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The Iliad

By: Homer, E. V. Rieu, D. C. H. Rieu, Peter Jones
Narrated by: Steve John Shepherd
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Steve John Shepherd, whose theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing at the Globe, The Good Canary directed by John Malkovich, Bomber's Moon and Piaf. His TV and film credits range from the iconic This Life to Silent Witness and Eastenders. This definitive recording includes an introduction by E V Rieu.

One of the foremost achievements in Western literature, Homer's Iliad tells the story of the darkest episode in the Trojan War. At its centre is Achilles, the greatest warrior-champion of the Greeks, and his refusal to fight after being humiliated by his leader Agamemnon. But when the Trojan Hector kills Achilles' close friend Patroclus, he storms back into battle to take revenge - although knowing this will ensure his own early death. Interwoven with this tragic sequence of events are powerfully moving descriptions of the ebb and flow of battle, of the domestic world inside Troy's besieged city of Ilium, and of the conflicts between the Gods on Olympus as they argue over the fate of mortals.

Public Domain (P)2020 Penguin Audio
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What listeners say about The Iliad

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An Extraordinary Story

Whether it was written by Homer or not does not matter. What is accepted is that it was written millenniums ago. It is a magnificent read/listen, well read, and as powerful a tale as it is possible to be.

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Brilliant

Superb narration. Loved it. Such a great experience to have this epic poem read aloud.

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Astonishing narration of the Iliad

The narrator brings the characters to life with passion, making the book a very easy listen. While I find the endless descriptions on text rather heavy to read due to its repetitiveness, on this audiobook, I find it to be a good thing as it adds up to the atmosphere.

Battles are described with such passion, and the conversations between the characters are superbly done by this narrator.

I was very impressed, I have never enjoyed the Iliad this much.

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its great

Small downside are the sharp "S" sounds in the narrator's voice. These are loud and make listening less smooth.

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Viva Illiad

A very digestible way to read a Greek classic. Well read by someone with a pleasing voice, this should make the Iliad less intimidating.

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Excellent!

A must read/listen. This version has excellent narration. I will definitely come back to this one again.

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Incredible theatre grade performance

Exceptional performance and theater like voice and interpretation. An audible worthy of the greatest story ever spoken.

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Beautifully read epic.

I greatly enjoyed listening to this recording. The story is magnificent and the narrator does a terrific job. Five stars.

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Stunning

The Iliad needs to be heard read aloud so one can appreciate it as originally intended. Steve John Shepherd does a masterful job of bringing this famous translation alive. You are soon transported back to the shores of the Troad, fully immersed in the fated struggle between the warring humans and gods. It is easy to see why this work obsessed the classical world and still exerts its power today.

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Beautiful narration

The beautiful narration of this classic tale brings this wonderful story to life. A great listen.

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3 people found this helpful