Author: Stephen Fry
Publication: Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology Series #3
Genre: Nonfiction, Mythology, Retelling
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Rating: 4/5★
The story of Troy speaks to all of us – the kidnapping of Helen, a queen celebrated for her beauty, sees the Greeks launch a thousand ships against the city of Troy, to which they will lay siege for ten whole years. It is a terrible war with casualties on all sides as well as strained relations between allies, whose consequences become tragedies.
In Troy you will find heroism and hatred, love and loss, revenge and regret, desire and despair. It is these human passions, written bloodily in the sands of a distant shore, that still speak to us today.
With so many retellings of the siege of Troy do we really need more? I say hell yes to that. Every book that retells the story of Troy adds something new I have learned and this is definitely the case with Stephen’s Fry’s version of it. He also went into the very beginnings of Troy which most retellings, the ones that I have read anyways, don’t do that. I loved that.
Nobody can deny the epicness of Homer’s Iliad and it always seems equally epic when authors retell the story. I really enjoyed how Stephen Fry told this story. I loved his previous books of Mythos and Heroes too so I had no doubts that I would be hooked by this one as well. It was witty, action-packed as well as a real page-turner. I absolutely couldn’t put the book down.
My favorite character was Odysseus. Which also wasn’t surprising since he’s always the one that’s my favorite. I just really loved how the author recreated him, making Odysseus his own but still giving him the same qualities that we know him for like a sharp intellect and confidence but also the flaws like his temper. I do wish some of the female characters would’ve gotten more of a time to shine like Hecuba, Andromache, Cassandra. But that’s really my only complaint.
I’m also very glad to know that Stephen Fry’s next book is going to be a retelling of The Odyssey. I’m really curious about this one because The Odyssey is one of my favorite stories ever. So I will be having high hopes for that one!
About the author:
Stephen Fry is an award-winning comedian, actor, presenter and director. He rose to fame alongside Hugh Laurie in A Bit of Fry and Laurie (which he co-wrote with Laurie) and Jeeves and Wooster, and was unforgettable as General Melchett in Blackadder. He has hosted over 180 episodes of QI, and has narrated all seven of the Harry Potter novels for the audiobook recordings. He is the bestselling author of four novels – The Stars’ Tennis Balls, Making History, The Hippopotamus and The Liar – as well as three volumes of autobiography – Moab is My Washpot, The Fry Chronicles and More Fool Me. Mythos and Heroes, his retelling of the Greek myths, are both Sunday Times bestsellers.
I didn’t realise he was doing a whole series of Greek mythology books AND a retelling? How coo!
YES! It’s weird though, I’ve seen that Myths, Heroes and Troy is supposed to be a trilogy but his retelling of The Odyssey is also coming. 😆
Great review! I have had my eyes on this book for a while, but none of the libraries have it in English and I do want to read it in that language because of Fry.
The library I volunteer at also doesn’t have it which is a shame!
I’ve read Mythos & have Troy but it’ll have to wait till the New Year when the house is sold. Love Fry’s work. Have you read his earlier fiction? I’ve got them all and can’t part with them!
I haven’t read his earlier fiction yet but I want to!
Oh wow, I’m glad you included a photo of Stephen Fry because I didn’t make the connection that he was a character on one of the seasons of Bones! So cool, and I’m glad you loved the book too😁
I didn’t know he was in it! But it’s been so long since I’ve seen Bones and haven’t seen all seasons. YET!
I didn’t realize Fry wrote non-fiction! You learn something new every day!
They are retellings but Stephen also tells them in a nonfiction way so they’re kinda both to me? If that makes sense 😅
Stephen Fry is such a talented individual! I’ve always been fascinated with Greek Mythology, I put this on TBR, and I’ll be looking out for more books by Stephen Fry.
I’m excited for the next one!
I’m a Fry fan but have never heard of this book, so definitely sounds like one for my list. Great review!
Then I’m glad you know now!
I’m not sure why I had no idea Stephen Fry had written Greek mythology retellings, but I do know I added them all to my TBR at superspeed just now. I look forward to listening to these on audio!
They must be so great on audio and narrated by Stephen!
I loved his book Mythos and I think I have to read this one too. I am halfway through The Illiad and have read Odysseus which I loved. Stephen Fry has a way with words.