Being non-fiction, What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank wasn’t the type of book I’d normally read. I picked it up for r/fantasy’s “fantasy related non-fiction” bingo square, and ended up quite enjoying. Due to a sudden genre change, lack of plot, and characters not actually existing, I’ve had to scrap my normal review template.
If the name hadn’t given some indication as to what the book’s about, What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank is about… what kings ate and wizards drank. Krista goes into an in-depth analysis of the history of food and drink, and how that applies to people writing historically accurate novels. It’s a very interesting and informative guide to food that talks about foraging, eating while travelling, eating in cities, farming, famine, and basically everything else you can think of.
Whilst this book mostly targets aspiring fantasy/historical fiction authors, it still provides a very interesting insight into the history of food, and how it helped shape societies in different locations and time periods.
It also comes with a humorous commentary from Krista as she talks about food and her own experimentation with older styles of cooking, and the recipes that have since been created. Now, I haven’t tried any of these recipes, but I’ve seen Krista’s twitter feed, and her food does look really good.
Setting
Fantasy worlds everywhere.
Characters
The MC of whatever book you happen to be writing.
Plot
Plot? What plot? Build your own adventure!
Other Thoughts
My other thoughts in this case can pretty much be summed up in the following warnings:
- This book will probably make you hungry
- You may be inspired to try living in the bush for the next 3 weeks to see what it’s like
- Potential to be inspired to write a novel about the above point
- You might become a better writer
Audience
This book is probably best for people who like:
- Food
- History
- Fantasy
