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Lady Sally's #2
Lady Slings the Booze
Welcome back to Lady Sally's...Your pleasure is her business!
It's the best little you-know-what in the universe. Where adults of all species and persuasions indulge in wild life, liberty, and the pursuit of a really good time. So join in the fun - and don't worry. You'll respect yourself in the morning...
257 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1992
12 people are currently reading
740 people want to read
About the author
Spider Robinson
200 books678 followersSpider Robinson is an American-born Canadian Hugo and Nebula award winning science fiction author. He was born in the USA, but chose to live in Canada, and gained citizenship in his adopted country in 2002.
Robinson's writing career began in 1972 with a sale to Analog Science Fiction magazine of a story entitled, The Guy With The Eyes. His writing proved popular, and his first novel saw print in 1976, Telempath. Since then he has averaged a novel (or collection) a year. His most well known stories are the Callahan saloon series.
Robinson's writing career began in 1972 with a sale to Analog Science Fiction magazine of a story entitled, The Guy With The Eyes. His writing proved popular, and his first novel saw print in 1976, Telempath. Since then he has averaged a novel (or collection) a year. His most well known stories are the Callahan saloon series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
September 16, 2021
This is a fun and funny Callahan-adjacent novel with a mystery plot taking secondary status to Robinson's jokes, philosophizing, and wish/wist -ful descriptions of the way a brothel should be run. And Heinlein and Tesla, too. And lots of puns, too- just check out the title. Sometimes the depth of the sentiment and emotion gets stepped on by the humor (and vice verse), but it's an altogether pleasurable read.
January 31, 2019
I have a difficult relationship with Spider Robinson’s writing. Unfortunate for me, since he wrote a number of the volumes on my self-assigned science fiction & fantasy reading list. Robinson is a great admirer of Robert A. Heinlein and it certainly shines through in his Callahan’s stories. Although I admire Heinlein’s achievements & acknowledge that he was a great influence in the science fiction genre, I don’t love all of his work either.
The story itself could have interested me, if Robinson had been willing to stick to the mystery aspect of it and treat it seriously. However, he simply cannot resist long, winding sidetracks, inserted specifically to make ridiculous puns. All of which I consider unfair pun-ishment to my reading sensibilities.
He also refuses to be serious about the mystery aspect of the story, serving up silly non-clues and preposterous reasoning. I could have forgiven a lot if he had given the plot more slightly more serious consideration.
It’s been difficult to find Robinson’s books—my public library weeded them out of their collection a couple of years ago. As a result, I’ve searched for and found several more volumes of the Callahan’s collection as second hand books. I’m debating whether to read them or whether to just take them to my favourite used bookstore for credit. I’ll probably persevere, but I’m certainly questioning my own judgement on that!
Book number 305 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
The story itself could have interested me, if Robinson had been willing to stick to the mystery aspect of it and treat it seriously. However, he simply cannot resist long, winding sidetracks, inserted specifically to make ridiculous puns. All of which I consider unfair pun-ishment to my reading sensibilities.
He also refuses to be serious about the mystery aspect of the story, serving up silly non-clues and preposterous reasoning. I could have forgiven a lot if he had given the plot more slightly more serious consideration.
It’s been difficult to find Robinson’s books—my public library weeded them out of their collection a couple of years ago. As a result, I’ve searched for and found several more volumes of the Callahan’s collection as second hand books. I’m debating whether to read them or whether to just take them to my favourite used bookstore for credit. I’ll probably persevere, but I’m certainly questioning my own judgement on that!
Book number 305 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
owned-not-read
August 31, 2016Let's be honest, I bought this for $2 because there's a sunglasses-wearing dog bartender in the foreground and a lady dancing a sexy tango with a hulking robot in the background. Best cover of all time?
December 21, 2018
Far to much of the tale is just a rehash of place, people and philosophy from Callahan's Lady, and the plot is so over the top in comparison to that first volume that it disappoints. Smaller scale and personal - short story - is a better format for these characters.
July 22, 2019
What it's about: Once again, readers get to visit Lady Sally's house. This time, protagonist Joe Quigley, P.I., is trying to crack the case of The Man Who Wasn't There. Along the way, he finds a lot more than he bargained for! Even for Lady Sally's, things are getting weird. Eventually, Joe is let in on the real reason Lady Sally opened up her shop in the first place, and the question becomes, can Lady Sally fulfill her mission? The fate of all existence hangs in the balance.
What I thought: As with most of Spider Robinson's work, I've read this book at least half a dozen times. I first came across it as part of the Callahan's series back when I was a teen, probably around the time it was originally published, and have kept a copy on my bookshelf ever since.
