The Odyssey

By: Homer, Robert Fagles - translator

Narrated by: Ian McKellen

Length: 13 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

The Odyssey is literature's grandest evocation of every man's journey through life. In the myths and legends that are retold here, the energy and poetry of Homer's original is captured in a bold, contemporary idiom, giving us an edition of The Odyssey that is a joy to listen to, worth savoring and treasuring for its sheer lyrical mastery.

This audiobook is sure to delight both the classicist and the general listener and to captivate a new generation of Homer's students.

(P) and ©1996 Penguin Books USA Inc.

Critic reviews

"To re-create a world where everything is living...is very nearly as difficult as to create it. Fagles does this with triumphant assurance; every arrowhead flashes lightning, every bush burns; Homer is with us." (James Dickey)

"It's a deeply satisfying experience to listen to McKellen's subtle, resonant voice weave the story. Cherish the images as the web of this great tale is woven before the eyes of the mind." (AudioFile)

McKellen brings the characters to life.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - although Fagle's translation is modern, it IS a 2500 year old poem, and reading can be dry. McKellen does a great job of making the characters and speeches sound real.

Ian is amazing.

Amazing reading of Homer's epic. Ian McKellen brought this translation to life for me. He found the drama in virtually every sentence. I don't know how anyone could have done better.

Superb Story! Superb translation! Superb narrator!

I've read many translations of The Odyssey. You can't go wrong with this audiobook. Enjoy!

Great overall

Outstanding performance and a great listen. I would recommend it to anyone interested in a classic or good story.

Fixed issues with recording?

They seem to have fixed the muffled audio issues reported in other reviews. There were a few editing skips but overall not bad on the technical side. I listened on headphones and perhaps that made a difference.

The reading and the translation are both fantastic.

EPIC (That may be redundant-but true)

I wasn't expecting such a good story. my previous encounter in hard cover was tedious in the extreme. continuous references to dawn's rosy fingers is transformed by a quality reader (and that is what Audible is famous for). just a brilliant story and production!!!!!
SRT

Wow, wow, wow.

Just echoing the other reviews here. We all know the story is a classic, but McKellen's reading is just fascinating. No one would have trouble enjoying the classics if they were all presented like this one.

Outstanding performance

Ian McLellan gives an inspired reading of one of the greatest of the Great Books. I found myself unable at times to quit listening until wee hours of the morning.

Truly, this was an Odyssey!

What made the experience of listening to The Odyssey the most enjoyable?

Hands down, Sir Ian's performance. I can't think of a better person to read this book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Odyssey?

The Cyclops. Even more frightening than in the 1997 television mini-series had portrayed it. By the undying God's that bit was horrifying.

Have you listened to any of Ian McKellen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not, but I'll certainly be looking for other books he has narrated after listening to this.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I did not laugh or cry at any moment, I'm really not the type. My only arguably extreme reaction is that I find myself talking and typing in the same dialect as the book was written, it's quite amusing really.

Any additional comments?

The only thing keeping this book from a perfect rating is the strange peaks and valley's it takes when it comes to quality. KEEP IN MIND, nothing so bad that I'd shy away from listening to it again, or recommending it to virtually everyone. However, there are chapters where the quality of the audio is strangely bad, and most bizarre is when for whatever reason, Sir Ian's voice drops in pitch, as if it was slowed down. This is hardly a glaring issue, but it seems odd since something so trivial could be fixed in a matter of minutes with a simple program like Audacity or any number of free basic audio software.

Narrator great, recording quality awful

The performer of this recording is very skilled, listening was enjoyable. However, the recording quality varied greatly. Some chapters' quality was flawless, others sounded muffled, distorted, with background\echo noise. Very distracting and hard to endure. Interludes with music were inserted in random places, screeching and unpleasant to listen to. The fast forward button saves the day. Also, why were they not able to adhere to the original structure of the book (24 books) and have the recording subdivided in 24 chapters? The chapters in the audiobook are subdivided in random places, making it hard to find a specific place in the book.....