Product Description
Leaving the Earth, where her unusually tall frame prevents her from having a successful dancing career, Shara creates a new form of dance in the weightlessness of space, where years later she is joined by another dancer of genius. Original." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Doesn't get much better
I would not have reviewed this book if amazon's robot had not asked me to...but having been asked, I would have to say this is one of the best books I've ever had a hand in writing. Like STARMIND, its sequel (also co-written with my wife of 30 years, Jeanne), this book qualifies for my highest praise: better than I could have done myself.

One of the best speculative fiction books ever written
This is an emerging classic in speculative fiction. A book with both heart and vision, it is quite simply the best portrayal of life in a zero gravity environment I have ever read. It takes you there so you really FEEL what it's like to live without an apparent up or down--and not only to live, but to dance as well.

On top of that you will fall in love with each of the main charectors. They have heart, depth, strengths, and weaknesses--they are real people set in an extraordinary environment. They become a group of friends that I would love to meet and become a part of. And then there are the aliens...

Zero-gravity dance and lots more
This omnibus volume includes the full text of both _Stardance_ and _Starseed_, the first two books in Spider and Jeanne Robinson's series on zero-gravity dance. The third volume, _Starmind_ is available separately.

Both of the books included here are excellent -- the first one, I think, just slightly moreso, but the sequel is way better than sequels usually are. The premise: dancer Shara Drummond, too tall and zaftig to be accepted as a dancer on Earth, hooks up with Charlie Armstead to shift her career to an orbital environment where her size isn't a liability. While they're up there . . . well, that's what the book is about.

And of course I can't tell you _anything_ about the sequel without spoiling the first book for you.

At any rate, these were the first two of the three books that the happy Robinson couple cowrote, and they work together mighty well. Jeanne is clearly no slouch as a writer -- and at the time these books were written, she led a dance company in Nova Scotia. Spider's delightful sensibilities inform the entire project too, and you'll meet some of his most memorable characters here. (Fat Humphrey comes to mind.)

I don't like the third volume quite as well, largely because I don't care for the ending. But pick it up too, just so you'll have read them all. The Robinsons don't just recycle the same story from one book to the next; they tell a genuinely new story in each one.

Check out Spider's solo work too. He and James Hogan are my two favorite living SF writers.

Soul catching...
I read the second book "Starseed" before I ever found this first one. I recieved it for one of my birthdays, several years ago, along with a few other second hand books. The book was pretty much older than I am, well, the first one is from memory at least, but regardless, i gave it a shot, being an ardent sci-fi/fantasy fan, as long as it's good. Well, I was simply blown away. I thought that the whole concept was so original, and completely different from the usual books I've read, that I went on an immediate search for the first book, and found it months later in a second hand book shop quite by accident. I found it just as good as the first one I'd read. One of the best books I've ever read. I've read a few reviews about what people have thought about this book, and the common assessment by most that you have appreciate dancing, or be a dancer, to like this book. Not true. I am by no means a dancer. True, I like dancing, but I've never tried the sort that the book describes, and nothng near ballet that could be called coherent. I wouldn't be able to choregraph, or follow a piece, if my life depended on it! Yet I still found the book moving, incredible, and awe inspiring. You don't have to be a lover of dance to appreciate this book. This is simpy a form of speech, an original one at that, that they've used to understand and be understood by aliens. It's the sort of book that makes you stop and think afterwards, makes you wander if there ever could be a place like that somewhere in the known universe. Who says you have to be a dancer to appreciate it? all you really need to appreciate the book is an _understanding_ of dance, of how it is an expression of self, just like anything else could be.

I found this an original piece, moving and addictive. I've read the book at least half a dozen times now and am on the constant lookout for more books by Spider & Jeanne Robinson. My vote? A must read! Though perhaps it may go over the heads of those who don't read deeper than the surface, if you put your whole heart into reading a book and appreciate it for what it is, then yes, this is a goer! I still love it, and there's no hint of boredom on the horizon yet!

Not worth your money...
... if you insist on trying ot read this book, please just borrow it from the local library.

I always thought that one of the best benefits of science fiction was that it could go just anywhere, and be a very original piece of work. This book is the exact opposite of that. The story looks like the authors made it as predictable as they could. I wouldn't be able to distinguish this book from any other "aliens approaching earth" book. Actually I could, because all other books of that genre I've read had been a lot more original... This book looks like a bad mix of all the most trivial and boring factoids of them all - about the aliens, at least. The idea of combining the art of dance in science fiction is original, I admit, and the dancing sequences seemed very original too, but being a non dancer, it was very hard for me to visualize them, so I found nothing interesting about this book.

