Food for the Gods

Epikurean Epic #1

by Karen Dudley

By turns whimsical, thrilling, hilarious and touching, Karen Dudley’s ingeniously original Food for the Gods and its sequel, Kraken Bake (forthcoming in 2014), reinvent a classical hero, while bringing to life the crowded, throbbing streets of ancient Athens in a way that both honours the Greek myths and reinterprets them for a new generation of readers.

Having been chopped up and served to the gods for tea, Pelops, Prince of Lydia, is kindly remade by the Olympian dinner guests and gifted with a talent for the culinary arts. But after heading for the bright lamps of Athens, Pelops discovers that life is not exactly golden for a celebrity chef in the golden age of Greece. Ruthless patrons and jealous rivals are bad enough, but when a couple of the less responsible gods offer to help him make a name for himself, Pelops begins to realize that when the gods decide they owe you a favour, you’d better start saying your prayers.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Retellings, Historical, Humor

422 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2012

About the author

My checkered past includes field biology, production art, photo research, palaeo-environmental studies, editing, archaeology and Classical Studies. Needless to say, I just couldn't seem to settle on one job and sometimes I thought there was something wrong with me--a sentiment echoed by my mum. Then, a number years ago, an epiphany! I finally realized that what I really wanted to do was . . . everything! And if you want to do everything, the best way to do it is to be a writer.

I wrote four environmental mysteries and a short stack of wildlife biology books for kids before I had another epiphany . . . I want to write fantasy! So I did. Food for the Gods is an historical fantasy novel set in ancient Athens. It's all about chefs and gods and food and murder and strange beasties and a huge amount of fun. Think Xena meets Iron Chef and you're starting to get the picture. I'm now working on the sequel, Kraken Bake.

I live in Winnipeg with my husband, daughter, and assorted authorial cats.

Reviews

[Lorina Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short-listed for the 2013 Prix Aurora, Food for the Gods ticks all the boxes: It's impeccably researched, craftily written, with wit, humour, screamingly funny but believable characters and a rocketing good pace.

Dudley unfolds the story of Peplos, a put-upon murdered-but-resurrected son of the King of Lydia (a king, it should be noted, who fancied serving up an economical stew-of-son to his guests), who now attempts to make his way in Athens as, what else, a celebrity chef. What follows is a mad-cap and yet endearing escapade of villainous acts, interfering but well-meaning gods, who-dunnits and a love-story to boot. And Dudley carries this all off with a ridiculously deft hand, never missing a beat. Truly, I didn't want the story to end, and never once had a moment of flagging interest.

Published by Canadian indie press, Ravenstone, Food for the Gods is a shining example of the kind of genius and excellence that can result from small, independent press. If you're looking for an intelligent bit of escapism, Food for the Gods is your ticket.

[Wanda Pedersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What fun! A great fantasy, set in Ancient Greece, not taking itself too seriously. Now, full disclosure, I'm friends with the author. But if I didn't love the book, I would quietly slink away without reviewing it. Instead, I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the fantasy genre. Although I was pleasantly reminded of Classics courses taken at university, such background isn't necessary to enjoy this novel. Karen takes real incidents from the ancient world, classical mythology and the current celebrity chef craze and combines them to form a tasty book. I vote this Best Use of Classical Education by an Author. I can't wait for the further adventures of Pelops!

[Jocelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half Stars.