Robinson crafts a fun, tight story that's really more of an anthology-in-two-pieces. The first book in this series was actually four short stories/novellas tied together by the narrator. This story borrows in part from that formula, with Joe Quigley getting engaged to look into a mystery at Lady Sally's that then leads him into the second half of the book on an unrelated story into which he is drawn by virtue of having proven himself as a capable character in the first half of the book.
There are some guest appearances by characters who appeared in the previous book, but this one is mostly focused on two new characters, both of whom are odd and interesting. Joe is a bit of a macho jerk at first, but he grows admirably throughout the book. He could almost be a model for quite a few people today, though he does seem to get a little hung up in some of his biases despite his massive character development. But to be fair, this story is definitely a product of the previous generation. Actually, this book was a lot less problematic, to my mind, than the first book in the series, which suggests to me that Robinson himself grew in his outlook and acceptance between writing the first and second books. It seems to me that Robinson is the kind of person who will accept just about anyone who is willing to treat others with the basic respect due to any person (and he seems open to expanding his definition of what constitutes a "person"). Rather than seeing this book as being not quite up to speed with the latest in phrasing when discussing equality, I would argue that Robinson was quite a bit ahead of the general public in his acceptance of those who fall outside traditional norms - and more power to him!
Why I rated it like I did: This book still manages to make me cry when I hit the last few pages, despite having read it at least half a dozen times. Robinson has created characters that, while far from perfect, are relatable.
What I thought: As with most of Spider Robinson's work, I've read this book at least half a dozen times. I first came across it as part of the Callahan's series back when I was a teen, probably around the time it was originally published, and have kept a copy on my bookshelf ever since.
Robinson crafts a fun, tight story that's really more of an anthology-in-two-pieces. The first book in this series was actually four short stories/novellas tied together by the narrator. This story borrows in part from that formula, with Joe Quigley getting engaged to look into a mystery at Lady Sally's that then leads him into the second half of the book on an unrelated story into which he is drawn by virtue of having proven himself as a capable character in the first half of the book.
There are some guest appearances by characters who appeared in the previous book, but this one is mostly focused on two new characters, both of whom are odd and interesting. Joe is a bit of a macho jerk at first, but he grows admirably throughout the book. He could almost be a model for quite a few people today, though he does seem to get a little hung up in some of his biases despite his massive character development. But to be fair, this story is definitely a product of the previous generation. Actually, this book was a lot less problematic, to my mind, than the first book in the series, which suggests to me that Robinson himself grew in his outlook and acceptance between writing the first and second books. It seems to me that Robinson is the kind of person who will accept just about anyone who is willing to treat others with the basic respect due to any person (and he seems open to expanding his definition of what constitutes a "person"). Rather than seeing this book as being not quite up to speed with the latest in phrasing when discussing equality, I would argue that Robinson was quite a bit ahead of the general public in his acceptance of those who fall outside traditional norms - and more power to him!
Why I rated it like I did: This book still manages to make me cry when I hit the last few pages, despite having read it at least half a dozen times. Robinson has created characters that, while far from perfect, are relatable.
July 9, 2025
The rating might change as I keep thinking about this book. I preferred the short story format of the previous books. I also found a lot of Spider's musings on rape and how it should be punished to be . . . distasteful at best, and downright awful at worst. I need to think further before I can articulate it better than that.
March 14, 2017
Oh, the puns!! Entire paragraphs are worth re-reading.
February 15, 2026
As the title indicates, this is the fifth book in Robinson's Callahan series, and the second in the Lady Sally sub-series. Oddly, this one appears to take place some number of years before book #3, Callahan's Secret, which was (at the time of publication) the last book in the Callahan series. It also explicitly takes place 15 years after the events of Callahan's Lady (CL), as Maureen/Sherry, the narrator of that book, makes a cameo appearance here and states that [spoiler!] she has been married to Willard (The Professor) for 15 years.
And as implied by that statement, Maureen is not the narrator of this book; instead the first-person protagonist is a private detective named Joe Quigley. And unlike Callahan's Lady, which was a collection of stories featuring Maureen and the other regulars at Lady Sally's, this book is a single story—well, it's really two stories, one about a dangerous intruder and the other about a quest to save the world and its timeline, but they are strung together by some flimsy connective tissue so that they appear to be one.
LSB reprises all the great characters from CL, though some only in quick cameo. It also introduces a few new and memorable folks, who showcase Robinson's imagination and skill at description. The most prominent of these is a pair of strikingly beautiful blond twin young women, telepaths who have become so closely intertwined mentally and emotionally that they function as a single being with one brain and two bodies--sort of like a person with two arms, but taken to the next level. They even use just a single name, Arethusa.
