Tad Williams’ latest novel, The Dirty Streets of Heaven, is set in a fictionalized version of the Bay Area, specifically the area between San Francisco and San Jose.
A few Tad Williams fans (Cyan, Ylvs, Jeremy, and Firs) gathered in early April 2013 to visit the sites Tad wrote about in his new book.
5 Page Mill Square is a fictionalized version of 5 Palo Alto Square (at Page Mill Road). While the 44+ story building doesn’t actually exist, a 10-story building is there.
The lobby at 5 Palo Alto Square/Page Mill Square
The Compasses at the Alhambra, where Bobby and his co-workers hang out.
The bar.
The Compasses from the rear. Note the gated parking lot, similar to the description in the text.
The Oasis, blueprint for The Waterhole, another of Bobby’s hangouts.
Bit late for that sign…
The Hall of Justice, where Bobby defends clients.
It’s easy to imagine Shoreline Amphitheater as it’s depicted in the book: an abandoned Shoreline Amusement Park.
Closed at this time.
Could this lake be the inspiration for the swimming hole?
University Avenue, near Stanford.
More soon…
Cyan and Ylvs being attacked by the ghallu. They barely escaped with their lives!
The amusement park was on an artificial island (totally fictional) offshore, somewhere in the area of Shoreline Park. I’m pretty sure what would be right where the amphitheater is, is the convention center at which the two sides meet to discuss their problem with missing clients.
Also, it’s University Avenue, not Drive.
Great pics! You should add that the “Oasis” is the blueprint for “the Waterhole” in the book – and that the name is an intended game of words. (Tad said so when we looked at the map, remember?)
I think it was “the Watering Hole”? But yes, he definitely specified that the Oasis in Menlo Park ( http://theoasisbeergarden.com/ ), north of the Stanford campus, was the basis for the student bar where we meet Caz.
I LOVE this, guys. I’m saving it, Tweet-wise, until the paperback for #DSOH happens in June. Then I’ll be linking… Love, love to you all! D