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)

Great story, but the audio makes it suffer

I absolutely love Ian but there are chapters where it sounds likes they're recording him talking from outside a box. Thankfully not every chapter is like this as there's only a few, but it's hard to be immersive when the audio continuity isnt consistent. Over all the story is great, some boring parts, some great parts, not the best work but great for what it is.

Deathless Story, Mortal Recording

There really is no better translation than Fagles and no better narrator than Ian McKellen - his voice, the individuality he gives to character voices, the gravitas his narration gives to the story (the new, Clair Danes version is...laughable).

It's inexcusable that amazon has not fixed this recording, especially since it could be done so electronically.

Gorgeous

Yes, as other reviewers have mentioned, there are issues with the recording. A weird slowed down section, a clipped word here and there. Please don’t let this dissuade you from listening to this amazing performance of this gorgeous translation. It is worth these small hiccups to spend this time transported to where the dawn is always young with rose red fingers, the sea is always wine dark, and the wine is always ruddy. The poetry and songlike patterns of the language here serve the story beautifully, and Ian McKellen’s performance does it ample justice. This ancient story serves as the basis of so many stories that have followed after. Listen!

great performance, terrible audio quality

I loved Ian MacKellen's performance but the recording was terrible. I could hear background noise some of the time and there was one part when the audio seemed sluggish. like some one slowed down the pace. other than that, this translation was great and not too difficult to follow.

Good oldie

McKellen great as always. Translation jarringly anachronistic. Music awful, like a fax machine. Good story.

Great translator, great narrator!

If you could sum up The Odyssey in three words, what would they be?

I don't think it's really possible to sum up The Odyssey in three words. But if I were pressed to do it, the three words would be: epic, adventure, and compelling.

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

I have not listened to any of Sir Ian's other performances, but I will be on the look out for them! He's fabulous! I was concerned about listening to this instead of reading the print book since it's assigned for a class, but I believe i'm getting just as much out of it by listening as I would by reading.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It's over 13 hours long!

Any additional comments?

My only issue with this performance is the high pitched tones that are used to signify the beginning and ending of each book. It's quite painful when I'm listening with headphones!

Simply EXCELLENT!

Sir Ian McKellen reading Homer's Odyssey is the BEST possible conjunction of master and material...

Great, but with some quirks in audio fidelity.

The quality of the audio varies throughout, sometimes with an echo of the narrator’s voice in the background. Otherwise, a great reading of a great story.

Good but

Some of the time stamps are really messed up if you’re reading along with the actual book so just start from a chapter and try to read up to your point if you can’t find it!!

Greatest story I’ve encountered

The Odyssey is the greatest story I have ever encountered. It is endlessly interesting and worth revisiting in different translations. It provides a wonderful glimpse into life in another time while remaining entirely relatable. This is a prime example of the sort of book I thought was inaccessible to me when I was younger. I was wrong about that. Further, it’s the sort of story that once you come to know, you will start to see repeated in any number of contemporary novels, movies, tv shows. And maybe even in your own life.

It is especially good as an audiobook since the epic was recited long before it was written down. So you’re getting something closer to the original experience this way. This is the Fagles translation, which I’m quite fond of. The narration by McKellen is appropriately epic.

I have only one complaint. The audio is occasionally distorted, as though I’m listening to a vinyl record at too slow of a speed. I know this isn’t built into the original recording because I’ve owned the cds of this in the past. It doesn’t ruin the experience, as it only happens once or twice, but hopefully it’s something folks at audible can fix easily enough. It is the only flaw in an otherwise perfect performance of a perfect story.