Rating: 
Summary: I've worn out my copy re-reading it.
Review: I was introduced to Spider Robinson stories by a waitress at Beth's Cafe in Seattle back in 1989, I've been hooked ever since. This is a reprint of some of the "Callahan" Books. If you like Brin, Bujold, Dickson, Frankowski, Heinlein, Hogan, McCaffrey, Modesitt Jr, Rosenberg, or Rowley you will like Spider Robinson. He's unique, but his flavor compliments each of them.This book includes the previously released books titled: Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, Time Traveler's Strictly Cash, and Callahan's Secret. Callahan's is a mythical pub in Halifax where people are healed. Callahan doesn't believe in drinking in the dark, sitting on stools, recorded music, or snoopy questions. Patrons pay $1 for any drink served. After receiving their drink they can exercise their option. They can toe the chalk line, make a toast, and pitch the glass into the fire place OR they can collect their change from the cigar box by the door. It's a place where people learn that pain shared is halved, but joy shared is squared. It's not like A.A. or group therapy, it's more like a place where you celibrate being human. Since it came out I've offered friends and aquantences a money back guarantee; if they don't like it, I'll buy it back at their cost. In the 4 years it's been out I haven't had one taker.
Rating:
Summary: I've worn out my copy re-reading it.
Review: I was introduced to Spider Robinson stories by a waitress at Beth's Cafe in Seattle back in 1989, I've been hooked ever since. This is a reprint of some of the "Callahan" Books. If you like Brin, Bujold, Dickson, Frankowski, Heinlein, Hogan, McCaffrey, Modesitt Jr, Rosenberg, or Rowley you will like Spider Robinson. He's unique, but his flavor compliments each of them. This book includes the previously released books titled: Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, Time Traveler's Strictly Cash, and Callahan's Secret. Callahan's is a mythical pub in Halifax where people are healed. Callahan doesn't believe in drinking in the dark, sitting on stools, recorded music, or snoopy questions. Patrons pay $1 for any drink served. After receiving their drink they can exercise their option. They can toe the chalk line, make a toast, and pitch the glass into the fire place OR they can collect their change from the cigar box by the door. It's a place where people learn that pain shared is halved, but joy shared is squared. It's not like A.A. or group therapy, it's more like a place where you celibrate being human. Since it came out I've offered friends and aquantences a money back guarantee; if they don't like it, I'll buy it back at their cost. In the 4 years it's been out I haven't had one taker.
Rating:
Summary: I've worn out my copy re-reading it.
Review: I was introduced to Spider Robinson stories by a waitress at Beth's Cafe in Seattle back in 1989, I've been hooked ever since. This is a reprint of some of the "Callahan" Books. If you like Brin, Bujold, Dickson, Frankowski, Heinlein, Hogan, McCaffrey, Modesitt Jr, Rosenberg, or Rowley you will like Spider Robinson. He's unique, but his flavor compliments each of them. This book includes the previously released books titled: Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, Time Traveler's Strictly Cash, and Callahan's Secret. Callahan's is a mythical pub in Halifax where people are healed. Callahan doesn't believe in drinking in the dark, sitting on stools, recorded music, or snoopy questions. Patrons pay $1 for any drink served. After receiving their drink they can exercise their option. They can toe the chalk line, make a toast, and pitch the glass into the fire place OR they can collect their change from the cigar box by the door. It's a place where people learn that pain shared is halved, but joy shared is squared. It's not like A.A. or group therapy, it's more like a place where you celibrate being human. Since it came out I've offered friends and aquantences a money back guarantee; if they don't like it, I'll buy it back at their cost. In the 4 years it's been out I haven't had one taker.
Rating: 
Summary: Definitely makes you feel-good.
Review: I've been reading this book at the same time as playing the computer game Callahan's Crosstime Saloon (now being blown-out for about $10). The game certainly feels like Spider actually wrote it and provides great visuals to make the many characters in the books more memorable. The stories themselves are all worth reading. My only complaint is some are a bit far-fetched. I have nothing against being far-fetched since most science-fiction is, however the best SF is able to make you "suspend your disbelief". Robinson is not always successful in this. However, the reason for reading these stories is the clever dialog and great writing. The plot often takes a back seat and that's my only complaint. Overall, this summer has been memorable for me as I've spent the past few months reading this book and playing the game. I have several more months to look forward to it as well since the game is so long. One last compliment: I've bought this book for my friends.
Rating:
Summary: Totally fantastic
Review: O.k for those of you who have not read this story before let me give you the rundown. There is this fictional place on Long Island. Now this lpace is an ordinary bar like "Cheers", only its got aliens, time travlers, talking dogs and ordinary people that are just trying to cope with the stress of everyday life. Never before have I read a serise of books that the charecters had so much life and just plian fun. This is just one of those books that makes you think to yourself, hell the author had a lot of fun writting this stuff. The stories are arranged conologically for 15 years and with rare exception the stories get better the further along you go very interesting sight to see. Overall-I love these books, and if you are a rookie just getting into the I hope you will too.
Rating:
Summary: Totally fantastic
Review: O.k for those of you who have not read this story before let me give you the rundown. There is this fictional place on Long Island. Now this lpace is an ordinary bar like "Cheers", only its got aliens, time travlers, talking dogs and ordinary people that are just trying to cope with the stress of everyday life. Never before have I read a serise of books that the charecters had so much life and just plian fun. This is just one of those books that makes you think to yourself, hell the author had a lot of fun writting this stuff. The stories are arranged conologically for 15 years and with rare exception the stories get better the further along you go very interesting sight to see. Overall-I love these books, and if you are a rookie just getting into the I hope you will too.
Rating:
Summary: Hope exists. Here it is. But it's within you, too.
Review: People caring about each other? In a BAR? Hell, bars are where you go to get blind, right? At Callahan's, people go to see. Hilarious, touching, amazing - what can happen when people CARE. And TRY to be better than they are. Twenty years of stories, all in one edition. And cheap at thrice the price.
Rating:
Summary: Robinson is remarkable, a master of empathy
Review: Reading Spider Robinson is a wonderful experiece. It is a great feeling to be able to understand the vague references to Heinlein, Asimov, Gibson and others. Its like understanding all the asides and connotations in Shakespeare without Cliff's notes. I would recommend Spider Robinson to anyone who likes to read stories that makes them want to meet the character after the show. That is how real Spider's people are portrayed.
Rating:
Summary: Arguably the best book I've ever read
Review: Since accidently finding a copy of this book in Jan 98, I have read it at least ten times and laugh out loud each time. It is extremely well written and thought provoking. Perhaps the only drawback to the series is that Spider Robinson constantly retells the same stories in each book.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning: This review contains a spoiler
Review: Somewhere in the afterword of "The Callahan Chronicals," Robinson alludes to an SF writer who wrote a series of stories that were deliberately bad, I suppose as a sort of commentary on the literary standards of the public. The series proved popular. After reading this note, I wondered for a few days what the series could be. Then, duh, it struck me. Robinson is, of course, referring to the stories in this very book. It's a reasonable joke, but not one I was happy to pay for. As for the stories themselves, if you like characters that are organic (i.e., wooden) and multidimensional-remember that one is a multiple of itself-and don't care about plots, you might like the book. Readers who prefer science fantasy to science fiction may like the book as well: most non-human characters are unique, freeing Robinson from any obligation to consider implications of the presence of different sentient species in this adolescent fantasy world. The book might also appeal to science fantasy fans who crave reassurance about how cool they are and who don't mind page after page of authors showing off how clever they are.
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