Book title?

[magid]

I can't remember the title nor the author.

Genre: speculative fiction, an alternate explanation of history with some mythic elements
Setting: ranged over parts of middle Europe, including Germany and Italy,
Plot: included an inn in Germany or Poland (or thereabouts; the boundaries changed through the long historic sweep of plot) which had been around for centuries and had a vat of bock aging in the basement for about that long. There were spring and fall beers, and a once every (50? 100?) years type that had mystical properties of some sort or another. I think there was a city siege (that generation's Good v Evil battle)(an attack by the Turks?), at least one hero, at least one scholar, and possibly a midget (though I'm much less sure of that).

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Edit: It's The Drawing of the Dark (Tim Powers). Many thanks to infinitehotel.

Comments

[bitty.livejournal.com]

um, um, i think the community is bookquestions or somesuch, that hfnuala started, in case no one on your flist knows.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the pointer.

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

"The Drawing of the Dark" by Tim Powers.

Not one of his better-remembered books, but it is back in print and a lot of fun.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Yay! That's it! Thank you!

BGP* for you :-)

*Baked Good Point

[infinitehotel.livejournal.com]

Woot! :)

[ruthling.livejournal.com]

Darn, too late. Great book! I heart Tim Powers and I heart beer, what could be better!

[magid.livejournal.com]

Drinking beer while reading?

[coorr.livejournal.com]

Thanks! This book sounds quite cool, now I will have to try to find a copy.

[magid.livejournal.com]

The copy I read was from the Cambridge public library. Likely your library has a copy too.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Dang, too late!

I read it at Julia's house -- she is a big Tim Power's fan. I also read the Anubis Gates, I think? Maybe another. I recall liking whatever I read first but finding the others so similar in so many ways that it wasn't worth it.

They're fun, just not, y'know, great.

[magid.livejournal.com]

I think he was an Arisia GoH one year, so I read a bunch of his stuff all at once, which was a bit much. Agreed that they tend to be more fun than great reads. Still, fun is good too.