As in many science fiction books, this book tries to let us handle the technical aspects of future life and space travel by just naturally implementing these in the book, as though we were supposed to know them. In most cases, these just blend naturally into the story. This is one of the cases I felt it didn't blend in too well, which made reading this book not as smooth as I expected it to be - maybe because I was reading this book around the time these things were 'happening', I just couldn't visualize space travel like the one in the book happening in 'our' world.

This book combines a bad style of writing and a boring and predictable story. With all the alien stories, TV shows, movies, etc. it's very hard to write a good one - even Stephen King had managed to write a bad book about this subject ("Dreamcatcher"). The only people that might be interested in it are people who really into dancing. If you're also a science fiction fan - even better. For those people - I reccomend the local library. For others - go elsewhere! Most sci - fi books I've read are SO much better than this. ... Read more

Product Description
All the best lines from the Saloon at the far-out edge of space-time!

Off the Wall at Callahan's is a collection of epigrams, maxims, proverbs, observations, eye-watering puns, and original song lyrics distilled from the first five volumes of the Callahan's Place series (from Callahan's Crosstime Saloon to Lady Slings the Booze).After the original Callahan's Place was destroyed, all of these gems were painstakingly deciphered from blown-up old photos of the wall behind the bar, where Callahan let his customers scrawl graffiti in place of the usual mirror.So technically, every word is "off the wall."Further ennobled by numerous interior B&W illustrations by Phil Foglio,there are even capsule bios at the end for every person (real or imaginary) quoted in the graffiti section.

Welcome to Callahan's Crosstime Saloon . . .There's no place like it in this, or any other, universe.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Why did I get the feeling I waked in on a private party?
Right off the bat ,I had never been in Callahan's Place,never even heard of it,never read any of Spider Robinson's books,and since Callahan'swas destroyed on New Year's Eve 1984;what we're dealing with here is "a blast from the past".I am sure, if one had ever been there and knew any of the people who hung out there;this book would bring back many fond memories.
However,not ever having been part of the scene;the humor in the book was very bland to me; as I am sure that the characters,the book is all about,is what would give it meaning.
It reminded me of watching home movies;when you didn't know the people;not too interesting.

buy 2
youll want 2. one to read and keep the other to pull out the really good ones and put on your wall.

Wonderful addition to Callahan
This is not a story book.It is a collection of the writings on the wall at Callahan's, as well as some puns and stories added.If you love Callahan, you will love this.If you don't love this book, then you don't love the Callahan series.It's really as simple as that.

Warning:This is NOT "The Notebooks of Lazarus Long".
I was extremely disappointed with this book.I have been a Spider Robinson and Callahan fan since the first book.Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations.If you have read the"Callahan's" books, you have seen the good parts of the book (ifyou haven't, you need to get them right away!They are wonderful!).Mostof the book is made up of sayings that are supposed to have been written onthe wall of Callahan's Place.If this is all that was written, the wallshould have been painted over a long time ago.Save your money, and buythe next Spider Robinson book that should be coming out soon.

The collected sayings, puns and songs of Callahan's Place
Off the wall at Callahan's is a collection of all the best sayings that Mike Callahan collected over the years, some of the worst puns, and the nicest songs. There is also a short foreword by Spider explaining how this book came to be, and an section at the end listing the person who appeared over the various books in the Callahan's Saloon series. The book also features several cute interior illustrations by Phil Foglio, and is printed on acid-free paper (according to the jacket). While this book is NOT a collection of stories as are all the other books in this series, it DOES give valuable background and interesting tidbits. It's probably not a good book to get if you've not read any of the rest of the series, but if you have and liked them, it'll probably appeal to your taste. I liked this book very much myself, but could see where it might not appeal to non Robinson fans ... Read more

Product Description

FROM THE CRIME TO THE RIDICULOUS

From the offbeat but razor-edged imagination of Spider Robinson: stranded time travelers; squabbling cosmic warriors; reincarnated rock stars; blind starship pilots; monsters both human and alien; tomorrows formed by today's trends--this Spider weaves a web of wonder.

Sound profound? Nah! Herein we've got a partially-disembodied Brooklynite looking for his, er, bottom half, a past-tense-ignoring player of a certain New York crap game from 1930 running loose in the present, a compendium of the silliest weapons history never had, and plenty more. The warped and the way-out combine in a book that by any name would be...really cool! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sturgeon would approve.
Yes, this is a re-release of previously published material, but good luck finding it anywhere else!It took 3 years for Amazon to come up with a used copy of Antinomy for me, and when they did, they wanted $27.00 for it (paperback) and no I didn't buy it.And I have yet to see it in any used book store.Moreover, without your support, authors like Spider Robinson will find it increasingly difficult to stay in business.