To think — I actually put off reading this novel because I’m not “into” Greek mythology! Also I felt decidedly queasy at the idea of the main character Pelops being chopped up and tossed into the stew pot, to be served up at a banquet for the gods. (Albeit part of the backstory when the action begins.) But I need not have doubted the inventive genius of author Karen Dudley when it comes to catering to the mythologically challenged likes of me. This delightful romp through a larger-than-life fantasy Athens is seen through the eyes of the protagonist, and master chef, Pelops. Poor Pelops, when you think things can’t possibly become any worse for him, well… they can and do. (A caution, to those of you with culinary sensibilities, a great deal of the finest extra virgin olive oil is spilt throughout in the cooking up of this ribald comedy. And I love the earthy Anglo Saxon style language: poncy little tossers; silly buggers; and “all right then mates, let’s be fetching up this sodding…” Brilliant. I feel I’ve been introduced to the seamier side of Mount Olympus, and privy to the hidden chicanery of the gods. Oh and the quirky ads peppered throughout along with delicious recipes add spice to the mix. Food For the Gods is wonderful storytelling and great writing. Now I can’t wait to read the sequel, “Kracken Bake.”

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place in ancient Athens. The writer did some incredible research to make the characters so vibrant. Based on gods and mortals, this whodunnit/history/cookbook is one of the best books I have read in years.
Although I had to google info every couple of pages to see if the writer was making up life in Athens in that day, (ie; the popularity of bread dildos, and the mythology of our protagonist Pelops) it was a most riveting ride.
I laughed a lot, and learned a lot, and couldn't put it down.

I have a real problem with how this book was marketed. It is considered fantasy. A very very tiny niche market.

It could have been promoted as Historical Fiction. A murder mystery. Historical satire. Even Humour. Anything but fantasy.

The author could become one of Canada's most celebrated authors, and sadly, she may languish because this book seems to be lost.

She is very good. She deserves better. She deserves a Giller. I am banging off an outraged email to Ravenstone Press right now.

Am awaiting delivery of the sequel "Kraken Bake".

[Rhea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I won this book in a giveaway. I'm very happy I did.

I love mythology. I started it with the Greek myths. Eventually I found the Greek gods less interesting and moved on to other areas myths, but this book reminded me of what I loved about Greek Mythology: The gods are so ridiculous. The Norse gods had their moments, but I think nothing reaches the Greek ones in the levels of ridiculousness. This book is certainly ridiculous, and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

I enjoyed the plot of the book (and it was awesome when I realized I could have figured out things sooner had I not been rusty on my Greek myths) and I loved the Greek god based-swears. I plan to keep my eyes peeled for other books by this author.

[David H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classical Greek fantasy takes the myth of Tantalus chopping up his son Pelops for dinner and makes a fun semi-anachronistic romp through Athens (with Pelops in his post-stew-life starring as a celebrity chef) with a dash of a murder mystery on the side. I could see some of the modern language and slang grating on some readers, but this was the perfect level of silliness and seriousness that I was looking for.

[Laurel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fabulous journey to ancient Greece will have you simultaneously dying of hunger and laughter! Stock up on ready-at-hand snacks because you will not be able to put this book down! Karen nails it again with nail biting mystery, breath taking creativity, and very cheeky humour! Simply fantastic! Can't wait for the next one!

[Nicole Luiken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light-hearted Iron Chef meets Greek myth premise. The book has a wealth of fascinating historical detail about everyday Greek life. High personal stakes as Chef Pelops faces off against poverty, loan sharks, cooking rivals, the Kindly Ones, and some too-helpful gods...

[Danika Gagnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have so much adoration and praise to award this book. Out of all the books I've enjoyed over the past couple of months, Food for the Gods was undoubtedly the funniest. The protagonist, Pelops, was a character that I couldn't help having a love/hate relationship with. On the one hand, I empathized with his misfortunes (the amount of precious olive oil he lost was the biggest tragedy of all). On the other, I often found myself crying out at his wrong decisions, but I guess that might actually be considered a good thing when you're trying to fully engage a reader. I can say that this novel certainly did that, and did it fantastically. I was completely immersed in Pelops's journey as a celebrity chef trying to stay afloat amidst a chaotic environment. The struggle was real. I looked forward to the resolution of every issue he faced, rejoiced in what went right for him, and felt his exasperation whenever the worst happened. As a character, I found Pelops to be highly likeable; he could be egotistical, dense, hypocritical at times, but he also displayed compassion and loyalty to those important to him, as well as a dedication to his work and to his dream. Was he a flawed character? Absolutely. He was beautifully (and at times, hilariously) flawed, and it made me love him even more. In a broader sense, however, the novel itself and the way humour was implemented was pure genius. I had never before seen a book that used short bits of self-help to introduce or provide context for elements placed into the story. The idea of providing recipes to relate back to the "celebrity chef" was nothing short of creative, and added a fun twist that I had not previously encountered with other novels.
Overall, Food for the Gods was made a memorable read for me by its genius humour, captivating story (with plenty of mystery and intrigue to compliment that comedy), and ridiculously lovable protagonist, Pelops. Another beloved book has found itself a home in my list of favourites.

[Silvia Moreno-Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s like The Princess Bride and Xena had a love child. Just like Princess had weird little footnotes, this book has recipes, ads and the like popping here and there throughout the book. The story is relatively simple: in an ancient Greece where the gods are real a cook finds himself in the middle of a murder mystery.

It’s all darkly funny. Take, for example, our narrator, Pelops. The son of the King of Lydia was once made into stew by his father, but the gods resurrected him. He’s missing a bit of his shoulder, though, because a goddess accidentally ate that bit before he could be put back together again. This is mythologically accurate, kind of disturbing (as most Greek stories are), but rendered in a humours tone by Pelops who takes it all rather well and decides to become a celebrity chef in Athens.

The cover is beautiful, too. The second book, by the way, is called Kraken Bake.

[Billie Milholland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blinkin' bloody brilliant book. I'm still chuckling about bread dildos & the Herms, touched for good luck, & Dionysus at his wine stall & Zeus hiding out from his wife... Dudley bakes up a towering confection of ancient Greece that is awesome in its presentation and delicious morsel by morsel. She plucks Pelops from the dusty pages of Greek mythology and re-purposes him as a celebrity chef in Athens where even Socrates could show up at one of his feasts.

It's a story where Alcibiades is a regular guy, where actual historical figures walk beside fictional characters and where Olympians are fraught with the same family issues as mortals. There's a little mystery; a little mayhem; a lot of great cooking and even some recipes. I can hardly wait for the saga of Pelops to continue in the next book.

[Susan Rocan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fabulous romp through ancient Athens! I loved Karen's sense of humour in her Robin Devara mysteries and 'Food for the Gods' is no exception. It was a learning experience for this history buff. Karen has definitely done her research. The extra special bits, such as the ads for a local chef, the in-case-of-emergency instructions and occasional recipe were delightful. There's a murder mystery to solve, a little romance and heartbreak, suspense, and food! One should not read this on an empty stomach or they will be tempted to jump up and make some of the delectable items Pelops is famous for.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had everything... humour, fantasy, mystery, culinary arts & recipes, and mythology.

The author came to our book club meeting last night. It was so amazing to chat with her about her writing process and get insights into the characters and story. And there will be a sequel! So excited to read that when it comes out.Karen Dudley

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! Whether you like the history, mythology or just the recipes, this book is for you. Written by a local Winnipeg artist, it is a blend of historical fiction that would be professor approved.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witty, fun book with lively characters including a few well-intentioned deities and an Athenian marketplace full of suggestive advertisements.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning about greek culture and mythology - with a twist - has never been this fun, delicious, brilliant or readable. Highly recommend.

[C Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilariously funny. A wonderful escape with engaging characters and a roaring plotline. If you like Lindsey Davis' work with Falco, you'll love Karen Dudley's work with Pelops.

[Kokoro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me parece este ha sido mi primer historic fantasy, creo no elegí tan mal. Aunque cuando lo hice no tenía idea de dicho subgénero.

