Heroes

By Stephen Fry Michael Joseph, 496pp, £20

The second instalment of Stephen Fry’s foray into the world of Greek mythology tackles the heroes, from Perseus to Bellerophon, and is just as delightful and difficult to put down as its predecessor. Any classics students who read their Homer and their Hesiod will know that the Greek stories, while brilliant in their detail, depth and sense of epic adventure, are not altogether easy reading. Just as in Mythos, Fry manages make the stories in Heroes relatable without skimping on the gory details or sacrificing the fundamental truths. 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 you’ll feel like you’ve learned a lot along the way.