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Callahan's Crazy Crosstime Bar
The regulars at Callahan's have heard it all. Time travellers, aliens, telepaths, and a host of others - including an alcoholic vampire - have found their way to Mike Callahan's place. They know that there is only one house rule - anything can happen. But there's only one bar at the edge of time and space. And that's Callahan's Crosstime Saloon.
(This contains only a selection of stories from the first 3 books of the Callahan series. A complete anthology of the Callaghan stories from all 3 books is provided by "The Callahan Chronicles". (nb neither book includes the non-Callaghan content from "Time Travelers Strictly Cash".))
(This contains only a selection of stories from the first 3 books of the Callahan series. A complete anthology of the Callaghan stories from all 3 books is provided by "The Callahan Chronicles". (nb neither book includes the non-Callaghan content from "Time Travelers Strictly Cash".))
351 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
2 people are currently reading
95 people want to read
About the author
Spider Robinson
199 books675 followersSpider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction author. He was born in the USA, but chose to live in Canada, and gained citizenship in his adopted country in 2002.
Robinson's writing career began in 1972 with a sale to Analog Science Fiction magazine of a story entitled, The Guy With The Eyes. His writing proved popular, and his first novel saw print in 1976, Telempath. Since then he has averaged a novel (or collection) a year. His most well known stories are the Callahan saloon series.
Robinson's writing career began in 1972 with a sale to Analog Science Fiction magazine of a story entitled, The Guy With The Eyes. His writing proved popular, and his first novel saw print in 1976, Telempath. Since then he has averaged a novel (or collection) a year. His most well known stories are the Callahan saloon series.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 5, 2018
Firstly the cover of this edition wins a gold star for in no way resembling the content of the book.
This series of interconnected short stories follows a certain trajectory. At the start it is mostly about empathy with a few touches of sci fi tending towards all sci fi and minimal empathy at the end. I preferred the first half. Not least because it is so rare to read about a group of people whose primary aim in life is to be sympathetic and help people out. I could have read an entire book in this format (especially if the pun competitions were left in). They tackled many of the social issues of the time it was written in fine form. Don't get me wrong the time travel and aliens etc are fun but lacked some of the warmth of the earlier tales. This is completely different to anything else I have ever read and well worth picking up even if you don't like puns.
This series of interconnected short stories follows a certain trajectory. At the start it is mostly about empathy with a few touches of sci fi tending towards all sci fi and minimal empathy at the end. I preferred the first half. Not least because it is so rare to read about a group of people whose primary aim in life is to be sympathetic and help people out. I could have read an entire book in this format (especially if the pun competitions were left in). They tackled many of the social issues of the time it was written in fine form. Don't get me wrong the time travel and aliens etc are fun but lacked some of the warmth of the earlier tales. This is completely different to anything else I have ever read and well worth picking up even if you don't like puns.
May 31, 2014
Even if I didn't love puns, this would be a clear 4-4.5 star book. This book is compassionate and sweet and I want to hug every character in it. The puns are just the icing on the cake for me. I picked it up at this year's Eastercon, after chatting to someone at the second hand book stall, and mentioning that I'd never read any Spider Robinson. I can't remember who recommended this to me, but I'd like to shake them warmly by the hand.
The book is a collection of short stories, all set at Callahan's Place, a bar where the regulars all have something in common: they go out of their way to help anyone who comes in and asks. They help them work out their problems and make them better people, whether they're aliens, time travellers (the slow way or the fast way), telepaths or just plain people, hurting and in need of someone to listen.
It's a life-affirming book, whose last story neatly ties back to the first, bringing the story full circle. There are several more books featuring Mike Callahan (and a couple featuring his wife, Lady Sally). After having had my first taste of Robinson be this good, I will certainly not hesitate to buy anything else of his that I see.
The book is a collection of short stories, all set at Callahan's Place, a bar where the regulars all have something in common: they go out of their way to help anyone who comes in and asks. They help them work out their problems and make them better people, whether they're aliens, time travellers (the slow way or the fast way), telepaths or just plain people, hurting and in need of someone to listen.
It's a life-affirming book, whose last story neatly ties back to the first, bringing the story full circle. There are several more books featuring Mike Callahan (and a couple featuring his wife, Lady Sally). After having had my first taste of Robinson be this good, I will certainly not hesitate to buy anything else of his that I see.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews