From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7 Lister, has, with some success, retold Homer's famed epic for children. Rather than beginning the story in the traditional way, after the battle of Troy, his version begins with the shipwreck on Phaeacia. Odysseus sets the scene with the help of the bard, Demodocus, then tells his story. For a young audience, this flashback technique is confusing and unwieldy. Then, in the next three chapters, Lister crowds all of the historical facts and names that he removed from the beginning. He also tries, mostly in early chapters, to update some of the language while maintaining the tone of the story. The result is uneven and, in some places, humorous; for example, when the Cyclops growls at his uninvited guests, ``Who the hell are you?'' However, Lister's telling improves as the book progresses, and the picture book format with, for the most part, effective, sometimes exciting, full-color illustrations, makes this new version of the Odyssey, while not preferable to those of Picard (Walck, 1952; o.p.), Church (Macmillan, 1951; o.p.), Watson (Golden, 1964; o.p.), and Colum (Macmillan, 1925; o.p.), at least another good choice. Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C.Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
While Mandelbaum and the University of California Press are to be commended for attempting this new translation of The Odyssey , those of Robert Fitzgerald (Doubleday, 1963) and Richard Lattimore (Harper & Row, 1968) still remain the versions of choice for serious students who don't know Greek. Mandelbaum's poetry is fluent but lacks the feeling for the original that he brought to his fine translations of Virgil ( The Aeneid of Virgil , Bantam, 1976) and Dante ( The Divine Comedy: The Inferno , Bantam, 1982). There is a looseness in the translation that often misses the intricacy and interconnection of The Odyssey as a whole. Illustrated with engravings, this is essentially a coffee-table book.- T.L. Cooksey, Arm strong State Coll., Savannah, Ga.Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Rex Warner,New York Times Book Review
"The best translation there is of a great, perhaps, the greatest poet."

FROM OUR EDITORS

The greatest adventure story of all time, this epic work chronicles Odysseus's return from the Trojan War and the trials he endures on his journey home. Filled with magic, mystery, and an assortment of gods & goddesses who meddle freely in the affairs of men.

ANNOTATION

A retelling of Homer's epic that describes the wanderings of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

The Trojan War is over, and the battle-weary soldier Odysseus sets out for home. On his way Odysseus faces many dangers sent by the gods to test him. Will he outwit the one-eyed giant Cyclops, the cunning enchantress Circe, and the terrifying monsters Scylla and Charybdis?

SYNOPSIS

Homer's account of the adventures of Odysseus has stood at the center of classical literature for centuries. It is a sweeping story of a great warrior who wanders the world, but also an intensely domestic tale of a loving husband's struggle to protect an enduring union with his faithful wife. Meticulously studied and commented upon by innumerable scholars, The Odyssey remains, nonetheless, a uniquely personal literary experience, startling each new generation of readers with its excitement, its drama, and its remarkably contemporary hero.

FROM THE CRITICS

Chris Sherman

McCaughrean's fine retelling of Odysseus' wanderings is a heroic tale in the truest sense of the word. It captures all the drama and bloodcurdling action of the original work while making the story accessible to young people in language that is still vigorous and expressive. Odysseus is a commanding figure, a bold leader, able to outwit the strongest monsters, yet so weak he cowers in Calypso's chamber. Readers can follow Odysseus' encounters with Circe, the Lotus-eaters, Poseidon, and Calypso, among others, as well as Penelope's difficulties with her suitors back home. Illustrations by Victor Ambrus complement McCaughrean's style perfectly, their bold colors and lively portrayals displaying all the energy of the text. Ambrus' renderings of the monsters are particularly gruesome. A worthy addition to most library collections.

Horn Book

McCaughrean's adaptation of Homer's epic is both faithful to the original and accessible. Odysseus' perilous adventures on his voyage home from the Trojan War -- including encounters with the Cyclops, Circe, and the Sirens -- will captivate the imagination of a new generation of readers. Pen-and-ink drawings filled with motion alternate with vibrantly colored illustrations.

Library Journal

Translations of Homer tend to fall on a spectrum, ranging from those of Lattimore or Murray and Dimock (Loeb Classics), which aim to be faithful to the subtleties of the Greek, to those of Fagles and Fitzgerald, which aim to be good English poetry as well. This new version of the Odyssey falls in the middle. McCrorie (English, Providence Coll.) is a poet and translator whose accomplishments include a version of Virgil's Aeneid. For his Odyssey, he developed a modified dactyl that allows him to achieve the swiftness and rhythmic variety of Homer. Bringing a sensitive ear to Homer's diction and verbal formulas, he transliterates names rather than using their Latin equivalents in order to remain close to the sound of the Greek. If this translation does not stand out from the others available, it is nevertheless a worthy addition. Recommended for all academic libraries.-T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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