Tales from the Magitech Lounge

by Saje Williams

Where can a perpetual outsider find a home when he doesnt belong anywhere? Welcome to the Magitech Lounge. Theres no place like it on Earth. Or anywhere in the Confederacy of Human Worlds, for that matter. Its a place where the terminally weird gather to find companionship, friendship, and redemption. Here, magic meets high technology and humanity looks at itself in the mirror of infinite possibilities. Located on a side-street not far from the legendary Haight Street in San Francisco, the Magitech Lounge is a place of wonder for normals and preternaturals alike. Jacks an ordinary enough fellow, a former time-traveler with a unique perspective on life. He didnt set out to make his lounge a place of refuge for the paranormal, but thats what its become. A place where rogue immortals might wander in and the person in the mirror might not be just a reflection. Welcome to the Magitech Lounge, where being a freak isnt only accepted, but expected. Tales from the Magitech Lounge, the newest novel from the keyboard of futuristic urban fantasy author Saje Williams, is the first book in his new Empire series. Warning, this title contains the Adult language and violence.

Genres: Fantasy

276 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

About the author

Saje considers himself a Northwest native, despite having lived his early years in places as far flung as Hawaii and California. Some of his earliest memories involve hippies and concerts on the Stanford campus, but swears this hasn't influenced him all that much.

He was raised on SF and Fantasy, though he pretty much read anything he could lift off the shelf. If he looks familiar and you think "hey, maybe I went to school with him," you very well might be right. He went to 9 different junior highs in 3 states and 7 different high schools in 2 states.

He has two teenage children who live elsewhere, a spouse who lives with him, and entirely too many fur-bearing critters underfoot.

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Run by a former time traveller, the Magitech Lounge is a bar in 23rd century San Francisco which attracts an eclectic, in many cases supernatural clientele. Told from various POVs, this collection of sometimes more, sometimes less connected tales introduces a bunch of the Lounge's more unusual patrons and their stories.
I enjoyed the Act I stories the most. By Act II, the book had lost me a little. If I just don't care one way or the other when a character dies, something usually went wrong somewhere in getting me engaged with the plot and characters.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the future (not too far and not too near) in San Francisco there is a bar/sanctuary where the freaks, monsters, gods, ogres, and a variety of others can relax and take a load off. The owner, Jack, is a "normal" human...apart from his time traveling. I found Jack to be quite likable and well written. Nicely flushed out character.

Each chapter highlights a different patron of the Magitech Lounge. The story flows well from chapter to chapter. Lots of great characters featured and I couldn't wait to know more about them.

I loved this book so much I purchased the rest of the author's books. Eagerly awaiting his newest novel.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

Someone please give Saje Williams a dictionary. I'm only on p. 60 and already we've had "precluded" where he means "preceded" and "mechanizations" where he means "machinations". Badly needs an editor.

[M. Pax · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great and imaginative read. Different and creative.