Robinson knows how to weave a great yearn, and both "halves" of this story feature very exciting and dramatic "how are they possibly going to get out of this one" climaxes. I'll say no more, except that there are not many lags in the pacing, and if you like this genre you'll enjoy this worthy addition to it.
I think my only complaint is a common one that sci-fi readers have: too many of our favorite authors, even if they have great marriages or have been involved in torrid affairs themselves, can't write about falling in love very well. The parties involved tend to get too intimate (in emotional attachment terms) too quickly, like they just met but already know they are soul mates and begin acting as if being together was fore-ordained. I suppose that can happen from time to time, but the development of the attraction between Joe and Arethusa seems unrealistic to me—especially when you consider the very short time span which the events of this book cover. The whole first half takes place in about 24 hours, and the second half is only a week or two at most and probably less.
But that's a nitpick; don't let it stop you from diving into this fast-paced thrill ride.
Oh, and be prepared for puns, of course. Lots of puns.
And be forewarned. Even though CL takes place largely in a brothel, there's not much in the way of explicit or graphic details of physical romance. That's not the case for LSB; there a re a few passages that could make a burlesque dancer blush, so if that's the kind of thing you find not to your tastes, you may find yourself skimming over some sections even though there are some plot drivers in them.
(NB: I assumed that the attractive redhead on the cover of this edition was Maureen/Sherry, but I'm now pretty sure it's supposed to be Lady Sally Callahan herself, which is pretty mind-blowing. Not at all how I pictured her.)
And as implied by that statement, Maureen is not the narrator of this book; instead the first-person protagonist is a private detective named Joe Quigley. And unlike Callahan's Lady, which was a collection of stories featuring Maureen and the other regulars at Lady Sally's, this book is a single story—well, it's really two stories, one about a dangerous intruder and the other about a quest to save the world and its timeline, but they are strung together by some flimsy connective tissue so that they appear to be one.
LSB reprises all the great characters from CL, though some only in quick cameo. It also introduces a few new and memorable folks, who showcase Robinson's imagination and skill at description. The most prominent of these is a pair of strikingly beautiful blond twin young women, telepaths who have become so closely intertwined mentally and emotionally that they function as a single being with one brain and two bodies--sort of like a person with two arms, but taken to the next level. They even use just a single name, Arethusa.
Robinson knows how to weave a great yearn, and both "halves" of this story feature very exciting and dramatic "how are they possibly going to get out of this one" climaxes. I'll say no more, except that there are not many lags in the pacing, and if you like this genre you'll enjoy this worthy addition to it.
I think my only complaint is a common one that sci-fi readers have: too many of our favorite authors, even if they have great marriages or have been involved in torrid affairs themselves, can't write about falling in love very well. The parties involved tend to get too intimate (in emotional attachment terms) too quickly, like they just met but already know they are soul mates and begin acting as if being together was fore-ordained. I suppose that can happen from time to time, but the development of the attraction between Joe and Arethusa seems unrealistic to me—especially when you consider the very short time span which the events of this book cover. The whole first half takes place in about 24 hours, and the second half is only a week or two at most and probably less.
But that's a nitpick; don't let it stop you from diving into this fast-paced thrill ride.
Oh, and be prepared for puns, of course. Lots of puns.
And be forewarned. Even though CL takes place largely in a brothel, there's not much in the way of explicit or graphic details of physical romance. That's not the case for LSB; there a re a few passages that could make a burlesque dancer blush, so if that's the kind of thing you find not to your tastes, you may find yourself skimming over some sections even though there are some plot drivers in them.
(NB: I assumed that the attractive redhead on the cover of this edition was Maureen/Sherry, but I'm now pretty sure it's supposed to be Lady Sally Callahan herself, which is pretty mind-blowing. Not at all how I pictured her.)
January 29, 2021
1.5*
I haven't read one of Robinson's Callahan books since the mid-'90s. I've been looking for some light reading (as a break from all the histories of human diseases I've been consuming) and remember these books fitting the bill. Not this one, though.
In addition to the banter and excessive puns (as always, repeatedly called out by Robinson as being excessive and appalling), Robinson's frequent references to other works of science fiction and characters who can reason their way to an outlandish but somehow correct conclusion are out in full force. Nikola Tesla is a character in this book (his resurrection remains unexplained) and for reasons completely beyond me, Robinson found it necessary to give Jeeves and bloody Wooster a cameo. (Perhaps one or both of them turned up in the previous Sally book, I don't remember.)
The narrator is not sympathetic... or believable, for that matter, improbably becoming increasingly competent (and increasingly Robinson's avatar) over a period of a couple of days. He (and to a lesser extent the other characters) talks a lot about wanting to murder certain people.
This book featured some of (one presumes) Robinson's disturbing opinions on the subject of rape, mostly expressed through dialogue/inner monologue of male characters. I slogged through this material grimly. At least he didn't presume to make the female characters express this appalling point of view.
And the second half of the book is... re-engineered from history in a sort of clumsy way. Descriptions of technology are sadly out of date, and even sadder because there are looong passages describing things like an elaborate magnetic recording setup that may have been state of the art for the 1980s (when the book is set) but already out of date--or very nearly so--by the early 1990s (when the book was written) and laughably antiquated from the point of view of time travelers from the distant future who could have at least installed digital technology from the very near future and saved a lot of space. And the second half also contains morally convoluted material.
This is the second author in a row I have returned to after a long hiatus only to be smacked upside the head with gross conservative talking points.
Welp, I'm off to read about the bubonic plague. Should be better than this hot mess.
I haven't read one of Robinson's Callahan books since the mid-'90s. I've been looking for some light reading (as a break from all the histories of human diseases I've been consuming) and remember these books fitting the bill. Not this one, though.
In addition to the banter and excessive puns (as always, repeatedly called out by Robinson as being excessive and appalling), Robinson's frequent references to other works of science fiction and characters who can reason their way to an outlandish but somehow correct conclusion are out in full force. Nikola Tesla is a character in this book (his resurrection remains unexplained) and for reasons completely beyond me, Robinson found it necessary to give Jeeves and bloody Wooster a cameo. (Perhaps one or both of them turned up in the previous Sally book, I don't remember.)
The narrator is not sympathetic... or believable, for that matter, improbably becoming increasingly competent (and increasingly Robinson's avatar) over a period of a couple of days. He (and to a lesser extent the other characters) talks a lot about wanting to murder certain people.
This book featured some of (one presumes) Robinson's disturbing opinions on the subject of rape, mostly expressed through dialogue/inner monologue of male characters. I slogged through this material grimly. At least he didn't presume to make the female characters express this appalling point of view.
And the second half of the book is... re-engineered from history in a sort of clumsy way. Descriptions of technology are sadly out of date, and even sadder because there are looong passages describing things like an elaborate magnetic recording setup that may have been state of the art for the 1980s (when the book is set) but already out of date--or very nearly so--by the early 1990s (when the book was written) and laughably antiquated from the point of view of time travelers from the distant future who could have at least installed digital technology from the very near future and saved a lot of space. And the second half also contains morally convoluted material.
This is the second author in a row I have returned to after a long hiatus only to be smacked upside the head with gross conservative talking points.
Welp, I'm off to read about the bubonic plague. Should be better than this hot mess.
July 2, 2021
⚠️Trigger warning: this book discusses r*pe, which may be very triggering for some people⚠️
It's not often I find a book I don't finish, and it's even less often I find a book I hate so much. This book was just the WORST. I got 115 pages in and I just couldn't go any further.
Where to begin. The plot was absolutely atrocious (a PI working undercover as a sex worker), the characters were abysmal and unlikable (98% of the women were there to be attractive and fawn over the male protagonist), and the jokes were just completely unfunny. I originally bought this book at bookfest in the hopes for some light-hearted trashy erotica (don't judge, we all partake), but not even the romance was at all good. I not once felt engaged or interested in this book.
Frequently throughout this book, the author makes light of r*pe and uses the sexual assault of many female characters as nothing but a plot point. It was vile in every way. The point where I just couldn't go on any further occured on page 113, where the author has a character almost defending the moral character of the rapist, saying he's 'surprised rape doesn't happen more often' because women 'have something more precious than heroin' but they rate it importance 'lower than food, shopping, and talking about feelings'. He then goes on to say r*pe is normal for humans, and it's been happening for 2 million years and that men must 'really love women' because they don't r*pe them all the time.
Honestly, this book is foul, and I'm not even donating it back to LifeLine. I'm going to be using it to clean up my dog's shit, because that's all it's good for.
It's not often I find a book I don't finish, and it's even less often I find a book I hate so much. This book was just the WORST. I got 115 pages in and I just couldn't go any further.
Where to begin. The plot was absolutely atrocious (a PI working undercover as a sex worker), the characters were abysmal and unlikable (98% of the women were there to be attractive and fawn over the male protagonist), and the jokes were just completely unfunny. I originally bought this book at bookfest in the hopes for some light-hearted trashy erotica (don't judge, we all partake), but not even the romance was at all good. I not once felt engaged or interested in this book.
