Spider Channels Heinlein For Con
Callahan's Con by Spider Robinson
Spider Robinson, the Heinlein disciple who created his own universe tucked somewhere away on Long Island's Route 25A, turns in another solid sequel in Callahan's Con. Despite the overlap with the science fiction GrandMaster that even includes scenes with Heinlein's cat Pixel, Robinson remains a great author of character portraits who has to wrap around a plot in order for the work to be a novel.
When he is not busy having Virginia Heinlein entrust him to be her husband's literary heir, Robinson turns his bar into the Cheers-like setting where you would want people to know your name. The theme is growing somewhat tired by Callahan's Con and the Key West setting is overdone to a level even Carl Hiaasen wouldn't try to pull off, but Callahan's remains cool. In many ways, the main set remains me of various startup companies I've worked in or embryonic online communities I've joined over the last two decades. The place is filled with smart, dedicated people who care and are funny while doing so. What's not to like?
Well, spoiler here:
Spider kills off another character. Of course, no one is ever really gone in a Heinlein or Robinson novel, but I think that may well be the case here. If Spider ever tries to undo this plot development, I will certainly stop reading this series.
What Works Well
The death is probably the best handled part of the plot and certainly allows the best character development. The somber tone rips through the silliness and bureaucracy that almost seem as though they were ripped from a Douglas Adams manuscript and anchors the story. The characters even deal with the Mafia, and with his gift of creating character portraits, Spider nails what could have been a bad idea.
What Doesn't Work As Well
Time travel is dangerous for any science fiction or fantasy writer. Most get it wrong. Many write the concept so poorly that they wreck an otherwise good series. The concept even derailed the mighty Star Trek movie franchise. Heinlein kept effectively pulling the concept off, but as he neared the end of his career, even his stories were getting a little tired. When one can go back in time at will, no conflict remains. Death is not forever, loves can be regained, fortunes made and hockey could become a major sport again.
Spider misses. He misses badly. In doing so, he reduces his plot to silliness that is not fun, but is instead just boring and rips any conflict and emotion from his plot.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
No one should start the Callahan series in the middle. Continuity issues aside, readers will find the experience immeasurably better by reading the stories in order. But should they stop before Callahan's Con? Probably not although the bell is softly ringing and about to rip out a giant sounding bong!. This is the box that sets the next book up to make or break the series. Completists who have read this far need to keep going, but don't expect the level of magic that bewitched Long Island. This is a whole new peninsula.
