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lfsalden's review against another edition
5.0
Heck, yes. I would open a pub just to have a fireplace for the glasses to break into.
angorarabbit's review
4.0
TW: suicidal thought and drug addiction are spoken of in multiple stories, loss of children by a parent in one ("A Voice is Heard in Ramah..."), war crimes are discussed about but not detailed in one (Unnatural Causes). Those stories could be skipped without the reader missing too much information for the rest of the book. Sex work is not considered inherently bad.
Thirty fiveish years ago a young nerdete who loved to read was desperately searching for the next steps after Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. As interesting as science fiction was all she saw was more machismo and war. Uhura was on the deck of the star ship Enterprise, but mostly she was sitting with her legs crossed in a mini skirt with perfect hair and makeup.
So somehow the nerdete found Analog, and Galaxy, and Isaac Asimov's magazines. Still it was war and invasion until one day she came upon a story by a man with the strange name of Spider. It has been so long she doesn't remember which one but that story had females in it. And a heart. There was hope for something more than a war story with a touch of horror and stars in it.
A few years latter the nerdete gave up on science fiction feeling that fantasy was at least softer than the hard men in their battle cruisers and death stars who condemn an entire planet for the spice/wealth that they seek. Decades later she returned finding a new crop of writers that do look at what happens to those on the planet. Who have people who do not have pale as china skin and billowing yellow hair to match their bulging muscles. It is rather amazing.
So how do I review this modest little book? if you were not old enough to be reading science fiction in 1974 you might miss many of the references. Though in many ways not so much has changed. There is the hopelessness many have that there is no way to break out of a life that is both back and mind breaking. The problems of addiction and lack of mental health care are still here. Education is still closed by race and social economic brackets that a person is born into. Along with cobalt bombs we also worry about climate change.
The book contains 9 stories written by Spider between 1972 and 1975. They take place in a bar in New York in roughly that time and there are many references to current national events in the US. The science fiction in each story is secondary to the story. No women are mentioned until the 2nd story. In the 5th story a female is the focus. The first few paragraphs could be an apology for not mentioning half the population before this. It is a little clunky, as if Spider is feeling his way into this but he handle it with sensitivity. The seventh story also has a woman as the focus, though it still feels as if it is told by a male point of view. In both stories a male is there to help the female, though in only one case do they "get the girl".
There is a little racial diversity, along with, of course, a couple of aliens. So why do I give it 4 stars?
I am putting the stories in their time. Even this little bit was ground breaking. The writing is solid not flowery but not spare. You can see the people and the space they are in. The characters are whole people (or aliens). They have sins and can ask for forgiveness and be absolved (usually). The stories flow naturally and a character's actions are comparable with their previous actons. Characters do grow and change. Since the place is not on some alien planet or far distant time world building is kept to a minimum as are info dumps.
The stories may or may not be deep but they have heart and carry hope. I hope you enjoy them.
Thirty fiveish years ago a young nerdete who loved to read was desperately searching for the next steps after Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie. As interesting as science fiction was all she saw was more machismo and war. Uhura was on the deck of the star ship Enterprise, but mostly she was sitting with her legs crossed in a mini skirt with perfect hair and makeup.
So somehow the nerdete found Analog, and Galaxy, and Isaac Asimov's magazines. Still it was war and invasion until one day she came upon a story by a man with the strange name of Spider. It has been so long she doesn't remember which one but that story had females in it. And a heart. There was hope for something more than a war story with a touch of horror and stars in it.
A few years latter the nerdete gave up on science fiction feeling that fantasy was at least softer than the hard men in their battle cruisers and death stars who condemn an entire planet for the spice/wealth that they seek. Decades later she returned finding a new crop of writers that do look at what happens to those on the planet. Who have people who do not have pale as china skin and billowing yellow hair to match their bulging muscles. It is rather amazing.
So how do I review this modest little book? if you were not old enough to be reading science fiction in 1974 you might miss many of the references. Though in many ways not so much has changed. There is the hopelessness many have that there is no way to break out of a life that is both back and mind breaking. The problems of addiction and lack of mental health care are still here. Education is still closed by race and social economic brackets that a person is born into. Along with cobalt bombs we also worry about climate change.
The book contains 9 stories written by Spider between 1972 and 1975. They take place in a bar in New York in roughly that time and there are many references to current national events in the US. The science fiction in each story is secondary to the story. No women are mentioned until the 2nd story. In the 5th story a female is the focus. The first few paragraphs could be an apology for not mentioning half the population before this. It is a little clunky, as if Spider is feeling his way into this but he handle it with sensitivity. The seventh story also has a woman as the focus, though it still feels as if it is told by a male point of view. In both stories a male is there to help the female, though in only one case do they "get the girl".
There is a little racial diversity, along with, of course, a couple of aliens. So why do I give it 4 stars?
I am putting the stories in their time. Even this little bit was ground breaking. The writing is solid not flowery but not spare. You can see the people and the space they are in. The characters are whole people (or aliens). They have sins and can ask for forgiveness and be absolved (usually). The stories flow naturally and a character's actions are comparable with their previous actons. Characters do grow and change. Since the place is not on some alien planet or far distant time world building is kept to a minimum as are info dumps.
The stories may or may not be deep but they have heart and carry hope. I hope you enjoy them.
badseedgirl's review against another edition
4.0
A glorious book of short stories all set in one fictional bar. They are a mix of both supernatural and just plain super stories. And for anyone curious "The Farm" highlighted in the last story "The Wonderful Conspiracy" is still alive and thriving in Summertown TN.
chaifanatic18's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
lexliketheavenue's review
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
These are my comfort stories. Big on empathy and puns. Main conceit of the series is: shared pain is lessened, shared joy increased.
Content Warnings
one mention of b***kface, benign but should be mentioned.
lunchlander's review against another edition
4.0
Imagine Cheers if it had a bit more a sci-fi bent, weird aliens and science parables as well as all the things that show had to say about the human condition. That's Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, a strange, hilarious and often touching setting for Robinson's short stories. All of his Callahan's books are good, but the first one is the best.
castamere's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
judascomplex's review against another edition
5.0
Callahan's is simple, honest, and direct. It's not the world's fanciest writing, and it shouldn't be. It's a place you go when you need to--and you find your way out again when you need to as well.
Well worth a read-through, if you haven't before. Each chapter is a short story, primarily through the eyes of Jake Stonebender, our narrator. And I promise you, once you step into Mike Callahan's world, you'll never quite be the same again.
Well worth a read-through, if you haven't before. Each chapter is a short story, primarily through the eyes of Jake Stonebender, our narrator. And I promise you, once you step into Mike Callahan's world, you'll never quite be the same again.