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Read the final book in Stephen Fry's acclaimed internationally bestselling Greek Myths series telling the story of the Odyssey—Can a hero find his way home?
Follow Odysseus after he leaves the fallen city of Troy and takes ten long dramatic years—battling monsters, the temptations of goddesses and suffering the curse of Poseidon—to voyage home to his wife Penelope on the island of Ithaca.
Follow Odysseus after he leaves the fallen city of Troy and takes ten long dramatic years—battling monsters, the temptations of goddesses and suffering the curse of Poseidon—to voyage home to his wife Penelope on the island of Ithaca.
11 pages, Audible Audio
First published September 26, 2024
3167 people are currently reading
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About the author
Stephen Fry
309 books12.2k followersStephen John Fry is an English comedian, writer, actor, humourist, novelist, poet, columnist, filmmaker, television personality and technophile. As one half of the Fry and Laurie double act with his comedy partner, Hugh Laurie, he has appeared in A Bit of Fry and Laurie and Jeeves and Wooster. He is also famous for his roles in Blackadder and Wilde, and as the host of QI. In addition to writing for stage, screen, television and radio he has contributed columns and articles for numerous newspapers and magazines, and has also written four successful novels and a series of memoirs.
See also Mrs. Stephen Fry as a pseudonym of the author.
See also Mrs. Stephen Fry as a pseudonym of the author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,044 reviews
January 9, 2025
I have throughly enjoyed Stephen Fry's Greek Retellings, especially Mythos and Heroes. Whilst Troy was still enjoyable, it was of course the story I am most familiar with of the lot. Odyssey continues in completely the same vein. The intent is to educate people on the story of the Odyssey through the brilliant, sharp, witty mind of Stephen Fry, not to provide a subversive Greek Retelling.
“Was it possible that mortals were beginning to infect the gods with the perverse self-indulgence of inner feelings?”
In light of that, I highly recommend Odyssey, as well as the previous three instalments, to anyone that is not incredibly familiar with these mythological tales. If you do not know the intricate details before diving into this, I believe almost everyone will have a great time as they are carried through the pages by the genius that is Stephen Fry. An addition to the list of the books I would recommend listening to more than physically reading, as Fry narrates the story himself, adding comedic timing to his magnetic writing.
4/5 STARS
“Was it possible that mortals were beginning to infect the gods with the perverse self-indulgence of inner feelings?”
In light of that, I highly recommend Odyssey, as well as the previous three instalments, to anyone that is not incredibly familiar with these mythological tales. If you do not know the intricate details before diving into this, I believe almost everyone will have a great time as they are carried through the pages by the genius that is Stephen Fry. An addition to the list of the books I would recommend listening to more than physically reading, as Fry narrates the story himself, adding comedic timing to his magnetic writing.
4/5 STARS
March 29, 2026
Someone should have explained a few decades ago to preteen Nataliya, bored to half-unconsciousness by the endless pages of Greek iambic pentameter, that there actually is a reason why these stories survived through the millennia. That all I needed to enjoy this millennia-old soap opera of divine proportions was for someone to make it feel like it was alive and contemporary, the same way it probably felt to those Greeks of millennia ago.
Those ancient Greeks must have been a really odd and peculiar bunch to create such a crazily messed-up pantheon of gods and heroes fueled by vanity, pettiness and rage with an occasional addition of bestiality, torture and murder, and some really, really, REALLY horrifying family dynamics. And what Stephen Fry does well in his retelling of the Odyssey, just as in his other Greek myths retellings, is make the crazy drama feel much more current and understandable without taking away the sheer disaster that it was.
It’s witty and sharp and depends on a lot of context and common sense explanations and recaps of endless previous events that Fry tirelessly provides us with — since unlike those ancient Greeks he has no delusions about contemporary humans being able to keep all of those names in events and strange godly parentages straight without a lot of help.
4 stars.
(Now, if only Stephen Fry could gift us a Greek myth retelling in which enraged Zeus thunderbolts those idiots on the beach who insist on inflicting their questionable music tastes onto everyone within two-mile radius I would be eternally grateful.)
“Thus the mature women acquire fresh young sons of Odysseus to replace the original, and therefore, I suppose, they might be considered a winner.”
Those ancient Greeks must have been a really odd and peculiar bunch to create such a crazily messed-up pantheon of gods and heroes fueled by vanity, pettiness and rage with an occasional addition of bestiality, torture and murder, and some really, really, REALLY horrifying family dynamics. And what Stephen Fry does well in his retelling of the Odyssey, just as in his other Greek myths retellings, is make the crazy drama feel much more current and understandable without taking away the sheer disaster that it was.
“Trying to present the Odyssey as the story of a faithful, loving husband yearning for his beloved wife is all very well, but given his propensity to father children by women beginning with “C” alone — Circe, Calypso, and now Callidice (which perhaps ironically means “good judgment”) — we have to appraise Odysseus against standards of marital fidelity and monogamy rather different from our own.”
It’s witty and sharp and depends on a lot of context and common sense explanations and recaps of endless previous events that Fry tirelessly provides us with — since unlike those ancient Greeks he has no delusions about contemporary humans being able to keep all of those names in events and strange godly parentages straight without a lot of help.
4 stars.
(Now, if only Stephen Fry could gift us a Greek myth retelling in which enraged Zeus thunderbolts those idiots on the beach who insist on inflicting their questionable music tastes onto everyone within two-mile radius I would be eternally grateful.)
November 15, 2024
Superb. Loved the Monty Python reference in the appendix ;-)
March 5, 2025
Stephen Fry performed the audiobook and it is wonderful! Odysseus is a “great warrior hero: Odysseus of Ithaca…the schemer, the hero, the winner of the Trojan War”.
I’ve read a number of variations on The Odyssey over the last couple years and I loved the point of view taken from the woman’s point of view (see Penelope and Clytemnestra ).
This version again takes the traditional perspective of Odysseus, but in the epilogue Fry does admit:
Fry weaves in useful context, and wonderful tidbits of language throughout (for instance, the origin of the word “pylon”, and “planet”.)
This was charming and elegant, told by a master storyteller. I’m eager to read the rest of this series.
I’ve read a number of variations on The Odyssey over the last couple years and I loved the point of view taken from the woman’s point of view (see Penelope and Clytemnestra ).
This version again takes the traditional perspective of Odysseus, but in the epilogue Fry does admit:
Trying to present the Odyssey as the story of a faithful loving husband yearning for his beloved wife is all very well. But given his propensity to father children by women beginning with “C” alone…we have to appraise Odysseus against standards of marital fidelity and monogamy rather different from our own.
Fry weaves in useful context, and wonderful tidbits of language throughout (for instance, the origin of the word “pylon”, and “planet”.)
This was charming and elegant, told by a master storyteller. I’m eager to read the rest of this series.
October 18, 2024
The story of the world's most delayed husband is the subject of the final part of Stephen Fry's superlative interpretation of Greek myths. I wasn't too keen on Troy but that's probably because the story is a bit dull - good looking guy "kidnaps" good looking girl then other men go to war for 10 years to get her back - dull no?
However The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus/Ulysses who, having brilliantly won the Trojan War for the Greeks, decides to absolve himself of all decision-making responsibilities and rely on his thoroughly unreliable men to get him home. You'd imagine after the first time they'd steered him wrong that he'd stop listening to them, but Odysseus is such an idiot that he continues to make the same mistake. Consequently, despite being warned several times, he ends up (after various deadly adventures) stuck on an island with the sorceress Calypso for 7 years.
The wonderful thing about the delectabke
Mr Fry is that he injects humour into these stories, he makes them interesting and relevant and I could frankly listen to his dulcet tones every night. I'm saddened that this is the last one.
