Leland Hale, Galactic Conman

By: Randall Garrett

Narrated by: Randal Schaffer

Length: 3 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Introducing Leland Hale, who will steal your heart - and all your money!

Fraud, larceny, and murder are all in a day's work for this master interstellar confidence man. Leland thought the universe owed him a living - and he was collecting on the installment plan! He is about to descend on the planet Cardigan's Green with a planetary scam designed to make him rich at the population's expense. What this scoundrel doesn't know is that he is about to become a savior! And if he survives this misadventure, he has two more brilliant schemes in mind.

Hugo nominee and Sidewise Alternate History Award winner Randall Garrett was the major science fiction humorist of the 1950s. And he was at the top of his form when he penned the Leland Hale saga. For the first time ever, here are all three Leland Hale capers in one volume.

Randall Garrett (1927-1987) worked as an industrial chemist before turning his hand to science fiction, a happy decision for everyone, as it turned out. During the 1950s and '60s he was a stalwart of the US science fiction magazines, producing well over a hundred short stories and novelettes and writing for virtually every SF title on the stands, but primarily for Astounding (now Analog). A noted humorist, famed for his delightful Lord Darcy series, even Garrett's most serious works (Anything You Can Do, for example) contain comic or satirical undertones. He was one of the first writers to appreciate the importance of conventions and an ingratiating personality in building a strong reader following.

These stories, which have never been reprinted since their one and only appearance on cheap pulpwood paper, ensure that audiences will remember his work at least a little longer. They will have an opportunity to encounter that sly sense of humor, those brilliant mystery and detective problems, and that almost unmatched ability to work complex scientific principles into exciting stories.

©2011 Jean Marie Stine (P)2018 Jean Marie Stine

OLDIE BUT A GOODIE - FUN READ!

This was awesome! Such a fun and entertaining listen, I really enjoyed it!! Old-school zany crazy fun, and the narrator was awesome. From one caper to the next, I will probably listen to it again at some point, and I'd recommend it for all lovers of old-school mystery fun. Great job! :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A wonderful listen

First, to get it out of the way, I received this audiobook at my request in exchange for an honest review.
That being said, Leland Hale, Galactic Conman is a fun listen by one of the great, although unfortunately almost forgotten authors of the old pulp magazine days. With his remarkable talent Randall Garrett has told several tales about a morally bankrupt character with no concept of remorse and made it entertaining. The stories in this book chronicle the exploits of one Leland Hale as he swindles his way across the galaxy.
With the narrator Randal Schaffer this book is a great choice for a quick listen.

Really good classic sci-fi from the Golden Age

This book was provided free of charge with the expectation of a fair review.

This book was a collection of short stories. Each story concerned exploits of Leland Hale and his antics as he traveled across the galaxy and used his cunning to con people out of things.

The stories were well done and had enough humor to keep you listening just to see what he would do next.

It was refreshing to listen to stories from an age when wordsmiths were king and people did not expect the sophistication demanded in some of today's books. I enjoyed the stories a great deal.

The narration was well done and very understandable.

Good old science fiction

Humor abounds during the adventures of a future age con man. I totally loved this book.

Clever cons

Well written, often humorous, Leland Hale, Galactic Conman is a 3 story collection of the clever exploits of an amoral conman.
Randal Schaffer gave an outstanding and enthusiastic narration

Entertaining and fun

I really enjoyed this humorous collection of stories about the antics of the interstellar conman, Leland Hale. I love how he outsmarts his marks and seems able to achieve the impossible. The narration was excellent, bringing the characters to life and helping to flow the various stories together. It’s a fun entertaining audiobook

Han Solo's Stellar Tribute to Leland Hale, conman

Hey there, space-farers and star-chasers! Han Solo here, comin' at ya with a review that's gonna leave you starry-eyed and grinning like a Wookiee with a bag of Kashyyyk candy. Now, I've been around the galaxy a few times, rubbed elbows with more scoundrels than you can shake a blaster at, but let me tell ya, Leland Hale, that master interstellar confidence man, takes the cake in the art of the con. And lemme tell ya, if anyone knows a thing or two about charming your way out of tight spots and chasing riches, it's yours truly.

So, picture this: Leland's slicin' through the cosmos like a proton torpedo through a TIE fighter, with a plan for every planet he lands on, a con for every corner of the galaxy. Fraud, larceny, and murder? Pssh, that's just his version of small talk over a round of Corellian whiskey. Leland's got the universe on an installment plan, and he's the collector, no doubt about it.

Now, I ain't one to be easily impressed, but when Leland Hale sets his sights on the unsuspecting population of Cardigan's Green, you best believe things are about to get interesting. He's got a scheme that's gonna make him richer than Jabba's dessert menu, and he's not afraid to shake down a few wallets to make it happen. But here's the kicker: this conman's got no clue that he's about to go from schemer to savior faster than a jump to lightspeed.

Sure, Leland might be morally bankrupt and ethically challenged, but hey, who among us hasn't danced on the edge of that slippery slope? It's like I always say: the lines between good and bad can get blurry when you're hustlin' through hyperspace. And let me tell ya, Leland's quick wit and knack for playing every angle in the book make him a real old-school, pulp throwback. He's a guy who's not just immoral, he's downright amoral, and that's the kind of character you can't help but root for.

The way Randal Schaffer narrates Leland's escapades is a thing of beauty. It's like listening to a symphony of swindles with a dash of rakish charm thrown in. Schaffer captures the essence of Leland's devil-may-care attitude, the way he struts through danger with a grin that could melt carbonite. You'll be hangin' on every word as Leland spins his web of deception, and trust me, you won't want it to end.

And let's not forget about the man behind the curtain, Randall Garrett. This guy knew how to sling words around like a blaster in a cantina brawl. A science fiction humorist with a knack for weaving intricate mysteries and detective puzzles into his tales, Garrett was a force to be reckoned with in the '50s. His Lord Darcy series? Classic. His ability to sprinkle humor and satire even into his more serious works? Impressive. He understood the power of conventions and a magnetic personality in building a loyal fan base – sounds a bit like someone I know, doesn't it?

The Leland Hale saga, folks, it's like catching a glimpse of a bygone era of storytelling, when pulp fiction ruled the holobooks. These stories, plucked from the annals of time, are an invitation to journey back to a time when the stars were a little brighter, the cons a little bolder, and the heroes a little more anti-heroic.

So, here's the deal: If you're up for a ride that's part caper, part adventure, and all-around galaxy-trotting excitement, do yourself a favor and give "Leland Hale, Galactic Conman" a listen. Strap in, hold on tight, and get ready to journey alongside a scoundrel whose schemes are as audacious as they come. Trust me, it's a ride that'll leave you grinning like a droid with a fresh oil bath. Han Solo out.