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The Eighth Arrow: Odysseus in the Underworld, A Novel
Condemned to burn in the eighth circle of Dante's Hell, Odysseus, legendary thief and liar of Homer's Odyssey and Iliad, decides he is going to break out. His adventure begins with a prayer to Athena Parthenos, who appears to him bearing gifts: his armor, his famous bow, a mysterious leather pouch, and seven unusual arrows. She then sends him on a quest through the Underworld along with Diomedes, his friend from the Trojan War who had been sharing in his eternal punishment. To complete their escape, the goddess warns them, they must recover their squandered honor and learn to use "the eighth arrow."
At turns exciting, humorous, and edifying, this action-packed epic follows Odysseus and Diomedes as they journey through all the circles of Dante's Hell, where they encounter various characters from Greek mythology, ancient history, and Renaissance literature, including Helen of Troy, Cerberus, Penelope, Homer, Harpies, Centaurs, and eventually Satan himself. With witty banter and wily stratagems, the two Greek warriors fight their way through the obstacles that stand between them and redemption.
The Eighth Arrow is a thoroughly entertaining jailbreak story. Full of allusions to great works of old, it is also gently educational, and as such it can be read as a guide or a companion to Dante's Inferno and the works of Homer.
At turns exciting, humorous, and edifying, this action-packed epic follows Odysseus and Diomedes as they journey through all the circles of Dante's Hell, where they encounter various characters from Greek mythology, ancient history, and Renaissance literature, including Helen of Troy, Cerberus, Penelope, Homer, Harpies, Centaurs, and eventually Satan himself. With witty banter and wily stratagems, the two Greek warriors fight their way through the obstacles that stand between them and redemption.
The Eighth Arrow is a thoroughly entertaining jailbreak story. Full of allusions to great works of old, it is also gently educational, and as such it can be read as a guide or a companion to Dante's Inferno and the works of Homer.
347 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2018
31 people are currently reading
400 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 27, 2019
I haven’t read anything by Homer, but I have read Dante’s Inferno (though it’s been a while). And I think that counts for something...
Though, honestly, this book is just as entertaining if you didn’t take Classics 222 in college (or you slept through it).
And what’s not to love about this author?
"J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B., is a monk of Saint Louis Abbey. He serves as the director of Chaplaincy at the Saint Louis Priory School, where he teaches English and Theology, and coaches rugby. … During his spare time, Father Augustine supervises the juggling team, cultivates carnivorous plants, raises carpenter ants, and surfs."
Clearly, the man has an active imagination and should be writing novels, don’t you agree?
This novel is a keeper and a five-star read. As I read it (thoroughly entertained the whole time), I knew I must be missing something (many somethings, if I’m honest). It wasn’t until I had finished that I found the glossary. *facepalm*
He writes, prefacing the glossary, “I started writing this book, with the help of my students, as a way of introducing them to the worlds of Dante and Homer.”
(So you see, you don’t have to have read those works!)
I’m not sure if Fr. Augustine intended it, but he made me wonder how I could go about reading and understanding these Homeric works for myself. (I suspect, though, that it’s better done with some guidance.)
The story: Odysseus and his sidekick Diomedes are granted a reprieve from the eighth circle of Hell. They start back at the top and work their way down. The deal is, if they can get past the Devil himself, they can have a chance at a “redo” on earth.
Odysseus is all of us. He’s cocksure and full of himself, completely blind to his weaknesses and failings. The trip through Hell, as it turns out, is an opportunity for self-awareness to bloom in him, even as he ignores the loyalty and insight of his longtime friend.
Each circle of Hell poses its own challenges and hilarity — because this book is full of laughs and chuckles. I think I probably got about half the jokes…and I’m sure on a good reread that there will be even more to appreciate.
Highly recommended.
Though, honestly, this book is just as entertaining if you didn’t take Classics 222 in college (or you slept through it).
And what’s not to love about this author?
"J. Augustine Wetta, O.S.B., is a monk of Saint Louis Abbey. He serves as the director of Chaplaincy at the Saint Louis Priory School, where he teaches English and Theology, and coaches rugby. … During his spare time, Father Augustine supervises the juggling team, cultivates carnivorous plants, raises carpenter ants, and surfs."
Clearly, the man has an active imagination and should be writing novels, don’t you agree?
This novel is a keeper and a five-star read. As I read it (thoroughly entertained the whole time), I knew I must be missing something (many somethings, if I’m honest). It wasn’t until I had finished that I found the glossary. *facepalm*
He writes, prefacing the glossary, “I started writing this book, with the help of my students, as a way of introducing them to the worlds of Dante and Homer.”
(So you see, you don’t have to have read those works!)
I’m not sure if Fr. Augustine intended it, but he made me wonder how I could go about reading and understanding these Homeric works for myself. (I suspect, though, that it’s better done with some guidance.)
The story: Odysseus and his sidekick Diomedes are granted a reprieve from the eighth circle of Hell. They start back at the top and work their way down. The deal is, if they can get past the Devil himself, they can have a chance at a “redo” on earth.
Odysseus is all of us. He’s cocksure and full of himself, completely blind to his weaknesses and failings. The trip through Hell, as it turns out, is an opportunity for self-awareness to bloom in him, even as he ignores the loyalty and insight of his longtime friend.
Each circle of Hell poses its own challenges and hilarity — because this book is full of laughs and chuckles. I think I probably got about half the jokes…and I’m sure on a good reread that there will be even more to appreciate.
Highly recommended.
January 20, 2019
I went to a retreat led by Fr. Wetta, which was superb. At the end, he mentioned that he had brought a few books of his to give away if anyone wanted to have one. When he started describing The Eighth Arrow, I was hooked! Odysseus fighting his way through Dante's Inferno? So much promise! And he definitely delivered.
I was hoping that this book would be a great jumping off point to reading the Divine Comedy, characters that I know from my High School Reading of the Iliad and the Oddessey. And while that did happen, and I think I will start Dante in a year or so, what this book really did was show me that I need to reread Homer first! I learned a lot about the characters and their motivations and struggles and I can't wait to re-read those epics with a new perspective.
Great book, highly recommend it for Catholics who love Ancient Greek Mythology.
I was hoping that this book would be a great jumping off point to reading the Divine Comedy, characters that I know from my High School Reading of the Iliad and the Oddessey. And while that did happen, and I think I will start Dante in a year or so, what this book really did was show me that I need to reread Homer first! I learned a lot about the characters and their motivations and struggles and I can't wait to re-read those epics with a new perspective.
Great book, highly recommend it for Catholics who love Ancient Greek Mythology.
September 24, 2025
Ladies and gentlemen, even though John Wayne tells Mr. Pennel in that mythical film that Professor Manuel Alfonseca always talks to me about, I do it because my delay has been absolutely inexcusable. This review was promised to you for Thursday and it is being written on a Tuesday having wasted several days of Holy Week (I take the opportunity to congratulate believers and non-believers alike). This review that is posted today on Goodreads was written during Holy Week . It must be said that my plan was not to post this review today but to write on my social networks the review of Professor Manuel Alfonseca 's new book Jacques Monod (1910-1976). Critical Study of "Chance and Necessity" (Citizenship and Values Collection. A Critical Reading of Current Thought) , but slept very little yesterday, and it was decided to postpone it until Thursday or Friday given the difficulty of the undertaking. Today we will try to post this review on Goodreads , as well as the one for the book MARTÍN AND THE ORDER OF THE BOY KNIGHTS by HM . Martín ) that could have been used to write reviews that were pending. If you saw one of my last videos, the Unboxing video, you will know that "The Eighth Arrow " by Augustine Wetta was one of the five books I bought at the Árbol de las Letras bookstore (spoiler: on April 22nd or 24th I will be paying a visit to the Árbol de las Letras to buy some of the books I have pending and, I promise you there will be a third unboxing ). If any of you saw that video, it was said that I was very interested in liking "The Eighth Arrow" because I knew about the existence of this book a long time ago due to my great passion for reading the best Catholic writers in the world. Something that due to costs is very difficult for me because of how expensive it is for me to buy books from abroad. So I thought I would never get to read " The Eighth Arrow ". But just like what happened to me with A Bloody Habit by Eleanor Bourg Nicholson at the publishing house @homolegens_espiritualidad , acquire it and you will not be disappointed. Sometimes providence rewards you, and this has been the case. I learned about the Spanish edition of Father Wetta 's work thanks to a purchase from Voyage au centre de la Terre by Jules Verne (a board game I play with) with my writer friend Jaime Blanch Queral (I'm still the King of Morlocks by the way ;-)) who told me about this book and another one and it was a dream come true. I did it years ago to help Eleanor Bourg Nicholson and, because I argued with a journalist, I made a list of the best Christian authors from @goodreads (many of my friends) and, not only that, also with links so that if any publisher wanted that list, they could publish books for many years and would become the largest Catholic publisher of all time. That is why for me it was a dream come true that finally a first-time publisher called Érase published this novel that I have been longing to read. Despite the fact that there were many books in reserve at the Árbol de las Letras bookstore, we had to get this one “no matter the cost ” as Bastián Baltasar Bux would say The Neverending Story and it was decided to give it the honor of being the first to be read (at the end of this review you will be told why). One of the things that attracted me to Father Wetta 's book was its plot, which was absolutely fascinating. Both Ulysses (Odysseus) and Diomedes decide to escape from Dante Alighieri's Hell (who in this novel will make a cameo with his friend Virgil. By the way, if anyone would like to see a study of Dante Aligheri , I recommend the book [ book:Dante Vivo|1781033] by Giovanni Papini where I believe that Dante is put in his rightful place, and in the same place that [ author:CS . Lewis|1069006] thought he belonged to him), so the work is a loving tribute to both the work of HomerThe Iliad & The Odyssey and the work of the Florentine writer Dante Alighieri (the addition at the beginning of the story trying to correct the bureaucratic error that Dante Alighieri made in his work is priceless). The idea was very good, but great arguments have been destroyed by infamous prose or by a disastrous argumentative decision on the part of the author or by getting carried away by ideologies as is happening with some current writers Margaret AtwoodMadeline Miller Marion Zimmer Bradley.