And THIS book is WONDERFUL, and worth every penny.I am having trouble thinking of a single instance in which Spider Robinson has ever published a clunker, and some of the stories in this book are among his best, IMO. Melancholy Elephants, Antinomy, Satan's Children, Apogee, and True Minds are among my favorites in the book (I've yet to read the last two).As always, Spider's writing is sensitive, thoughtful, and very, very human, just like the author himself. Strongly influenced by the work and life ofTed Sturgeon (whose work is also a must-read if you haven't yet) his stories are sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious, and always a good read.Buy one for yourself, and three to give away.

Ups and Downs Galore
Here is a collection of short stories by Spider Robinson that have nothing to do with Callahan's Saloon. This is the second of his short story collections without the Irishman's bar. And is as good as the first. Where the first short story book, User Friendly, gave the reader the warm fuzzies wrapped around great SF stories, this book puts the reader on a roller coaster of emotions. From the depressing to the thoughtful, from the punny to the erotic, By Any Other Name, is a book to read. A word of warning, from me, and somewhat from Mr. Robinson, the stories are mixed in a way that there is generally one happy story, then one depressing one. Read a depressing one, then a happy one. You'll end up liking yourself better!

A must for Spider fans!
True, this is a collection of Spider's older work, but those works are out of print.People who shop at used bookstores, instead of paying the extra money (when they can afford to) will put authors out of work.OK, business lecture is over.On to the review

All of the stories in the collection are excellent, but some stand out more than others.The title piece, which incidentally is at the end of the book, _By Any Other Name_, has a protagonist who hasdescended into the ruins of a post apocalyptic NYC to kill a mad scientist responsible for a plague that killed off most of man kind.In true Spider Robinson style, the base concepts of revenge, killing, fear and who is or isn't one's enemy come ot the forefront.The science takes a back seat to the moral dilemmas, which are deep, and meaningful to anyone at any time.

The rest of the stories share that style.They ask us to question our emotions and our values by presenting people who are forced to do so through such plot devices as a drug that addicts people to tell the truth, perpetual copyrights, and a host of other causes that have unforeseen effects.It is his ability to ask those questions that separates Spider Robinson from so many other Science Fiction authors who craft good stories, but never made me *think* about the deeper things.

For those people out there who agree with the first part of my review on supporting authors by buying their books and not getting a cheaper copy at a used bookstore, try checking out http://www.spiderrobinson.com, and following the amazon dot com link back to here.That way you not only support Spider by buying his book, but also by his amazon dot com affiliate site.

Repackaged Old Material
With one or two brief exceptions, this (as well as Robinson's other recent anthology "User Friendly") is a reissue of material from his out-of-print anthology "Meloncholy Elephants" and the still older "Antinomy." Hit the used bookstores first, save your money.

A Book of Great Short Stories
Spider Robinson is one of the Great Ones.He's Part Heinlein, part McCaffrey, part Brin (from his early days when he had hope), and part something undefinable yet incredibly special.I don't like short stories (I usually end up feeling gipped), I get emotionally vested in the characters and then the story is over.These stories are worth it.Despite the disimilar settings each story is really about people and relationships, and the darkest story still has a ray of hope.I've been recomending Spider Robinson's stories to people since 1989, so far every person I've recommended him to has fallen in love with his characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent, classic Spider
The title story is very good, in the classic SF mode.It's brief and taut, pulling the reader into a setting that feels real.
My favorites, though, are the final two stories, "Satan's Children" and "Not Fade Away"
The former is a story of Truth hitting the world in chemical form.It's intriguing, interesting, and also simply fun to read.
The latter describes humanity's far future, and describes a beautiful goal for us, something to hope for.

A true keeper
I love Spider Robinson's work a lot, because of his strengths and in spite of his occasional weaknesses.But this volume is special, one of my "desert island" books, the ones I don't ever want to live without. Distilled essence of much of what I love best in what Spider has to offer. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

Great Spider Robinson, with a magic word
This book is from 1985.
It contains the title selection and 11 others, including 'Rubber Soul' and "Concordiat to 'Rubber Soul'", which is of interest to Beatles fans.

There is also a story about a time-traveling gangster called 'Chronic Offender'. In this story, on page 124, he uses the word 'muggles', which is pretty funny.
This is a good book to complete a Spider Robinson collection.

