The Free Lunch - Hardcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Spider Robinson, winner of three Hugos and a Nebula, was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island, and has been a Canadian resident for 30 years. Holder of a bachelor's degree in English from the State University of New York, he worked as a folksinger and journalist before publishing his first story in Analog in 1973. He now lives with his wife Jeanne Robinson (co-author of the Hugo- and Nebula-winning Stardance trilogy) on an island outside Vancouver, B.C., where they raise and exhibit hopes.

Eleven of his 31 books are set in Callahan's Place, a fabulous tavern founded by a time traveler, where puns flow as freely as beer, and smell far worse. The most recent is Callahan's Con [Tor July 2003]. He has contributed a regular editorial column, "Future Tense," to Canada's national newspaper, The Globe & Mail, since 1995. In 2000, he released Belaboring the Obvious, a CD of original music with the legendary Amos Garrett ("Midnight at the Oasis") on lead guitar, and in 2001 he was a celebrity judge at the Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam.

Rezensionen

When young runaway Mike seeks refuge in Dreamworld, the world-famous theme park, he discovers that he is not the first to hide away in the park's underground passages. Along with veteran stowaway Annie, Mike learns that creatures known as Trolls have invaded Dreamworldand they seem to have a sinister reason for their presence in the park. Veteran sf humorist Robinson (the Callahan series) takes on American cultural icons with his customary love for irony and clever wordplay. A good choice for sf collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This smoothly written, well-paced romp from Canadian author Robinson (Telempath) takes places in 2023 at Dreamworld, a Disneyland-style park, whose themes draw from SF, fantasy and 1960s popular culture. Twelve-year-old Mike tries to hide himself in Dreamworld, but runs into the "Mother Elf," a midget named Annie. Comparing notes, they begin to suspect that Dreamworld is being infiltrated, but by whom? They first suspect "aliens," then agents of Alonzo Haines, proprietor of Dreamworld's spatterpunk rival, Thrillworld. Then they discover that Haines's formidable enforcer, Randall Conway, is after the aliens and after them as well. Mike and Annie ally themselves with the mystery folk, particularly an ingenious little gentleman named Hormat with an arsenal of high-tech dirty tricks, simply in order to stay alive long enough to find out where Hormat is literally coming from. In due course, after Conway gets what he deserves, all secrets are revealed, with Hormat's being so unoriginal as to be almost anticlimactic. Besides piling on the warm fuzzies, Robinson pays blatant homage to Robert A. Heinlein, retelling the classic youth-and-mentor tale of that author's juveniles and referring extensively to his work in the Dreamworld themes. The conclusion hints at a sequel in which Mike and Annie will infiltrate Thrillworld. Fans of lightweight SF should be pleased. (Aug. 27)Hugo, Nebula and John W. Campbell awards.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

A mere 22 years from now, Dreamworld is the best theme park in the world, so attractive that many have tried to stay there permanently. Small, smart, 12-year-old Mike is the latest, and he wouldn't have lasted beyond the first few days, except that Dreamworld's only longtime stowaway, Annie, helps him. Annie has been "under" for 13 years, long enough to inspire employee legends about the "Mother Elf" of Dreamworld. Lately, she has noticed an anomaly: the number of trolls who leave after a work shift is higher than the number who arrived at the start. Also noting the discrepancies is a private dick and dirty trickster employed by the sleazy, greedy owner of Dreamworld's biggest competitor. Finding out what's going on and keeping it secret once it is known constitute the mainspring of Robinson's variation on a theme that has served many another laughs-'n'-thrills adventure well--the race between the good guys and the bad guys to get the prize. Swift pacing and ingratiating characters make what is actually a pretty hackneyed affair awfully amusing. Ray Olson
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