So writing this novel was a huge risk. Has Father Wetta failed in this project? Anyone who wants to read this review can now be told that no. " The Eighth Arrow " is an extraordinary novel and a worthy tribute to both the work of Homer and the " The Divine Comedy : Inferno - Purgatorio - Paradiso " by Dante and, which is a brave attempt to Christianize the last great Greek hero (says a great writer Roger Lancelyn Green not I your humble servant) and, not only that, it is also an attempt to correct many of the injustices committed against Dante, but respecting the wonderful theology that within the low passions of the Florentine writer his work breathed. Dante's work is deeply religious despite the fact that the causes that Dante defended in life were not the most just. Dante began as a Guelph and, in the end, he ended up as a rabid Ghibelline and, as an enemy of the papacy and defender of the Empire against the Catholic Church, and that weighed down his life greatly and made him die in exile (a prisoner of the ideologies of his time as happens in the time we have to live in, as Gandalf would say " That is what those who live in these times wish, but it is not for them to decide, only you can decide what to do with the time that has been given you" The Lord of the Rings). Aside from the fact that we're dealing with an extremely resentful person who used this work to attack his enemies, who were never able to respond or defend themselves. It's true that in many cases they're probably fine where they are, but one has the feeling that Dante violated a principle that I would surely have violated as well: " Judge not, and you shall not be judged ." The Holy Bible : Gospel of Matthew. While it is true that this work has been translated by pens as brilliant as those of Dorothy L. Sayers (and her biographer Barbara Reynolds Alkofer who continued the unfinished work of the English novelist). This work was presented to her through the Inklings and [ author:Charles Williams|36289], led to a debate with JRR . Tolkien who always preferred the " Beowulf " versus "The Divine Comedy". Supporters of both sides may argue depending on their point of view. For some, Dante is a rebel and an enemy of the Church who put his ideology and prejudices in his work and, for others, it will seem aberrant that a work like Beowulf that tells us a pagan myth is read so much despite the evidence leading us to believe that it was probably written by a Saxon monk. Just like the ' Edda Minor" was written by Bishop Snorri Sturluson (read JRR Tolkien's translation of Beowulf : A Translation and Commentary , together with Sellic Spell and, a little gem, the retold story of Hrolf Kraki's Saga another Norse saga rewritten by the very interesting writer Poul Anderson). Which work should be read? My opinion is that both are great books and should be read by as many readers as possible because the beauty and sound theology of Dante's work is undeniable. While the Beowulf saga is the Christianization of a pagan myth, hence the final third of the film by [ author:Robert Zemeckis|17717] and Neil Gaiman it is known that Christianity is implicit even if it is in a pagan setting. Another of the great translators of the "Divine Comedy" was the prestigious Professor Anthony Esolen whose book " Sex and the Unreal City: The Demolition of the Western Mind " is being discussed in the Catholic Book Club on @goodreads . Returning to Dante, "The Divine Comedy" has had its tributes such as " The Dreams of Francisco de Quevedo: The Dream of the Skulls; The Demonic Constable; Pluto's Pigpens; The World Inside; The Visit of the Jokes. " of our Francisco de Quevedo works such as "The Divine Comedy" by Zygmunt Krasiński but I think that the greatest tribute has undoubtedly been made to him by his compatriot (required reading) Giovanni Papini for me one of the writers who writes best and, a very cultured man so much so that in his youth Papini longed to write an encyclopedia that compiled his enormous knowledge of all subjects as if it were a Athanasius Kircher of life. Professor Manuel Alfonseca would not forgive me if I did not recommend works like Gog and, its sequel [ book:Il libro nero|34212865] His Life of Christ . Freely translated from the Italian by Dorothy Canfield Fisher 1924 Leather Bound is a must-read, but the strongest homage to Dante is perhaps his work " Giudizio Universale " Papini went from anarchism Friedrich Nietzsche to believing in universal salvation. Something that writers like George MacDonald (a writer who has his influence on this work) believed in, and Madeleine L'Engle that topic will be discussed when it is surely discussed " Senderear” by Félix [author: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (the last recognized Catholic) also paid tribute to him in their science fiction novels “ [book : Inferno] ” by Niven , Larry, Pournelle , Jerry (September 2, 2008) Paperback|237690427]” ( RA . Lafferty was inspired for example by Las moradas by Teresa de Ávila to write his science fiction story “Fourth Mansions” and, made his own parody of “Odyssey ” “Space Chantey”). I can not stop too much in the work of Homer because otherwise we would never be able to finish this review, but it will be said that apart from the "Odyssey " and, "The Iliad " that Wetta brilliantly pays homage to in "The Eighth Arrow" but that the rhapsodist He has other very valuable books such as " Homerica : The Cypria " or, " Batrachomyomachia , Hymns and Epigrams " which is a parody of the " Iliad " in which animals are the ones fighting, in this case mice against frogs. Stout Hearts and Whizzing Biscuits by Daniel McInerny was inspired by the work of Homer when retelling the story of Trojans facing Vikings in a youthful work and, without Homer's masterpieces Virgil, Dante's guide to Hell and Purgatory, would never have written his " Aenid ". Regarding the "Odyssey" I will only say one thing that I like a lot, although my sister scolded me for why Homer dedicated so much time to revenge against the freeloaders (the suitors) when what she likes about "The Odyssey" are the wanderings of Ulysses. This character inspired Sinbad of the 1001 Nights The Arabian Nights and has had very good adaptations such as " Solomas of Space" by RA Lafferty . The World's Desire by H . Rider Haggard to be continued...
