The Free Lunch

by Spider Robinson

Book Overview

Under the facade of the world's finest theme park lies a secret which could alter the course of human history. Mike and Annie, refugees from the world outside, find a home underground, behind the scenes of Dreamworld, a theme park where hope exists as it does nowhere else. But Dreamworld is threatened by a jealous competitor who kills what he can't have. And if this were not trouble enough, Mike and Annie discover that each day there are more of the...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812540220
• ISBN13: 9780812540222
• Release Date: August 2002
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

An exquisite work of literature

I love the Callahan books as much as the next guy, possibly more. But Robinson, who with tongue in cheek makes one of the eight sections in his Dreamworld amusment-park-of-the-future honor his own works, has produced what may ultimately be his finest novel in The Free Lunch. No words wasted, no stone left unturned, the ride through this roller coaster is fast-paced, friendly, opinionated, thoughtful and hilarious -- surpassing, I daresay, all we have come to expect of Spider's best.Robinson is seemingly energized by the opportunity to simultaneously honor the ideals of the Heinleinian universe -- applied intellect, physical and technical knowledge, and his own specific brand of fairness included -- and here creates a fantastic universe of his own, peopled with twelve year old geniuses, smug villains, and, thanks to the Disney-esque fantasy world of the amusement park setting, plausible dwarves, trolls, and elves, played by midgets. Shades of the greatest Sci Fi -- Gibson and Stephenson included -- with the sense of humor and cathartic love which Robinson brings to all his works, this mystery/fantasy/future brings us headlong through complex plot, sterling premise, and edge-of-your-seat narrative. It's no secret that Spider Robinson considers Heinlein one of the greats; his respect for the master is evident in the care and craft with which he has produced this novel, earning his own place in the pantheon. Few could truly pay homage to Heinlein without producing a poor substitute; only Spider Robinson, I daresay, could pull it off with such aplomb, creativity, and true literary genius while bringing us a wholly believable futuristic world -- as comprehensive, cynical, powerful, and value-laden as Heinlein's best -- all his own. Plan on reading this book in one sitting. Then plan on reading it again in a week.

Fantasies can come true!

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.I absolutely love his writing & his view of the Cosmos. Life is a hoot & if you don't hoot, you're dead!This author's grand tradition contiunues 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...

Magic

I'm supposed to be studying for my law school finals, and instead I just spent two days devouring three Spider Robinson novels. So what I'm saying is, I spent the time constructively.The other two are ones I'd already read, so never mind them. I'd been intending to get around to this one ever since it was published in August and just hadn't had time. So I finally made some.Spider is in terrific form here. I can't tell you much about the story without spoiling it, so I'll keep my remarks general.The tale centers on an extremely intelligent twelve-year-old boy named Mike, who may remind the reader both of Thorby in Robert Heinlein's _Citizen of the Galaxy_ and of Horty in Theodore Sturgeon's _The Dreaming Jewels_. The homage is deliberate, of course.The plot is delightful. Mike hides away in Dreamworld, a magical theme park of the near future created by one Thomas Immega (presumably a descendant or other relative of the roboticist Guy Immega to whom _Callahan's Key_ is dedicated). Dreamworld is inspired by Disneyland but has rides and other features based on the works of e.g. Heinlein and the Beatles.Its major rival is the violent Thrillworld. (The contrast is typical Spider, and I mean that as a compliment. If _you_ could make there be magic in the world, which sort would you pick? Black magic or white? Thrills or dreams? The manic pursuit of pleasure or the quiet possession of joy?) Thrillworld is headed by the nasty Alonzo Haines, who would very much like to destroy Dreamworld.Anyway, Mike disappears into Dreamworld and almost at once hooks up with Annie, a middle-aged midget who has been hiding there for a while herself. Pretty soon interesting things start to happen, and not just because of Alonzo Haines. And that's about all I can tell you without giving too much away.I _can_ tell you that the tale is Robinson at his humane and witty best. As usual, he includes at least one scene that will give you the creeping horrids; not many writers do this with Robinson's skill, as it takes a very high degree of empathy to create psychological tension without relying on gimmicks. And the reader familiar with Robinson's other novels will recognize _some_ familiar themes.In short, readers who like Robinson already will find this a very satisfying tale. And readers who aren't already familiar with his work could profitably start here.I hope some readers _will_ start here -- or somewhere -- because I really like all of Robinson's fiction. In general it's not only satisfying and entertaining SF, it's also a healthy dose of hope.

Spider's Back, doing what he does best

The Free Lunch is another of Spider Robinson's Heinlein impressions - and a damn good one it is as well! Dreamworld is a future theme park where all your dreams come true (under carefully controlled scientific conditions). Mike is a young, disillusioned boy who needs to escape from a reality that has become unbearable for him. He is a typical Heinlein juvenile; mature beyond his years with a vast knowledge of scientific and engineering principles and a quirky, clever mind. He manages to infiltrate Dreamworld where he plans to live a lotus-eating life away from the worries and responsibilities of reality. Underground in Dreamworld, he meets Annie, another refugee, who has been living there for more than thirteen years. She becomes his mentor. It soon starts to become clear that there is a crisis in Dreamworld. Every evening, more staff leave the theme park than arrived in the morning - and the staff who leave are all trolls. Where are they coming from? Mike and Annie explore various hypotheses, each more outré than the last. But the truth turns out to be even stranger than anything they had imagined.It's a great slam-bang adventure. Those with eyes to see will find it stuffed to the gunwales with Heinleinesque touches (Robinson can't resist the homage) but unlike some of his other books these touches aren't too overt and by and large they don't get in the way. He's also curbed his self-indulgent tendency to write self-referential novels full of science fictional in-jokes (I suspect he's found that they sell only to a very limited audience). As a result, The Free Lunch is one of his best novels in years and I strongly recommend it.

Adventure, humor and excellent future extrapolation.

If you have never had the joy of reading one of Spider Robinson's works of science fiction, then you are in for a treat. If you are a fan of the "Callahan's" series by Spider, then you are in for a pleasant change. And if you are a faithful reader of ALL of Spider Robinson's work, then your wait for more is now happily over. "The Free Lunch" is one of those books that is so filled with wry humor, good ideas and fascinating characters all wrapped into a tight novel by a master storyteller. It is one of those books that brings you back to your childhood if you are older, and is completely accessible by youger readers as well. And best of all, when you finish the book it makes you feel like you have just experienced something truly entertaining--yet profound. The angst and horrors that can be found in "Dreamworld," the amusement park of the future, only reveal themself in a place where "dreams come true." A fascinating plot, not easy to summarize, but very much worth the read. Highly recommended.