The fallible fiend

About this book

The Fallible Friend The protagonist, Zdim, is an indentured servant, some reptilian traits, who engages in something akin to rule-book slowdown. It may be somewhat of a stretch but there is some similarity with Till Eulenspiegel. The latter did usually impersonates a traveling journeyman when he arrived in a new township. He then interprets selective instructions in a literal, counter productive sense. Better known example, he bakes meerkats and owls when his tired master tells him to use his own head. Zdim is spirited to an earth type planet by the time honored pentagram method. He is part of an labor against raw materials exchange program. His first act of revolt, he devours Doctor Maldivius' apprentice, hide, hair and xenophobic attitude, when the honorable doctor orders him to deal with any intruder as he deems fit. The next time he has to stand guard he has to promise strict abstinence. Result, he does not budge a claw when some actual burglars show up. From one extreme (anthropophagi) to the other (no coercive measures at all). In a rather broad sense he pleads a 'non vult' in each case. Good intentions regardless of some possible misunderstandings. The vexed wizard wisely decides to terminate the service contract. Some brave soldiers are just too sly for their masters' peace of mind. Next tour of duty, Zdim is palmed off to a circus where he is billed as wild man out of Borneo. He promptly causes a mass stampede, topped off by a conflagration. Predictable excuse, I just did what the impresario told me. The cited minutes: rattle your cage and scare the rubes. The …

Themes & subjects

About the author

L. Sprague De Camp

November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000

Lyon Sprague de Camp — known as L. Sprague de Camp — was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy, non-fiction and biography. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biographies of other fantasy authors. - Wikipedia