Of course I've read other Greek retellings and if you want alternative views of the Trojan War I'd highly recommend Natalie Haynes "A Thousand Ships" and for a brilliant look at things from Odysseus' wife, Penelope's, point of view I'd recommend Claire North's interpretation of The Penelopiad (Ithaca, House of Odysseus and Last Song of Penelope).
But Stephen Fry's Greek myths have all been wonderful - Mythos is still my favourite but Heroes and Troy is excellent too. Odyssey is the perfect finish.
However The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus/Ulysses who, having brilliantly won the Trojan War for the Greeks, decides to absolve himself of all decision-making responsibilities and rely on his thoroughly unreliable men to get him home. You'd imagine after the first time they'd steered him wrong that he'd stop listening to them, but Odysseus is such an idiot that he continues to make the same mistake. Consequently, despite being warned several times, he ends up (after various deadly adventures) stuck on an island with the sorceress Calypso for 7 years.
The wonderful thing about the delectabke
Mr Fry is that he injects humour into these stories, he makes them interesting and relevant and I could frankly listen to his dulcet tones every night. I'm saddened that this is the last one.
Of course I've read other Greek retellings and if you want alternative views of the Trojan War I'd highly recommend Natalie Haynes "A Thousand Ships" and for a brilliant look at things from Odysseus' wife, Penelope's, point of view I'd recommend Claire North's interpretation of The Penelopiad (Ithaca, House of Odysseus and Last Song of Penelope).
But Stephen Fry's Greek myths have all been wonderful - Mythos is still my favourite but Heroes and Troy is excellent too. Odyssey is the perfect finish.
March 5, 2025
Very entertaining re-telling of Homer's Odyssey in an arty presentation. Thank the Gods for the useful appendix (Greek names aren't my strength).
November 29, 2024
۳.۵/۵
«وقتی آهنگِ ایتاک داری، راه
گو که دور باش و دراز،
سرشار از تجربه سرشارِ ماجرا.»
نوشتن این یادداشت آسان نبود. شاید به همین دلیل، تا توانستم آن را به تأخیر انداختم. نوشتنش به معنای خداحافظی بود؛ با صدای مخملی استیون فرای که این سالها در گوشم از اساطیر یونان میگفت. قصههایی که سالها پیش مرا مسحور این جهان شگفتانگیز کردند. خداحافظی با بازگشت دوبارهام به این صدا، وقتی که یادم آورد چرا اسطورهها و خواندن و نوشتن دربارهشان را دوست دارم. خداحافظی با چهار کتابی که داستانشان از گایا و اورانوس آغاز شد و با اودیسه و پنلوپه به پایان رسید. تجربهی خواندن و شنیدن این کتابها، آنهم با صدای نویسنده، از خوشبختیهای بزرگ زندگیام بود.
اما کتاب چهارم، کتاب آخر، قصهی اودیسه
کنستانتین کاوافی شعری دارد به نام ایتاک (که ترجمهی بیژن الهی از آن را ابتدای یادداشت آوردم) و این کتاب نیز با همان شعر آغاز میشود. شعری که بهخوبی ارزش ایتاک برای اودیسه را نشان میدهد. ایتاک، همان مقصد نهایی است؛ بهشت و غایتی که هر کدام از ما در ذهنمان میسازیم، زمینی که در آن آرام خواهیم گرفت، یک بار و برای همیشه. در این سفر نباید تعجیل کرد، نباید از قدم بازایستاد، نباید ترسید و نباید امید را از دست داد. باید چشم دوخت به چراغ سبزی که از آن سوی آبها و دریاها به ما چشمک میزند.
و من مشتاقانه میخواستم که از این سفر بخوانم. این کتاب و در واقع اودیسهای که هومر آن را تألیف کرده بیش از آنکه صرفاً گزارشی از سفر بازگشت اودسئوس به خانهاش ایتاک باشد، گزارشی پراکنده از اتفاقات پس از جنگ تروا است. پراکندگی این روایت هرچند ناشی از منبع اصلی است، اما امید داشتم با شیطنت، طنازی و البته قصهگویی منحصربهفردی که از استیون فرای سراغ دارم معجزهای در داستان رخ دهد و قصهی بازگشت این قهرمان را کمی برایم جذابتر کند. گلهای نیست، او وفادار بوده به متن اصلی و همین میتواند اتفاقاً ارزش کارش باشد اما با پیشفرضهایی که من از کتاب و از فرای داشتم، کمی فاصله داشت.
اما بیش از آن، ایتاک و پنلوپهای که در آن به انتظار بازگشت اودیسه زندگی میکند در چند ماه گذشته و شاید در چند سال پیشرو به درونمایهی قصهی زندگی خودم تبدیل شدهاند. از این روست که شاید نه این کتاب اما قطعا این «قصه» برایم مهم و تاثیرگذار است. برای همین این چند ماه شعر کاوافی را مدام زیر لب زمزمه میکنم و به خاطر دارم که باید همیشه فکر ایتاک باشم. چراکه مقصد نهاییست، مکان وصال است، نوید به ثمر رسیدن عشق؛ همان عشقی که روزهایم را به امیدش سپری میکنم.
قصهی اودیسه را هرچند آنطور که میخواستم نبود خواندم به این امید که نترسم از لِسْترینگُنها، از تکچشمها و از نپتون خشمناک، آن خدای دریاها و بادها. به امید بادهای موافق، بادبانهای استوار، و سفری که یکسره مرا به ایتاکا و عشق برساند.
«همیشه فکر ایتاک باش: هرگز از یاد مبر
که آخرین مقصد توست.
اما نشِتاب در سفر.»
پینوشت: در این متن ایتاک را به عنوان مقصد نهایی در نظر گرفتهام و پنلوپه و اودیسه را «با اغماض» عاشق و معشوق. در رابطه با این ارتباط حرفهای بیشتری دارم که در این یادداشت نمیگنجد، اما برای درست درآمدن استعارهای که در ذهنم به آن چنگ میزنم، حداقل برای مدتی مجبور هستم این دو را عاشق و معشوق در نظر بگیرم. اما آنچه همیشه برای مسلم است، دلبهخواه بودن ایتاک است.
«وقتی آهنگِ ایتاک داری، راه
گو که دور باش و دراز،
سرشار از تجربه سرشارِ ماجرا.»
نوشتن این یادداشت آسان نبود. شاید به همین دلیل، تا توانستم آن را به تأخیر انداختم. نوشتنش به معنای خداحافظی بود؛ با صدای مخملی استیون فرای که این سالها در گوشم از اساطیر یونان میگفت. قصههایی که سالها پیش مرا مسحور این جهان شگفتانگیز کردند. خداحافظی با بازگشت دوبارهام به این صدا، وقتی که یادم آورد چرا اسطورهها و خواندن و نوشتن دربارهشان را دوست دارم. خداحافظی با چهار کتابی که داستانشان از گایا و اورانوس آغاز شد و با اودیسه و پنلوپه به پایان رسید. تجربهی خواندن و شنیدن این کتابها، آنهم با صدای نویسنده، از خوشبختیهای بزرگ زندگیام بود.
اما کتاب چهارم، کتاب آخر، قصهی اودیسه
کنستانتین کاوافی شعری دارد به نام ایتاک (که ترجمهی بیژن الهی از آن را ابتدای یادداشت آوردم) و این کتاب نیز با همان شعر آغاز میشود. شعری که بهخوبی ارزش ایتاک برای اودیسه را نشان میدهد. ایتاک، همان مقصد نهایی است؛ بهشت و غایتی که هر کدام از ما در ذهنمان میسازیم، زمینی که در آن آرام خواهیم گرفت، یک بار و برای همیشه. در این سفر نباید تعجیل کرد، نباید از قدم بازایستاد، نباید ترسید و نباید امید را از دست داد. باید چشم دوخت به چراغ سبزی که از آن سوی آبها و دریاها به ما چشمک میزند.
