jmterm

Caligula’s Kitchen

“Well, miracles do happen, Grunion,” mused Logos. “If you’re clever enough to make them happen.”

Logos, Greek freedman , master chef to the Emperor Caligula, and chief conniver of the empire

Imagine if the BBC series Blackadder had conjugal relations with the musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum! That’s the Caligula’s Kitchen four-part “trilogy.”

Rome in the 1st Century, A.D. stood astride the narrow world like a Colossus. Unfortunately, the guy in charge was nuttier than a warehouse of fruitcakes. And it’s up to head chef Logos to get between Caligula and disaster. In a world where sanity has taken an extended holiday, find out if Logos can get through a single day without putting out a fire. It might mean helping Caligula bring a ham back from the dead, keeping the divinely daffy Lady Labia from execution for heresy, negotiating the surrender of King Neptune after a very soggy war, or preventing the Roman mob from tearing everyone from limb to limb.

There are vestals who aren’t virgins; a bare-breasted war goddess; a decimation-happy general; a steam-powered, rampaging automaton; dancing gladiators; and a rogue’s gallery of scheming senators. There’s also a politically astute horse. Is Logos the only sane man in Rome?

Review:

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/james-terminiello/caligulas-kitchen

Published by jmterm

James Terminiello has authored six books, contributed to a compilation of film reviews, and has a seventh book, Not Yet Your Time, due in September 2025. He has written more than 200 columns (in publications that include the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Record) and 40+ blogs. Writing under the banner "Reason - Able", he punctures the absurdities he finds running throughout contemporary society. Active on X, he has twitterized his opinions more than 6,000 times. His books include the four volume "trilogy" following the fictional life of Logos, the master chef of the mad Emperor Caligula. It covers nearly 40 years of delightfully wicked mock history in a very colorful period of Roman history. Think Blackadder meets A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The "Trilogy" Caligula’s Kitchen Caligula’s Kitchen: The Oracle and The Saytress Caligula’s Kitchen: Roman Embers Caligula’s Kitchen: Dance of the Emperors (I could not resist a 4th book) The Conscience of the C.O.D. - A social satire taking place on a cruise ship chosen to house 4,000 refugees from 40 countries. Naturally it gets hijacked and our hero, Trip Torrent, tries to keep things from blowing apart while employing his skills at deception to audition for his ultimate dream job - presidential spokesman. Junkyard - A young man, Macklyn Farrago encounters the elderly Mr. Abbas in a junkyard. The old man has built the most extraordinary car - a composite of all cars from around the world. It is meant to be a symbol for mankind. Trouble is, it does not work. Seeking to get Abbas some publicity Farrago accidently triggers a semi-religious, semi-millenial, semi-revolutionary craze thanks to the machinations of the grasping media billionaire Sebastian El Dorado and his mysterious assistant Mr.Ott. Seen That, Now What? (Chief Contributor) A collection of brief movie reviews broken down by genre designed to point the reader to films that have similar appeals. Not Yet Your Time: This work in progress follows a man who romantically pursues a woman who is a member of "The Apologizers", a group trying to lure a departed God back to his people. His pursuit lands him reluctantly in the middle of a terrorist kidnapping. He encounters the mysterious Kanenas who has apparently founded this group but seems very reluctant to admit to it or lead his followers. Retired after a 40+ year career in marketing, communications, public relations, and advertising, he served more than 25 years as the senior writer for the New York accounting and consulting firm Berdon LLP (Now merged into Citrin Cooperman). Jim served seven years with the U.S. division of the British fashion retailer Laura Ashley, worked for two public relations firms, and was a reporter for North Jersey Newspapers. Terminiello is married to Tara and has two children, His son Alexander suffers from autism and this has made Terminiello a lifelong advocate of anything that will eradicate this affliction. Jim is a supporter of parents who suffer the irrationalities, cruelties, and pains of child estrangement. He resides in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

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