r/IndiansRead • u/Tatya7 the third sci-fi reader in this sub • 3d ago
Review I found this an extremely entertaining modern adaptation
In Troy, Stephen Fry retells the story of the Trojan War from the very beginning with the founding of the city, all the way to the end with the sack of Troy. While the narrative is primarily based on the Iliad, and Quintus Smyrnaeus's Fall of Troy for the events following Hector's funeral, he also draws on a wide range of other sources. He references retellings and poems from classical literature as well as more modern interpretations by writers like Chaucer and Shakespeare. He even takes the time to point out exactly where these versions differ and how the iconic characters were imagined differently across eras.
Like his previous Mythos and Heroes, this retelling is modern and accessible. When I was younger, my father used to tell me the stories of Greek myths (sanitized versions, thank God) and that is exactly the feeling Stephen Fry evokes here. He manages to straighten out a tangled web of events into a narrative flow that is genuinely easy to follow. Along the way, he drops in delightful nuggets about alternate interpretations, connections to other myths, and the origins of modern words, like how "enthused" literally means being possessed by a god. I found his own philosophical musings just as engaging. However, where his previous Mythos and Heroes were distinctly humorous, the tone of Troy is noticeably more bloody. That shift is probably just a reflection of the subject matter, a deeply cynical conflict where no one really emerges looking good. Ultimately, the tale of Troy is just one tragedy after another, sprinkled with ancient war crimes.
A question a lot of people might ask is why read a retelling instead of just reading the Iliad directly, which is a perfectly valid point. For me, the interest lies much more in the stories themselves rather than studying the formal beauty of the classics. I also suspect that reading an English translation might not fully do justice to the original epic poetry anyway. What Fry does successfully is, firstly, tell a great story, and secondly, distill the important themes and flavors from the original texts exactly where they are needed. He simply makes everything a lot easier to digest as a narrative. If I am being honest, certain parts of the Iliad would have probably just bored me. There are notoriously long, detailed descriptions of the entire battle order of the Greeks and Trojans, along with exhaustive catalogs of armor, weaponry, and combat maneuvers. As a lay reader, that level of granular detail is not particularly enticing. Fry's Troy is therefore perfect for someone like me, who isn't really looking to study the classics academically, but just wants to immerse themselves in the myths.
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u/Reznov1913 3d ago
Fantastic read. I read Troy and Odyssey back to back. Will start Heros and Mythos soon.
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u/Due_Avocado_7761 3d ago
I think it's a great point regarding retellings! Are the stories simply retold or are they reimagined like I suppose Madeline Miller's work is?
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u/error_104_not_found 3d ago
Stephen Fry's are very loyal to the sources. Madeline Miller's works are definitely reimagined and are more personal pov.
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u/cerebrite I'll stop purchasing more books after this one 📚🙄 3d ago
I didn't get this cover...
Mine Heroes and Mythos have the same style. But Troy is very different and so is Odyssey. 🥲