So writing this novel was a huge risk. Has Father Wetta failed in this project? Anyone who wants to read this review can now be told that no. " The Eighth Arrow " is an extraordinary novel and a worthy tribute to both the work of Homer and the " The Divine Comedy : Inferno - Purgatorio - Paradiso " by Dante and, which is a brave attempt to Christianize the last great Greek hero (says a great writer Roger Lancelyn Green not I your humble servant) and, not only that, it is also an attempt to correct many of the injustices committed against Dante, but respecting the wonderful theology that within the low passions of the Florentine writer his work breathed. Dante's work is deeply religious despite the fact that the causes that Dante defended in life were not the most just. Dante began as a Guelph and, in the end, he ended up as a rabid Ghibelline and, as an enemy of the papacy and defender of the Empire against the Catholic Church, and that weighed down his life greatly and made him die in exile (a prisoner of the ideologies of his time as happens in the time we have to live in, as Gandalf would say " That is what those who live in these times wish, but it is not for them to decide, only you can decide what to do with the time that has been given you" The Lord of the Rings). Aside from the fact that we're dealing with an extremely resentful person who used this work to attack his enemies, who were never able to respond or defend themselves. It's true that in many cases they're probably fine where they are, but one has the feeling that Dante violated a principle that I would surely have violated as well: " Judge not, and you shall not be judged ." The Holy Bible : Gospel of Matthew. While it is true that this work has been translated by pens as brilliant as those of Dorothy L. Sayers (and her biographer Barbara Reynolds Alkofer who continued the unfinished work of the English novelist). This work was presented to her through the Inklings and [ author:Charles Williams|36289], led to a debate with JRR . Tolkien who always preferred the " Beowulf " versus "The Divine Comedy". Supporters of both sides may argue depending on their point of view. For some, Dante is a rebel and an enemy of the Church who put his ideology and prejudices in his work and, for others, it will seem aberrant that a work like Beowulf that tells us a pagan myth is read so much despite the evidence leading us to believe that it was probably written by a Saxon monk. Just like the ' Edda Minor" was written by Bishop Snorri Sturluson (read JRR Tolkien's translation of Beowulf : A Translation and Commentary , together with Sellic Spell and, a little gem, the retold story of Hrolf Kraki's Saga another Norse saga rewritten by the very interesting writer Poul Anderson). Which work should be read? My opinion is that both are great books and should be read by as many readers as possible because the beauty and sound theology of Dante's work is undeniable. While the Beowulf saga is the Christianization of a pagan myth, hence the final third of the film by [ author:Robert Zemeckis|17717] and Neil Gaiman it is known that Christianity is implicit even if it is in a pagan setting. Another of the great translators of the "Divine Comedy" was the prestigious Professor Anthony Esolen whose book " Sex and the Unreal City: The Demolition of the Western Mind " is being discussed in the Catholic Book Club on @goodreads . Returning to Dante, "The Divine Comedy" has had its tributes such as " The Dreams of Francisco de Quevedo: The Dream of the Skulls; The Demonic Constable; Pluto's Pigpens; The World Inside; The Visit of the Jokes. " of our Francisco de Quevedo works such as "The Divine Comedy" by Zygmunt Krasiński but I think that the greatest tribute has undoubtedly been made to him by his compatriot (required reading) Giovanni Papini for me one of the writers who writes best and, a very cultured man so much so that in his youth Papini longed to write an encyclopedia that compiled his enormous knowledge of all subjects as if it were a Athanasius Kircher of life. Professor Manuel Alfonseca would not forgive me if I did not recommend works like Gog and, its sequel [ book:Il libro nero|34212865] His Life of Christ . Freely translated from the Italian by Dorothy Canfield Fisher 1924 Leather Bound is a must-read, but the strongest homage to Dante is perhaps his work " Giudizio Universale " Papini went from anarchism Friedrich Nietzsche to believing in universal salvation. Something that writers like George MacDonald (a writer who has his influence on this work) believed in, and Madeleine L'Engle that topic will be discussed when it is surely discussed " Senderear” by Félix [author: Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle (the last recognized Catholic) also paid tribute to him in their science fiction novels “ [book : Inferno] ” by Niven , Larry, Pournelle , Jerry (September 2, 2008) Paperback|237690427]” ( RA . Lafferty was inspired for example by Las moradas by Teresa de Ávila to write his science fiction story “Fourth Mansions” and, made his own parody of “Odyssey ” “Space Chantey”). I can not stop too much in the work of Homer because otherwise we would never be able to finish this review, but it will be said that apart from the "Odyssey " and, "The Iliad " that Wetta brilliantly pays homage to in "The Eighth Arrow" but that the rhapsodist He has other very valuable books such as " Homerica : The Cypria " or, " Batrachomyomachia , Hymns and Epigrams " which is a parody of the " Iliad " in which animals are the ones fighting, in this case mice against frogs. Stout Hearts and Whizzing Biscuits by Daniel McInerny was inspired by the work of Homer when retelling the story of Trojans facing Vikings in a youthful work and, without Homer's masterpieces Virgil, Dante's guide to Hell and Purgatory, would never have written his " Aenid ". Regarding the "Odyssey" I will only say one thing that I like a lot, although my sister scolded me for why Homer dedicated so much time to revenge against the freeloaders (the suitors) when what she likes about "The Odyssey" are the wanderings of Ulysses. This character inspired Sinbad of the 1001 Nights The Arabian Nights and has had very good adaptations such as " Solomas of Space" by RA Lafferty . The World's Desire by H . Rider Haggard to be continued...
September 22, 2025
What can I say about this book? This book was amazing. I had the hardest time putting it down! I had seen Fr. Wetta on EWTN, so I decided to look him up, realized that he had written a book that I had been wanting to read anyway, and then went out and bought it. Since everyone is stuck home because of COVID-19 anyway, I thought that this would be a fun little something to pass the time.
I was so wrong. This is not just a "fun little something". This is a legitimately really good book! Well written, well-researched, with excellent characters that pop off the page. And you can see it! You feel like you're right there, feeling the heat, constantly on your toes, watching the skies for the next horror to come hurtling by. There were so many legitimate twists, so many moments that made me smile--this was one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
I highly recommend this to those who loved the Classics (like the Greco-Roman Classical Classics), theology geeks, those who loved Dante's works, and those who haven't read any of them. You'll still love it, and Wetta includes a glossary and notes in the back of the book to fill in any gaps in your knowledge. I was a Classical Studies Minor, but I still found them to be invaluable.
I hope Fr. Wetta continues to write fiction. He clearly has a gift.
I was so wrong. This is not just a "fun little something". This is a legitimately really good book! Well written, well-researched, with excellent characters that pop off the page. And you can see it! You feel like you're right there, feeling the heat, constantly on your toes, watching the skies for the next horror to come hurtling by. There were so many legitimate twists, so many moments that made me smile--this was one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
I highly recommend this to those who loved the Classics (like the Greco-Roman Classical Classics), theology geeks, those who loved Dante's works, and those who haven't read any of them. You'll still love it, and Wetta includes a glossary and notes in the back of the book to fill in any gaps in your knowledge. I was a Classical Studies Minor, but I still found them to be invaluable.
I hope Fr. Wetta continues to write fiction. He clearly has a gift.
May 31, 2019
I can't recall who recommended this book to me (it may have been the author, actually) but the Kindle sample was good enough to get it onto my wish list whereby it found its way into my birthday gifts. A determined scalawag (that's Odysseus) and his loyal friend tackle their task with bravado ... and sometimes they actually make progress! Having read a fair number of mashups with characters working their way through Dante's Inferno, this measures up well. I enjoyed it ... and it made me want to read The Iliad so - mission accomplished!
September 5, 2025
With Dante, we learned that poor Odysseus was suffering with Diomedes among the liars in the lower circles of Hell — but was he?
Already redeemed and safe in the hands of Our Blessed Mother, Odysseus learns about Dante's calumny and decides to save his fictional self from the Gehenna of fire. He starts his journey with a prayer to a certain Holy Virgin dressed as a Greek goddess and has to use his wit to defeat his enemies, save his loved ones and, maybe, accept the grace of the true God.
Fr. Wetta managed to craft a lighthearted and clever adventure with due respect to deeper themes and without falling into the dark and despairing tone this kind of setting usually entails. For the reader, the best approach is to take everything with a grain of salt and enjoy the ride, even when things seem to become too absurd in the eyes of orthodoxy or too eclectic for a Greek mythology purist — in the end, our only due is to laugh together and relish the emotional highs the last chapters have to offer.
Regardless, I have a few nitpicks that drag my rating down to four out of five. The work's originality is in marrying Homer's "Odyssey" and Dante's "Inferno" and adding the flavor of Catholic themes — even so, it can't escape altogether the feeling of being derivative, for obvious reasons. There are also a lot of "easter eggs" designed for a small audience, and the overall structure is the good old hero's journey with an inciting incident, progressive complications, twists and turns, and the final battle against the big bad — in this case, the Big Bad. It works for a simple adventure, but, in regard to execution, nothing new under the sun.
At last, this book is a fiction inside a fiction (not everyone's cup of tea), and I was actually able to predict the plot twist of the "eight arrow". I will say this: at least, it wasn't the friends we made along the way.
Already redeemed and safe in the hands of Our Blessed Mother, Odysseus learns about Dante's calumny and decides to save his fictional self from the Gehenna of fire. He starts his journey with a prayer to a certain Holy Virgin dressed as a Greek goddess and has to use his wit to defeat his enemies, save his loved ones and, maybe, accept the grace of the true God.
Fr. Wetta managed to craft a lighthearted and clever adventure with due respect to deeper themes and without falling into the dark and despairing tone this kind of setting usually entails. For the reader, the best approach is to take everything with a grain of salt and enjoy the ride, even when things seem to become too absurd in the eyes of orthodoxy or too eclectic for a Greek mythology purist — in the end, our only due is to laugh together and relish the emotional highs the last chapters have to offer.
Regardless, I have a few nitpicks that drag my rating down to four out of five. The work's originality is in marrying Homer's "Odyssey" and Dante's "Inferno" and adding the flavor of Catholic themes — even so, it can't escape altogether the feeling of being derivative, for obvious reasons. There are also a lot of "easter eggs" designed for a small audience, and the overall structure is the good old hero's journey with an inciting incident, progressive complications, twists and turns, and the final battle against the big bad — in this case, the Big Bad. It works for a simple adventure, but, in regard to execution, nothing new under the sun.
At last, this book is a fiction inside a fiction (not everyone's cup of tea), and I was actually able to predict the plot twist of the "eight arrow". I will say this: at least, it wasn't the friends we made along the way.
September 24, 2025
This was a fun adventure in which Odysseus is given a mission by the Parthenos: go through all the circles of Hell, and at the end he will find the way out for himself and many other souls. Together with Diomedes, they start at Limbo and work their way down through Hell, finding friends and family along the way: Penelope is in Limbo, and Odysseus also gets to meet Homer there; Helen is in the circle of the lustful; Ajax in the forest of the suicides, Circe with the seers... and of course there is Charon, and Minos and all the other guardians of Dante's Hell.
The trip, the meetings of all the characters and their conversations, remembering events from the Illiad and the Odyssey were entertaining. But while I liked Odysseus' character, somehow it didn't seem to me that he was the real Odysseus, specially in his thoughts and speech.
The trip, the meetings of all the characters and their conversations, remembering events from the Illiad and the Odyssey were entertaining. But while I liked Odysseus' character, somehow it didn't seem to me that he was the real Odysseus, specially in his thoughts and speech.
April 10, 2025
Fun modern take on Homer and Dante. Major props for being catholic but also not hitting you over the head with it and leaving it to the reader.
July 26, 2022
If I could give this more than five stars, I would. I loved this book!! I could not put it down.
I have not read Homer, but that did not seem to deter my enjoyment of this story as Odysseus makes his way through all the levels of hell to win a reprieve after 3,000 years in hell. (I never made it through Dante's Inferno either) His sidekick Diomedes accompanies him and this is truly a partnership made for hell?
I laughed my way through this book. I cannot explain it to anyone really beyond saying, read it. When I finished this book tonight, I then discovered this is the same author who wrote, " Humility Rules," which is another fantastic book.
