Finalizada la épica guerra de Troya, Ulises, uno de los caudillos griegos más afamados, emprende con su flota de naves negras el regreso a su añorado reino de Ítaca. en su accidentada y larga travesía, el héroe recorre multitud de escenarios y se enfrenta a numerosos peligros, que ponen a prueba su temple. Pero para vencer al cíclope Polifemo o superar los escollos de Escila y Caribdis, para resistirse al canto embriagador de las sirenas o aniquilar a la turba de pretendientes que cortejan a su fiel esposa Penélope, el solitario héroe ha de reunir una serie de cualidades excepcionales que hacen de él un verdadero modelo para la humanidad. Ulises es inteligente, astuto, hábil, calculador, ingenioso y embaucador, pero también generoso, leal, sufrido, perseverante, diestro artesano o experto narrador. Sólo un hombre tan versátil como él puede sobrevivir a los terribles peligros de un viaje que se constituye en un simbólico aprendizaje de la vida.

Homer's Odyssey adapted for children. With the end of the Trojan War, Odysseus and his 12-boat crew head back to Ithaca. But they end up well off course for a good 10 years or so, encountering as the go along the one-eyed Cyclops; Aeolus, Lord of the Winds; Circe, the enchanted island; the irresistible call of the Sirens; the sea-monsters Scylla and Charybdis. When hi men slaughter and roast the cattle of Hyperion the Sun Lord, a storm wreaks havoc and destruction upon the entire crew except Odyseeues. He recovers on the island of Calypso and eventually returns to Ithaca, where, disguised as a beggar he wins back his wife Penelope in an archer contest and slays every one of the suitors who had been trying to press themselves upon Penelope during Odysseus' long absence. Twenty years total before he fianlly made it home???And those gods are sometimes too convenient and at others so unavailable.

I bought this because it was illustrated by Alan Lee and I had heard good things of Rosemary Sutcliff. It was thoroughly enjoyable. Especially after watching the movie, "Troy". The pictures alone would make it worth reading, since Alan Lee was so involved in the LOTR trilogy. The story was captivating, and fun to make sense of the many myths and stories I've read. ( )

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