    I especially like The Last Command.

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From ted@loft.tnolan.com (Ted Nolan@tednolan to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 18:58:08 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    In article <0001HW.2FE8654D03EBCC0670000EBBD38F@news.supernews.com>,
    WolfFan <akwolffan@zoho.com> wrote:
    On Jun 21, 2026, Christian Weisgerber wrote
    (in article<slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>):

    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll<jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book IIrCY
    The Last Command and A Relic of War are the two best Bolo stories, and >probably LaumerrCOs best work.

    I especially like The Last Command.


    I will have to re-read TLC as that precis didn't dredge it up.

    I would say the best Laumer is probably the Retief stories in _Envoy to New Worlds, (most would add "Diplomat At Arms", but I've been saving that
    for later for years now so I can't say), "Placement Test", "Relic Of War",
    _The Worlds Of The Imperium_ & _Dinosaur Beach_.

    All subject to modificaion on re-read as an old guy, of course.
    --
    columbiaclosings.com
    What's not in Columbia anymore..
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Cryptoengineer@petertrei@gmail.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 15:01:04 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 6/21/2026 2:21 PM, BCFD 36 wrote:
    On 6/21/26 11:13, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36
    <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote:
    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber-a <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade-a (Bolo, volume 1) by
    Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it.-a Some of the story >>>>> descriptions ring a faint bell.-a I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber
    naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a >>> construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to >>> go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these >>> years?


    That's certainly in the ballpark for a Bolo story, but it's not one
    I remember.

    No, not the same story. I got on line, dug around, and found "A Relic of War". Not the same story. It is good, but not great. It is in a
    collection called "The Big Show" of which I found a PDF or something. I
    may actually have this buried somewhere, but I don't think so. The story itself was not familiar. That doesn't mean I haven't read it, just not familiar.

    https://s3.us-west-1.wasabisys.com/luminist/EB/L/Laumer%20- %20The%20Big%20Show.pdf

    The story being asked for is "The Last Command".

    pt

    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From kludge@kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 15:11:21 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote:
    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or >>author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a >>construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to >>go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up >>who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these >>years?

    That's certainly in the ballpark for a Bolo story, but it's not one
    I remember.

    Might be one of the manshonyaggers that was talked into submission by
    the Vomacht?
    --scott
    --
    "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BCFD 36@bcfd36@cruzio.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 13:32:00 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 6/21/26 12:11, Scott Dorsey wrote:
    Ted Nolan <tednolan> <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote:
    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a >>> construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to >>> go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these >>> years?

    That's certainly in the ballpark for a Bolo story, but it's not one
    I remember.

    Might be one of the manshonyaggers that was talked into submission by
    the Vomacht?
    --scott

    Nope, already addressed in a previous message.
    --
    ----------------

    Dave Scruggs
    Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
    Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
    Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I thinking?)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From BCFD 36@bcfd36@cruzio.com to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 13:33:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    On 6/21/26 11:28, WolfFan wrote:
    On Jun 21, 2026, BCFD 36 wrote
    (in article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>):

    On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan<tednolan> wrote:
    In article<slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll<jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith >>>>> Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a
    construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these
    years?

    thatrCOs rCyThe Last CommandrCO.

    Yes, that is it.
    --
    ----------------

    Dave Scruggs
    Senior Software Engineer - Lockheed Martin, et. al (mostly Retired)
    Captain - Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
    Board of Directors - Boulder Creek Fire Protection District (What was I thinking?)
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jdnicoll@jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 23:25:11 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story >descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    The Rogue Bolo stuff is post-stroke, so it will be pretty unmemorable.
    --
    My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
    My tor pieces at https://www.tor.com/author/james-davis-nicoll/
    My Dreamwidth at https://james-davis-nicoll.dreamwidth.org/
    My patreon is at https://www.patreon.com/jamesdnicoll
    --- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From jdnicoll@jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) to rec.arts.sf.written on Sun Jun 21 23:26:23 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.arts.sf.written

    In article <11198l5$2hhj0$7@dont-email.me>, BCFD 36 <bcfd36@cruzio.com> wrote: >On 6/21/26 10:18, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
    In article <slrn113g40c.gb.naddy@lorvorc.mips.inka.de>,
    Christian Weisgerber <naddy@mips.inka.de> wrote:
    On 2026-06-21, James Nicoll <jdnicoll@panix.com> wrote:

    Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade (Bolo, volume 1) by
    Keith Laumer
    An assortmen of stories about that battlefield ogre, the Bolo.

    https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/your-sledgehammer

    I have _The Compleat Bolo_ (1990) on my bookshelf, have definitely
    read it, but remember virtually nothing about it. Some of the story
    descriptions ring a faint bell. I think I liked the basic idea,
    but the execution fall flat.

    The Compleat Bolo:
    * "The Night of the Trolls"
    * "Courier"
    * "Field Test"
    * "The Last Command"
    * "A Relic of War"
    * "Combat Unit"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book I"
    * "Rogue Bolo, Book II"

    --
    Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.inka.de

    I would say "A Reclic of War" is the best Bolo story, which is not
    faint praise.
    This brings to mind a short story that I cannot remember the title or
    author of, so to speak. This may be it: some type of blast, maybe from a >construction wakes up a buried tracked battle vehicle. It is on
    EXTREMELY low power. It struggles its way to the surface and is ready to
    go on a rampage (maybe) and at the last minute and elderly man shows up
    who used to drive the thing and tells it to stand down.

    Sound familiar? If so, how the hell did I dredge that up after all these >years?

    That's The Last Command.
    --
    My reviews can be found at http://jamesdavisnicoll.com/
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