From Publishers Weekly
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.
From Library Journal
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.
From Booklist
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
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"If one were ever given the task of creating Spider Robinson from scratch, the best way to do it would be to snatch James Joyce from history, force-feed him Marx Brothers films and good jazz for the better part of a decade, then turn him loose on a world badly in need of a look at itself." --Vancouver Sun
"Spider Robinson refutes the notion that 'there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.' You get much more than you bargained for in this fun-filled-yet-serious novel. He's the antidote for entropy, the blahs, and the pernicious notion that humor and good grace are absent from the SF field." --Ben Bova
"How the hell is any self-respecting author supposed to compete with a storyteller as good as Spider Robinson?! I'm so jealous of his intelligence, his wit, his insight, his compassion--and his incredible humanity--that every new book he turns out is a punch straight to the heart! This is a guy who embodies the best of Sturgeon, Heinlein, and Asimov." --David Gerrold
"The Free Lunch is a three-course meal: adventure, humor, and solid extrapolation. Spider Robinson is a master storyteller, and this novel is one of his best. Bon appétit!" --Allen Steele
Review
"If one were ever given the task of creating Spider Robinson from scratch, the best way to do it would be to snatch James Joyce from history, force-feed him Marx Brothers films and good jazz for the better part of a decade, then turn him loose on a world badly in need of a look at itself." --Vancouver Sun
"Spider Robinson refutes the notion that 'there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.' You get much more than you bargained for in this fun-filled-yet-serious novel. He's the antidote for entropy, the blahs, and the pernicious notion that humor and good grace are absent from the SF field." --Ben Bova
"How the hell is any self-respecting author supposed to compete with a storyteller as good as Spider Robinson?! I'm so jealous of his intelligence, his wit, his insight, his compassion--and his incredible humanity--that every new book he turns out is a punch straight to the heart! This is a guy who embodies the best of Sturgeon, Heinlein, and Asimov." --David Gerrold
"The Free Lunch is a three-course meal: adventure, humor, and solid extrapolation. Spider Robinson is a master storyteller, and this novel is one of his best. Bon appétit!" --Allen Steele
Review
"If one were ever given the task of creating Spider Robinson from scratch, the best way to do it would be to snatch James Joyce from history, force-feed him Marx Brothers films and good jazz for the better part of a decade, then turn him loose on a world badly in need of a look at itself." --Vancouver Sun
"Spider Robinson refutes the notion that 'there ain't no such thing as a free lunch.' You get much more than you bargained for in this fun-filled-yet-serious novel. He's the antidote for entropy, the blahs, and the pernicious notion that humor and good grace are absent from the SF field." --Ben Bova
"How the hell is any self-respecting author supposed to compete with a storyteller as good as Spider Robinson?! I'm so jealous of his intelligence, his wit, his insight, his compassion--and his incredible humanity--that every new book he turns out is a punch straight to the heart! This is a guy who embodies the best of Sturgeon, Heinlein, and Asimov." --David Gerrold
"The Free Lunch is a three-course meal: adventure, humor, and solid extrapolation. Spider Robinson is a master storyteller, and this novel is one of his best. Bon appétit!" --Allen Steele
Book Description
What if the world was so terrible that your only hope for a happy life would be to hide away in the world's greatest amusement park...Dreamworld? In The Free Lunch, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Spider Robinson transports us to Dreamworld, a place where everybody has fun, dreams can come true, and the only sadness is when they close for the night.
With his perceptive grasp of human emotions and his deft hand at humor, Robinson masterfully tells the take of Mike, a young teen who escapes our own dark, tormented near future into a dream--into Dreamworld. There he meets Annie, another refugee who has built a life in the underworld of this fantastic amusement park, perhaps the last vestige of innocence left in the world. But it is tainted by a dark secret--a ruthless competitor, who can't possibly create an attraction that's as much fun as Dreamworld, has decided that if he can't beat Dreamworld, he might as well destroy it. There's another threat to Dreamworld. Suddenly there are more trolls at the end of the day than were there in the morning...and nobody, not even Mike or Annie, knows where they're from. But it's up to them and their passion for preserving this last haven of joy in a world of horrors to save Dreamworld...and Earth's future.
About the Author
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.
Free Lunch FROM THE PUBLISHER
"What if the world was so terrible that your only hope for a happy life would be to hide away in the world's greatest amusement park...Dreamworld? In The Free Lunch, author Spider Robinson transports us to Dreamworld, a place where everybody has fun, dreams can come true, and the only sadness is when they close for the night." "Robinson tells the tale of Mike, a young teen who escapes our own dark, tormented near future into a dream - into Dreamworld. There he meets Annie, another refugee who has built a life in the underworld of this fantastic amusement park, perhaps the last vestige of innocence left in the world. But it is tainted by a dark secret - a ruthless competitor, who can't possibly create an attraction that's as much fun as Drearnworld, has decided that if he can't beat Dreamworld, he might as well destroy it. There's another threat to Drearnworld. Suddenly there are more trolls at the end of the day than were there in the morning...and nobody, not even Mike or Annie, knows where they're from. But it's up to them and their passion for preserving this last haven of joy in a world of horrors to save Dreamworld...and Earth's future."--BOOK JACKET.
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
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) FYI: Best known for the Callahan series, Robinson has won the Hugo, Nebula and John W. Campbell awards. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Library Journal
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 Cahners Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
In-jokey science fiction yarn from the author of Callahan's Key (2000), etc. The Dreamworld theme park offers wholesome, appealing entertainment: rides, fireworks, a Heinlein area, Strawberry Fields, Mike Callahan and friends, Master Li and Number Ten Ox, etc. Fleeing a horrible existence, young Mike goes behind the scenes determined to become invisible and live there forever. He soon runs into Annie, a supersmart midget who's lived invisibly in Dreamworld since it opened; she helps out in all sorts of ways and is known to awed maintenance workers as the Mother Elf. Many of Dreamworld's employees are midgets or dwarfs, actors, characters, or ideal for operating in tiny spaces. Annie takes a shine to Mike's quick wits and obvious love of Dreamworld; she shows him how to survive, open doors, and tap into the computer network. Alonzo Haines, however, jealous owner of the rival, violence-ridden Thrillworld, schemes to destroy Dreamworld; he's hired dangerous thug Randall Conway to probe for weaknesses. Conway reports that, somehow, more worker dwarfs come out of Dreamworld than go in. Independently, Annie's just observed the same thing. As Annie and Mike investigate, Conway becomes aware of them. They discover what the intruders are, which makes it doubly important to prevent Conway grabbing one. But can Annie and Mike deal with the ruthless Conway as well as unravel the mystery of the uninvited guests? Fun in a knowing, rather sophomoric way; should keep most readers engaged and guessing.
Art & Photography
Book Info
