Gambler's World is a science fiction short story by American author Keith Laumer.
Here is a story starring the always unconventional Terrestrial Diplomat, Retief. As a diplomat, Retief does not always follow procedure.
Well the truth is that he almost never follows procedure but somehow his wit and strength manage to salvage most situations from the bumbling of the other diplomats.
His sardonic approach to inter-galactic negotiations in this story is a delight to read.
Gambler’s World was first published in Worlds of If November 1961.
John Keith Laumer (1925-1993) was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a diplomat in the United States Foreign Service.
Keith Laumer is known for the Bolo and Retief stories. The Bolo stories chronicle the evolution of super tanks that eventually become self-aware through the constant improvement resulting from centuries of intermittent warfare against various alien races. The Retief stories deals with the adventures of a cynical spacefaring diplomat who constantly has to overcome the red-tape-infused failures of people with names like Ambassador Grossblunder. The Retief stories were greatly influenced by Laumer's earlier career in the US Foreign Service.