El protagonista es Pelops, un emergente chef en la antigua Grecia y su vida se ve complicada tanto por rivalidades, personajes que conocen y fueron parte importante de su pasado, así como su incursión forzada en el papel de detective, y no sé si su desempeño como tal sea el mejor, es decir, hace sus averiguaciones pero pareciera no hay mucho esfuerzo de su parte pues con quien habla sobre dicho asunto le da una retahíla de información para sacar sus conclusiones finales, pero bueno, es que esto no es una novela cien por ciento dedicada al género de detectives.

Inicialmente creí solo se trataría de una novela gastronómica, pero la inclusión de algunos de los doce dioses olímpicos y cierto acontecimiento ocurrido en el capítulo 12 cambia y acelera la trama. Al final, capitulo 38, hay una revelación que tanto el prota como yo exclamamos “¿EEEEhhh?”. Bueno, a finales del primer capítulo también hay otro momento “¿EEEEhhhh?”

Hablando de gastronomía, se mencionan varios platillos, hay varias escenas de acción en cocinas. Y aprendí sobre ciertos panes que... bueno, ese uso algunos historiadores creen era más bien ritual.

También se habla sobre sociedad, prostitución, templos, rituales y fiestas de los antiguos griegos, aprendí alguna que otra cosa interesante.

La novela tiene en mi opinión dos fallos relacionados a la parte histórica, en aquellos tiempos existían esclavos, la cosa es, si bien algunas cosas se respetan sobre el como eran tratados una o dos escenas en las cuales la autora altera las reacciones de los personajes hacia cierto esclavo, supongo para cuestión de trama, si bien los esclavos de ciudad eran mejor tratados dudo mucho el amo permitirá a su hija preparar un bocadillo a uno de estos.

Pero el fallo más grave se trata del lenguaje, ciertas expresiones y groserías no eran propias de los antiguos griegos, cada vez que la autora incluía palabras como “f*ck” o “luv” o “For Ares’ hairy b*lls” entre otras hacia muecas de dolor, me sacaba del contexto e historia rapidísimo, los griegos no decían eso, pero si cosas como “come mierda” que si viene incluido entre los insultos, por cierto, algunos dioses son groserillos pero Ares se lleva la palma.

Otro fallo, en dos ocasiones mientras algún personaje secundario hablaba con el protagonista me quedaba extrañada de que conociera cierta información, eso, o tuve algún problema al momento de entender el texto.

En cuanto temas:
La verdadera vocación puede llegar a una edad tardía y por circunstancias no tan ortodoxas que digamos. Puede que debas renunciar a tu anterior vida, establecerse en un sitio nuevo, iniciar desde cero y tener dificultades, pero la satisfacción en hacer lo que uno en verdad desea es lo mejor.

Rivalidad y celos profesionales pueden complicar la vida.

Tener contactos entre personas de alto rango no siempre es sinónimo de facilidades, y en ocasiones viene acompañado de más trabajo y dificultades impuestas por el entrometimiento de dichas personas ya sea de forma voluntaria o involuntaria.

Si un dios o diosa viene y te dice “quiero contigo” tu callada/o y flojita/o y cooperando.

La actitud de un padre hacia sus hijos o hijas determinara su vida, o su fin.

La persona que comete un crimen siempre será perseguida por el peligro del castigo, no podría librarse de ello, y tarde o temprano este llegará.

“Having friends in high places was not proving to be especially helpful—either to my investigations or my career.”

[Kelly Macfarlane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun novel -- a bit of a mash-up of various ancient Greek myths as our hero Pelops attempts to break into the Athenian culinary scene and become a "celebrity chef" only to find himself embroiled in a murder mystery.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Caught between giving this either three or four stars. Amusing, compelling, enjoyable, and certainly well-written, with certain aspects of Jasper Fforde (whose writing I adore) thrown in, I look forward to getting the second volume of the series.

[Breann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could read another of this author’s books. Just enough detail without going overboard. Love Greek mythology, so I am a little biased when it comes to the clever creative artist who invests their time on an endeavour like this I will gobble it up every time.

