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Iliade (2011)

by Homer(Favorite Author)

3.78 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

8817172731 (ISBN13: 9788817172738)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli

review 1: I read the version originally translated by E.V. Rieu, later revised and updated by Peter Jones and D.C.H. Rieu.The Illiad wasn't the easiest of reads. The language takes a bit of time to get your head around and a number of characters have the same names.I wanted to read it as one of those "I really should read that some day" kind of things and I'm glad I did. One of the oldest pieces of fiction in existance, you can see why it stood the passage of time.The time period was the biggest suprise for me. I expected the story to run the full ten year war but it actually covers the last month or so.I'd recommend this to any fantasy fan. Here is the original and worth taking the time.
review 2: Another one I read a couple of months ago and am only reviewing now. ... moreI shall try to be more pithy with those reviews.In stark contrast to the movie Troy, which was quite the guilty pleasure for me, Agamemnon and Menelaus were two of the more sympathetic characters in this story.This may have been one of the worlds first blockbusters. The Epic of Gilgamesh had all the makings of a great story, plenty of action and drama and intrigue, but it was clearly not written for the masses the way this one was.The Gods in this story seemed to more easily allow the reader to fantasize that they themselves could be one of the great warriors in the story. Everything seemed to be in the hands of the gods after-all. Plenty of times, seemingly insignificant characters cut a bloody swathe of destruction when invigorated by the gods. Achilles was a petulant brooding boy. His greatness was only implied through most of the book. He really didn't do all that much. Hector was the real badass here. Even Ajax and Odysseus took more of a front and center role.Homer (if there was such a man) paid great respect to actual military tactics and how armies would have reacted in a real battle. One of the things that pissed me off about Troy was how Achilles and Hector fought within range of archers, without anybody firing a single shot. Or how Hector called off his army when Hector called off his entire army when Patroclus died.Many other examples can be found, I'm sure. But action wasn't there just for the sake of drama. It was paid respect too as an art in and of itself.Glory for the sake of glory, and how vanity can hamper that goal. Thats what this book was all about. I enjoyed it. Not crazy deep once you understand that concept, but well written action.3.5 less

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