Robinson is transcendant in the short story medium.
For anyone who has driven the back routes of New York, hoping to be lucky enough spend an evening at Callahan's.If you dream of being a stardancer, or even just living to see one....BUY THIS BOOK!I know, it may be out of print, and there may be some lead time on getting it, but each and every story is worth the wait."Half an Oaf" will have you in stitches as it looks into the possibilities of time travel available to the masses."High Infidelity" is a bawdy tale, which hilights the joy of a relationship that WORKS.The title story poses some very pointed questions about the nature of art and creation in a world flooded with information.If you love the way Spider tells a tale, these tales MUST become part of your collection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Prize Possession!
I have a copy of this little gem, with a signature by the author in his typical humor "Yaws - a Danish Shark Movie".There are stories in here that will affect you strongly, possibly for the rest of your life.

Excellent read, rare book!
I spent ten years looking for my copy - if you get one of your own, treasure it! The stories within are excellent and can truly touch lives and change hearts. Spider teaches us there's hope in the world.

Repackaging is sometimes good
This is the only book to be remaindered before it got on the shelves. The story is in Melancholy Elephants, which is this book with some extra stories, so if you can't fnd this one. grab Elephants. A truly mind altering experience from word one. By the way, my two copies are packed innitrogen and safe, so there will always exist a copy for the LOC. A betterbook of Spider's doesn't exist.

Excellent read, rare book!
I spent ten years looking for my copy - if you get one of your own, treasure it!The stories within are excellent and can truly touch lives and change hearts.Spider teaches us there's hope in the world.

Very powerful short stories and miscellaneous goodies
Literally could not put it down until finished (at which point this cynic burst into tears). Of course it's out of print; it could change the world by re-making one soul at a time. The really dangerous part is, it has VERYgood unusual or original stories. Go on, read it; I dare ya! ... Read more

Product Description
With the help of the benevolent Starmind, the planet Earth has finally achieved peace and prosperity, but a terrorist sect, threatened by the Starmind, plots to destroy it before the human race approaches its final evolution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Star Mind - Star Bright
Thanks Spider for taking the time to tell us you liked your book.LOL.I loved it.I got hooked on the "Star" trilogy while in the service.It took me away fromwhere I was - to a better place.I found each book more enjoyable than the last.I only wish that room could be found for a fourth or fifth book inbetween the other three (since star mind finishes the trilogy with out protest)."please sir I want some more". Read them ALL. and then go out and buy more Spider Robinson bookscause someone who writes this good can only have others outthere worth reading.'nuff said

One of my all-time favorites
I would not have reviewed this book if amazon's robot had not asked me to...but having been asked, I would have to say this is one of the best books I've ever had a hand in writing.Like THE STARDANCERS, its prequel (also co-written with my wife of 30 years, Jeanne), this book qualifies for my highest praise: better than I could have done myself.

Essential Reading for Robinson Fans
First things first: If you're just discovering Spider Robinson, or this particular trio of books... this ain't the place to start.BUY it now (lest it go out of print, as Spider's books have an inexplicable and depressing tendancy to do), but put it away until you've read _Stardance_ and _Starseed_.

There, now that's out of the way.On with the review.

This book, especially in the context of the series, is a consistently entertaining, rewarding exploration of the themes that dominate the Robinsons' best work.Little stuff, like (in no particular order): love, sex, creativity, art, transcendence, home, commitment, and so forth.It says something about their abilities as a writing team that all this is unfolded through living, breathing characters that you quickly come to care deeply about . . . and want to find happiness (even if it's not at all clear that they will).Likable, intelligent characters have always been Spider's greatest strength, and this story is no exception.Whether or not the plot "works" for you is almost beside the point.Even if it doesn't, the characters and the ways in which they grow and change make the book worth reading.

This is *not* a trilogy in the conventional SF sense.The three books form distinct segments of a long arc, but they have independent casts (for the most part) with their own strengths and weaknesses.It's one of the delights of _Starmind_ that Rhea is clearly *not* a (literary) clone of Rain M'Cloud or Sharra Drummond, and that Rand is *not* just another Charlie Armstead.

One final note: The Robinsons may live in British Columbia, but in the scenes set in Provincetown, MA this Bay State expatriatecould hear the surf, smell the salt, and taste the Portuguese sweet bread again. Craftsmanship even in places where most people won't notice it is a glorious thing.

Interesting Story; Unfortunate Conclusion
This was not a bad book.Well-written, with intriguing new characters and a return to the ever-fascinating Stardancers, it made for pleasant reading and gave me a few new things to think about.

Unfortunately, I'm still almost sorry that I read it.

I have to admit that I think the Robinsons would have been better off ending the Stardancer saga with _Starseed_, a story that has all of the virtues of this one with few of the vices.What are those vices, you may wonder?It's difficult to clarify them without spoiling the book, since many are tied into the ending, but I'll do my best.