Loved it!!!
I have not read Homer, but that did not seem to deter my enjoyment of this story as Odysseus makes his way through all the levels of hell to win a reprieve after 3,000 years in hell. (I never made it through Dante's Inferno either) His sidekick Diomedes accompanies him and this is truly a partnership made for hell?
I laughed my way through this book. I cannot explain it to anyone really beyond saying, read it. When I finished this book tonight, I then discovered this is the same author who wrote, " Humility Rules," which is another fantastic book.
Loved it!!!
October 27, 2025
4'5 ⭐ wow, I had so much fun with this one
July 24, 2022
I am convinced that Robert Downey Jr would star as Odysseus in a movie adaptation of this book. Like a RDJ movie, this was a good time, but tackling Odysseus and Dante is a pair of big swings.
October 19, 2022
A tall task I think the author mostly meets.
August 4, 2019
A stepchild from the combined worlds of Dante and Homer. While sometimes a bit heedy to read through, a decent read that introduces one to both a number of classical Greek characters and Catholic motifs.
October 24, 2018
Odysseus embarks on an Odyssey through Dane’s Inferno. His mission? To escape, of course. And the only door out is in the lowermost circle of Hell, under the Devil’s watchful eye. As he travels deeper into the inferno he meets all sorts of magical beings from Greek mythology—and all sorts of people whom he wronged in life. Finally he confronts Satan himself and must solve the puzzle of how to get through the doorway to Heaven without being eaten by Satan in the process. Anyone with an interest in Greek mythology, Classical literature, and the Bible should enjoy this episodic quest novel. The story has been don at least once before by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle in their 1976 science fiction classic, “Inferno,” but a Greek warrior-king makes for a better protagonist than the hero chosen by Niven and Pournelle—a science fiction writer.
April 2, 2019
This is not only fascinating but deeply moving. We see many diverse strands of religious thought woven into a beautiful Christian harmony. Odysseus grows gradually to moral maturity and all unawares, wonderfully draws others with him - damned souls and demons included. READ THIS!!!
February 2, 2023
I enjoyed this book. It wasn't the masterpiece I was told it was going to be though. It was easy to read and I liked the message.
April 5, 2019
One thing I can definitely say about The Eighth Arrow: there is certainly strong scholarship behind it. Fr. Wetta knows his source material well, and it shows. Unfortunately, I didn't think that knowledge led to a particularly good novel.
The premise is basically a fan fiction mashing Homer and Dante together: Odysseus and Diomedes on a journey through the Inferno. Strangely, according to the opening disclaimer, the story is even a fiction to the main character and narrator. Odysseus narrates the book, and he declares that he was never in Hell ("not even for a visit"), though Dante placed him there; instead, he was redeemed by God's grace. This tale is thus Odysseus' fictional account of freeing his fictional self from Dante's Inferno.
As one would expect, this requires passing through the various circles of Hell, meeting assorted inhabitants and gatekeepers (Charon, Geryon, etc.). Since the narrator is Odysseus, almost every character he meets in his journey is from the Homeric tradition: Penelope, Helen, Ajax, etc. Even mythical beings, like the Furies, are found here. It is as if Dante provides the general structure of the world, while it is entirely peopled by Homer and Greek mythology.
Of course, the novel can't be solely mythological: Catholicism must make its appearance. Some elements are a bit strange theologically (I am thinking of the character Ignotus), but that is less of a problem than the feeling that the theological elements fit poorly. Explicit Catholic themes are a requirement (I assume) for a novel to be published by Ignatius Press. A novel with such explicit Catholicism can certainly be good, and it can be well-incorporated. Such is the case for another recent Ignatius Press novel, A Bloody Habit. In that work, the main character is a Dominican friar in Victorian England, so explicit Catholicism fits seamlessly. Such is not the case when almost every character is from Greek mythology. It's very jarring for Odysseus, the crafty warrior of Ithaca, Circe-seduced, Siren-resisting, to be criticizing Dante for putting Pope St. Celestine V in Hell.
As well as the odd feeling of the mashup, the speaking tone of the characters is strange as well. The point is for the characters to speak in a more lifelike fashion, not in the stylized lines of dactyclic hexameters; as Fr. Wetta says, his characters use, as the ancient Greeks themselves must have, "slang, contractions, and all the casual corruptions that inevitably creep into the spoken word." That's certainly the case, but the slangy style still feels very odd when the sources are two long, highly-structured poems.
A lot of my issues with this book are definitely a matter of taste: ill-fitting sources, slangy style. The same is true for the plot. It's hard to express exactly what feels false about it: perhaps it's the fact that the whole tale is structured around wily Odysseus, the eternal liar, becoming repentant. The repentance in the novel never felt natural to me: it always felt forced. Perhaps that's just an excess of criticism or cynicism on my part, though. It is very easy for a story of repentance to become maudlin instead of lifelike, and that is how I felt in reading this novel.
Most likely the style of this novel simply clashed with my tastes. I like works that draw on strong scholarship; I like works that incorporate Christian and Catholic themes. Unfortunately, I felt like the end product, in this case, did not hold up. Feel free to disagree, but I think my review has to reflect my experience with the book, and I simply did not like it. Hopefully, if Fr. Wetta writes another novel, it will mesh better with my tastes, so that I can give it a good review; this time, though, I fear I cannot.
The premise is basically a fan fiction mashing Homer and Dante together: Odysseus and Diomedes on a journey through the Inferno. Strangely, according to the opening disclaimer, the story is even a fiction to the main character and narrator. Odysseus narrates the book, and he declares that he was never in Hell ("not even for a visit"), though Dante placed him there; instead, he was redeemed by God's grace. This tale is thus Odysseus' fictional account of freeing his fictional self from Dante's Inferno.
