SciFi Bars

[Laz]

Back in the day, we had Spider Robinson and Harry Harrrison and others who based stories on a local saloon that catered to space-faring and time-traveling critters.

Is anyone writing that now?

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

I can’t think of any recent such series. Scenes in novels set in a bar yes, but nothing like Callahan's Crosstime Saloon by Spider Robinson or The Draco Tavern by Larry Niven.

What’s the name of the one by Harry Harrison? All my memory is dredging up by him are The Stainless Steel Rat and the Deathworld Trilogy. I haven’t reread those in decades but they aren’t set in a bar.

There are recent fantasy stories involving places like the convenience store at a 24 hour gas station or an all night hamburger stand. At least the ones I remember are fantasy.

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

It occurs to me that both the Callahan’s and Draco stories got their start as short stories in SF magazines. The Callahan’s series eventually included actual novels instead of barely related short stories. But I don’t read SF magazines any more.

[Laz]

My error, Stainless Steel Rat was a serial adventure, not centered on a bar. I just picked up Niven's Draco series.

Yeah the Callahan stories got longer, and then derailed IMO.

Still seems like a useful vehicle for a series...

[Teresa, Plan B is in Effect]

Spider Robinson had a related series set in a brothel too. Vague memory…. Lady Sally?

Callahan's Lady and Lady Slings the Booze. Not sure if there’s a third one.

[Brandon]

Star Trek had the Captain's Table series (six novels and an anthology of short stories).

[Laz]

Teresa wrote: "Spider Robinson had a related series set in a brothel too. Vague memory…. Lady Sally?

Callahan's Lady and Lady Slings the Booze. Not sure if there’s a third one."

Those were good. Spider had a good opinion of women, as I recall.