The Inn/Tavern in Fantasy lit...

[DeepThought]

Volume eight of Neil Gaiman's Sandman; Worlds' End. The whole graphic novel centers around this Inn (same as the title - Worlds' End) "at the end of the world". The temporary yet myriad of inhabitants (which includes characters from across myths and legends) pass out the time and in doing so, seek shelter from a storm by swapping tales...If your an Inn/Tavern enthusiast in fantasy you should definitely check out this title; I'm no artist/graphics person, but have to say the artwork is breath taking (once in a while I like to see what a great artists imagination could conjure up of such a place with the backing of brilliant novelist). no to mentioned the tales themselves...tales within tales within tales...

Cheers, DeepThought

 

[chrispenycate]

The Flying Swan is an actual pub in the Ealing road in Brentford it is called the Bricklayers Arms which has now closed.

There is also the Inn in the Thieves World antholiges where One Thumb was the barman.

Is that the "Vulgar Unicorn"? Always thought it beat all those "King's head"s and things.
Unless, of course, the pub sign matched the name…

Yes, I too would join Nesa in Callahans place, propose a toast (to the Chronics, may they never fade away) and fling my empty glass into the fireplace.

 

[Fried Egg]

I must admit that I do like to read about a good inn/tavern. But maybe that's partly because I do like to frequent a good inn/tavern in real life when I get the chance. Living in the middle of rural Devon, I happen to be lucky enough to have a few star pubs that could have stepped right out of a story book (if you ignore the parked cars outside and the modern atire). Cracking roaring log fires, foaming pints of real ale, friendly jovial landlords and traditional British home cooked food (pies, suet puddings and roast meats, etc.). Here are a few:

- "Tom Cobley Inn" - Spreyton

- "Old Thatch Inn" - Cheriton Bishop

- "The Beer Engine" - Newton St Cyres

- "The Anchor Inn" - Cockwood

As for Inns/Taverns in books, I've read about too many to mention. A recent reading where the inns stuck in my mind was in the Lyonesse - Jack Vance.

 

[Clansman]

Is that the "Vulgar Unicorn"? Always thought it beat all those "King's head"s and things.
Unless, of course, the pub sign matched the name…

Yes, that is definitely One-Thumb's pub. I believe that the sign matched the name.

Any stories with bards and traveling minstrels always has lots of use of Inns. WoT has this, especially in The Eye of the World, but also later. Given Janny Wurts using bards so much in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and Dakar the Mad Prophet's penchant for beer and lusty women, inns and taverns are featured in virtually every novel with regularity in that series.

Would I dare to say that a good inn is as essential to fantasy as is some magic and tremendous imagination? Probably, but I won't. That's "inn" another thread. Sorry for the pun, but it was just sitting there...

 

[zedlav]

I am going to go against the grain here and say that I am not overly fond of the portrayal of inns, taverns and suchlike in fantasy fiction. It's not that I dislike them intensely, but somehow, they rarely feel right, instead giving off a vibe like the stereotypical English country pub, the rough and tough Marseilles port dive or the 1930s place the gumshoe sips his rye whiskey in.

Some fantasy writers come up with quite amazing worlds, but the inns and taverns are always nearly the same, no matter the the rest of the world. Of course, there's only so much that can be done with an essentially utilitarian establishment and, they don't really play that much of a role in the big picture, but I still think that more flavourful places would be only better.

Pratchett parodies that excellently with his Mended Drum in the Discworld novels, by the way.

 

[Urlik]

Eric Van Lustbader does a good job with his drinking establishments without being completely stereotypical.

but then each one has to fit into the city where it is located and none of the cities (that I've read about) would suit olde, worlde, thatched, English pubbes

 

[D_Davis]

The Inn of the Last Home always sounded cosy to me. It's built in a living tree. It is in the Dragonlance Chronicles Vol. 1.

This is one of my favorite fictional places.

 

[Who's Wee Dug]

Is that the "Vulgar Unicorn"? Always thought it beat all those "King's head"s and things.
Unless, of course, the pub sign matched the name…

Yes, I too would join Nesa in Callahans place, propose a toast (to the Chronics, may they never fade away) and fling my empty glass into the fireplace.

Yes that the one momentarly forgot the name.