Very little time is spent on familiar characters.What time is spent is regrettable, given the ultimate fate of those we see again.Certain elements of the plot did not seem resolved by the ending.(Why did all the miracles of nanotechnology happen?I for one was left wondering.)That ending seemed rushed, almost unbelievable, anticlimactic--I have faith enough in the authors to believe that it wasn't really a 'rabbit out of the hat' resolution (the sort in which something is pulled out of thin air to solve the characters' problems almost by magic, and just in time for the last page too), but it seemed very similar to one.And one of the themes I found most fascinating about the prior two Stardancer novels, the theme of choice and the willful surrender of humanity, was abolished here by the forcing of the issue.

In short, _Starmind_ would have made a far, far better book in my opinion if the ending had been different--or at least handled differently.I would still recommend that fans of the prior two books read it if they are curious about the ultimate destiny of their favorite characters; I would not, however, suggest that anyone begin the trilogy with this one.

A worthy conclusion to an epic and insightful series.
The conclusion of the Stardance tril-- uh, series of three self-contained stories.The Zen material Spider and Jeanne explored in the first novel is so rich and mesmerizing that they can be forgiven for returning to it again and again.Starmind offers new insights about many different kinds of freedom -- intellectual, spiritual, physical and artistic. Spider and Jeanne also make a very good case against the world-is-going-to-hell pessimism of our ficton, arguing that real enlightenment, or at least a lightening-up, may be just around the corner.Still, as in Starseed, I was disappointed at how many of the previous plotlines seemed recycled from the original story without further exploration. Go buy it anyway -- reading anything Spider produces is like a NordicTrak for the imagination ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

mixed bag
Some of Spider's earlier stuff, including the landmark Stardance (writtten with Jeanne).Not every story in this collection is worth raves, but every story is worth reading.A couple, like the title piece and Not Fade Away are pure Spider--twisty, and just when you think you've got it, he does a little shuffle and leads you away from wherever you thought you were going.Like someone once said: "Don't miss it if you can."

The Joy, The Rapture,
I have always enjoyed Spider Robinson's work, ever since a friend introduced me to his short story "Meloncholy Elephants" years ago. And now that story, and others, are reprinted in this spectacular hardbound edition.
Personl favorites include the title story (and the slight twist at the ending), Rubber Soul (a lyrical delight), Meloncholy Elephants (still a favorite), and Orphans of Eden, which is not quite as the publishers review puts it, wherein a character based on Spider is played. It's Spider, darn it.

You can find these stories in other places if you look, but it's nice to have them in hardcover, and this IS a fine edition. The cover is slick, and the same under the dustjacket. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes the introduction by Robinson, and a preface by Pangborn. A collection of stories from the author's "Tales of a Darkening World" sequence (which includes his novel, "Davy"). Stories: The Children's Crusade (1974); Harper Conan and Singer David (1975); The Legend of Hombas (1974); Tiger Boy (1972); The Witches of Nupal; My Brother Leopold (1973); The Night Wind (1974). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Outstanding Shorter Stories
This is a collection of short stories and at least one novelette (The Children's Crusade) from the same future as Davy.The title story is about a monk who, tho forced to recant, still persists in wondering . . . .Like "Davy," these stories take place mostly in what is left of New York State after the melting of the polar ice caps.Place names have changed, but not beyond recognition.If you are not familiar with the Mohawk and Hudson valleys, it might be useful to have a map of New York State available when you read this and "Davy."

This is some of the best shorter fiction I have ever read.

watziznaym@gmail.com

Worth looking for in a used book store
I have discovered over the years that there are books I enjoy, and books I FEEL like I SHOULD enjoy. Pangborn's novel Davy falls in the second category. But this collection of his short stories contains some verymemorable stories (I remember the last story in the book even as I writethis and I haven't looked at the book in at least 10 years.) ... Read more

Product Description
Karen is plugged into the electrical socket, experiencing indescribable pleasures of the mind, when a burglar breaks in and unplugs her, saving her from suicide by ecstasy, and now Karen is determined to stop the selling of the wireheading equipment to save everyone from global mind control. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Two of Spider's best
If you're interested in reading some Spider Robinson and looking for somewhere to start, start here. This combo volume includes what I think are two of his best: _Mindkiller_ and _Time Pressure_.

In general I highly recommend Robinson's work, both his own and his collaborations with his wife Jeanne (_Stardance_, _Starseed_, and _Starmind_ -- the first two of which are now collected in the single volume _The Star Dancers_). Among other things, he's got excellent musical taste and I happen to share some of his SF-hippie sensibilities. But mainly, even when I disagree with him, I think he does a nice job of treating important themes.

His Callahan's Bar stories are not my personal favorites among his works, but they do a nice job of stating his single most important theme: shared pain is diminished, shared joy is increased. Basically, in Robinson's world (as in our own), you've got two choices: you can turn yourself into a human ingrown toenail, dying in your own emotional-spiritual toxins and poisoning everyone around you while you go -- or you can open up your window a crack and let in some light and air.

