What do you think?
Rate this book
What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern: Epic Fantasy Quest Erotica
Since Tolkien’s time, many authors have taken readers along on elaborate treks through fantastic worlds. In What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern, we asked writers to tackle the pauses and interstices in a fantasy quest. What kinds of steamy adventures happen behind the scenes, when our heroes and heroines are trekking along their journey?
The word “fantasy” evokes many different responses in people, but the epic fantasy quest is the heart of the genre. Heroes and heroines set off to defeat evil. Haven’t you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes, during the downtime the authors gloss over? “What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern” gives us the peek behind the curtains we’ve all been waiting for.
In “Encounter at the Lonely Dragon,” Elinor Gray stays true to the title of the anthology, telling the tale of a would-be quester who has an unexpected run-in with a former lover in the secluded loft of a tavern’s stable. “Orin’s Strand” by Vivien Jackson weaves a story of a seer in love who can’t resist the temptation to use her powers―and her body―to bind her lover to her. Kierstin Cherry’s “Paget and the Princess” follows Paget, a Knight of the Guard, sworn to protect her princess―and her princess’s chastity―who nonetheless can’t resist the princess’s warm bosom and soft lips.
In “The Place Where Heroes Are Made” by Sarah Ellis, we find ourselves in another tavern, this one run by a family that beds those heroes marked by the gods as doomed so that they don’t go childless into unknown lands. “Crystalline Sorcery” by Julie Cox explores the sexual identity of Heid, a female warrior who longs to be able to penetrate as a man, and her elven companion, a priestess who insists that the divide between male and female is not so inflexible as Heid thinks. Finally, “Flings and Arrows” by Andrea Trask lets us in on the journey of Alleria, a woman who is the key to fulfilling a prophecy―but when a mysterious man kidnaps her and reaches between her legs to confirm that she’s a virgin, all may be lost.
In her latest anthology, editor Jennifer Levine invites you to escape into a world of fantasy, one where you get magic, warriors, fantasy worlds, and sex.
The word “fantasy” evokes many different responses in people, but the epic fantasy quest is the heart of the genre. Heroes and heroines set off to defeat evil. Haven’t you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes, during the downtime the authors gloss over? “What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern” gives us the peek behind the curtains we’ve all been waiting for.
In “Encounter at the Lonely Dragon,” Elinor Gray stays true to the title of the anthology, telling the tale of a would-be quester who has an unexpected run-in with a former lover in the secluded loft of a tavern’s stable. “Orin’s Strand” by Vivien Jackson weaves a story of a seer in love who can’t resist the temptation to use her powers―and her body―to bind her lover to her. Kierstin Cherry’s “Paget and the Princess” follows Paget, a Knight of the Guard, sworn to protect her princess―and her princess’s chastity―who nonetheless can’t resist the princess’s warm bosom and soft lips.
In “The Place Where Heroes Are Made” by Sarah Ellis, we find ourselves in another tavern, this one run by a family that beds those heroes marked by the gods as doomed so that they don’t go childless into unknown lands. “Crystalline Sorcery” by Julie Cox explores the sexual identity of Heid, a female warrior who longs to be able to penetrate as a man, and her elven companion, a priestess who insists that the divide between male and female is not so inflexible as Heid thinks. Finally, “Flings and Arrows” by Andrea Trask lets us in on the journey of Alleria, a woman who is the key to fulfilling a prophecy―but when a mysterious man kidnaps her and reaches between her legs to confirm that she’s a virgin, all may be lost.
In her latest anthology, editor Jennifer Levine invites you to escape into a world of fantasy, one where you get magic, warriors, fantasy worlds, and sex.
135 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2012
2 people are currently reading
24 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 14, 2014
Epic Fantasy Quest Erotica.
That right there is what grabbed my attention and made me purchase this anthology. Very rarely do I ever come across erotica set in the high fantasy setting that we all know and love from endless hours of RPGing. (though any and all erotic situations in those games were embarrassingly funny at the best of times)
Levine has collected some steamy and masterfully written stories for this collection and I want to say a bit about each story in this anthology.