و من مشتاقانه میخواستم که از این سفر بخوانم. این کتاب و در واقع اودیسهای که هومر آن را تألیف کرده بیش از آنکه صرفاً گزارشی از سفر بازگشت اودسئوس به خانهاش ایتاک باشد، گزارشی پراکنده از اتفاقات پس از جنگ تروا است. پراکندگی این روایت هرچند ناشی از منبع اصلی است، اما امید داشتم با شیطنت، طنازی و البته قصهگویی منحصربهفردی که از استیون فرای سراغ دارم معجزهای در داستان رخ دهد و قصهی بازگشت این قهرمان را کمی برایم جذابتر کند. گلهای نیست، او وفادار بوده به متن اصلی و همین میتواند اتفاقاً ارزش کارش باشد اما با پیشفرضهایی که من از کتاب و از فرای داشتم، کمی فاصله داشت.
اما بیش از آن، ایتاک و پنلوپهای که در آن به انتظار بازگشت اودیسه زندگی میکند در چند ماه گذشته و شاید در چند سال پیشرو به درونمایهی قصهی زندگی خودم تبدیل شدهاند. از این روست که شاید نه این کتاب اما قطعا این «قصه» برایم مهم و تاثیرگذار است. برای همین این چند ماه شعر کاوافی را مدام زیر لب زمزمه میکنم و به خاطر دارم که باید همیشه فکر ایتاک باشم. چراکه مقصد نهاییست، مکان وصال است، نوید به ثمر رسیدن عشق؛ همان عشقی که روزهایم را به امیدش سپری میکنم.
قصهی اودیسه را هرچند آنطور که میخواستم نبود خواندم به این امید که نترسم از لِسْترینگُنها، از تکچشمها و از نپتون خشمناک، آن خدای دریاها و بادها. به امید بادهای موافق، بادبانهای استوار، و سفری که یکسره مرا به ایتاکا و عشق برساند.
«همیشه فکر ایتاک باش: هرگز از یاد مبر
که آخرین مقصد توست.
اما نشِتاب در سفر.»
پینوشت: در این متن ایتاک را به عنوان مقصد نهایی در نظر گرفتهام و پنلوپه و اودیسه را «با اغماض» عاشق و معشوق. در رابطه با این ارتباط حرفهای بیشتری دارم که در این یادداشت نمیگنجد، اما برای درست درآمدن استعارهای که در ذهنم به آن چنگ میزنم، حداقل برای مدتی مجبور هستم این دو را عاشق و معشوق در نظر بگیرم. اما آنچه همیشه برای مسلم است، دلبهخواه بودن ایتاک است.
February 13, 2026
Чудовий ретелінг Гомерової Одіссеї з масою цікавих приміток. Фрай вміє писати захопливо.
Можливо, ця книга не наст��льки фанова, як Міфи чи Герої. Правда, це може бути проблема в перекладі, адже перші 3 книги читав англійською.
Ps: перед переглядом фільму Нолана це однозначний мастрід
Можливо, ця книга не наст��льки фанова, як Міфи чи Герої. Правда, це може бути проблема в перекладі, адже перші 3 книги читав англійською.
Ps: перед переглядом фільму Нолана це однозначний мастрід
September 28, 2024
The 4th and (hopefully not) last of Fry's books retelling Greek mythology has us follow Odysseus on his way home after the Trojan War. Talk about a road trip with road blocks. *lol*
Odysseus has made some divine enemies by coming up with the tactic that brought about Troy's fall, but also through some other in-/actions. Thus, when he and his small fleet sail home, they are stormtossed from island to island and meet cyclopses, sirens, witches, gods and other creatures and people while Odysseus' wife, Penelope, is left home to raise their son alone and, ultimately, fight off a host of impertinent suitors.
To think how much more quickly he could have been home if Poseidon attended all meetings as required and if Odysseus' men had heeded commands (after all the battles fought together, one could have expected better of them)!
Anyway, the story is very well known, but the way Fry tells it is fresh and new, though always faithful to the original and respectful in tone in a way that absolutely befits the original.
Fry's version is also speckled with references to the previous 3 books and the stories retold in those.
And he's once again giving the same kind of cultural references we're used to by now.
So much from history, linguistics and even biology makes more sense if one knows the relation between it all and Fry has a wonderful way of bringing it all together in a holistic way.
A wonderful breakdown of this massive tale that jumps from here to there and even from the "present day" to flashbacks and then the future.
Honestly, I had not known the correct order (from the original) since all the versions I encountered to far seem to have streamlined the plot - which is the wrong thing to do since it makes the reader miss some important connections (not to mention that the original way the story was told is more thrilling and has sorts of cliffhangers and a better flow within the story).
Stephen Fry guiding us through all the disasters, betrayals, ensanarements, intrigues and quests and in the order they are said to have occurred, was comforting and brilliant.
I have both the wonderfully shiny (and signed) hardcover
but I also listened to the audiobook because the author narrated it himself and his voice is like a drug (without any negative side-effects) to me.
Gorgeous voyage through history and mythology, rich with details and told in a magnificent way. Read it! I know you'll love it!
P.S.: My only regret is that I didn't take my time reading this book and posting many funny gifs in the status updates. *lol* It lends itself perfectly to that. Oh well, I can always do that when re-reading this book (which might be soon indeed because it's so good)!
Odysseus has made some divine enemies by coming up with the tactic that brought about Troy's fall, but also through some other in-/actions. Thus, when he and his small fleet sail home, they are stormtossed from island to island and meet cyclopses, sirens, witches, gods and other creatures and people while Odysseus' wife, Penelope, is left home to raise their son alone and, ultimately, fight off a host of impertinent suitors.
To think how much more quickly he could have been home if Poseidon attended all meetings as required and if Odysseus' men had heeded commands (after all the battles fought together, one could have expected better of them)!
Anyway, the story is very well known, but the way Fry tells it is fresh and new, though always faithful to the original and respectful in tone in a way that absolutely befits the original.
Fry's version is also speckled with references to the previous 3 books and the stories retold in those.
And he's once again giving the same kind of cultural references we're used to by now.
So much from history, linguistics and even biology makes more sense if one knows the relation between it all and Fry has a wonderful way of bringing it all together in a holistic way.
A wonderful breakdown of this massive tale that jumps from here to there and even from the "present day" to flashbacks and then the future.
Honestly, I had not known the correct order (from the original) since all the versions I encountered to far seem to have streamlined the plot - which is the wrong thing to do since it makes the reader miss some important connections (not to mention that the original way the story was told is more thrilling and has sorts of cliffhangers and a better flow within the story).
Stephen Fry guiding us through all the disasters, betrayals, ensanarements, intrigues and quests and in the order they are said to have occurred, was comforting and brilliant.
I have both the wonderfully shiny (and signed) hardcover
but I also listened to the audiobook because the author narrated it himself and his voice is like a drug (without any negative side-effects) to me.
Gorgeous voyage through history and mythology, rich with details and told in a magnificent way. Read it! I know you'll love it!
P.S.: My only regret is that I didn't take my time reading this book and posting many funny gifs in the status updates. *lol* It lends itself perfectly to that. Oh well, I can always do that when re-reading this book (which might be soon indeed because it's so good)!
November 27, 2024
Good retelling of Homer's Odyssey by the author
October 3, 2024
این مجموعه تمام شد
واقعا یکی از بهترین مجموعههایی بود که از اساطیر یونان خوندم.
واقعا یکی از بهترین مجموعههایی بود که از اساطیر یونان خوندم.
December 19, 2025
This is the last entry of Stephen Fry’s Greek mythology series. Love it. Love it. It is very readable & quite the page turner. I love how the author comprised the book with short sections that’s made up of even shorter chapters. The author’s version of the Odyssey was definitely a lot more fun to read than the original version I had to read for my high school English class… Definitely a strong recommend.
February 12, 2025
Stephen Fry's Greek Retellings is an impressive feat of entertainment while being educationally rich.
There has evidently been an influx of Greek retellings through alternate perspectives after the hugely beloved Madeline Miller novels Circe and The Song of Achilles. Of course it would be silly to suggest there were none prior, in terms of fiction Helen by Margaret George, Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin, and others were critically acclaimed (just didn’t capture the market akin to Madeline Miller). This is not even mentioning the many retellings during the ancient days.
Stephen Fry’s retelling of these great myths isn’t here to provide a drastically different perspective, it’s not even a fictional retelling creating a modern twist, inventing things that weren’t in the original sources. This is pretty much a nonfictional book, retelling these narratives as accurately as possible with Fry’s modern language, wit, and so forth. The best equivalent would be Mythology by Edith Hamilton. However, Edith is better versed in terms of teaching, as the sources are there (better reference material), retellings are short and concise (which I say to its detriment), and Edith caps it off with her intelligence and insight.
Diving into Homer can be very overwhelming because there are so many references to tales outside of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Furthermore, it could be difficult to introduce people to the myths with Hesiod or Ovid’s writings. Stephen Fry is the solution. It isn’t perfect, but it’s damn excellent in what it intends to achieve. You can’t help but be enraptured by it all. Fry’s bouncing between so many different sources so smoothly, providing extra context through footnotes and so forth. I was somewhat hesitant reading this one because a friend of mine didn’t like it nearly as much as the others, but thankfully that wasn’t the case for me.
That said, this felt less impressive than Troy because of the abundance of sources there in comparison to this book. Here we got Odyssey, Agamemnon (plays by many playwrights of that time), and Aeneid, and maybe others (Telegony is touched upon) I haven’t noticed or simply forgot. In terms of the story, it retells well; it’s the Odyssey and various plays of Agamemnon, so yes, it’s wonderful to read. Fry’s conversational style, I think, was the best suited for Mythos because of the nature of the material, but I still enjoyed it how it was deployed here. I really enjoyed the last two chapters with Fry’s overall musings about certain topics and the series existence and caps off this great series wonderfully.
If I had to highlight a weakness, the conversational writing style can go against the tale Fry is exploring. Character voice can merge and feel less distinct (and less bite) because sometimes it’s too modern to its fault. However, this is a very minor grand scheme of things in comparison to its strengths. If you have an emotional anchor to the myths, you feel for characters, you understand the broad plot and the message it evokes, and yeah, a very minor “problem” in terms of the tales as a whole.
In conclusion, Fry’s retelling of Greek myths ends up as a success. It’s a fantastic primer to Greek mythology and everything it entails without sacrificing detail, which is one of the shortcomings of Edith Hamilton's work. When I read Troy many years ago, I read the Iliad soon afterwards, and it was such a wonderful experience, the same will be done again. I’m excited to get into the original tale of Homer after pausing it for so long (for no fault of its quality). I’m glad our generation has these books, as it’s so easy to recommend where to start with Greek myths that are accurate to the originals.
7.5/10
There has evidently been an influx of Greek retellings through alternate perspectives after the hugely beloved Madeline Miller novels Circe and The Song of Achilles. Of course it would be silly to suggest there were none prior, in terms of fiction Helen by Margaret George, Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin, and others were critically acclaimed (just didn’t capture the market akin to Madeline Miller). This is not even mentioning the many retellings during the ancient days.
Stephen Fry’s retelling of these great myths isn’t here to provide a drastically different perspective, it’s not even a fictional retelling creating a modern twist, inventing things that weren’t in the original sources. This is pretty much a nonfictional book, retelling these narratives as accurately as possible with Fry’s modern language, wit, and so forth. The best equivalent would be Mythology by Edith Hamilton. However, Edith is better versed in terms of teaching, as the sources are there (better reference material), retellings are short and concise (which I say to its detriment), and Edith caps it off with her intelligence and insight.
Diving into Homer can be very overwhelming because there are so many references to tales outside of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Furthermore, it could be difficult to introduce people to the myths with Hesiod or Ovid’s writings. Stephen Fry is the solution. It isn’t perfect, but it’s damn excellent in what it intends to achieve. You can’t help but be enraptured by it all. Fry’s bouncing between so many different sources so smoothly, providing extra context through footnotes and so forth. I was somewhat hesitant reading this one because a friend of mine didn’t like it nearly as much as the others, but thankfully that wasn’t the case for me.
That said, this felt less impressive than Troy because of the abundance of sources there in comparison to this book. Here we got Odyssey, Agamemnon (plays by many playwrights of that time), and Aeneid, and maybe others (Telegony is touched upon) I haven’t noticed or simply forgot. In terms of the story, it retells well; it’s the Odyssey and various plays of Agamemnon, so yes, it’s wonderful to read. Fry’s conversational style, I think, was the best suited for Mythos because of the nature of the material, but I still enjoyed it how it was deployed here. I really enjoyed the last two chapters with Fry’s overall musings about certain topics and the series existence and caps off this great series wonderfully.
If I had to highlight a weakness, the conversational writing style can go against the tale Fry is exploring. Character voice can merge and feel less distinct (and less bite) because sometimes it’s too modern to its fault. However, this is a very minor grand scheme of things in comparison to its strengths. If you have an emotional anchor to the myths, you feel for characters, you understand the broad plot and the message it evokes, and yeah, a very minor “problem” in terms of the tales as a whole.
In conclusion, Fry’s retelling of Greek myths ends up as a success. It’s a fantastic primer to Greek mythology and everything it entails without sacrificing detail, which is one of the shortcomings of Edith Hamilton's work. When I read Troy many years ago, I read the Iliad soon afterwards, and it was such a wonderful experience, the same will be done again. I’m excited to get into the original tale of Homer after pausing it for so long (for no fault of its quality). I’m glad our generation has these books, as it’s so easy to recommend where to start with Greek myths that are accurate to the originals.
7.5/10
September 29, 2024
Rating: 5/5 stars
In this fourth installment, Fry tackles one of the most enduring and beloved tales of classical literature: Homer's Odyssey. True to form, Fry delivers a retelling that is both faithful to the original and refreshingly modern, making the ancient epic accessible and utterly captivating for contemporary readers.
Fry's prose is, as always, a delight. His wit, charm, and erudition shine through every page, bringing the world of Odysseus to vivid life. The author's passion for the material is evident throughout, infusing the narrative with an infectious enthusiasm.
While the book is a joy from start to finish, its only fault might be that it leaves the reader wanting more. As the latest entry in Fry's Greek mythology series, ´Odyssey’ continues a journey that many fans hope will not end here. The depth and breadth of Fry's knowledge, combined with his storytelling prowess, could easily have sustained a work twice as long without losing its appeal.
Pros:
- Masterful retelling of a classic epic
- Fry's witty, engaging prose
- Insightful commentary and contextualisation
- Brings ancient characters to life for modern readers
- Balances humor and gravitas expertly
Cons:
- Leaves readers wanting more (which is hardly a complaint)
Stephen Fry's ´Odyssey’ earns a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars, standing not only as a superb retelling of Homer's epic but also as a stellar addition to Fry's Greek mythology quartet. In the end, "Odyssey" leaves us with a sense of anticipation - grateful for the journey we've been on with Fry as our guide.
In this fourth installment, Fry tackles one of the most enduring and beloved tales of classical literature: Homer's Odyssey. True to form, Fry delivers a retelling that is both faithful to the original and refreshingly modern, making the ancient epic accessible and utterly captivating for contemporary readers.
Fry's prose is, as always, a delight. His wit, charm, and erudition shine through every page, bringing the world of Odysseus to vivid life. The author's passion for the material is evident throughout, infusing the narrative with an infectious enthusiasm.
While the book is a joy from start to finish, its only fault might be that it leaves the reader wanting more. As the latest entry in Fry's Greek mythology series, ´Odyssey’ continues a journey that many fans hope will not end here. The depth and breadth of Fry's knowledge, combined with his storytelling prowess, could easily have sustained a work twice as long without losing its appeal.
Pros:
- Masterful retelling of a classic epic
- Fry's witty, engaging prose
- Insightful commentary and contextualisation
- Brings ancient characters to life for modern readers
- Balances humor and gravitas expertly
Cons:
- Leaves readers wanting more (which is hardly a complaint)
Stephen Fry's ´Odyssey’ earns a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars, standing not only as a superb retelling of Homer's epic but also as a stellar addition to Fry's Greek mythology quartet. In the end, "Odyssey" leaves us with a sense of anticipation - grateful for the journey we've been on with Fry as our guide.
January 18, 2026
Oh this was fun! I’m very glad I read this on the heels of reading Emily Wilson’s very excellent translation of The Odyssey so everything was fresh in my mind. I enjoyed Fry’s humour and I think he might have helped shed a light on some things for me, or at least given some questionable things some perspective. An example of things that made me go hmmm…why did he keep his identity secret when finally reaching home but of course it had been 20 years and look how things turned out for Agamemnon (though he could have been the inspiration for a verse in He Had it Coming in the musical, Chicago) so I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to reading his other books after I’ve read the Iliad. Though I know the stories (for the most part. I surprised to learn that in one version Iphigenia was saved!) I still get caught up and enthralled when reading them and that’s pretty remarkable because despite how old the stories are and the difference in cultures there is something still very relatable and relevant for us. As people we haven’t really seemed to have come so far and I think that just adds to the draw of reading these old myths.
February 3, 2026
As a child, I was positively obsessed with the Odyssey, so I know the story very well… but to my delight, the fourth and final book in Stephen Fry’s series of Greek Myths was captivating and fresh, because it wasn’t the straight retelling of the titular Homeric source I had been expecting. Fry picks up right where he left off: The Trojan War has been won, the city sacked, Helen retrieved, and the surviving Greeks are now preparing to sail home to their respective kingdoms… and it’s perfectly fair to say that some will have a much easier time of it than others. By masterfully weaving in parts of Aeschylus’ Oresteia and other tragedies, Fry ties up the stories of all the returning Achaean heroes, thus taking as many detours in his narrative as Odysseus does on his twenty-year long struggle to return home to Ithaca.
My favorite tangent was Agamemnon’s homecoming and the cycle of bloody retribution that follows—we don’t properly get to Odysseus until somewhere around the halfway mark. To my shame, this is how I learned that modern retellings tend to streamline the Odyssey; the original is actually one of literature’s first fragmented narratives, starting in medias res and making ample use of flashbacks. Fry staying true to the original structure worked for me because I know the story so well and his enthusiasm carried me right along, but I could see how readers unfamiliar with these myths may feel storm-tossed by the non-linearity and many tangents.
I have always preferred the Odyssey over the Iliad because it’s the more timeless and relatable tale: It’s about the longing for home, perseverance, redemption… and sweet, sweet revenge. However, even Fry can’t twist the source enough to paint Odysseus as a loyal, loving husband: While his wife is staving off impertinent suitors who are trying to usurp his throne, he is fathering children all over the Mediterranean. So, to make the story at least a little less morally ambiguous, he ends up conveniently omitting the hanging of Penelope’s handmaids.
The prose is designed to make the tale more accessible to modern audiences too, and is injected with humor. Fry’s passion for the material shines through in every charming, vivid sentence, as well as the occasional flashes of poetry… and, as usual, there’s a lot of footnotes-action. Many refer back to relevant stories from the previous books or clarify pronunciations, but the best are always the one where he digresses and goes into linguistics, idioms, or offers up various theories. I loved the afterword, which dips its toes into Virgil’s Aeneid while nicely tying up the narrative arc of this Greek Myths series: From titans, gods, demigods, heroes, and mortals in whose affairs the gods frequently and freely meddled, by the end of this fourth volume, Fry has successfully guided us to the cusp of an era in which mankind had to find its own way.
—————
My reviews of Stephen Fry's Greek Myths series:
01: Mythos · ★★★★
02: Heroes · ★★★
03: Troy · ★★★★
04: Odyssey · ★★★★
My favorite tangent was Agamemnon’s homecoming and the cycle of bloody retribution that follows—we don’t properly get to Odysseus until somewhere around the halfway mark. To my shame, this is how I learned that modern retellings tend to streamline the Odyssey; the original is actually one of literature’s first fragmented narratives, starting in medias res and making ample use of flashbacks. Fry staying true to the original structure worked for me because I know the story so well and his enthusiasm carried me right along, but I could see how readers unfamiliar with these myths may feel storm-tossed by the non-linearity and many tangents.
I have always preferred the Odyssey over the Iliad because it’s the more timeless and relatable tale: It’s about the longing for home, perseverance, redemption… and sweet, sweet revenge. However, even Fry can’t twist the source enough to paint Odysseus as a loyal, loving husband: While his wife is staving off impertinent suitors who are trying to usurp his throne, he is fathering children all over the Mediterranean. So, to make the story at least a little less morally ambiguous, he ends up conveniently omitting the hanging of Penelope’s handmaids.
The prose is designed to make the tale more accessible to modern audiences too, and is injected with humor. Fry’s passion for the material shines through in every charming, vivid sentence, as well as the occasional flashes of poetry… and, as usual, there’s a lot of footnotes-action. Many refer back to relevant stories from the previous books or clarify pronunciations, but the best are always the one where he digresses and goes into linguistics, idioms, or offers up various theories. I loved the afterword, which dips its toes into Virgil’s Aeneid while nicely tying up the narrative arc of this Greek Myths series: From titans, gods, demigods, heroes, and mortals in whose affairs the gods frequently and freely meddled, by the end of this fourth volume, Fry has successfully guided us to the cusp of an era in which mankind had to find its own way.
“Humankind moved on from the gods, the gods no longer appeared before us or demanded sacrifice of us, no longer mated with us, commanded us, cursed us or cast us up to the heavens as constellations. Except they are still here. Whenever we find our reason wrangling with our instinct, Apollo and Dionysus are contending within us. We contain them all: The cheek and cheerfulness of Hermes, the wisdom of Athena, the rage if Ares, the homeliness of Hestia, the craft of Hephaestus, the pride and propriety of Hera, the majesty of Zeus and the capricious inconsistency, beauty, savagery, insight, glory and madness of the whole blessed pantheon.”
—————
My reviews of Stephen Fry's Greek Myths series:
01: Mythos · ★★★★
02: Heroes · ★★★
03: Troy · ★★★★
04: Odyssey · ★★★★
September 27, 2024
As Stephen Fry reiterated Odyssey, I have no right to judge the book by its story. Often the story is boring, dragged and a bit complicated with names that, don't contribute much to Odysseus's adventures. At the same time, my dude has lived a colorful and interesting life and every time he managed to jump out of a messy situation, one could see his growth as the manipulative and wily (PS he hates that term) King that he was known as.
I have rated this 5 because for Stephen Fry's style of writing, trademark humor and simplification of an otherwise complicated story, without missing out on any important events.
I have rated this 5 because for Stephen Fry's style of writing, trademark humor and simplification of an otherwise complicated story, without missing out on any important events.
December 15, 2025
What a beautifully written work. Fry has managed to turn Homer's original work into a very easy and enjoyable piece. Odysseus, only wants to return home to Ithaca after ten years away from home conquering Troy but the God's have other plans. Doomed to be waylaid for a further decade, Odysseus travels to various islands on his way home, meeting the cyclops, the sirens, Circe and others. Not only is he missing his homeland but his wife Penelope is fighting off various suitors for her hand in marriage, as her husband Odysseus is presumed dead.
Fry's prose is eloquent and often fun at times. Out of the four books in this series, this one is definitely my favourite.
Highly recommend.
Fry's prose is eloquent and often fun at times. Out of the four books in this series, this one is definitely my favourite.
Highly recommend.
October 16, 2024
Well done Stephen Fry in a great accessible series on Greek mythology. I’ve followed since the first book came out and I do feel a sense of accomplishment to have finished it! Overall, the series has been really enjoyable but I can’t help but to feel it ended with the least enjoyable one. Now that isn’t to say the book is bad because it isn’t. I just really enjoyed the first two. Absolutely loved Troy so to be this one fell a bit flat.
I listened to the audiobook for this one and as always Stephen is incredible at bringing the story to life. He truly is one of the best voice actors I’ve ever heard when it comes to audio book. I found the book really easy to follow which is great because the Odyssey and other retelling of it can sometimes feel very confusing or overwhelming. There were moments I really enjoyed like his time with the Cyclops and Circe. These parts kept me hooked and wanting more.
Unfortunately, there were a few other parts that I found a little boring. The pacing of this books struggled at times and it did feel at point like it was being dragged out or extended to ensure the book reached a certain length. I was also a little confused when he went on a little rant at the end about AI but fair play if that’s his point of view.
Overall, I do really recommend this series and if you’ve read the others in the series already you should definitely finish it! However, if I am completely honest, I felt this one just didn’t have the magic of the first three and definitely didn’t capture me the same way Troy did.
I listened to the audiobook for this one and as always Stephen is incredible at bringing the story to life. He truly is one of the best voice actors I’ve ever heard when it comes to audio book. I found the book really easy to follow which is great because the Odyssey and other retelling of it can sometimes feel very confusing or overwhelming. There were moments I really enjoyed like his time with the Cyclops and Circe. These parts kept me hooked and wanting more.
Unfortunately, there were a few other parts that I found a little boring. The pacing of this books struggled at times and it did feel at point like it was being dragged out or extended to ensure the book reached a certain length. I was also a little confused when he went on a little rant at the end about AI but fair play if that’s his point of view.
Overall, I do really recommend this series and if you’ve read the others in the series already you should definitely finish it! However, if I am completely honest, I felt this one just didn’t have the magic of the first three and definitely didn’t capture me the same way Troy did.
June 22, 2025
Audiobook (11 hours) narrated by the author, Stephen Fry
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Stephen Fry is a beloved and award winning narrator, perhaps most known for his narration of the UK version of the complete Harry Potter series of books.
His narration and the audio of this novel are flawless.
This is the fourth book of the mythology series written and narrated by Stephen Fry.
In this edition we mostly hear of the tales of Odysseus with a bit a narrative of a few others, like Scylla.
Thus far, the first book of the series has been my favorite, however all of them have been decent and this one was done very well.
Anyone who enjoys Greek Mythology, should consider taking a look. Although the books are in a series, there isn't a reason to read them in any particular order or if you were to be a fan of just Odysseus, you could certainly just read this book as a one off.
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Stephen Fry is a beloved and award winning narrator, perhaps most known for his narration of the UK version of the complete Harry Potter series of books.
His narration and the audio of this novel are flawless.
This is the fourth book of the mythology series written and narrated by Stephen Fry.
In this edition we mostly hear of the tales of Odysseus with a bit a narrative of a few others, like Scylla.
Thus far, the first book of the series has been my favorite, however all of them have been decent and this one was done very well.
Anyone who enjoys Greek Mythology, should consider taking a look. Although the books are in a series, there isn't a reason to read them in any particular order or if you were to be a fan of just Odysseus, you could certainly just read this book as a one off.
November 6, 2024
I swear upon the murky waters of the River Styx with thunder-bearing Zeus as my witness - Stephen Fry’s latest instalment in his Greek myths series “Odyssey”, is an excellent book that certainly doesn’t disappoint. Just as the breath of Athena gave life to Pandora, so does Fry’s fecund imagination, as he breathes life into a post-Trojan war cast of characters through a delightful series of narratives.
My favourites included Odysseus marooned on seductress Calypso’s island - where, amidst their insatiable bouts of coitus, Odysseus laments how he really must be getting back to Ithaca… it has been 12 years... But oh go on then, another round won’t hurt surely!
Odysseus then manages to flee only to become captive on another island to the witch “Circe” (the correct pronunciation of her name rhymes with “mercy” according to the footnotes). After an initial misunderstanding, he “persuades” her to undo the spell that cast his men into a pack of swine herd, unwittingly getting her pregnant in the process.
My favourite of all though had to be the tale of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus and those pesky kids with a penchant for matricide: Orestes and Electra. A story of familial macabre and tragedy second only perhaps to Oedipus Rex. The source material taken from Aeschylus’ “Oresteia”, is brilliantly brought to life by Fry, culminating in the trial of Orestes at the Areopagus, where, (spoiler alert) Athena intervenes and not only exonerates the lad, but exorcises him of the Furies that have been hitherto inflicting psychological torture on him.
Indeed, just like that filicidal old git Tantalus in the underworld, forever grasping for fruit that he cannot reach and stooping to quench his thirst on water that always receeds - I too felt ‘tantalised’ and left wanting more after reading this book! I am already looking forward to listening to the audiobook version. 5 stars.
My favourites included Odysseus marooned on seductress Calypso’s island - where, amidst their insatiable bouts of coitus, Odysseus laments how he really must be getting back to Ithaca… it has been 12 years... But oh go on then, another round won’t hurt surely!
Odysseus then manages to flee only to become captive on another island to the witch “Circe” (the correct pronunciation of her name rhymes with “mercy” according to the footnotes). After an initial misunderstanding, he “persuades” her to undo the spell that cast his men into a pack of swine herd, unwittingly getting her pregnant in the process.
My favourite of all though had to be the tale of Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, Aegisthus and those pesky kids with a penchant for matricide: Orestes and Electra. A story of familial macabre and tragedy second only perhaps to Oedipus Rex. The source material taken from Aeschylus’ “Oresteia”, is brilliantly brought to life by Fry, culminating in the trial of Orestes at the Areopagus, where, (spoiler alert) Athena intervenes and not only exonerates the lad, but exorcises him of the Furies that have been hitherto inflicting psychological torture on him.
Indeed, just like that filicidal old git Tantalus in the underworld, forever grasping for fruit that he cannot reach and stooping to quench his thirst on water that always receeds - I too felt ‘tantalised’ and left wanting more after reading this book! I am already looking forward to listening to the audiobook version. 5 stars.
December 29, 2024
3.5 stars rated up. I continue to not really get on with audiobooks but Stephen Fry remains one of the very few exceptions. Listening to him perform the Greek myths (because it’s definitely much more than “read” when he does it!) has been a genuine pleasure.
This one was probably my least favourite of the four but that’s due to the source material and not for lack of entertainment value on Fry’s part. I found the early parts where we follow the fate of most of the players from the Trojan War a bit of a slog, while the rest suffered from overfamiliarity; I’ve heard and read and seen Odysseus’ story many times before and this is a retelling, not a reinvention.
Stephen’s voice(s) definitely brought it all to life superbly and the snarky asides helped a lot, it’s just that at the end of the day I find Odysseus a trying character to spend a lot of time with. If he could spend a little less time getting all his men killed, fishing for praise for himself while in disguise, taking credit for schemes some goddess came up with for him, and shagging his way across the world while his wife’s supposed to wait forever and be the epitome of faithfulness, maybe. But honestly, all that and then the constant whining about people calling him wily and a lying liar who lies? Give me a break, my dude. But mad kudos to Stephen Fry for once again turning storied figures from millennia ago into real characters I can get genuinely exasperated with, lol.
This one was probably my least favourite of the four but that’s due to the source material and not for lack of entertainment value on Fry’s part. I found the early parts where we follow the fate of most of the players from the Trojan War a bit of a slog, while the rest suffered from overfamiliarity; I’ve heard and read and seen Odysseus’ story many times before and this is a retelling, not a reinvention.
Stephen’s voice(s) definitely brought it all to life superbly and the snarky asides helped a lot, it’s just that at the end of the day I find Odysseus a trying character to spend a lot of time with. If he could spend a little less time getting all his men killed, fishing for praise for himself while in disguise, taking credit for schemes some goddess came up with for him, and shagging his way across the world while his wife’s supposed to wait forever and be the epitome of faithfulness, maybe. But honestly, all that and then the constant whining about people calling him wily and a lying liar who lies? Give me a break, my dude. But mad kudos to Stephen Fry for once again turning storied figures from millennia ago into real characters I can get genuinely exasperated with, lol.
August 11, 2021
I already know this will be a slam dunk based on the other books. Can I just time travel to get it and start listening to it now? Can't wait for Fry's Odyssey interpretation.
February 3, 2025
Una experiencia religiosa leerlo con EPIC de fondo por dios alucinante 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
April 21, 2025
Greek and Roman heroes, gods and goddesses have been part of my world for over fifty years. I even taught them to my students in high school. I was really curious to read how Stephen Fry would organise the retelling of this story. This novel is not only the retelling of the original Odyssee, it also enlightens us on the sea adventures of several other heroes from the Trojan war. The sad homecoming of Agamemnon and the wandering of his children are taken largely from the Greek tragedy writers; the long journey on sea Aeneas embarks on was told by the Roman writer Vergilius. But the centre of the book of course is Odysseus who travels all seas, encounters many setbacks and is a toy in the hands of rivalrous gods. Odysseus who longs so much for his home on Ithaca, but sometimes does not do everything he can to get there. And 20 years away is a long time.
I found the retelling very gracious, lighthearted and excellently written. I like the humour, the variation and the puns. What disturbed me is using Greek and Roman names for gods in the same book. It is hard enough to follow these different Greek names and I think the sudden use of the Roman names was at least unnecessary.
Also I found the story a bit too black/white. Agamemnon was not an innocent bystander, Penelope’s character has much more depth, Odysseus is not flawless.
But as an introduction or first reading of the Odyssee it is an excellent book.
I found the retelling very gracious, lighthearted and excellently written. I like the humour, the variation and the puns. What disturbed me is using Greek and Roman names for gods in the same book. It is hard enough to follow these different Greek names and I think the sudden use of the Roman names was at least unnecessary.
Also I found the story a bit too black/white. Agamemnon was not an innocent bystander, Penelope’s character has much more depth, Odysseus is not flawless.
But as an introduction or first reading of the Odyssee it is an excellent book.
November 15, 2024
Būsiu sulūžusi plokštelė, bet ši knygų serija yra must read, nesvarbu ar mėgstat mitologiją ar ji skamba jums nuobodžiai. Taip parašytos knygos turėtų būti privalomos skaityti jau mokykloje ir garantuoju, kad visiems kažkas galvose pasiliktų. At this point aš turiu būti dėkinga Stephen Fry už visas savo graikų mitologijos žinias, nes jis vienintelis sugebėjo viską perteikti įtraukiančiai, šmaikščiai, bet nesupaprastintai iki minimumo. Ir aš tiesiog gyvenime day to day jaučiu naudą to, kai kokiam quiz šou pateikiami klausimai ta tema ar kitoje knygoje yra koks reference į mitologinius personažus.
November 29, 2025
Fryjev Odisej posljednji je u njegovu serijalu grčkog mythosa i onaj koji je potreban da bi se završilo čitavo to jedno veliko poglavlje. Nisam neki osobiti fan Odiseja kao lika, ali budući da sam pročitala sve prijašnje Mythose, kako odbiti ovaj zaključni 🤷🏻♀️
I doista, Fry je još jednom pokazao svoju elokventnost, intelekt, erudiciju i veliku posvećenost svim mogućim izvorima, detaljima te prenošenju priče na čitateljima shvatljiv način. Dohvatio se on tu i Eneide, Elektre, Oresta i ostalih likova koji se pojavljuju paralelno s Odisejevim lutanjima, a ne nalaze se u samoj Odiseji ili se samo kratko spominju. Sve mi je to odlično vremenski i prostorno posložilo stvari u glavi iako gotovo sve te priče znam od ranije.
Međutim, ono što me malo znalo "izbaciti" iz radnje je narativ, odnosno više sam stil pisanja. Kao da se nije mogao odlučiti hoće li pisati današnjim, svakodnevnim i jednostavnim govorom ili više pjesničkim, epskijim izrazom (svejedno bi mi bilo koje bi izabrao) pa su neke ozbiljnije stvari ispale trivijalnije ili bezazlenije nego što jesu, dok su pak druge tonom sasvim odgovarale ozbiljnosti situacija. Sjećam se da sam isti problem imala i kad sam čitala Junake, dok su mi prvi Mythos i Ilijada odgovarali po tom pitanju.
Ono što mi je pak bilo jako zanimljivo jest Fryjev esejistički prikaz pojedinih elemenata kako Odiseje, tako i cijelog Mythosa na kraju knjige, poput svojevrsnog pogovora i zaključka te opširne mitologije. Poželjela sam da toga ima više. O, i popratne ilustracije u ovom izdanju knjige su prekrasne 🤩
I doista, Fry je još jednom pokazao svoju elokventnost, intelekt, erudiciju i veliku posvećenost svim mogućim izvorima, detaljima te prenošenju priče na čitateljima shvatljiv način. Dohvatio se on tu i Eneide, Elektre, Oresta i ostalih likova koji se pojavljuju paralelno s Odisejevim lutanjima, a ne nalaze se u samoj Odiseji ili se samo kratko spominju. Sve mi je to odlično vremenski i prostorno posložilo stvari u glavi iako gotovo sve te priče znam od ranije.
Međutim, ono što me malo znalo "izbaciti" iz radnje je narativ, odnosno više sam stil pisanja. Kao da se nije mogao odlučiti hoće li pisati današnjim, svakodnevnim i jednostavnim govorom ili više pjesničkim, epskijim izrazom (svejedno bi mi bilo koje bi izabrao) pa su neke ozbiljnije stvari ispale trivijalnije ili bezazlenije nego što jesu, dok su pak druge tonom sasvim odgovarale ozbiljnosti situacija. Sjećam se da sam isti problem imala i kad sam čitala Junake, dok su mi prvi Mythos i Ilijada odgovarali po tom pitanju.
Ono što mi je pak bilo jako zanimljivo jest Fryjev esejistički prikaz pojedinih elemenata kako Odiseje, tako i cijelog Mythosa na kraju knjige, poput svojevrsnog pogovora i zaključka te opširne mitologije. Poželjela sam da toga ima više. O, i popratne ilustracije u ovom izdanju knjige su prekrasne 🤩
February 21, 2025
Это хороший, очень фраевский пересказ. С любопытными деталями и особыми интонациями. Но, к сожалению, читать его одновременно с переводом Одиссеи от Эмили Уилсон совершенно невозможно - сильно проигрывает.