As one would expect, this requires passing through the various circles of Hell, meeting assorted inhabitants and gatekeepers (Charon, Geryon, etc.). Since the narrator is Odysseus, almost every character he meets in his journey is from the Homeric tradition: Penelope, Helen, Ajax, etc. Even mythical beings, like the Furies, are found here. It is as if Dante provides the general structure of the world, while it is entirely peopled by Homer and Greek mythology.
Of course, the novel can't be solely mythological: Catholicism must make its appearance. Some elements are a bit strange theologically (I am thinking of the character Ignotus), but that is less of a problem than the feeling that the theological elements fit poorly. Explicit Catholic themes are a requirement (I assume) for a novel to be published by Ignatius Press. A novel with such explicit Catholicism can certainly be good, and it can be well-incorporated. Such is the case for another recent Ignatius Press novel, A Bloody Habit. In that work, the main character is a Dominican friar in Victorian England, so explicit Catholicism fits seamlessly. Such is not the case when almost every character is from Greek mythology. It's very jarring for Odysseus, the crafty warrior of Ithaca, Circe-seduced, Siren-resisting, to be criticizing Dante for putting Pope St. Celestine V in Hell.
As well as the odd feeling of the mashup, the speaking tone of the characters is strange as well. The point is for the characters to speak in a more lifelike fashion, not in the stylized lines of dactyclic hexameters; as Fr. Wetta says, his characters use, as the ancient Greeks themselves must have, "slang, contractions, and all the casual corruptions that inevitably creep into the spoken word." That's certainly the case, but the slangy style still feels very odd when the sources are two long, highly-structured poems.
A lot of my issues with this book are definitely a matter of taste: ill-fitting sources, slangy style. The same is true for the plot. It's hard to express exactly what feels false about it: perhaps it's the fact that the whole tale is structured around wily Odysseus, the eternal liar, becoming repentant. The repentance in the novel never felt natural to me: it always felt forced. Perhaps that's just an excess of criticism or cynicism on my part, though. It is very easy for a story of repentance to become maudlin instead of lifelike, and that is how I felt in reading this novel.
Most likely the style of this novel simply clashed with my tastes. I like works that draw on strong scholarship; I like works that incorporate Christian and Catholic themes. Unfortunately, I felt like the end product, in this case, did not hold up. Feel free to disagree, but I think my review has to reflect my experience with the book, and I simply did not like it. Hopefully, if Fr. Wetta writes another novel, it will mesh better with my tastes, so that I can give it a good review; this time, though, I fear I cannot.
September 28, 2025
So far, I haven't fully read Dante, just watched an overview and listened to half of Inferno as an audiobook, and I have not touched Odysseus, which I suppose makes me the target audience. This book is a clever blend of Greek mythology, Dante's imagination of hell, Catholic teaching, and humor.
As the book describes itself, the premise of leaving hell does not make a lot of sense to me, as I do see hell as something that we end up in on our own accord because we have freely and definitively chosen not to have a relationship with God. Also, the whole idea of trying to imagine who is in hell seems to be a funny exercise, as it is hard enough to understand my own heart, the motives and reasons behind my actions, and my connection with God, let alone that of someone else. Nevertheless, the result is still quite interesting as Dante (and therefore Father Wetta) seems to explore the implications of sin on our character and soul, and how these disrupt who we are ourselves and within society.
Father Wetta puts more emphasize on the story as on the symbolism of each layer and action that is found in Dante's story, thus I found it quite helpful to have read a bit into Dante first, to understand what the punishment and surrounding tries to highlight.
Also, I felt like the heroes got through hell quite easily, especially as they are often reminded along they way how few have made it past that and that point. That confused me a bit, but at the same time, I can see firstly that the concept of switching to a different layer is odd in itself, as the punishment is again something that one has freely and definitively chosen, and secondly I can imagine that it kind of fits the moral of the story,
During the story, I had a couple of "Oh that is Father Wetta" moments, when his down to earth and sometimes a bit goofy humor strikes through, which I liked but which also inescapably diverges from how you'd expect an greek epos to behave.
All in all, I really liked this book, Father Wetta has a nice way of making the characters alive, he interweaved a lot of catholic cathechism, he made me want to read more of the epics and he made me laugh in between multiple times. I want him to write a book for the purgatory and for heaven as well!
As the book describes itself, the premise of leaving hell does not make a lot of sense to me, as I do see hell as something that we end up in on our own accord because we have freely and definitively chosen not to have a relationship with God. Also, the whole idea of trying to imagine who is in hell seems to be a funny exercise, as it is hard enough to understand my own heart, the motives and reasons behind my actions, and my connection with God, let alone that of someone else. Nevertheless, the result is still quite interesting as Dante (and therefore Father Wetta) seems to explore the implications of sin on our character and soul, and how these disrupt who we are ourselves and within society.
Father Wetta puts more emphasize on the story as on the symbolism of each layer and action that is found in Dante's story, thus I found it quite helpful to have read a bit into Dante first, to understand what the punishment and surrounding tries to highlight.
Also, I felt like the heroes got through hell quite easily, especially as they are often reminded along they way how few have made it past that and that point. That confused me a bit, but at the same time, I can see firstly that the concept of switching to a different layer is odd in itself, as the punishment is again something that one has freely and definitively chosen, and secondly I can imagine that it kind of fits the moral of the story,
During the story, I had a couple of "Oh that is Father Wetta" moments, when his down to earth and sometimes a bit goofy humor strikes through, which I liked but which also inescapably diverges from how you'd expect an greek epos to behave.
