Heroes
Author: Stephen Fry
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 462
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★★★
Bellerophon had never ridden Pegasus so high. It was a cloudless day, but he shivered in the rush of cold air. The land below now took on an intricate, ordered pattern that reminded Bellerophon of barbarian carpets from the east. He searched the landscape for anything that might betray the presence of the Chimera.
He leaned forward and urged Pegasus down. The forest in the foothills was ablaze. The Chimera saw Pegasus diving out of the sun and reared up, claws thrashing. The jaws of the monster opened wide to blast one last great ball of fire, and Bellerophon hurled the lance…
My thoughts:
Heroes is the companion to Stephen Fry’s last book, the bestselling Mythos.Similarly to Mythos, this is a hugely fun, engaging and enjoyable read. It continues where the first book leaves off and Fry moves from looking at the Gods themselves to this time exploring the Heroes, Demi-gods and offspring of the Gods who are still remembered today.
Every story is brilliantly retold with Fry’s distinctive style, and his sense of humour really shines through. Through his writing, these dramatic, funny, tragic and timeless tales take on new life and make for exciting reading on every page!
I loved every minute of it: the different stories and the sense of an overarching plot that weaves throughout the book. My personal favourites included the tales of Orpheus, Atalanta and Bellerophone, which told with Fry’s unique wit, are particularly entertaining and immersive.
The story of Orpheus entering the Underworld in an attempt to rescue his wife, Eurydice is one tale I certainly won’t forget. The moment when Orpheus uses his music to brighten even the darkest corners of the Underworld felt very surreal and intriguing:
“Orpheus reached the climax of his song to Eros. It wound its way along the passageways and through the chambers, galleries and hallways of hell, binding all who heard it – the servants of Hades, the emissaries of death and the souls of the departed – in a spell that took them, for as long as the music played in their ears, far away from the remorseless miseries of their endless captivity and into a kingdom of light and love.”
Another especially charismatic hero is Atalanta, who unexpectedly survived after being abandoned and ‘exposed on a mountainside to die’ by her own father. Rescued and initially raised by bears, Atalanta eventually grew to become the most faithful servant and adherent to the goddess, Artemis. Displaying true determination, it is said that she “ran faster and shot straighter than any man.” Sounds like real girl power to me!
I also loved learning more about the heroic Bellerophon, and the story of how he captured the winged horse, Pegasus, in order to help him slay the monstrous Chimera. It was wonderful to read about the bond that developed between the two of them, and Fry’s vivid storytelling at times even made me feel as though I too was being lifted up and up into the clouds, hurtling along with Pegasus and Bellerophon on their latest adventure. Filled with exhilarating chases and battle scenes, impossible puzzles and riddles, acts of cowardice and real bravery, not to mention murders and incredible sacrifices, Heroes is more than just a retelling of Greek myths. Ultimately, it tells stories of what we mortals are truly capable of - at our worst and at our very best.
Stephen Fry’s retelling of the myths of Greece’s heroes is such a delight.An absolute must-read for anyone interested in Greek mythology, and I also feel these books will greatly appeal to fans of fantasy fiction. If you enjoyed Mythos, you will love Heroes. If you haven’t even read Mythos, you’ll still love it, and I feel that Heroes will also work well as a stand-alone read if need be.
Overall reaction:
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 462
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★★★
Bellerophon had never ridden Pegasus so high. It was a cloudless day, but he shivered in the rush of cold air. The land below now took on an intricate, ordered pattern that reminded Bellerophon of barbarian carpets from the east. He searched the landscape for anything that might betray the presence of the Chimera.
He leaned forward and urged Pegasus down. The forest in the foothills was ablaze. The Chimera saw Pegasus diving out of the sun and reared up, claws thrashing. The jaws of the monster opened wide to blast one last great ball of fire, and Bellerophon hurled the lance…
My thoughts:
Heroes is the companion to Stephen Fry’s last book, the bestselling Mythos.Similarly to Mythos, this is a hugely fun, engaging and enjoyable read. It continues where the first book leaves off and Fry moves from looking at the Gods themselves to this time exploring the Heroes, Demi-gods and offspring of the Gods who are still remembered today.
Every story is brilliantly retold with Fry’s distinctive style, and his sense of humour really shines through. Through his writing, these dramatic, funny, tragic and timeless tales take on new life and make for exciting reading on every page!
I loved every minute of it: the different stories and the sense of an overarching plot that weaves throughout the book. My personal favourites included the tales of Orpheus, Atalanta and Bellerophone, which told with Fry’s unique wit, are particularly entertaining and immersive.
The story of Orpheus entering the Underworld in an attempt to rescue his wife, Eurydice is one tale I certainly won’t forget. The moment when Orpheus uses his music to brighten even the darkest corners of the Underworld felt very surreal and intriguing:
“Orpheus reached the climax of his song to Eros. It wound its way along the passageways and through the chambers, galleries and hallways of hell, binding all who heard it – the servants of Hades, the emissaries of death and the souls of the departed – in a spell that took them, for as long as the music played in their ears, far away from the remorseless miseries of their endless captivity and into a kingdom of light and love.”
Another especially charismatic hero is Atalanta, who unexpectedly survived after being abandoned and ‘exposed on a mountainside to die’ by her own father. Rescued and initially raised by bears, Atalanta eventually grew to become the most faithful servant and adherent to the goddess, Artemis. Displaying true determination, it is said that she “ran faster and shot straighter than any man.” Sounds like real girl power to me!
I also loved learning more about the heroic Bellerophon, and the story of how he captured the winged horse, Pegasus, in order to help him slay the monstrous Chimera. It was wonderful to read about the bond that developed between the two of them, and Fry’s vivid storytelling at times even made me feel as though I too was being lifted up and up into the clouds, hurtling along with Pegasus and Bellerophon on their latest adventure. Filled with exhilarating chases and battle scenes, impossible puzzles and riddles, acts of cowardice and real bravery, not to mention murders and incredible sacrifices, Heroes is more than just a retelling of Greek myths. Ultimately, it tells stories of what we mortals are truly capable of - at our worst and at our very best.
Stephen Fry’s retelling of the myths of Greece’s heroes is such a delight.An absolute must-read for anyone interested in Greek mythology, and I also feel these books will greatly appeal to fans of fantasy fiction. If you enjoyed Mythos, you will love Heroes. If you haven’t even read Mythos, you’ll still love it, and I feel that Heroes will also work well as a stand-alone read if need be.
Overall reaction:
