I was not a huge fan of the Iliad way back in Junior High when I read it, but the idea of a reboot intrigued me.  Wow, was I surprised! This is a tongue in cheek, funny, much more politically thought-provoking and in my opinion, more fun to read the story.   You might have heard me say that I am a big fan of history, so in some ways, this story is a good fit anyway, but the tag line: “History cares about kings, but gods love a buffoon” is not only on target but is also a great way to describe the story.  

Gelios is a soldier who has not learned to keep his mouth shut, making it easy to see why he ends up facing execution for giving the King his opinion.  In order to save his own life, Gelios throws his cousin under the bus by volunteering him to be the historian for the King. Since the King is going off to war, there is great importance in having a scribe write down the story of the king’s courageous, intelligent and winning experiences.  Naturally, the cousin is furious but accepts the duty to save Gelios. The two, riding on one horse, travel with the King and his military off to battle where the scribe documents a tall tale of the King’s exploits. All the while Gelios is adding humor and adventure to the story.

You may have loved the Iliad, but whether you loved it or not, this is a campy fun story with some great humor, sarcasm, and funny escapades.  I certainly enjoyed it!