Encounter at the Lonely Dragon by Elinor Gray - I was a bit surprised to find out this story was M/M, which is not my thing, yet this story was really well done and I found it quite enjoyable. I found the conflict between the two characters to be both realistic and frustrating. Gavin's feelings towards Ren were beautifully conflicted and it was interesting to see the history and batch of misinterpretations that lead to their those Gavin's opinion. All in all, a really enjoyable story.
Orin’s Strand by Vivien Jackson - Jackson has penned a touching story that pulls on one's heartstrings and leaves the reader feeling bittersweet with this story of love and fate. I was thinking about this story for a week after I read it, and it still sticks with me even now. Combining the right amount of eroticism with a unique touch of fantasy, Jackson's story is one of the best in this anthology and one I will read again.
Paget and the Princess by Kierstin Cherry - This was an interesting story, though it didn't stick out in my mind. The underlying plot was an interesting one, and the erotic scenes were handled really, really well. However, I think it was a collection of small elements that made this story fall short for me. Two of these elements were the "Ff" that leads her fae race's name and all things from it. I found it to be gimmicky and as if Cherry were trying too hard to make the race 'different' from 'ordinary' fae. The other element was the final sex scene involving the transformation of the knight's physical form. I understand the reason for it, but after the touching scenes earlier, the final sex scene comes across as almost barbaric and violent. Now, this is my personal take on it, but to me, the final scene came across as tacked on and unneeded. However, Cherry's story is still a wonderful read and I enjoyed it up to the final erotic scene.
The Place Where Heroes Are Made by Sarah Ellis - Unlike the other stories in this anthology, this one tells the story of an older, more experienced woman and a young adventurer. The set up is unique and the premise interesting. Ellis captures the feel of the woman's experience and counterpoints it wonderfully with the inexperience of the archer. I found the erotic scene to be handled well and the overall storyline to be both interesting and fascinating. It would be interesting to see more from this world.
Crystalline Sorcery by Julie Cox - Cox captures human/elf lesbian sex with a deft hand and a beautiful set of words. The use of the crystal was unique and added a large element of heat to the story. The interplay/juxtaposition of human and elf is a wonderful one that Cox manages to keeps distinct throughout the story, and plays off of each of their characteristics which only adds to the eroticism of the story. The F/F aspect works perfectly for this story, and in no other combination would it have been as good as it is here. Very well written and highly erotic.
Flings and Arrows by Andrea Trask - When it comes to sheer eroticism in this anthology, Trask nails it dead on. With a slow, teasing build up, she manages to make the reader practically beg for her characters to finally get down to the sex scene. Trask builds on a virgin's inexperience and desire to have more and sets up a number of scenes that leaves the reader wanting to read more so that they can finally find their own release with the characters. And then, when the ending finally does come about... Damn. That's all I can say without ruining it. Damn. Just...damn.
If you are like me and grew up on D&D, and have an interest in the erotic, I can't recommend this anthology enough to you. Every story in this collection is written well, and the scenes are as steamy as you can get. There is something in this for everyone. A well put together anthology with a wonderful collection of stories. Money well spent.
That right there is what grabbed my attention and made me purchase this anthology. Very rarely do I ever come across erotica set in the high fantasy setting that we all know and love from endless hours of RPGing. (though any and all erotic situations in those games were embarrassingly funny at the best of times)
Levine has collected some steamy and masterfully written stories for this collection and I want to say a bit about each story in this anthology.
Encounter at the Lonely Dragon by Elinor Gray - I was a bit surprised to find out this story was M/M, which is not my thing, yet this story was really well done and I found it quite enjoyable. I found the conflict between the two characters to be both realistic and frustrating. Gavin's feelings towards Ren were beautifully conflicted and it was interesting to see the history and batch of misinterpretations that lead to their those Gavin's opinion. All in all, a really enjoyable story.
Orin’s Strand by Vivien Jackson - Jackson has penned a touching story that pulls on one's heartstrings and leaves the reader feeling bittersweet with this story of love and fate. I was thinking about this story for a week after I read it, and it still sticks with me even now. Combining the right amount of eroticism with a unique touch of fantasy, Jackson's story is one of the best in this anthology and one I will read again.
Paget and the Princess by Kierstin Cherry - This was an interesting story, though it didn't stick out in my mind. The underlying plot was an interesting one, and the erotic scenes were handled really, really well. However, I think it was a collection of small elements that made this story fall short for me. Two of these elements were the "Ff" that leads her fae race's name and all things from it. I found it to be gimmicky and as if Cherry were trying too hard to make the race 'different' from 'ordinary' fae. The other element was the final sex scene involving the transformation of the knight's physical form. I understand the reason for it, but after the touching scenes earlier, the final sex scene comes across as almost barbaric and violent. Now, this is my personal take on it, but to me, the final scene came across as tacked on and unneeded. However, Cherry's story is still a wonderful read and I enjoyed it up to the final erotic scene.
The Place Where Heroes Are Made by Sarah Ellis - Unlike the other stories in this anthology, this one tells the story of an older, more experienced woman and a young adventurer. The set up is unique and the premise interesting. Ellis captures the feel of the woman's experience and counterpoints it wonderfully with the inexperience of the archer. I found the erotic scene to be handled well and the overall storyline to be both interesting and fascinating. It would be interesting to see more from this world.
Crystalline Sorcery by Julie Cox - Cox captures human/elf lesbian sex with a deft hand and a beautiful set of words. The use of the crystal was unique and added a large element of heat to the story. The interplay/juxtaposition of human and elf is a wonderful one that Cox manages to keeps distinct throughout the story, and plays off of each of their characteristics which only adds to the eroticism of the story. The F/F aspect works perfectly for this story, and in no other combination would it have been as good as it is here. Very well written and highly erotic.
Flings and Arrows by Andrea Trask - When it comes to sheer eroticism in this anthology, Trask nails it dead on. With a slow, teasing build up, she manages to make the reader practically beg for her characters to finally get down to the sex scene. Trask builds on a virgin's inexperience and desire to have more and sets up a number of scenes that leaves the reader wanting to read more so that they can finally find their own release with the characters. And then, when the ending finally does come about... Damn. That's all I can say without ruining it. Damn. Just...damn.
If you are like me and grew up on D&D, and have an interest in the erotic, I can't recommend this anthology enough to you. Every story in this collection is written well, and the scenes are as steamy as you can get. There is something in this for everyone. A well put together anthology with a wonderful collection of stories. Money well spent.
January 9, 2020
A collection of stories in a variety of flavors, and I very much enjoyed it. My particular favorites among a strong lineup are “Encounter at the Lonely Dragon” (by Elinore Gray) and “The Place Where Heroes Are Made” (by Sarah Ellis).
March 25, 2020
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book Rated 3.25 of 5
Erotica. Epic fantasy (ala Robert E. Howard, or Lin Carter, or J.R.R. Tolkein). Encounters in a tavern. What's not to like?
I've only read a little bit of erotica and most of it has not been very memorable. This caught my eye because of the fantasy element. I've been a fan of this kind of fantasy (we used to refer to it as Sword & Sorcery) since I was in high school, though I haven't read much in the genre recently.
The focus here is really on the erotica and the tavern/fantasy element is really just a gimmick to write some sex stories. ... But that's okay, because it works.
It's a thin book at just over 125 pages, and there are only six short stories included here, but if you enjoy erotica, or are even curious about it, and you also enjoy fantasy books, then consider giving this a try.
This book contains the following:
Introduction
"Encounter at the Lonely Dragon" by Elinor Gray : This is a male/male erotic story, which is a very interesting way to start an anthology, because that's definitely not of interest to me. The writing is good, but the subject just didn't work for my tastes.
