“A Random Tavern is a deep narrative and somewhat bizarre short story.”

Review by Rayleigh Setser

Into a random tavern in a sea-side town wanders a forlorn stranger, weary and worn and wanting of a witness to his tale of woe. Terrible are his recollections and impossible are his adventures through horrifying dimensions of time, space, and previously unknown dimensions of ancient and unimaginable elder gods and demons. Join Randolph as he recounts his unnerving journey of strange stars and the sinister celestial spirits that dog his steps and hunger for his very humanity.

A Random Tavern is a deep narrative and somewhat bizarre short story.

Written with eloquence and from the perspective of the tavern owner (Theo), this story aims to transport you from your mundane life into a random tavern by the seaside. I adore short stories for their ability to pack so much into so few pages and leave you considering deeper meanings long after you've read the last page. A Random Tavern does just that.

We sympathize with Theo by surmising that Randolph might be crazy, but the story reflects the human desire to believe in the supernatural and unthinkable as we ponder if he's really endured such a fantastical tale. We're left wanting to believe his stories, but unsure if we can.

I think this is the type of short story that a book club would enjoy dissecting, as there are countless lines, phrases, and incredible illustrations that deserve a spotlighted discussion.

Overall, I really enjoyed this short story and recommend it to anyone who also has a soft spot for brief, yet complex, short stories.

Content Ratings:

5. Action present (frequent and mildly detailed battle sequences and/or fights).

0. None.

3. Infrequent and mild cursing (less than 10  “h*lls”, “*ss”, “sh*ts”, and “d*mns”).

Other Trigger/Content Notices:

A few spooks and mentions of monsters and mildly descriptive gore. No sexual content or romance at all. A couple of very mild curse words.

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