Feast of Sorrow

A Novel of Ancient Rome

By: Crystal King

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King's seminal debut features the man who inspired the world's oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.

On a blistering day in the 26th year of Augustus Caesar's reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of 20,000 denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste for fine meals from exotic places and a singular ambition: to serve as culinary adviser to Caesar, an honor that will cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure.

Apicius rightfully believes that Thrasius is the key to his culinary success, and with Thrasius' help he soon becomes known for his lavish parties and fantastic meals. Thrasius finds a family in Apicius' household, his daughter Apicata, his wife Aelia, and her handmaiden, Passia, whom Thrasius quickly falls in love with. But as Apicius draws closer to his ultimate goal, his reckless disregard for any who might get in his way takes a dangerous turn that threatens his young family and places his entire household at the mercy of the most powerful forces in Rome.

©2017 Crystal King (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Fabulous

Simón Vance could read a laundry list and it would be enjoyable but this book was very very well done I love the recipes I love the narration and the story was fabulous if you like anything to do with Roman history read it or listen to it and enjoy Simón’s wonderful wonderful voice

SHOULD NOT be MISSED by ANY History Lover/Foodie

Not what I was expecting, although I really didn’t have any expectations. I raised an eyebrow when I starting hearing recitations of ancient recipes, but eventually I found it really fascinating (Foodie in me).

I had not realized this was a Historical Fiction, as I had selected this novel based upon the posted write-up, which sounded like an interesting story. Of course, while listening I could recognize some of its accuracy, having a very basic and limited historical exposure to life in Roman society (History Lover *shrugs*) Regardless, of why I selected it, I’m throughly glad that it ended up in my Library and I made the decision to Read/Listen!
This novel turned out to be a vivid, interesting, and entertaining journey that I will not soon forget!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS READ/LISTEN!!

To the Author:

Thank You for such an enjoyable journey into the past. The characters were absolutely delightful, the events were amazing, horrifying, heart wrenching, and unimaginable, from slave lives in the pens, to lavish dining, You did a fabulous job of bringing it all to life, and crafting a tale that sucked me in without my ever realizing it. I became so invested that yes, I shed a tear (ok maybe more than one). Your mentioning of “silphium”, and my curiosity as a foodie/cook inspired me to do a little research into “ silphium”, and WOW! I’m tickled I did, what a wonderful mystery..(which is going to bug me forever not knowing the answer to it). And of course, I had to stop and look up, “ Apicius”, which I suppose is another sort of semi-mystery in itself.

I am now hooked, and will be buying Your previous book, while hoping You produce another. Thank you for sharing Your talent and crafting such a vivid and throughly enjoyable tale. Seriously, Netflix, Amazon or some other streaming service could (and absolutely SHOULD) make this into an amazing TV show!!

Really good Tale, one can see the characters in friends

Feel the plights as well as accepted social class status in these Roman Characters. Nobel Blood, Inherited money status, Earned Status, Freed slaves and slaves all have integral parts in this story quilted together around food preparation and the dining experience. I will think about this story when we have friends and family over for a prepared meal. I so enjoyed this tale with its roots in history.

Wonderful read

I was not sure what to expect and was very happy I listened. I love historical novels but this one was very special. Highly recommend

good book, well performed, sorry it ended

I enjoyed every bit of this book. I recommend it. very well performed. Learned some historical facts as well.

Perfectly read by Vance, accurate history!

Simon Vance is even better reading this novel than the Ruso Roman Mysteries! This author was really good! I just wept at the end! I feel I visited the Roman Empire, belonged to this family. It is difficult to find books about Ancient history that are this good, and audible. This is not just about meals, it is about life, it's Up's and downs, it's treasures and loves. I am sad this experience is over. I wish there were more books this excellent! It was prose. I will remember it a long time. Thoroughly recommend! Included are some Roman recipes.

Superb Storytelling

What made the experience of listening to Feast of Sorrow the most enjoyable?

This is a very compelling story situated in the richly painted world of ancient Rome. We are led through this world by a slave who is the right hand man to the world's first gourmand. His inner world is articulated as beautifully as the outer world of ancient kitchens and gardens.

What other book might you compare Feast of Sorrow to and why?

Maybe I Claudius by Robert Graves, but this book is distinguished by details that truly give characters three dimensionality. Also, there are recipes!!!

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

not sure.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The death of Appicater

Any additional comments?

Ideal material for an HBO series.

Great story! The descriptions are fantastic!

I read her first book and thought I was marvelous. Then Crystal King outdid herself in Feast of Sorrow.
Looking forward to many more books from this author!

Bread & Circus

Wow. The book finished as I entered my driveway coming home from work. I just sat there for several minutes processing this amazing story. The epilogue told how many of the events in the story were recorded by historians, making it that much more poignant.

I started this audiobook just before Thanksgiving. I traditionally cook a secondary meat as an experiment. This year I decided to find an Ancient Roman duck recipe. I googled and found Apicius’s duck with turnips. It took me a minute to realize this was written by this book’s protagonist. Seven store trips later to find all the odd spices, I savored the culinary delights and had newfound appreciation for his love of food.

If you or someone you know loves cooking, is a foodie, studies history, or simply loves a tale well told, RUN, do not walk, to your nearest web browser and buy this.

However, be forewarned: you too could wind up unable to rouse yourself from your car when the bell tolls!

So glad I found this title.

Rich characters. Amazing details. Superbly written and performed. Not my normal genre, but I would recommend this author to anyone interested in historical fiction and definitely anyone interested in cooking.