The Free Lunch
 Spider Robinson
 (Sr. Staff Reviewer - D. H. BROWN)
 2001 TOR Book
  ISBN: 0312865244


What if the world was so terrible that your only hope for a happy life was to hide out in the world's greatest amusement park -- Dreamworld -- a place where everybody has fun, dreams do come true & the only sadness is when it closes for the night.

Teenager Mike escapes his dark & tormented home life into Dreamworld where he meets Annie, another refugee who has created for herself a pleasant enough life in the under belly of the amusement park.

When a ruthless & jealous competitor decides that if he can't beat Dreamworld, he's going to destroy it, Mark & Annie's world is in danger, especially when the trolls begin to multiply & no one knows why!

Senior Staff Reviewer D. H. BROWN writes:

As anyone who has ever had a conversation with me about science fiction will know without a shadow of a doubt Spider Robinson is one of my all-time favorite authors!

I absolutely love his writing & his view of the Cosmos. Life is a hoot & if you don't hoot, you're dead! I can't remember the first Spider Robinson book that I ever read. It may have been Telempath or Star Dance. Melancholy Elephants has never left my mind & Callahan's Crosstime Saloon & its characters who survived all the way to Callahan's Key are never far away whenever I pick up one of his books.

Well, the grand tradition continues in The Free Lunch. From the Acknowledgments to the final page About The Author I found myself entranced, moved; a chuckle here, a tear there, & as Spider writes, “This hero business suck big rocks!”

I don't know where he gets his ideas I just really hope he never stops having them. Fantasies can come true & I heartily recommend this book, a good chair & a bit of time!

More from Spider Robinson: Callahan's Key; Telempath; Callahan's Crosstime Saloon; Stardance with Jeanne Robinson; Antinomy; The Best of All Possible Worlds; Time Travelers Strictly Cash; Mindkiller; Melancholy Elephants; Night of Power; Callahan's Secret; Time Pressure; Copyright Violation; True Minds; Starseed with Jeanne Robinson; Kill the Editor; Lady Slings the Booze; The Callahan Touch; Starmind with Jeanne Robinson; Off the Wall at Callahan's; Callahan's Legacy; Lifehouse; The Star Dancers with Jeanne Robinson; & User Friendly.
(03/31/02)

D. H. BROWN
A RebeccasReads.Com Sr. Staff Reviewer

Reviewer's Bio:
D. H. BROWN is the author of the critically acclaimed HONOR DUE and the Citizens Warrior Series. The son of missionary parents and with the help his Uncle Sam, he has touched base in more than 40 countries.  In 1986 he produced the independent children's film Lessie's Rainbow.  During the late 80s and early 90s, he wrote the book Common Sense and delivered the seminars of the same name for the Community Action Network of Seattle (CAN).  While doing his early Vietnam recovery work, he counseled Veterans and spoke widely to men's groups in Washington state, and was a founder of The Lodge of the Wolf.

D. H. BROWN has worked as a Logistics and Weapons Specialist in Viet Nam; day laborer; Director of Security; Armored Car Driver; Police Officer; Professional Hunting Guide; Trapper; Dog Sledder; Homesteader; Truck Driver; General Contractor; Minister; Editor; Writer; Speaker; Restaurateur; Movie Producer; Antique Restoration Specialist; Personal Care Worker; PC Repair Specialist; Computer Instructor; Webmaster and Web Designer. "I write about what I know."

He lives deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest with his wife, author and editor Rebecca and Buddy Dog, working on his next book.
Visit him at: www.dhbrownbooks.com