LitPick Review
This book is an anthology of science fiction and fantasy short stories. The stories are by different authors, have different characters and settings, and are written in very different styles. However, the one recurring idea is the Ur-Bar, a bar that travels through space and time. Its bartender is the legendary Gilgamesh, who cannot leave the bar. The stories mainly deal with the lives of characters from various places and time periods. However, these characters interact with Gilgamesh to varying degrees during their stories. The individual stories are as varied as an emperor meeting with a god to a time traveling scientist examining past human life. Gilgamesh and the bar tie the anthologys stories together.
Opinion:
I greatly enjoyed this novel. There were no stories in this collection which I did not find interesting and unique. I have always liked science fiction and fantasy, and I find short stories fascinating. However, this collection of short stories stood out because of the bar and the character Gilgamesh repeatedly appearing in the stories. This may appeal to readers who like longer novels as well as those who like short stories. This book is best for readers who enjoy science fiction, fantasy, and adventure.