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I think my children would like the book much better! Nov 19, Lisa rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a book that I wish I had read as a kid and find myself very fortunate to read now. Green writes the famous story of Helen and Paris and the war fought to win her back in a fluid, easy to read style that doesn't detract from the details of the war. And he pulls from other ancient texts, not just the Iliad, and in turn familiarizes the reader with the connection between the Greek tragedy plays and Homer's epics. A great book to help pave the way for a later reading of This is a book that I wish I had read as a kid and find myself very fortunate to read now.

A great book to help pave the way for a later reading of the classics. Jan 07, Heather rated it it was amazing.

Tale of Troy, The (unabridged) – Naxos AudioBooks;
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Trojan War.
The Tale of Troy: Retold from the Ancient Authors;
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It is designed for kids so it is simplified, but still covers what is in the epic poems by Homer. At the end are lists of the god and goddess names in Greek and Latin and other useful information about the stories. I recommend reading this book to anyone interested in those classical stories. Such a retelling of the Heroic Age in such simplified manners! The only regret I have is that If I only had got to know of this magnificent book in my younger days!

Also, the introduction to this book by Michelle Paver is probably the best introduction to any book I have come across in recent times. A good introduction to Homer. It was very good! The Iliad and The Odyssey have been on my to-read list for several years, ever since I read a portion of The Odyssey in my high school freshman English class. While I am well-versed in the happenings of both books, I feel it would be some kind of momentous accomplishment if I were to actually read Homer's epics, since they are both so well-known, so well-loved, and so In preparation for my reading of The Iliad - which is on my Classics Challenge List - I decided to check out this so-ca The Iliad and The Odyssey have been on my to-read list for several years, ever since I read a portion of The Odyssey in my high school freshman English class.

The Tale of Troy

And while this book definitely does introduce you to the main players in the fall of Troy, it left quite a lot to be desired as well. What struck me the most about The Tale of Troy is that, considering the epic journeys and adventures of the heroes contained in its pages, the telling of those tales was done in a rather dry, textbook-like way. I could not say that I was particularly gripped at any point during the telling, and likewise very rarely laughed or even had any particular emotion - except for a strong fondness for the guile and wit of Odysseus - strike me while reading.

This was almost like a who's who listing of Greek and Trojan heroes. Names would be mentioned once and then never referenced again. Or, you would be introduced to a major player, but nothing was ever done to make you like or dislike them. While I felt like Achilles behaved like a spoiled child at times, I never really felt any kind of annoyance with him. When Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia, to Artemis, there was no sadness. It all just happened, and I read it, but never actually interacted at all with any of it. It was a very strange reading experience because of this; I don't think I've ever been so disassociated with the narrative before.

There were some moments of humor, mostly courtesy of Odysseus, who is definitely my favorite player in this entire saga. I also liked the mention of a king promising Agamemnon fifty ships, but instead sending one actual ship, with forty-nine clay models of ships stored in its hold. But otherwise, this was basically just a summary of events, sort of "dumbed down" for those who want to know more about the Trojan War but don't want to bother with Homer's prose or rather, the translations of Homer's prose.

If you just want to know what happened, how Troy fell, and what happened to the Greek kings upon their return to Greece, this will certainly answer your questions. But don't expect much more than that. Nonetheless, I did like this simply for the information it provided.

Could it have been done in a more entertaining way? Is it still a worthwhile read? Yes, if you simply want the basic facts and little more. Did I enjoy it? For the most part, although I realize that that statement is not a ringing endorsement. Anyone who enjoys a good story. This book takes me back to my primary years of education, when many of the Classical myths and legends were read to us.

Blood, war, gore, torture, punishment, heroism and deceit, … it was all there, and it was wonderful. An excellent introduction to the darker side of real life through history and into our present day. My fear, however, rested in perfect safety because I This book takes me back to my primary years of education, when many of the Classical myths and legends were read to us. My fear, however, rested in perfect safety because I knew that the stories I was listening to were fictional.

In the third quarter of the nineteenth century Heinrich Schliemann had dug and discovered archaeological evidence for Troy. I was presented with a stark, but useful, lesson that happiness does not always prevail in real life, however high-minded the participants in the drama may be. Low-cunning is a strategy that sometimes wins. Fact and fiction are not always easily separable; the victor writes the history.

So much of use to learn! Lovely muscular Greek thighs! Roger Lancelyn Green was a gifted classicist; demonstrable by his tremendous ability to so vividly retell these and other stories. I greatly value the manner in which he begins each chapter with a quotation, which encourages his reader to make their own further discoveries. Therein lies a tingling, bated, sense of excitement and expectation in never quite knowing where such paths may lead, and how serendipitous the journey may be.

May 27, Matilda Rose rated it really liked it. Paris is chosen to judge which goddess out of Aphrodite, Athena and Hera is more beautiful. Aphrodite offers him the most beautiful woman on earth, Helen, if he'll choose her. Paris falls into her trap and announces her the winner. This competition means Paris whisks Helen off to Troy and refuses to give her back to her husband Menelaus, which causes a war between the Greeks Menelaus and his army and the Trojans Paris and his army. The Greeks sneakily hide themselves in a great wooden horse a Paris is chosen to judge which goddess out of Aphrodite, Athena and Hera is more beautiful.

The Greeks sneakily hide themselves in a great wooden horse and pass through the city of Troy unharmed, disguised as a sacrifice to Athena.

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In the end, Menelaus rescues Helen and they live happily ever after. Odysseus, after facing many troubles, returns home to find his wife Penelope surrounded by hundreds of suitors. It turned out to be a great choice. A very well written and easy to read book. Great for children and adults. Stories of ancient Greece originally written in If you like action and Greek Mythology you'll enjoy this book. My girlfriend's kid loves having Green's stories read to him at night.

And it's a welcome respite for adults from the idiocy of most of what passes for children's fiction these days. This is a good book for kids like my son who love action and adventure stories. It is wonderfully adapted for a younger audience by Roger Lancelyn Green, and gives kids a good basic understanding of the ancient myths that so influence modern cartoons in terms of good and evil. No color or drama, written like a police report too long ago. Our 10 year old loves it. One person found this helpful. See all 16 reviews. Most recent customer reviews.

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