HEROES

by Stephen Fry, Michael Joseph, hardback £20, ebook £9.99. ★★★★★ THE second instalment of Stephen Fry’s foray into the exuberant world of Greek mythology tackles the heroes, from Perseus to Bellerophon, and is just as delightful and difficult to put down as the first. Any classics students who read their Homer and their Hesiod will know the Greek stories, whilst brilliant in their detail, depth and sense of epic adventure, are not altogether light or easy reading.

Just as in Mythos, Heroes manages to make the stories relatable without skimping on the wonderful gory details, or sacrificing the traditional truths of the myth. Heroic sons of Zeus become personable boys-next-door and malevolent kings have their motives laid bare through satirical and witty conversation.

It’s rich, it’s funny and once again you’ll feel like you’ve learned a lot along the way. With the audiobook read by Fry, listening is as delightful as reading too.