"Orin's Strand" by Vivien Jackson : Possibly my favorite story in the collection. A 'seer' knows how to use her body, combined with her powers, to attract and hold a lover.
"Paget and the Princess" by Kierstin Cherry : This felt a bit obvious. A knight is sworn to protect the virtue of a princess, but can't resist her himself. The attempt to make this unique by creating more of a fantasy background for the characters doesn't really help.
"The Place Where Heroes Are Made" by Sarah Ellis : This was interesting and clever. A family-run tavern with a long history of serving and servicing the wandering warriors with every possible sexual delight so that the doomed warriors won't leave the earth childless.
"Crystalline Sorcery" by Julie Cox : A female warrior has experienced battle as a man would, and now wants to experience sex as a man would. This story features female/female sex as well as human/elf sex (is that a taboo?). Actually a pretty clever story and well done (I'm a guy, and the lesbian angle didn't bother me the way the male gay sex story did).
"Flings and Arrows" by Andrea Trask : We follow Alleria, a woman who just might be able to fulfill a noted prophecy. But to do so, she must be a virgin. Is she? Can she stay that way? This story builds up sexual tension.
While I still think erotica is basically just porn with a fancier name so that people don't feel weird about reading it. But this collection shows that even erotica/porn can be moderately well written (even if the ultimate goal of the story is to have a big sex scene, described in detail.
Looking for a good book? If you want to test to try reading erotica, and you like the heroic fantasy settings in your fiction, then you should check out What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern, edited by Jennifer Levine.
Erotica. Epic fantasy (ala Robert E. Howard, or Lin Carter, or J.R.R. Tolkein). Encounters in a tavern. What's not to like?
I've only read a little bit of erotica and most of it has not been very memorable. This caught my eye because of the fantasy element. I've been a fan of this kind of fantasy (we used to refer to it as Sword & Sorcery) since I was in high school, though I haven't read much in the genre recently.
The focus here is really on the erotica and the tavern/fantasy element is really just a gimmick to write some sex stories. ... But that's okay, because it works.
It's a thin book at just over 125 pages, and there are only six short stories included here, but if you enjoy erotica, or are even curious about it, and you also enjoy fantasy books, then consider giving this a try.
This book contains the following:
Introduction
"Encounter at the Lonely Dragon" by Elinor Gray : This is a male/male erotic story, which is a very interesting way to start an anthology, because that's definitely not of interest to me. The writing is good, but the subject just didn't work for my tastes.
"Orin's Strand" by Vivien Jackson : Possibly my favorite story in the collection. A 'seer' knows how to use her body, combined with her powers, to attract and hold a lover.
"Paget and the Princess" by Kierstin Cherry : This felt a bit obvious. A knight is sworn to protect the virtue of a princess, but can't resist her himself. The attempt to make this unique by creating more of a fantasy background for the characters doesn't really help.
"The Place Where Heroes Are Made" by Sarah Ellis : This was interesting and clever. A family-run tavern with a long history of serving and servicing the wandering warriors with every possible sexual delight so that the doomed warriors won't leave the earth childless.
"Crystalline Sorcery" by Julie Cox : A female warrior has experienced battle as a man would, and now wants to experience sex as a man would. This story features female/female sex as well as human/elf sex (is that a taboo?). Actually a pretty clever story and well done (I'm a guy, and the lesbian angle didn't bother me the way the male gay sex story did).
"Flings and Arrows" by Andrea Trask : We follow Alleria, a woman who just might be able to fulfill a noted prophecy. But to do so, she must be a virgin. Is she? Can she stay that way? This story builds up sexual tension.
While I still think erotica is basically just porn with a fancier name so that people don't feel weird about reading it. But this collection shows that even erotica/porn can be moderately well written (even if the ultimate goal of the story is to have a big sex scene, described in detail.
Looking for a good book? If you want to test to try reading erotica, and you like the heroic fantasy settings in your fiction, then you should check out What Happens at the Tavern Stays at the Tavern, edited by Jennifer Levine.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews