There is a mystery to Callahan's, it is a place that has some mystical power to heal the wounds of the soul, a power that seems to be solely comprised of camaraderie and friendship.

In Callahan's every Monday is the Fireside Fill-More Sing-a-Long, every Tuesday is Punday, every Wednesday is Tall Tales Night, and everyday is a celebration of life.

This frivolous and bawdy tale is told by one Jake Stonebender, a man who lost his wife and daughter in an automobile accident and came to Callahan's to find healing. He introduces us to Mike Callahan himself, plus Old Doc Webster, a large, red faced doctor who is always present; Fast Eddie Costigan, the piano player; Mickey Finn, the alien sent to destroy the world who winds out a regular at Callahan's; young Tommy Janssen who kicks his herion habit to join the happy ranks at the bar; Rachael, whose extended mortality only makes her more aware of death; and many others.

Along the way we hear fantastical stories by young Jim McDonald about his telepathic brother Paul, the Meddler who tells a tale of time travel to save a beautiful singer, Tony Telasco who refused to kill anyone in `Nam and went from booze to smack to mediation to Callahan's, Fogerty and his telekinetic powers during the Third Annual Darts Championship of the Universe, and even Broodseven-Sub-Two Raksha, who spins a tale of incubating the earth for his people in order to harvest it.

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon is only 205 pages, and while I enjoyed the bawdy humor and basic plot of the story, I did find it to be just a little dry in the telling. But, since this is the first in Spider Robinson's series, I am looking forward to reading more sequels, and hoping that he falls into a more liquid and flowing niche with this fun tale. Enjoy!