Odyssey by Steven Fry
Ah, Odysseus. The man who took ten years to get home, proving that ancient Greeks were just as skilled at procrastination as the rest of us. Luckily for us, Stephen Fry has swooped in to retell the Odyssey, which means we get all the drama of shipwrecks, gods with anger issues, and man-eating monsters—minus the ten-year detour.
This is the final installment in Fry’s Greek mythology series, following Mythos, Heroes, and Troy, and it’s the grand finale we’ve been waiting for. Fry tackles the Odyssey—Homer’s epic of one man’s impossibly delayed return home—with his usual blend of sharp wit and literary charm. Our protagonist, Odysseus, battles angry gods, seductive sorceresses, and creatures that seem like they came out of the worst fever dream, all while dreaming of getting back to his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus. Fry’s Odyssey captures both the awe-inspiring scope of Homer’s tale and its very human core—the yearning for home.
Fry is a masterful storyteller, and his retelling feels like being guided through ancient Greece by that one incredibly charming professor who always made class fun. The prose is light and conversational, balancing the grandeur of the myth with playful humor. Fry manages to keep the epic’s massive cast of characters straight without ever bogging the reader down in dense descriptions or clunky mythology lessons. Each god, nymph, and monster feels freshly drawn, even though these stories have been around for millennia. His structure flows well, moving between action-packed moments and quiet introspection, making the Odyssey not just a journey through seas and islands, but through the human psyche.
At its heart, Fry’s Odyssey is about longing—longing for home, for love, and for closure. There’s a profound sense of nostalgia running through Odysseus’ voyage (literally, as the Greek word for “homecoming” is nostos), and Fry brings this to life with an almost melancholic touch. But it’s not all deep emotions. Fry deftly explores themes of cleverness versus brute strength, the capriciousness of the gods, and the enduring power of hope, all while sprinkling in sly modern references. It’s a reminder that the ancient Greeks weren’t all that different from us—they just happened to live in a world where giant Cyclopes were a genuine concern.
If you’re coming to this book hoping for fresh insight into why Homer’s Odyssey has resonated through the ages, you’re in luck. Fry brings both reverence and irreverence to the text, poking fun at its absurdities while highlighting its timeless truths. There’s something about Odysseus’ flawed, very human perseverance that still hits home today. Fry’s retelling reminds us that sometimes the hardest journeys are the ones where you have to confront yourself—whether you’re on a boat in the Mediterranean or just trying to get through Monday.
There are no slow spots here, even though the original Odyssey had its fair share of meandering moments. Fry’s version is tightly paced, with each adventure—whether it’s escaping from a Cyclops or resisting the temptation of the Lotus-Eaters—serving as a metaphorical stepping stone on Odysseus’ journey home. The narrative moves smoothly, pulling the reader along without ever feeling rushed or cluttered. It’s almost impossible to put down, even though you already know how it ends.
Fans of mythology, Fry’s previous works, and anyone who enjoys a retelling that’s both faithful and refreshingly modern will love this book. If you’re the kind of reader who enjoys a bit of intellectual fun alongside your epic sagas, this is for you. That said, if your patience for ancient myth is as thin as Odysseus’ after ten years of being lost, you might still find Fry’s humor and storytelling engaging enough to carry you through.
Stephen Fry’s Odyssey is like reconnecting with an old friend who’s grown a little wiser but is still cracking the same jokes. It’s thoughtful, charming, and undeniably entertaining. And, honestly, if anyone can make getting lost at sea for ten years sound like a hoot, it’s Fry. Whether you’re new to Greek myths or a long-time fan, this final chapter of Fry’s mythology series is a fitting and fabulous send-off. Grab it, if only to remind yourself that the road home is never as straightforward as it seems.