Frequently throughout this book, the author makes light of r*pe and uses the sexual assault of many female characters as nothing but a plot point. It was vile in every way. The point where I just couldn't go on any further occured on page 113, where the author has a character almost defending the moral character of the rapist, saying he's 'surprised rape doesn't happen more often' because women 'have something more precious than heroin' but they rate it importance 'lower than food, shopping, and talking about feelings'. He then goes on to say r*pe is normal for humans, and it's been happening for 2 million years and that men must 'really love women' because they don't r*pe them all the time.
Honestly, this book is foul, and I'm not even donating it back to LifeLine. I'm going to be using it to clean up my dog's shit, because that's all it's good for.
June 14, 2021
Coincidental find during "Pride Month" A set of stories parallel to the Callahan series. I just found them, but found them best read after the Callahan series. Whether you are a big supporter of “Pride Month” or not, maybe this is the best time to post this review. This novel may not sit too well with some folks, but it really is about the best utopian realization of harmonious interactions with the ultimate amount of diversity!
As all Utopias suffer from contact with reality, it remains one author’s description of a possible ideal state of affairs. All of that is just the setting and back-stories for Mr. Robinson’s usual exciting adventure tales of strange things, mysteries, moral choices and how to get along in life. One thing leads to another in this extended weaving of what could have been a long series of short stories. They work quite well as chapters in a whole novel.
As all Utopias suffer from contact with reality, it remains one author’s description of a possible ideal state of affairs. All of that is just the setting and back-stories for Mr. Robinson’s usual exciting adventure tales of strange things, mysteries, moral choices and how to get along in life. One thing leads to another in this extended weaving of what could have been a long series of short stories. They work quite well as chapters in a whole novel.
February 17, 2024
This is very reminiscent of late Heinlein, and not in a good way. A high point is when a character who's been established to be intelligent and have "good opinions" (Mike Callahan) goes on about how rape is really to be expected and men ought to be commended for all the times they manage NOT to do it. Then they "deduce" some absolute hogwash out of nowhere and the narrative assumes this must be correct because they're "rationalists" (read: reductive idiots). The main character starts off with some characterization but rapidly devolves into the most transparent Mary Sue I've seen in a while. The setting in a bordello allows for lots of an adolescent's fantasy of what sophisticated grown-up repartee looks like. Absolute drivel.
July 21, 2017
While it doesn't have the same appeal as Callahan's saloon, I do like the characters in Lady's House. This book is basically two stories and I much preferred the story in the first half. The one in the second half was a bit too suspenseful for me. It wasn't a bad story, I just don't do well with suspense. I hang on the edge of my seat (this isn't good bedtime reading), skimming rapid-fire over whole paragraphs that don't seem to lead to the point, and when I finally get to the conclusion I realize I've been holding my breath for quite some time and I feel a little dizzy. Your mileage may vary.
February 8, 2018
I enjoy humor, puns, and smart, independent women. I read lots of SF and fantasy. As a woman that was assaulted, I had a hard time finishing this particular novel.
Joe is hired by a powerful individual to investigate a phantom at Lady Sally’s bordello. Joe is evidently a genius PI with a jinx. Sally’s establishment includes a dog that talks and a telepathic gorgeous blonde. Sally negotiates payments by clients, and her patrons can select their clients. Let’s toss in a masterful conman, personnel that seem to accommodate every desire, and Nikolas Tesla.
Joe is hired by a powerful individual to investigate a phantom at Lady Sally’s bordello. Joe is evidently a genius PI with a jinx. Sally’s establishment includes a dog that talks and a telepathic gorgeous blonde. Sally negotiates payments by clients, and her patrons can select their clients. Let’s toss in a masterful conman, personnel that seem to accommodate every desire, and Nikolas Tesla.
June 6, 2019
I went into this book expecting a series of short stories like the other Callahan's and Lady Sally's books, and was surprised (pleasantly? Unpleasantly? I dunno) to find that it was in fact one continuous story. It had deeper than before plotting, but I missed the charming whimsy of some of other Callahan stories. But Props to Robinson for trying different things.
November 29, 2024
I've long been a fan of Spider Robinson and I love the Lady Sally stories even more than the Callahan's Place series. As with all his books of both series, its is the type of book where you find something new with every re-read. The puns fly as the varied characters from Lady Sally's brothel work together to try to save the world.
September 19, 2025
While it was an interesting story, it didn't have the level of Spider Robinson wit/puns/etc that I really liked about Callahan's.
It does leave me with one question: will there be more Tesla in the next few books? I will find out. I have never read past the first Lady Sally's book.
It does leave me with one question: will there be more Tesla in the next few books? I will find out. I have never read past the first Lady Sally's book.
March 25, 2018
Lady Sally is one of my favourite Robinson characters so this is one of my favourite books of his.