 

[Pyan]

Is that the "Vulgar Unicorn"? Always thought it beat all those "King's head"s and things.
Unless, of course, the pub sign matched the name…

Like the "Trolls Head" in Sourcery, by TP:

By the way, the thing on the pole isn't a sign. When they decided to call the place the Troll's Head, they didn't mess about.

 

[chopper]

I must admit that I do like to read about a good inn/tavern. But maybe that's partly because I do like to frequent a good inn/tavern in real life when I get the chance. Living in the middle of rural Devon, I happen to be lucky enough to have a few star pubs that could have stepped right out of a story book (if you ignore the parked cars outside and the modern atire). Cracking roaring log fires, foaming pints of real ale, friendly jovial landlords and traditional British home cooked food (pies, suet puddings and roast meats, etc.). Here are a few:

and more:

its not exactly local to me, but its that old that the National Trust have it listed - The Fleece, in Bretforton, outside Evesham.

 

[Urlik]

this is a pub near me

the Hare and Hounds

 

[rol7805]

I've always loved the cliche image of the tavern or inn in a medieval fantasy setting story. Something about it is so familiar, cozy, and yet intriguing, full of mystery. It of course factors into all the RPG adventures I've played over the years, so I think it's also something of nostalgia as well. I wonder what it is that's so alluring about it?

 

[McMurphy]

Volume eight of Neil Gaiman's Sandman; Worlds' End. The whole graphic novel centers around this Inn (same as the title - Worlds' End) "at the end of the world". The temporary yet myriad of inhabitants (which includes characters from across myths and legends) pass out the time and in doing so, seek shelter from a storm by swapping tales...If your an Inn/Tavern enthusiast in fantasy you should definitely check out this title; I'm no artist/graphics person, but have to say the artwork is breath taking (once in a while I like to see what a great artists imagination could conjure up of such a place with the backing of brilliant novelist). no to mentioned the tales themselves...tales within tales within tales...

Cheers, DeepThought

Let me toss in a couple more examples of tavern use in Gaiman's work: "Closing Time" and "The Monarch of the Glen." Both short stories can be found in the author's collection entitled Fragile Things.

"Closing Time", a ghost story of sorts, adds to the sense of unpredictable and unruly adventures of a tavern by making the Diogenes an illegal 'bar' located on an upper floor, one bedroom flat.

"The Monarch of the Glen", another side story for American Gods (the other being Anansi Boys), gets the twisted tale rolling via a musky Irish pub. Now that I think about it, some essential plot points derive from taverns in American Gods, also.

I know that some critics would venture that taverns in fantasy literature may be a bit played out at this point, but I look forward to the inclusions still. JD brought up an excellent example from Leiber. The Star Wars bar scene is iconic, also. A tavern's ability to realistically add an unforeseen plot twist and an introduction of new characters, villain or otherwise, is really boundless.

 

[dustinzgirl]

When I was little, there was this biker bar called Sam McGee's that my dad bounced at. It wasn't a rough and tumble place, and it didn't have a lot of neon lights. Before they opened Sunday, everyone would get together and bring in their family/kids and have breakfast. I always got to sit at the bar and drink milk out of a beer mug. I thought I was the coolest kid in the whole world. I'd shoot pool with my dad holding me up to reach the table. Thats what I think about when I read about inns in fantasy novels, a good place to get together.

Good times, good times.

 

[Rosemary]

A great many plots have been hatched in various taverns; the spy sitting in the dim light in the far corner watching to see who comes in; the varied drinks which are served, most seemingly watered down and tasting like something best left undescribed! The taverns can be found at the crossroads or down a dark and dirty alley. They are described as 'well kept' or 'almost ready to collapse'! Oh and I love reading about the patrons who frequent these establishments, if one can call them that! Local towns people, merchants, assassins, whores, warriors and sometimes even a look in by the local constabulary!
I enjoy reading about what goes on in these places and quite often that is where we find one of the main characters in the story.

 

[Switchback]

Recently began reading about a new haunt. The Quiller's Mint, from Tad Williams' Shadowmarch. Sounds like a fine place to hoist a few....

 

[AvoidingReality]

Yeah, I also really like reading about taverns in novels; they just have a lot of lovely imagery and it's really easy to immerse yourself in them. They're one of the few cliches I welcome.