The Callahan Chronicals

Spider Robinson

Where is Callahan's? It's a place I gotta visit. You can share your troubles or ignore them there. And I like the tradition of throwing your empty glasses at the fireplace.

The Callahan Chronicals is a collection of books with short stories that build on each other. They take place in a tavern somwhere near New York City in Suffolk County and is owned by Mike Callahan. The first book is Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, the second are the Callahan stories from Time Travellers Strictly Cash, and the last book is Callahan's Secret.

This is humerous reading. Jake Stonebender, the narrator of all the stories, will tell you that anything at Callahan's, and often does. Callahan's has aliens, time travellers, telepaths, and talking dogs, among their patrons. They have Punday Night when there are themed puns flying around the room until one person remains still punning. They have Riddle Night and Tall Tales Night (which usually end with a bad pun as well). There are funny problems in some stories, but often there are deeper problems shared, like the time traveller who missed ten years. My brother-in-law says he can only take a story or two of Callahan's Saloon at a time. I personally am ready now to find the sequel, Callahan's Legacy. These stories should be part of every science fiction fan's library.

01/2003 There a place out there on the web that follow's Callahan's philosophy and is a gathering place similar to the Saloon. Check out Callahan's Crosstime Saloon on the web.

The Callahan Chronicals
Time Travellers Strictly Cash
The Callahan Touch
Callahan's Legacy
Callahan's Lady
Lady Slings the Booze
Callahan's Key
Callahan's Con