January 4, 2019
Zany and fun, a bit dated, but I read it for the puns.
December 20, 2021
More Callahan's bar stories, with new added twists as always. And a brothel. Great stuff.
June 20, 2024
Another great novel.
June 14, 2017
As good, and as dated, and as messed up, and as enjoyable as always.
November 26, 2013
I am conflicted about this one. I just read it again - in whole, so It is good enough, surely?
Niven writes well, no question. I am a fan of his writing, and have read many of his books.
However this one, at the end of the day, annoys me. Unfortunately, to explain why, I must refer toi specific plot points, so
============ SPOILER ALERT ===============
============ SPOILER ALERT ===============
The books contains two sub-stories, and I find them both problematic, in similar ways.
In the first the protagonist finds he has to kill the villain. Moreover he is very clear that giving the villain any warning, however short, is very dangerous.
He plans an ambush where he waits, well-armed, and hidden behind cover in a small corridor where Mr. Villain is due to pass.
But, under these conditions, he doesn't just shoot the villain from cover and be done with it - no, he plans a setup where people have to jump the villain physically, immobilize him, to transport him to another room and THEN kill him. No real reason is given for this decision.
Needless to say, it goes wrong, Villain does get enough of a warning to do bad stuff before good prevails over evil. As a reader, I am left wondering why? Why would an intelligent protagonist do this?
In the second sub-story the villain is planning Armageddon. At a certain point, the villain captures the protagonist, his lover and a his friend. All three are have bullet-proof skin (trust me here - you'll have to read it to see how this comes about), but the Villain kills the protagonists friends by shooting them in the mouth. HE does this not because he finds they have bullet-proof skin. He just does this. I ask you - how plausible is this? (not the bullet-proof skin - that is part of the suspension-of-disbelief, and organic to the plot. The shoot-captives-in-the-mouth to kill them thing - when have you read this/seen it in a movie? Why would the villain do this?)
to top it off, when Mr. Villain decides to kill our hero, he does NOT shoot him in the mouth, he just shoots him in his bullet-proof torso, hence the story can go on. So, our Super-villain is suddenly inconsistent.
As a final annoyance, when he kills the protagonist's friend, the protagonist is mad "My hear died, and a man with a dead heart is a dangerous man". Then, the villain proceeds to kill his love-interest. The protagonist tells us he has now lost his heart completely, and that "a man without heart is a very dangerous enemy". So, when our hero will catch up to the villain we expect something spectacular by way of retribution. A little while later our hero manages to catch up to the Villain and - wait for it - Punches him in the nose, Once.
Seriously? This is the "very dangerous enemy"?
Not emotionally satisfying.
Niven writes well, no question. I am a fan of his writing, and have read many of his books.
However this one, at the end of the day, annoys me. Unfortunately, to explain why, I must refer toi specific plot points, so
============ SPOILER ALERT ===============
============ SPOILER ALERT ===============
The books contains two sub-stories, and I find them both problematic, in similar ways.
In the first the protagonist finds he has to kill the villain. Moreover he is very clear that giving the villain any warning, however short, is very dangerous.
He plans an ambush where he waits, well-armed, and hidden behind cover in a small corridor where Mr. Villain is due to pass.
But, under these conditions, he doesn't just shoot the villain from cover and be done with it - no, he plans a setup where people have to jump the villain physically, immobilize him, to transport him to another room and THEN kill him. No real reason is given for this decision.
Needless to say, it goes wrong, Villain does get enough of a warning to do bad stuff before good prevails over evil. As a reader, I am left wondering why? Why would an intelligent protagonist do this?
In the second sub-story the villain is planning Armageddon. At a certain point, the villain captures the protagonist, his lover and a his friend. All three are have bullet-proof skin (trust me here - you'll have to read it to see how this comes about), but the Villain kills the protagonists friends by shooting them in the mouth. HE does this not because he finds they have bullet-proof skin. He just does this. I ask you - how plausible is this? (not the bullet-proof skin - that is part of the suspension-of-disbelief, and organic to the plot. The shoot-captives-in-the-mouth to kill them thing - when have you read this/seen it in a movie? Why would the villain do this?)
to top it off, when Mr. Villain decides to kill our hero, he does NOT shoot him in the mouth, he just shoots him in his bullet-proof torso, hence the story can go on. So, our Super-villain is suddenly inconsistent.
As a final annoyance, when he kills the protagonist's friend, the protagonist is mad "My hear died, and a man with a dead heart is a dangerous man". Then, the villain proceeds to kill his love-interest. The protagonist tells us he has now lost his heart completely, and that "a man without heart is a very dangerous enemy". So, when our hero will catch up to the villain we expect something spectacular by way of retribution. A little while later our hero manages to catch up to the Villain and - wait for it - Punches him in the nose, Once.
Seriously? This is the "very dangerous enemy"?
Not emotionally satisfying.
December 28, 2013
Once again, this is a book I never would have thought to pick up and read on my own. Thank you friend for opening me up (oh boy, here come (:D) the puns!) to a new genre.
It certainly wasn't what I expected. By page 5, I expected an amusing, light-hearted detective story with a few bad jokes. Halfway through the book I realized I was reading light-hearted erotica, overlaid with a scifi noir detective story that just barely held on to the bounds of believability. I loved the jokes, puns, and obscure references. The writing style was also easy to read and enjoyable. What I didn't like was that most of this was at the expense of story.
******
SPOILER ALERT
******
The first plot of the book was pretty good, if a little unexpected. The mystery of the man with the watch was a good one and oddly enough I didn't find it all that difficult to suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in the world the characters inhabited.
The second plot was a different story (no pun intended.) I suppose it is splitting hairs to say that I can accept talking dogs and telepathic twin whores, but not nuclear plot by pacifists to mine major cities the world over. My problem is that the author shifts gears from first to fifth and expects the reader to ignore the fact that the transmission is now lying in the middle of the street. I'm reading a detective story and realize it's erotica which then shifts to detective story again, but then we make a sudden stop and now I'm supposed to embrace the fact that all these fantastical characters are now a rag-tag assembly of time-traveling, freebooting, spies and assassins, with day jobs as hookers and gigolos. Sorry, but that's just too much.
As the second story wore on, I found myself pardoning the abrupt 180 because the puns, jokes and great writing were still there. But in the end, I would have enjoyed this book much better had Robinson simply stuck to his original plot.
I liked it. I'm glad I read it. It gave me some good chuckles, but it could have been great instead of merely good.
It certainly wasn't what I expected. By page 5, I expected an amusing, light-hearted detective story with a few bad jokes. Halfway through the book I realized I was reading light-hearted erotica, overlaid with a scifi noir detective story that just barely held on to the bounds of believability. I loved the jokes, puns, and obscure references. The writing style was also easy to read and enjoyable. What I didn't like was that most of this was at the expense of story.
******
SPOILER ALERT
******
The first plot of the book was pretty good, if a little unexpected. The mystery of the man with the watch was a good one and oddly enough I didn't find it all that difficult to suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in the world the characters inhabited.
The second plot was a different story (no pun intended.) I suppose it is splitting hairs to say that I can accept talking dogs and telepathic twin whores, but not nuclear plot by pacifists to mine major cities the world over. My problem is that the author shifts gears from first to fifth and expects the reader to ignore the fact that the transmission is now lying in the middle of the street. I'm reading a detective story and realize it's erotica which then shifts to detective story again, but then we make a sudden stop and now I'm supposed to embrace the fact that all these fantastical characters are now a rag-tag assembly of time-traveling, freebooting, spies and assassins, with day jobs as hookers and gigolos. Sorry, but that's just too much.
As the second story wore on, I found myself pardoning the abrupt 180 because the puns, jokes and great writing were still there. But in the end, I would have enjoyed this book much better had Robinson simply stuck to his original plot.
I liked it. I'm glad I read it. It gave me some good chuckles, but it could have been great instead of merely good.
December 31, 2025
(one spoiler, which I wish I had had)
The star rating is how much I enjoyed puzzling through the time capsule from when the book was set, and when it was written. For example, he introduces Nikola Tesla with a complete overview, which isn’t necessary in our time because he is familiar. Or he describes how every room in a building is monitored, in such detail and with such fascination that it lets me remember/imagine a time when one recording device in each room was a lot.
I would not recommend this to anyone in my life because of the many references to rape, which are described only briefly and then glibly speculated over at length. I didn’t give up because I tried to start this series with the first one I came across, two books after this, and the convoluted backstory was not fun to parse so I thought I would just read through until I got there. (Specifically, Nikola Tesla was there so I thought I better find out how he got there. And the complete answer is: he was already on site but on a different floor until they called him.) A lot of layers were going on, self insert, wordplay. The stakes (the world). Given the ending, it was good that the characters are flat so I didn’t get attached to them. Also, a lot of times an explanation for something did not make sense even on its own terms. There were a ton of references to Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes so I thought it was a hint that the way those stories are resolved improbably was being referenced. But I might be giving too much benefit of the doubt.
