First published 2018
Odysseus stands on foreign shores, desperate to return to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus in Ithaca. The Trojan War has ended, but his trials have just begun. Poseidon's wrath drives him across treacherous seas where he faces the Cyclops Polyphemus, resists the deadly song of the Sirens, and navigates between the monster Scylla and the whirlpool Charybdis. Meanwhile, suitors overrun his palace, consuming his wealth and pressuring Penelope to remarry. Telemachus searches for news of his missing father while Athena intervenes on their behalf. This translation by William Walter Merry presents the first twelve books of Homer's epic, chronicling Odysseus's cunning survival against divine punishment and mythological creatures. Each challenge tests not just his strength but his wit and determination to reclaim his throne and family.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, fantasy, ancient, epic, classical-studies
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: epic-journey, hero-s-journey, mythological-creatures
Setting: Ithaca, Trojan War
Period: Ancient Greece
398 pages · Hardcover · Legare Street Press