Heroes: The Greek Myths Reimagined

This is a continuation of Fry's book Mythos. I loved both but with this one, I missed seeing all the rich paintings and details included in the gorgeous print version. Fry reads it himself, which is a complete delight. He tells these well-known tales of Oedipus, Medea, Hercules, Jason and the Argo, etc but he infuses them with such humor and cheek. It reminds me of Gaiman's Norse Mythology.

“You see?' said Prometheus. 'It is your fate to be Heracles the hero, burdened with labours, yet it is also your choice. You choose to submit to it. Such is the paradox of living. We willingly accept that we have no will."

The sequel to Fry's "Mythos", this volume covers the demigod heroes populating the Greek myths taking place roughly (to the extent myths have chronology) in the generation(s) between the god myths in the first volume, and the almost-human heroes of the Iliad and Odyssey (which he frequently hints of covering in a future book). And it delivers exactly that. Fry's personal voice is still very present in the narration -- which is usually very welcome, if sometimes a bit corny when he can't resist a particularly bad joke here and there -- as he organises the disparate tales into something that feels as near cohesive as these stories possibly can without taking much bigger liberties with the material. Never before have I experienced the show more stories of Perseus, Herakles, Theseus, Atalanta, Orpheus, Jason, Oedipus and Bellerophon as so interconnected, and in that, I think, is the biggest selling point of this book. You've heard (most) of these stories before, I'll hasard, if you're at all interested in reading the book. They've been around for thousands of years, after all. But reading them in a way that presents them as more or less contemporaries running around the same fairly limited geographical area -- which indeed the source materials tend to back up, as they're all each others cousins, uncles and in-laws -- was a particular joy for me. And Fry's obvious joy at sharing the stories provides a lot of added value in its own right. show less

4.5/5

“Myth can be a kind of human algebra which makes it easier to manipulate truths about ourselves. Symbols and rituals are not toys and games to be dispensed with on our arrival at adulthood, they are tools we will always need. They complement our scientific impulse; they do not stand in opposition to it.”

In Heroes: The Greek Myths Reimagined, Stephen Fry’s retelling of the timeless tales of the “heroes", we learn about the origins, quests, triumphs and legacies of Perseus, Heracles, Bellerophon, Orpheus, Jason, Oedipus and Atalanta. The stories of Atalanta, the only female among the heroes and that of Bellephoron were completely new for me and I enjoyed them thoroughly. The Labors of Heracles and the story of Jason and the show more Argonauts were my personal favorites. I particularly enjoyed getting to know more about the mythical creatures the heroes go up against. Stephen Fry’s characteristic humor and wit render this an informative, entertaining and engaging read.

I read the US Hardcover version and I have to say it is a beautiful edition featuring stunning classical artwork inspired by these stories. The author draws from multiple sources and does not fail to mention the different versions of the same story (if and when applicable). Contemporary references inspired by the myths make for interesting reading, as does the author’s distinctive style of storytelling, without digressing too much from the main stories. Though many of these characters and their stories were briefly mentioned in Mythos, in Heroes the author goes into much more detail. The glossary of the characters at the end of the book was very useful for reference because with so many characters and their complicated lineage, it does get a bit confusing in parts.

As I had done while reading Mythos, I paired my reading with the audiobook (narrated by the author himself) which is simply brilliant. The audio experience is immersive and I felt transported to the world of the Greek gods and heroes. Even if you’re not a fan of audiobooks, I would recommend giving Stephen Fry’s narration of his Greek mythology series a try. While I would rate Heroes (the book) a 4 out of 5 ( I’ll admit that I enjoyed Mythos a bit more), the audio version is a solid 5-star experience. show less

Like Mythos, Stephen Fry's prior book of retellings of Greek myths, Heroes is simply a joy to read. Familiar myths unfold on the page like live performances, with Fry as a chuckling master of ceremonies, having a better time than anyone. Fry makes his mythological characters alive, flawed, and infused with warmth and wit. Gods, demigods, heroes, royals, and supporting characters cavort about capriciously, and readers will be forgiven for not keeping them all straight.

Heroic quests are more than a bit iffy, with a fair amount of dumb luck mixed in with the heroes' gallantry and skill.

As in Mythos, Fry treats the reader to a feast of sumptuous and sometimes naughty footnotes with asides, jokes, linguistic lessons (e.g., to be catasterized show more means to be made a constellation) and much-needed hints about tricky pronunciations. I became reacquainted with these ancient tales and mythical beings with almost the wonder of first meeting them in childhood. I can't be the only reader hoping that Fry continues to reimagine ancient tales.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley and was encouraged to submit an honest review. show less

Stephen Fry continues his retelling of the Greek myths in this second volume, which focuses on the great ancient heroes including, Perseus, Heracles, Atalanta, Orpheus, and Theseus among others. Whether the tales are familiar or not, Fry breathes life into these myths bringing his wry humour and endless wit to these epic tales. I listened to this as an audiobook, which I highly recommend. Stephen Fry has impeccable talents as a narrator and while his choice to give various characters British regional accents (for example Perseus has a northern accent while Minos and Ariadne have Scottish accents) may not work for all listeners, I found it delightful. The Acknowledgements note that Heroes is part of a planned trilogy and I eagerly look show more forward to Fry's planned take on the Trojan War and its aftermath. Highly recommended for fans of Fry and those who enjoy Greek myth. show less

Loved this as I did the previous book in the series--that review:
Stephen Fry’s take on Greek Mythology is just plain fun. Springing from his own childhood love of Greek Myths and injected with a humorous modern sensibility, the stories come alive. Fry’s MYTHOS shakes off the dust and makes the stories feel immediate and as valid as any other myths we live by. He has fun with the stories but never makes fun of them—allowing them to maintain their dignity and importance as the foundational elements of the Roman and Christian myths that followed (as well as the building blocks for language itself). There is very little analysis--just story after story offering delight. For a more scholarly approach Edith Hamilton’s MYTHOLOGY is show more accessible and fantastic. show less

Well, with the lockdowns, it took me not quite 6 months to finish this on audio (I can only listen in the car), but I finally did it. It was, of course, worth every minute, and I’d recommend the audio version to anybody who even wants to like Greek mythology. Especially those who want to like it, but always struggled with the names, and the who begat whoms, and the who married whoms. Fry unapologetically tells the listener to ignore all of that – there won’t be a test at the end – and just enjoy the stories. His narration makes this all the easier, as he’s absolutely brilliant at it, even if the Greeks are speaking with Scottish, English and at one point what I think was a distinctly cockney accent. In fact, the hint of Monty show more Python in some of the stories made them all the more enjoyable for me, because they made me chuckle.

I’ve never been all that interested in the Trojan War, but I’m sorely tempted to check out his version with the next book in this ‘series’. show less