In one way or another, most of his books (from _Telempath_ onwards) explore this theme -- what would happen if we could get into each other's skulls and we didn't have to be so _alone_ all the time? And in contrast to his mentor Robert Heinlein, he doesn't treat the "group mind" as something to be avoided; in his tales, you don't lose individuality but fulfill it by becoming an integral part of an "oversoul." Optimistic without being naive about the unplumbable depths of human cruelty, his works are in large measure a study of the spirituality of conflict resuolution.

Oh, yes -- the present book. Well, _Mindkiller_ is a really cool story, bordering on cyberpunk, that treats a "future" (actually 1994 and 1999, which were "future" when he wrote it) in which junkies practice "wireheading" -- plugging themselves into sockets that directly stimulate their pleasure centers. I won't spoil the story by divulging details, but much of the plot concerns the crucially important difference between pleasure and joy and why the latter is preferable.

_Time Pressure_ is a prequel/sequel (which I didn't actually know when I originally read it in 1987, and you're not actually _supposed_ to know until well into the story, but the fact that it's in this volume sort of gives it away) in which the theme gets further developed and tied into the "group mind" stuff. Here again, I won't give away plot details. But I can tell you that Robinson draws heavily on his life in a Nova Scotia commune (for a couple years in the 1970s) and presents a marvelously warm and humane literary portrait of hippie life and ideals.

And that's about all I can tell you about the stories without ruining your pleasure in reading them for the first time. If you like them, also try _Lifehouse_, the third book in the series. Then get the _Stardance_ books, and grab _Telempath_ while it's in print again. Et cetera.

You might also want to check out his new one, _The Free Lunch_ -- but having not yet read it myself, I can't tell you anything about it.

Something Faintly Odorous This Way Comes..
Deathkiller (or, more precisely it's second part, Time Pressure) was bad philosophy masquerading as good sci-fi. Spider Robinson is obviously a man of talent, and I enjoyed the first part, Mind Killer, tremendously. I wouldargue, however, that the last thing we, as a species, need is telepathy.Quite honestly, the privacy of my own thoughts has been a perpetual comfortto me. I haven't been strugging to get out of my skull- rather, I searchfor the ways to articulate its contents. Perhaps if the Deathkiller's ideahad been to turn us into a species of Hemmingway's and Vonnegut's I'd haveless of a problem- but the concept that he presents, the death ofpersonality, of identity, was handled with a great deal more maturity,respect, and ultimate horror by the Babylon 5 series- in that version ofthe future, it replaces the death penalty. Instead of killing the body,they kill the mind- exactly what Spider's characters propose will save oursociety.

And, if that weren't disturbing enough, they proceed to killdeath- to join all of life, past and present, into one great consciousness.For the love of everything, have the words "eternal peace" nomeaning? I have enough difficulty with my own mind without having some deadperson's thoughts to deal with, too.

All in all, I would have beensignifigantly more pleased if Spider had persued the Mindkiller as avillain, and left off the entire "telepathy will save oursociety" schtick. A man that wants to destroy individuality andindividual identity is proposing heinous crimes against humanity, andperhaps the concept of a desperate battle against such a madman appeals tome far more than being told that the calvary that plans on saving me andthe rest of the world wants to do it by destroying everything that makes mean individual- beginning with the privacy of my thoughts.

On Time Pressure
OK, Being a Robinson fan, I had to start the review with a pun.Timepressure, to me, was a novel of courage, lessons in love, and in makinglove.Who was courageous?Everyone, including, and especially SpiderRobinson.How many male SF authors out there are going to write anexplicit, well written, honest sex scene about two women, two men, all ofwhom are, at the time, activley bisexual?That took incredible bravery. Were all the characters brave? All the one's worth caring about.Spiderhas tought me that bravery is the hard choice, but the right one.If youmake the right choice, others will benefit, but you may suffer a bit, or awhole lot.It's meaningfull self sacrifice and risk taking.The other twolessons Spider has for us are in love, and making love.Love as a verb,and love as more than a verb, noun, or adjective.We can talk about love,as something we do, as an activity, as a motive, as a state of activebeing, but we can sow the seed of this thing, nuture it, and help it along. Can you plant a seed for a run?or a talk?or any other standard verb? Not in the same way you 'make' love.In his book 'User Friendly' Robinsonquotes a Sturgeon story containing this lesson, relating to spear fishing,or all things.What I learned from Spider, in Time Pressure, is that youcan't love others unless you love yourself, and without others to love, whylearn to love yourself? And I love Spider Robinson

Decent plot with intriguing philosophical content...
I have to admit, with a slightly preposterous name like "Deathkiller," the only thing that got me to pick this book up off the shelf was the author's astounding pen name.Although, from quickly perusing it, I ended up buying it and eventually reading it.I constantly look for other sf authors who include the type of philosophy as Heinlein, along with amusing wit.I have to say that Spider lives up to both of these, and even including a more realistic and human feel. I may not even agree with some of his views on life, but there's not too many sf writers out there who can keep a book enthralling, even when nothing important is going on.I was disappointed whenever I had to put the book down.In fact, this is one of the only books I have read that the so-called "slow parts" were actually more interesting than the rest it.