Ps: если бы Одиссей попал в Хогвартс, он точно учился бы в Слизерене
Ps: если бы Одиссей попал в Хогвартс, он точно учился бы в Слизерене
October 8, 2025
That was a weird ending … did Stephen Fry just go on a rant about AI and compared it favourably to the Greek Gods? I think … I think I may have hit my head because surely that didn’t happen.
January 20, 2026
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "Одисея", Стивън Фрай
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "Когато тръгнеш нявга за Итака, / моли се пътят ти да е далечен."
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Именно тези прелестни стихове от гръцкия поет Константинос Кавафис красят първите страници от "Одисея"-та на Фрай. Именно в тях се съдържа и есенцията на онази, другата "Одисея", писана, когато боговете още са стъпвали по земята - Омировата.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Дори и да се опитам да я разкажа, няма да успея. Накратичко обаче - Троянската война е свършила, войната на Одисей да се завърне у дома тепърва предстои.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години родната му Итака винаги ще бъде на ръба на хоризонта, съвсем мъничко отвъд, колкото да се окаже непостижима.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години най-хитроумният сред ахейците ще минава през невъобразими изпитания, изправяйки се лице в лице със смърт и изкушение в равни количества.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години у дома ще го чакат син и съпруга, а той няма нито за момент да изостави мечтата да ги види отново.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Винаги съм харесвала "Одисея" много повече от "Илиада" - история за безстрашни воини, чиято религия е жестокостта, история за храброст, окъпана в кръвта на мъже, жени и деца.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "Одисея" обаче е история за дома, за носталгията, за онзи тип любов, който оцелява въпреки безмилостните остриета на времето. Тя е история за героя, който надмогва трудностите не със силата си, а с ума си.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Тя е история за бленуваното завръщане, но и за пътуването - изпъстрено с ужаси и чудеса, необятно и безкрайно, най-хубавото, което може да ти даде Итака: да те изпрати на път като този.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 С чаровно семпъл стил на писане Стивън Фрай ни потапя в света на Омир, в света на Древна Гърция, в света на боговете.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Книгата е един невероятно достъпен преразказ на "Одисея", който запазва историята, духа и посланията на оригинала, но ги доближава до езика на съвременния човек, грабвайки с остроумни бележки под линия, които с остър хумор коментират и днешния свят.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Най-ценното, което книгата прави, е да припомни за потребността от разказвачеството - изкуство, което е събирало още пещерните хора около току-що открития огън.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "В един свят, в който най-важната обменна единица са абсолютните стойности и информацията - може да се каже, в свят, в който абсолютните стойности и информацията са богове, бихме сторили добре - убеден съм в това - да си спомним за силата на неабсолютното, за силата на приказките, митовете, церемониите, ритуалите и символите.", пише Фрай в заключителните думи на своята "Одисея".
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Потапяйки ни в една нова версия (в проза, а не в хекзаметър) на Омировия разказ за вечния пътешественик от Итака, Фрай се застъпва за актуалността на историите от древността, но и за актуалността на историите изобщо - магията, изплетена от думи, която може да те накара да изживееш хиляди животи в рамките на скромния си единствен.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Или, както казва самият Фрай - "Аз самият виждам себе си стотици пъти в гръцките митове - в ролята на глупак, неудачник, престъпник, влюбен, злодей и - много рядко - като герой. Никога не съм разпознавал себе си в онези поредици от единици и нули и набори от дигитални данни."
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 В днешния свят на технологии и светкавичен прогрес, загатва ни той, не трябва да губим способността да си фантазираме, да си разказваме, да вярваме в митовете и приказките, та било то и само докато страниците са отворени.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Защото историите, завещани ни от далечните епохи на богове и герои, в крайна сметка са истории за хора. Истории, които никога няма да загубят способността си да развълнуват, да разплачат, да утешат.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Защото посланията, които боговете оставят Одисей, могат да бъдат послания и към всеки съвременен човек - докато тичаме по пътя на стремленията си, докато се борим с трудностите, докато още сме далече от мечтите си, да не забравяме да оценим това, което ни е дало пътуването. Да се молим пътят към нашата Итака да бъде далечен.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "Когато тръгнеш нявга за Итака, / моли се пътят ти да е далечен."
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Именно тези прелестни стихове от гръцкия поет Константинос Кавафис красят първите страници от "Одисея"-та на Фрай. Именно в тях се съдържа и есенцията на онази, другата "Одисея", писана, когато боговете още са стъпвали по земята - Омировата.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Дори и да се опитам да я разкажа, няма да успея. Накратичко обаче - Троянската война е свършила, войната на Одисей да се завърне у дома тепърва предстои.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години родната му Итака винаги ще бъде на ръба на хоризонта, съвсем мъничко отвъд, колкото да се окаже непостижима.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години най-хитроумният сред ахейците ще минава през невъобразими изпитания, изправяйки се лице в лице със смърт и изкушение в равни количества.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Десет дълги години у дома ще го чакат син и съпруга, а той няма нито за момент да изостави мечтата да ги види отново.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Винаги съм харесвала "Одисея" много повече от "Илиада" - история за безстрашни воини, чиято религия е жестокостта, история за храброст, окъпана в кръвта на мъже, жени и деца.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "Одисея" обаче е история за дома, за носталгията, за онзи тип любов, който оцелява въпреки безмилостните остриета на времето. Тя е история за героя, който надмогва трудностите не със силата си, а с ума си.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Тя е история за бленуваното завръщане, но и за пътуването - изпъстрено с ужаси и чудеса, необятно и безкрайно, най-хубавото, което може да ти даде Итака: да те изпрати на път като този.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 С чаровно семпъл стил на писане Стивън Фрай ни потапя в света на Омир, в света на Древна Гърция, в света на боговете.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Книгата е един невероятно достъпен преразказ на "Одисея", който запазва историята, духа и посланията на оригинала, но ги доближава до езика на съвременния човек, грабвайки с остроумни бележки под линия, които с остър хумор коментират и днешния свят.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Най-ценното, което книгата прави, е да припомни за потребността от разказвачеството - изкуство, което е събирало още пещерните хора около току-що открития огън.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 "В един свят, в който най-важната обменна единица са абсолютните стойности и информацията - може да се каже, в свят, в който абсолютните стойности и информацията са богове, бихме сторили добре - убеден съм в това - да си спомним за силата на неабсолютното, за силата на приказките, митовете, церемониите, ритуалите и символите.", пише Фрай в заключителните думи на своята "Одисея".
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Потапяйки ни в една нова версия (в проза, а не в хекзаметър) на Омировия разказ за вечния пътешественик от Итака, Фрай се застъпва за актуалността на историите от древността, но и за актуалността на историите изобщо - магията, изплетена от думи, която може да те накара да изживееш хиляди животи в рамките на скромния си единствен.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Или, както казва самият Фрай - "Аз самият виждам себе си стотици пъти в гръцките митове - в ролята на глупак, неудачник, престъпник, влюбен, злодей и - много рядко - като герой. Никога не съм разпознавал себе си в онези поредици от единици и нули и набори от дигитални данни."
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 В днешния свят на технологии и светкавичен прогрес, загатва ни той, не трябва да губим способността да си фантазираме, да си разказваме, да вярваме в митовете и приказките, та било то и само докато страниците са отворени.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Защото историите, завещани ни от далечните епохи на богове и герои, в крайна сметка са истории за хора. Истории, които никога няма да загубят способността си да развълнуват, да разплачат, да утешат.
˚.⋆𓂃𓊝 Защото посланията, които боговете оставят Одисей, могат да бъдат послания и към всеки съвременен човек - докато тичаме по пътя на стремленията си, докато се борим с трудностите, докато още сме далече от мечтите си, да не забравяме да оценим това, което ни е дало пътуването. Да се молим пътят към нашата Итака да бъде далечен.
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