Bill The Galactic Hero by Harry Harrison

Bill, the Galactic Hero is a humorous, satirical science fiction series written by Harry Harrison. The first novel in the series (Bill, the Galactic Hero) was first published in 1965 and roughly retells the famous anti world war one novel "The Good Soldier Švejk" (written by Jaroslav Hašek) but set in the future.

The overall theme of the series is similar to Hašek's work, with the protagonist tricked into joining the army by an unscrupulous recruiting sergeant. He is then sent on a succession of badly organized adventures. Satire is evident throughout with spoof's of many popular Science fiction authors including Isaac Asimov, Doc Smith, Robert Heinlein (Starship Troopers) and Joseph Heller.

Also prevalent throughout is the constant drunkenness, incompetence of officers, petty pilfering that has been seen by many (including a Vietnam veteran) as being very close to the truth.

reviews in the series

Galactic Dreams

by Harry Harrison

A companion volume to the collection Stainless Steel Visions, this volume collects several of Harrison's best stories, such as Space Rats of the CCC; At Last, the True Story of Frankenstein; and Bill, the Gallactic Hero's Happy Holiday. Includes a hilarious new adventure of Bill, the Galactic Hero. Lavishly illustrated.

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reviewed on Sunday 10 August 2008

Bill... The Final Incoherent Adventure

by Harry Harrison

The army made Bill the galactic hero what he is today - the perfect Starship Trouper, and proud possessor of two right arms and a lockerful of feet suitable for every occasion. Now he's been volunteered to join a suicide-squad run by Captain Cadaver to the well-known hell-hole planet of Eyerack.

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill... On the Planet of the Hippies from Hell

by Harry Harrison

Bill is the perfect starship trooper: big, strong and completely brainwashed. He'll also do almost anything to save his neck. Now he's been sent to Barworld, home planet of the finest beverages in the universe. But can Bill survive an entire planet of blondes, booze and bathtubs of champagne?

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill... On the Planet of Zombie Vampires

by Harry Harrison

BILL - the perfect Starship Trooper: big, brawny, and brainwashed. Possessor of two right arms (impressive when it comes to saluting) and a foot that is threatening to turn into something more suited to being an umbrella stand than anything that could be squeezed into a size 11 sneaker.

BILL - a perfect recruit for the good ship Bounty, bound for the Chinger war and carrying a cargo of as nice a company of homicidal misfits and maniacs as you could wish to meet outside ...

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill... on the Planet of Tasteless Pleasure

by Harry Harrison

BILL - the perfect Spaceship Trooper: big, brawny and brainwashed...

BILL - the perfect hero: ready to go anywhere, do anything to save his own neck, which is probably the only part of his body that is still his own...

BILL - back in the Army Hospital for yet another transplant and looking forward to a spot of R and R (which every Trooper translates as Rutting and Rotgut), and some respite from his troublesome adventures...

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill... On the Planet of Bottled Brains

by Harry Harrison

Bill should know that you never complain in the Troopers. But when his new foot looks like turning into something green, scaly and abundantly clawed, a visit to the medics would seem to be reasonable. But before he can say 'Quintiform computer error' he seems to have got himself volunteered again, this time for a suicide mission on Tsuris - the planet nobody ever comes back from.

A number, exactly a billion in fact, of Tsurisians have no body at all to speak of, and res...

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill... On the Planet of Robot Slaves

by Harry Harrison

Bill would give his right arm to defend his Emperor against the alien Chingers - which is lucky seeing as he has two of them...

War demands sacrifices, and if you've lost one left arm, have an artificial foot and a set of nifty surgically-implanted tusks, it's a small price to pay for the privilege of being a hero. And Bill knows all about heroism - as part of a motley crew his new task is to track down the source of Chinger-controlled metal dragons that are making minc...

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reviewed on Monday 28 July 2008

Bill The Galactic Hero

by Harry Harrison

It was the highest honor to defend the Empire against the dreaded Chingers, an enemy race of seven-foot-tall lizards. But Bill, a Technical Fertilizer Operator from a planet of farmers, wasn't interested in honor-he was only interested in two things: his chosen career, and the shapely curves of Inga-Maria Calyphigia. Then a recruiting robot shanghaied him with knockout drops, and he came to in deep space, aboard the Empire warship Christine Keeler. And from there, things got even worse.

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reviewed on Friday 01 January 1999