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)

The Planet Homer

The artistry of the translation and the power of McKellen's performance brought the story and the style and the whole world of Homer alive for me for the first time. I will be listening to it again and I'm looking forward to Fagle's Iliad as well. The translator seems to be leaving alliterative touches into pentameter verse for a wonderful epic effect.

These stories were meant to be heard, not read.

Ian McKellen tells this story expressively. It was a delight hearing this story told by such a talented orator.

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

Perfect

No-one can beat Sir Ian at this kind of thing. He's probably one of the greatest performers of classical text. He doesn't just recite the verse, he speaks it. He speaks every sentence with immaculately chosen intonations that communicate meaning and emotion perfectly. I can't imagine a better reader to bring out the depth and magic of Homer.

Great story and performance; inconsistent playback

Sir Ian McKellen does a wonderful job working through Fagle’s translated version of Homer’s classic story. The adventures of Odysseus are brought to life in all of their grandeur. The second half is by far the most entertaining, leading to a bold and bloody climax that would make George R. R. Martin proud.

My only real complaint was the widely inconsistent playback from “chapter” to “chapter”. Obviously the Audible version was copied from previous analog tape or CD recordings that were limited in their playback length. There is a melody that plays at the end of such transitions and this doesn’t always coincide with the end of a particular book. The troublesome part about this is that when the next section plays there is a noticeable change in the volume of Sir McKellen’s voice and/or playback speed. I would have to adjust the volume on my stereo or Audible app, and occasionally adjust playback speed on the Audible app. Not a huge problem, per se, but worth noting nonetheless.