Bar None

Six months after a plague wipes out most of the world's population, several survivors follow the advice of a mysterious stranger and leave their mansion hideout to seek Bar None, the last bar on Earth, in this brief but enjoyable horror-fantasy tale. The travelers face a hard journey, dodging strange creatures and hostile survivors in an ever-changing natural environment unfettered by humankind. Lebbon (Dawn ) indulges in almost laughable, flowery descriptions of numerous beers and ales (“Marston's Double Drop, a golden ale with a fruity malt aroma, a bright and yeasty taste with a bitter, caramel finish, cool going down and calm as it dulled my senses”) that take up more than their share of space, but this is nevertheless a fun, engaging, exceptionally strange and refreshingly original tale for fans of postapocalyptic fiction. (Sept.)