The star rating is how much I enjoyed puzzling through the time capsule from when the book was set, and when it was written. For example, he introduces Nikola Tesla with a complete overview, which isn’t necessary in our time because he is familiar. Or he describes how every room in a building is monitored, in such detail and with such fascination that it lets me remember/imagine a time when one recording device in each room was a lot.
I would not recommend this to anyone in my life because of the many references to rape, which are described only briefly and then glibly speculated over at length. I didn’t give up because I tried to start this series with the first one I came across, two books after this, and the convoluted backstory was not fun to parse so I thought I would just read through until I got there. (Specifically, Nikola Tesla was there so I thought I better find out how he got there. And the complete answer is: he was already on site but on a different floor until they called him.) A lot of layers were going on, self insert, wordplay. The stakes (the world). Given the ending, it was good that the characters are flat so I didn’t get attached to them. Also, a lot of times an explanation for something did not make sense even on its own terms. There were a ton of references to Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes so I thought it was a hint that the way those stories are resolved improbably was being referenced. But I might be giving too much benefit of the doubt.
May 20, 2015
Lady Slings the Booze is the first actual novel in the Callahan's series, and it still has quite a few of the hallmarks of a set of short stories stitched together. It's nominally a detective novel, with the gumshoe as our wide-eyed novice to the world of Lady Sally's, and the initial story works well enough. Joe spends some time getting acquainted with the place, which is charming as always, and then solves the mystery of the invisible rapist, which is not charming at all but works more or less fine. Then things take a very odd left turn into the larger Callahan's cosmology, and we get a find-the-bomb scenario for the last third, that didn't really work all that well for me.
It's not a bad book, and it does pick up some steam in the second half, but it doesn't end up being all that satisfying. (And no amount of punning will make me care about puns.) It's got some very offputting bits about rape (especially the inherent justice of prison rape) and male homosexuality that don't mesh well with the intended inclusiveness of the setting. And the split focus between the two mysteries makes neither one of them feel all that important. I don't mind it, but I don't love it, either. I think I'd really rather stick to funny, lighthearted short stories in this setting.
It's not a bad book, and it does pick up some steam in the second half, but it doesn't end up being all that satisfying. (And no amount of punning will make me care about puns.) It's got some very offputting bits about rape (especially the inherent justice of prison rape) and male homosexuality that don't mesh well with the intended inclusiveness of the setting. And the split focus between the two mysteries makes neither one of them feel all that important. I don't mind it, but I don't love it, either. I think I'd really rather stick to funny, lighthearted short stories in this setting.
April 22, 2012
Another wonderful story brought to me by the writings of Spider Robinson. This story is told from the perspective of Joe, a P.I. who has never been to Lady Sally's but is hired to investigate some strange going-ons. Stranger than usual at least. And he does, solves the case, has mishaps, but ultimately saves the day, meets the love of his life, deduces and therefore is pulled in a grader scheme to save the world as we know it. More than the story I love the characters. I love the way they see the world and each other. The sense of peace they give to me. That no one is less than any other. That as long as desires and actions harm no one (unless they consent to it) then nothing is taboo. I long for a world like this, for Lady Sally and Callahan and Phillip and Sherry and all the other to be real. The books inspire me to be a better person to everyone around me and to have fun along the way.
September 9, 2010
If you love puns, Spoonerisms,jokey noir, and meticulous descriptions of whorehouses that don't exist, this is your book. Otherwise it comes off too clever to actually be a narrative. It starts with a lengthy encounter between a clever dick and his newest client (which fails to impress me), and then we reach Lady Sally's House in which the plot falls by the wayside entirely to describe the workings of the whorehouse which is useless because it never factors into the story, points out that whores are being raped but they don't appear to be too upset or traumatized by this, the plot falls off the road again for a love story between clever dick and psychic twins, introduces the element of time travel only to run with it past the point of interest into a doomsday let's save the world from nukes plot in which people die (seriously) and more puns are made.
February 23, 2014
Spider Robinson is the only author whose short stories I like better than his longer works. The Callahan series continues getting weaker with the second Lady Sally's House entry. The story moves much too quickly – actual elapsed time is absurdly low for the number of events, especially given that the two halves of the book have nothing to do with one another (again, it's two novellas strung together). The character interaction and development is a lot less solid than previous works, I just never understood why the female lead likes the protagonist.
November 4, 2019
One odd thing about this book which was published in Ace Hardback in 1992 and Ace Paperback December 1992 was half of it was about homemade nuclear bombs being planted around the world. The specific place they were dealing with the first bomb was New York and the discussion of how and where passed over consideration of bombing the World Trade Center and why it would not make a big enough impact. On February 26, 1993 a 1200 pound truck bomb went off beneath the World Trade Center. Precient writer or some Arabs read hard cover science fiction novels.
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