Official Review: Caligula's Kitchen - Roman Embers

[Nikolas Farmakis]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Caligula's Kitchen - Roman Embers" by James Terminiello.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Caligula's Kitchen - Roman Embers by James Terminiello is a historical fiction novel about a cook named Logos and his experiences with Roman emperors Caligula, Claudius, and Nero. Through this book, the author aims to highlight the insanity of the Roman emperors during the middle of the 1st century AD. The writer’s tone is simple and informal, while his writing style is direct and conversational.

The author begins the story by introducing Caligula, portraying him as a mad man who thinks he is a god. He often thinks he is Zeus, while other times he appears as Apollo. Claudius is currently the emperor of Rome, but Caligula’s sister, Agrippina, wishes to poison him with mushrooms in order for her son, Nero, to rise to power along with her. However, the emperor’s food taster, a stoic man called Halotis, is an expert and he protects the emperor. Logos, the emperor’s chief cook, is in the middle of the insanity in Rome. Logos is very intelligent, and he tries to find ways to save the emperor’s life and bring sanity back to Rome. Will he succeed? Will the emperors’ insanity and pride be too much for him to handle?

This novel had numerous positive qualities that elevated its status. To begin with, the story was very exciting and engaging, as the author portrayed the characters’ emotions in a vivid manner, employing linguistic techniques, such as dialogue, to create interest in the book. Additionally, the plot was very realistic, as the author was able to depict the protagonists of the story as real and authentic. What I liked most about the text was that the author blended fiction and history in a unique way, allowing the reader to learn some historical facts about the corruption in ancient Rome, but also appreciate the writer’s creativity and imagination.

What I disliked most about this book was that it was not professionally edited, as I found plenty of typographical, grammatical, and syntax errors in the story.

This book will be most enjoyed by readers who like historical fiction novels about ancient Rome and the mad Roman emperors. People who are aware of the historical background of 1st century AD Rome will be able to follow along with the storyline more easily. Readers of all religions, including atheists, may appreciate this book.

All in all, I rate this book with 3 out of 4 stars. I could not give it a lower score because it was realistic, engaging, and historically accurate. However, I could not justify a perfect score due to the editing errors in the text.

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Caligula's Kitchen - Roman Embers
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[djr6090]

What an interesting way to portray ancient Rome. It sounds like a pleasant account of a rather horrible time in history. Nice summary and critique.

[Sakura5]

This sounds like an intriguing and original book, it is a pity it is not professionally edited. Thank you for the insightful review!