[Brenda Clough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent for what it is, but this is not a deep work. Instead it's fun, a fast zip through ancient Athens.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a load of fun. Greek mythology, Greek history, tongue-in-cheek dialogue, and an engaging story all wrapped up in a tasty celebrity chef story.

[Lucilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started out pretty leery - probably because I'm not used to mythology retellings being humorous - but I ended up really enjoying this book. Dudley uses elements of Greek mythology to build a well-plotted mystery; one that I didn't guess even though I'm very familiar with the myths involved (I'm not great at figuring out mysteries though, so someone else might see it coming). She also makes her characters interesting and relatable to a modern audience (her sensibilities and attitudes are thoroughly modern) while placing them firmly in an ancient Greek cultural context. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the sequel.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greek mythology has always been something I have an interest in. While I haven't had the chance to study it extensively, I did write a couple of essays on the subject while I was in middle school, and I took a Greek history class in university.

I know there are plenty of books out there that cater to people like me -- those of us who have an interest in Greek mythology but haven't thoroughly studied it. I've read some of them, but there are still plenty left. Food for the Gods -- the first in Karen Dudley's Epikurean Epic series -- is the most recent to cross my path.

Admittedly, I found and brought home the second novel in the series, Kraken Bake, before Food for the Gods. It wasn't until I went to start reading it that I realized it was a sequel. But it didn't take me long to get my hands on Food for the Gods.

Set in ancient Athens, Food for the Gods introduces us to Pelops, prince of Lydia. Having been turned into stew by his father and brought by to life by the Gods, Pelops has developed a passion and talent for cooking. He's quickly rising in Athens' ranking of celebrity chefs, but a jealous rival and the unfortunate arrival of creatures seeking vengeance may just undo everything he's worked for.

I know that summary may not do a very good job of getting this across, but Food for the Gods was one of the funniest books I've read in quite a while. Dudley's writing style balances humour and serious subject matter very well, somehow managing to combine the two into a narrative that's difficult to put down.

I loved the way she characterized the Gods. Finding a way to bring such well-known characters to life in a unique, enjoyable way can be difficult, but Dudley didn't seem to have any trouble with the task.

And personally, I was also really interested in the culinary aspect of the novel. The dishes Pelops prepares throughout the novel sound absolutely delicious, and I can't help hoping there's a way I can twist some of them so that I can make them myself.

*This recommendation was originally posted on my blog.

[Bella Swann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Dudley's Robin Devara series so I was unsure what to expect with her new series. This story was wonderful. It took Greek mythology and reinterpreted it in a strange and fantastical setting. Pelops is an interesting celebrity chef/detective and his friends both human and divine are funny, interesting, and definitely quirky characters. I was sorry to realize I had come to the ending when I turned that final page. I don't think I'll be able to eat a bread stick, much less butter one, in the same way ever again.

[Jenifer Mohammed · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cornucopia of pure delight! This book was truly delightful to read. It had everything- a great story, well-fleshed out characters, an exciting story, a mysterious death, and an wonderfully new take on Greek mythology. Oh yeah, let's not forget the sensual and mouth-watering descriptions of the food. How I managed to resist the siren call of baklava while reading through this book is clearly something only the gods know. I can't wait to read more of this wonderful series.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read a lot of mixed genre books--I think one of the better trends to come out of publishing in the past few decades is this trend of blurring the lines--but really liked the way this one committed to the task. There was no brief brush against the fantastic or the mystery but a full commitment to both -- and with a good dose of humour along the way as well. Really looking forward to checking out the next in this series.

[Groucho42 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little ditty set in ancient Athens. Pelops, after what's known in the myths, is trying to make a name for himself as a chef and troubles keep happening. It turns into a mixed comedy romp and mystery. Enjoyable.

What keeps it from being 5 stars is the annoying interludes where the author tries for too much comedy by faking ads set in that time. They fall flat and I ended up skipping them after three or four of them.

[Caroline Ingvaldsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Likeable historical fantasy/mystery: the first in a series that shows real potential.