★★☆☆☆ Not Recommended
(High Fantasy) In which we learn how an over-enthusiastic chef inadvertently brought about the end of the war. (6,929 words; Time: 23m)
"The War of Light and Shadow, in Five Dishes," by Siobhan Carroll [bio] (edited by Scott H. Andrews), appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies issue 247, published on March 8, 2018.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: His cooking was so good that the commander sacrificed the war effort for it. The fact that he died without ever knowing the effect he’d had makes it bittersweet.
The contrast between the joys of good food and the horrors of war is quite effective.
Con: The cooking scenes are way too long, and all of the parenthetical remarks explaining how to wave your hands when you tell this story are distracting.
I quit believing in the story about the point the commander spared the olive trees.
The contrast between the joys of good food and the horrors of war goes on way, way too long. We got the point the first time.
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Siobhan Carroll Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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The contrast between the joys of good food and the horrors of war is quite effective.
Con: The cooking scenes are way too long, and all of the parenthetical remarks explaining how to wave your hands when you tell this story are distracting.
I quit believing in the story about the point the commander spared the olive trees.
The contrast between the joys of good food and the horrors of war goes on way, way too long. We got the point the first time.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 247)
Siobhan Carroll Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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ReplyDeleteI liked this better than what you did. 3-stars from me.
ReplyDeleteI was getting to feel rather peckish as I was reading this. Do not read if it is nearing a meal time or you are sort of hungry. The food and cooking scenes are very good.
I do agree that the cooking scenes went on for too long, and the parenthetical remarks were distracting.
Commander Eres was very war-weary when we meet her, I think that was why she succumbed to the good food. I think this aspect could have been done better (instead of the plentiful focus on the food).
I didn't have a problem with the sparing of the olive trees. The commander was fed up of the war effort by then.
Typo corrected
I actually tag food-related stories. At some point we'll probably do a selection of "Outstanding Food-Related Stories." This one could end up in such a list if other people recommend it.
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