“One of the warnings I’ve been given as a fantasy writer is to avoid cliché tavern scenes. Enter AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR, an anthology about a time-travelling tavern that successfully breaks this rule and others. The Emperor’s New God by Jennifer Dunne [is another] mix of mythology and history as Otto the Great makes a deal with the god, Mars. The Ur-bar doesn’t play as big a role in this story, which focuses more on the characters and their flaws. That said, it was still an enjoyable read. Unlike some anthologies which have perhaps a few great stories and a few real duds, this anthology was fairly level, delivering readable stories from start to finish. Some were more memorable than others, but that’s to be expected. Gilgamesh and the Ur-Bar feature prominently in most of the tales, often affecting the outcome in some way or another, usually through the main character. It was nice to see consistency with Giglamesh, even though he’s written by fifteen different authors. Now, you go forth and read this book because unless you’ve swallowed Unicorn Vomit, you’re not going to live forever. (And you’ll have to read the anthology to get that one).”

– Dave, Journal of a New Guy

Tags: After Hours