Just reread books 16 (Patroclus Fights and Dies) and 22 (The Death of Hector). I thought they worked really well. His language is expressive and his loose 5/6 beat lines work. It's easy to read for the non-specialist, though you have to know the players. Agamemnon, for example, is often referred to as "Atrides," the son of Atreus, etc. If you're going to read "The Iliad," this is the place to start.