Spider blends the two story lines together right before your eyes with utter genius on Mindkiller.The mystery builds, an! d I was actually surprised when the plot was finally revealed!

However fantastic Mindkiller was, keep in mind that Time Pressure has some major drawbacks.For one, throughout the first two-thirds of the book, there is absolutely NOTHING relavent to the Mindkiller, besides where it takes place.It is interesting, but I almost put the book down, and shouted "Where the hell is this book going!?"If Spider wasn't such a damn good writer, I would have thrown the book out the window at times, with the homosexual undertones, and so forth.Yet finally, unexpectedly, the connection is revealed, and I was put at ease, and could enjoy the book more.

Although Time Pressure was far less than I expected from a sequel to Mindkiller (or for any book), I have to admit that Spider is an amazingly good writer, has fascinating philosophical ideas, and includes witty and humerous situations that creates a book seperate from most of the sci fi out there.Even if you think "D! eathkiller" is the gayest name you've ever heard in yo! ur life, block it out and read this book (I mean seriously, this guy had the balls to make "Spider Robinson" his pen name!).

Mixed; Since this is really 2 books, I'll review them both.
The score is only 9 because I'm writing about "Mindkiller" and "Time Pressure" together now that they have been issued together as "Deathkiller," more about that in a minute.I have a lot of books I've read twice (most of Spider's, Heinlein's, McCaffrey's, and Niven's), but few books I've read three or more times."Mindkiller" is one of those few.I'd read "God Is An Iron" in the short story, so I was thrilled to see it expanded into the novel, and the wait was well worth it!I had not been able to find (and still can't) very much of Spider's stuff here locally.I think the new bookstores sell out too fast, and almost NO ONE ever gives up one of his books to the used bookstores.Each time I read "Mindkiller " I desperately wanted more, more, more.I think Spider's melding of the 2 different and eventually converging story lines is fantastic.His detail is excellent and his realism absolutely wonderful.This book is one I chose to read (the second time) because I KNEW it would rouse me from a deep blue funk, and I was correct.If I was grading this book separately, it would be a "10" without question,and even with "Time Pressure" getting my grading of about a 7, the weighting of "Mindkiller" makes this combined score a 9.It is not a simple averaging, by any means.This is a MUST READ.I even got my wife (not an SF fan) to read it and she is asking for more of Spider's stuff.

On to "Time Pressure."The linking between these two books is not obvious (other than the Nova Scotia setting) until about two-thirds into "Time Pressure."I guess I wanted more detail and specifics like a continuation of the story line from where it had left off.Perhaps there wasn't much more there, though.I missed Joe/Norman and Karen, I guess. "Time Pressure" has , both figuratively and literally, too much of the "Deus Ex Machina" in it to rate the same depth of appeal as "Mindkiller."

"Time Pressure" is still an easy and good read, and can be well understood even without reading "Mindkiller" first.It handles the potential paradoxes of travelling back in time very well, even to the point of needing to kill a telepath, if Rachel is one.(I wonder how much Snaker is modelled after Spider, bye the way).I wouldn't mind seeing something done about the time between these two books, something with the level of detail of Joe getting his new TV after smashing one in anger over Karen's departure.

I'll review "Lifehouse" under that title; it makes up for the weaknesses in "Time Pressure." ... Read more

Product Description
Stephen Gaskin looks back on the San Francisco scene during the 1960s -- the Summer of Love, the Grateful Dead, and the Merry Pranksters -- and shares his mind-blowing adventures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

expansive humor
a wildly fun and entertaining romp through some of the more interesting corridors of mind. Well worth the trip!

Get a contact high
I've got somebody I'd like you to meet. Reader, this is Stephen Gaskin; Stephen, this is Reader.

Stephen Gaskin is, among other things, one of the founders of The Farm (which is about the only big hippie commune that turns out to have been built to last) and an activist for cannabis legalization. He's usually billed as a "hippie spiritual teacher," which means that listening to him has the power to knock your mind loose from your brain.

