Name: Vojtech's review of Troy by Stephen Fry
Item: Troy
Rating: 5
Author: Vojtech

Stephen Fry

A retelling of the legend of Troy. It is Zeus, the king of the gods, who triggers war when he asks the Trojan prince Paris to judge the fairest goddess of them all. Aphrodite bribes Paris with the heart of Helen, wife of King Menelaus of the Greeks, and naturally, nature takes its course

The Siege of Troy Retold

Troy

Vojtech

“It's so small,” he said, tucking the package under his arm, “and so crudely carved.”

“I know,” said Helen. “Like all sacred and truly precious objects it is very plain. Only profane things are beautiful.”

'I still don't understand why you have to leave?'

'My mother is not one to be refused,' said Achilles with a rueful smile. 'She has a strange bee buzzing in her ear. She is convinced there is a war coming and that if I fight in it I will be killed.'

'No, said Patroclus, 'but you are afraid of your mother.'

Full of tragic heroes, intoxicating love stories, and the unstoppable force of fate, there is no conflict more iconic than the Trojan War. In this final book of his bestselling MYTHOS trilogy, the legendary Stephen Fry retells the epic battle with drama, humor, and vivid emotion. Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Helen, their lovers, and their mortal enemies all burn bright in Fry's compelling prose. Illustrated throughout with classical art inspired by the myths, this gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with a brilliant storyteller as your guide.

Great installment in this series. At times it was a bit much with all of the information thrown at you, but by the end, it was extremely captivating and easy to digest for those wanting to learn more. Can't wait for Fry's take on The Odyssey next year!

(Bre)anne✨

TW to be added later

Great installment in this series. At times it was a bit much with all of the information thrown at you, but by the end, it was extremely captivating and easy to digest for those wanting to learn more. Can't wait for Fry's take on The Odyssey next year!

Another great book. I know I am listening to these out of order, but Stephen Fry told me it doesn’t matter lol. The drama is sooo real in these retellings and i’m here for it. 

🌞Laur🌞

Siya S

The audiobook, read by Stephen Fry himself, is absolutely stunning. And if you're like me in that of a Greek legends enthusiast but somewhat lacks the determination to go through the process of reading and memorizing everything by myself, this is definitely a way to go. 

I love that it begins from the very beginning, as in, the foundation and construction of the city and how the name has come about. The rest of the story has both ups and downs, but the way he compiled everything (such an immense and vast pool of information!) and made it into an enjoyable read is nothing short of a literary miracle. 

But audiobooks alone couldn't quench my thirst for knowledge. What I did was - I listen to the audiobook, then skimmed through the same parts later in the day, just to make sure I didn't miss the "fun" and the important parts. 

10/10 would do this again.

Our Greatest Story Retold

Megan Johnson

This is not my favourite of Stephen Fry's books in this series. However, it is still a fascinating book, packed with information and very enjoyable to read/listen to.

Celeste Richardson

Actual rating: 4.5 stars

This third book in Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology series is a recounting of events leading up to and comprising The Iliad. I adore how Fry gives us so much background material on these myths without it ever feeling overwhelming. This background brings in a richness and depth to the core story that would have been missing otherwise, but delivered in a way that feels like getting a peek behind the curtain instead of being assigned extra homework. The entire narrative flowed incredibly well and never felt like it lagged. I’ve read The Iliad multiple times in multiple translations, but this was by far the easiest time I had connecting with the story, and the most empathy I’ve felt for any of the cast. Fry has done an absolutely amazing job on every installment of this series, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book. I just know his recounting of The Odyssey is going to be phenomenal.

it is me vs paris and it's also me vs achilles, all i do is lose. stephen fry's narration is riveting though.

Caitlyn Baldwin

Always a pleasure to get to experience one of Stephen Fry's retellings of Greek escapades.

Iris

Sahi K

While I’m a fan of mythology and retellings of them in general, I don’t usually pick up Greek mythology stuff because there are too many names and I have such trouble keeping track of them. While I did enjoy listening to the audios of Mythos and Heroes, it was more for the experience rather than actually trying to grasp and memorize the stories. But the story of the fall of Troy seems to be the only one I know a bit, virtue of some movies and shows I’ve seen as well as loving The Song of Achilles. 

So this was actually fun to listen coz not everything was unfamiliar. It was also interesting to get to know the backstories of some of the major players of the Trojan War and how they came to be. But after deeply connecting with Achilles and Patroclus as a couple in TSoA, it was hard to see them not have a similar relationship in here. But overall, Stephen Fry’s narration brings so much life to the story. He also seemed to be less sarcastic in this one compared to the previous two, but it seems to have suited this particular story, making it an enjoyable listen for someone like me, who is not well versed in the Iliad.

Rose Stanley

Far be it from me to pigeonhole an author, but I would very much like Mr Fry to retell The Odyssey and possibly also The Aeneid after this please.

Karolina

We all know the story of Troy. In this retelling written by Stephen Fry you can experience these myths once again. The story begins with the introduction of each character important for the story like Hercules, the Greek gods, the royal family of Troy, etc. What I liked in this book was that the myths I heard separately in my teen years were in chronological order. For the first time, I actually understood how Helen ended up in Troy and why it was destroyed. The book was written in an easy language to understand the story well, and included illustrations connected to the story. I’m a big fan of this book and I will definitely read other books by Stephen Fry. His way of retelling this story was very special to me and brought me back to the time when I was a teen obsessed with Greek Mythology. I could bring this part of me back for the time when I was reading this book. 
I would like to thank NetGalley, Stephen Fry, and Chronicle Books for providing me with the ARC copy of this book! I recommend it to everyone interested in Greek mythology, these reimagined myths are just for you!

Sarah Williams

Although not as compelling and captivating as Mythos and Heroes, Troy is still an entertaining retelling that showcases Fry’s ability to capture the magic of Greek mythology while also delivering his wry observations and quips.

Alistair Shepherd

Oana Munteanu

STEP INTO STEPHEN FRY'S BEWITCHING RETELLING OF THE LEGEND TROY IN HIS MOST EPIC BOOK YET 'INIMITABLE' OBSERVER 'A DELIGHT' DAILY TELEGRAPH ________ 'Troy. The most marvellous kingdom in all the world . . .' Paris the Trojan has kidnapped Helen, Greek queen and most beautiful woman of the ancient world. A thousand ships give chase and lay siege to Troy. Yet the city stands resolutely against Greek might. Only invulnerable Achilles and wily Odysseus may lead them to victory - but the passions of mortals merely amuse the Gods and blood is easily spilled on distant shores . . . ________ 'An inimitable retelling. Rich, artfully humorous, breathes life and contemporary relevance into these ancient tales' Observer 'A fun romp through the world's greatest story. Fry's knowledge of the world - ancient and modern - bursts through' Daily Telegraph 'Hugely successful, graceful' The Times 'Fluent, crisp, nuanced, begins with a bang' The Times Literary Supplement PRAISE FOR STEPHEN FRY'S GREEK SERIES: 'A romp through the lives of ancient Greek gods. Fry is at his story-telling best . . . the gods will be pleased' Times 'A head-spinning marathon of legends' Guardian 'An Olympian feat. The gods seem to be smiling on Fry - his myths are definitely a hit' Evening Standard 'An odyssey through Greek mythology. Brilliant . . . all hail Stephen Fry' Daily Mail 'A rollicking good read' Independent

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Troy by Stephen Fry

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Troy by Stephen Fry