All in all, I really liked this book, Father Wetta has a nice way of making the characters alive, he interweaved a lot of catholic cathechism, he made me want to read more of the epics and he made me laugh in between multiple times. I want him to write a book for the purgatory and for heaven as well!
February 1, 2023
I don’t think I’ve been this bored by a book since reading Great Expectations in high school.
I wanted to love this book. The author knew what he was talking about and it’s clear much research went into this. As someone who enjoys the works of Dante & the Odyssey, I was excited to pick up a story about Odysseus written by a Catholic monk.
But this book missed the mark for me in every aspect. The characterization felt off. For example, Odysseus seemingly started having second thoughts and a different attitude about his past out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn’t find myself caring about any or the characters, the relationship between Odysseus & Diomedes being the highlight.
As for the plot, there never seemed to be any real stakes despite moving through the seven rings of Hell. I can’t exactly place my finger on it, but I never got absorbed by it and found myself skimming the last 150 pages. Perhaps this has to do with the writing style.
The dialogue never felt natural. I understand the author wanted it to feel like Ancient Greek & modern, but it fell flat and was more often than not cringy. Overall, I was never gripped by the writing style, which is probably why I failed to connect with the characters and plot.
There are people who are going to love this book — look at the reviews alone! I’m glad this book exists for them and that people can take enjoyment away from it. Unfortunately, it just completely missed the mark for me.
I wanted to love this book. The author knew what he was talking about and it’s clear much research went into this. As someone who enjoys the works of Dante & the Odyssey, I was excited to pick up a story about Odysseus written by a Catholic monk.
But this book missed the mark for me in every aspect. The characterization felt off. For example, Odysseus seemingly started having second thoughts and a different attitude about his past out of nowhere. Unfortunately, I didn’t find myself caring about any or the characters, the relationship between Odysseus & Diomedes being the highlight.
As for the plot, there never seemed to be any real stakes despite moving through the seven rings of Hell. I can’t exactly place my finger on it, but I never got absorbed by it and found myself skimming the last 150 pages. Perhaps this has to do with the writing style.
The dialogue never felt natural. I understand the author wanted it to feel like Ancient Greek & modern, but it fell flat and was more often than not cringy. Overall, I was never gripped by the writing style, which is probably why I failed to connect with the characters and plot.
There are people who are going to love this book — look at the reviews alone! I’m glad this book exists for them and that people can take enjoyment away from it. Unfortunately, it just completely missed the mark for me.
March 3, 2024
A more inventive and powerful novel I have not read in a long time.
Odysseus, hero of the Trojan War, is condemned to burn in the 8th circle of Dante's Hell. That is, until he says a prayer to Athena Parthenos, who appears with a task in mind: he and his friend Diomedes must make their way through all 9 circles of Hell, recovering their squandered honor in the process. She gifts Odysseus 7 arrows, charging him to discover the 8th to fulfill his quest. This quest ultimately brings them face to face with Satan himself.
A curious mix of Greek mythology and Christian theology, this book was deeply fascinating, beautiful, terrifying and hopeful all at once. I've been discussing Dante's Comedia with my family during this Lenten season, and it made reading this book even more compelling. Fr. Wetta should write more in this same vein. I would read them all.
Odysseus, hero of the Trojan War, is condemned to burn in the 8th circle of Dante's Hell. That is, until he says a prayer to Athena Parthenos, who appears with a task in mind: he and his friend Diomedes must make their way through all 9 circles of Hell, recovering their squandered honor in the process. She gifts Odysseus 7 arrows, charging him to discover the 8th to fulfill his quest. This quest ultimately brings them face to face with Satan himself.
A curious mix of Greek mythology and Christian theology, this book was deeply fascinating, beautiful, terrifying and hopeful all at once. I've been discussing Dante's Comedia with my family during this Lenten season, and it made reading this book even more compelling. Fr. Wetta should write more in this same vein. I would read them all.
October 2, 2020
Supremely entertaining, especially if you already are familiar with Dante and Homer. While there were some faults to be had in the characterizations and dialog, overall I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it to be right in line with the spirit of the Greek classics and the vision of the Afterlife of Dante.
March 15, 2024
Read this because it was a gift from a friend, in the hopes that it was fun in a nerdy way. Maybe some people would find it so. It’s really just a piece of fan fiction. I don’t want to be too harsh here, because smaller authors keep a closer eye on reviews of their books. But as a teacher of Homer and a devotee of Dante… this ain’t it.
November 26, 2018
What a joy to read. If there are books that use great literature to teach of Christian faith, this is certainly one of them.
February 2, 2020
Beh, beh, questo sì che è scrivere!
January 4, 2021
An amazing read. If you enjoy the ILLiad, Odyssey, Greek Mythology, Dante's Inferno, or just a well written, researched and enjoyable story, this book is worth checking out. One of my favorite books.
September 20, 2021
Fun read. Greek mythology verizon of Dante’s devine comedy
April 5, 2022
I loved this so much. IN my head-canon, this is what becomes of Odysseus.
July 28, 2023
Disappointing attempt at seeing Odysseus in Dantë's Inferno.
March 24, 2024
Beautifully written. I enjoyed my journey to the underworld with Odysseus. This is the kind of book I will definitely want to reread. Highly recommend.
November 26, 2024
an excellent read
A surprising tale that wanders through Greek mythology and Dante’s Inferno. Highly recommended. Well written with surprising plot twists, loved it.
A surprising tale that wanders through Greek mythology and Dante’s Inferno. Highly recommended. Well written with surprising plot twists, loved it.
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