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The Odyssey |
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A wandering king who's a war-hero doomed to roam the earth by a vengeful God, a plethora of fantastic experiences, a wife battling the invasion of suitors who wish to replace her missing husband, a son in search of his father - the Odyssey is a rich tapestry of incredible experiences and unforgettable characters. A must-read classic for anyone who wants to understand the fundamentals of Western mythology, it is a sequel to the Illiad which recounts the magnificent saga of the Trojan War. The Odyssey continues on, describing the trials and tribulations of the Greeks under the leadership of Odysseus.
Reputed to have been composed nearly three thousand years ago, its authorship is still being debated by scholars, though much of it is attributed to the blind poet Homer about whom very little is known. Yet the Illiad and The Odyssey remain the definitive foundations of all Western literature. The Odyssey is a magnificent epic tale that portrays the journey called life. In fact the word “odyssey” in English itself has come to mean a long and eventful journey.
In the preceding book The Illiad, Odysseus called Ulysses in Roman mythology, the king of Ithaca, gets embroiled in the Trojan War through the trickery of the Greeks. But once inside, his wonderful qualities of intellect, strategy and leadership come to the foreground as he leads his soldiers to victory. The story of the Odyssey begins when the war of The Illiad ends. Odysseus and his men embark to return to Ithaca but his sworn enemy, the sea god Poseidon, stymies him at every turn, sending storms and foul weather, forcing the wanderers to take shelter in strange and sinister lands.
The Odyssey is, besides, the story of Odysseus' beautiful wife Penelope, whose life becomes a struggle, fighting off the innumerable hopefuls who wish to take over her kingdom and her fortune in the absence of her husband. It is also the poignant growing-up tale of Telemachus, a faithful and steadfast son, who refuses to believe that his father won't return.
There are many notable translations from the original Greek and it has also been extensively portrayed in art, literature, television and television in languages around the world. Full of human tragedy, bizarre and fantastic creatures, gods and magical beasts, the Odyssey is a treasure-chest of marvelous events. For modern-day readers, young and old alike, it provides exciting, interesting and relevant ideas of war, politics, exile and identity. |
Genres for this book |
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Adventure |
Classics (antiquity) |
Fiction |
Languages |
Myths/Legends |
Poetry |
Sea stories |
Links related to this book |
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Wikipedia – Homer |
Wikipedia – Odyssey |
eBook Downloads | |
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Reviews (Rated: 5 Stars - 14 reviews) |
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Reviewer: Chris - June 24, 2021 Subject: Book 5 & Roman names I want to defend the reader of Book 5. I thought it was quite well-read, and although I understand the criticism of the voice, I didn't have any trouble with it. I got used to it pretty quickly. I'm also tolerant of the use of Roman names; that's part of the tradition, too. `Tis only my opinion. |
Reviewer: Craig Hinderman - November 22, 2019 Subject: the odyssey this is a good book. |
Reviewer: Brianna - August 24, 2017 Subject: book 5 I like the book but the book 5 narrator is soooooo annoying. I also think that it needs Greek names. I only know them in Greek. |
Reviewer: kuan - February 16, 2016 Subject: book 5 skip book 5 and just read that piece somewhere else. |
Reviewer: savannah - June 23, 2015 Subject: odyssey I love this book it's full of adventure. |
Reviewer: Matt - May 27, 2015 Subject: Odyssey Dear god. If I ever have to hear the voice reading books 5 and 13 again I will punch a screw driver into my ears. |
Reviewer: Paul - September 13, 2014 Subject: Narrator Book 13's voice gave me cancer. |
Reviewer: Scott - February 13, 2014 Subject: Odyssey This is such a good book but no mater how many times I listen to this I still can't remember how it goes. |
Reviewer: Samantha Joubert - January 21, 2014 Subject: Odyssey The Odyssey is so boring--just thinking about it makes me go to sleep. |
Reviewer: User - August 20, 2013 Subject: Narriator Book 5 is read by a horible voice, i almost could not finnish. I wish the same reader would have stayed. |
Reviewer: John Thomlinson - May 6, 2013 Subject: Book This book is terrible if you are taught to it by a horrible teacher. Like mine. But when I found different translations and interpretations I enjoyed it a lot more. So don't get a bad teacher like me. |
Reviewer: User - April 17, 2013 Subject: Awesome! I think this is such a great book! I so need to get it! You really should do it with the Greek names, I think it's best. |
Reviewer: User - March 10, 2013 I agree. They need to add a version with Greek names! Not to put down the reader |
Reviewer: User - January 4, 2013 Subject: Books Awesome but get Greek names. |