And that should clue you in that this book -- originally published in 1980 and republished here with a new foreword by Stephen and a new introduction by Spider Robinson -- is _not_, despite its title, about dope. Stephen himself will tell you that dope is just one means among others and that all of this stuff can be approached in other ways. As for dope itself, Alan Watts and Baba Ram Dass used to say that when you've gotten the message, you should hang up the phone.

If you're worried about the drugs, you should be aware that for the most part the only drugs involved here are cannabis and LSD (plus an occasional bit of peyote and one or two others). Moreover, the book includes lots of cautionary tales about bad trips. And it's not _at all_ about (what I regard as) the really dangerous drugs. (These distinctions are important, especially during today's indiscriminate "war on drugs." Being "anti-drug" is roughly equivalent to being "pro-food.")

So what _is_ the book about? It's about consciousness and religion and getting telepathic, and it's about some things that happened during some of Stephen's trips that hipped him to all of that stuff. More prosaically, it's a transcription of some oral history about the late '60s as delivered in Stephen's unique voice.

You'll like Stephen. And I wasn't kidding when I said he can knock your mind loose from your brain.

The _way_ he tells his stories is as important as the stories themselves. You can read a couple of sample pages and see what I mean; the whole book is like that. He talks from inside the experiences he describes, and these transcriptions make them real for you too, just as if he were sitting there talking to you. He's also pretty self-critical in what he makes of these experiences; pay close attention to his opinions about how hallucinations work and in what sense(s) they may be "real."

Anyway, when you read one of his amazing dope tales, you may find that you've picked up a contact high from Stephen and that you, too, can sometimes see the subconscious on people. If enough of us did this sort of vicarious tripping, it might help us to get telepathic even without taking dope ourselves. That would be a good thing, wouldn't it?

If (like me) you're also a Spider Robinson fan, you'll enjoy his short introduction, which deals with both the significance and the failures of hippie ideals. (Stephen has shown up, sometimes disguised, in several of Spider's books.) And vice versa: if you like this book, you'll probably enjoy Spider's fiction as well.

Nahweary,INC.
Amigo-I too/also think the "truth" can be agreed on. Give Thanks 4/that! And I have allways remembered that version of Monday PM class that had that "dose"--Initials taken OUT! I'm not 2/sure I wanna know anything about DMT-but I'm gettin vexed with all the food gettin dosed with canola oil. It's 2/close to mustard gas in your "lower". Kinda freightening the way square world stuffs your gut to weaken you-that just can't be defended. BRO.{OUT!}

To Kamiu
I was wondering, did you read the title before buying the book?

A Distinct Disappointment; Not Really a Spider Book At All!
First off, this book's not even by Spider. I'm not vertain why he lent his name to it, much less wrote the introduction. The book itself is a loosely connected series of ramblings of a proto-typical dope-fiend from the 60'sSan Francisco scene. It's a bit trippy, and even mildly insightful once isa while, but was certainly not worth picking up if you're expectinganything like the quality of writing and storytelling that Spider Robinsonimparts to all of _his_ works. ... Read more

Product Description
When Sarah the ballet dancing spider sends a secret note to Father Christmas, she asks for some very important presents for her friends. On Christmas morning, she is surprised to find a very special present left for her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unique Christmas Story
The rhyming for this story is fun, my daughter enjoyed the story and pictures even when she was under two years old. ... Read more

Product Description
Blessed with eight legs, Sarah the Spider is a dancer extraordinaire. She wears bows in her hair and eight different coloured boots. In this story she falls prey to the mischievous activities of the other farmyard animals. This is one of a two-part series for children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Our favorite
Sarah the Spider is a delightful book and my favorite baby shower gift.Unfortunately you can't purchase it new anymore.It has a lovely rhyming rhythm and is a fun story. It's fun to read because you can do read in the voices of the characters which makes it even more entertaining.This is a great kids book. ... Read more

Product Description
Meet the silkmakers, some of themost remarkable, yet oftenoverlooked, animal architects in thenatural world. Find out how atrapdoor spider builds an amazinghideout, with a hidden door thatsprings open when prey is near! Seehow an ogre-faced spider hangsupside down as it builds a stickysilken box as a trap. And find outhow a diving spider constructs atwo-room silk house underwaterand lives there, inside a bubble ofair! ... Read more

Product Description
Blessed with eight legs, Sarah the Spider is a dancer extraordinaire. She wears bows in her hair and eight different coloured boots. In this story her dreams come true but the performance is nearly cancelled as Sarah can't tell her left feet from her right. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

My child and I love this book
I bought this book in the bargain blowout pile at my local grocery store and my child and I love it.The illustrations are beautiful and the story is very cute.I want to buy Hilary Robinson's other books and they are out of print.I don't understand why though because this book is great! ... Read more