Audiobook Review: Mythos (Stephen Fry’s Great Mythology #1)

Author: Stephen Fry

Narrator: Stephen Fry

Audiobook Length: 15 hours 26 minutes

Mythos is a modern collection of Greek myths, stylishly retold by legendary writer, actor, and comedian Stephen Fry. Fry transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder.

This stunning book features classical artwork inspired by the myths, as well as learned notes from the author. Each adventure is infused with Fry’s distinctive wit, voice, and writing style. Connoisseurs of the Greek myths will appreciate this fresh-yet-reverential interpretation, while newcomers will feel welcome. Retellings brim with humor and emotion and offer rich cultural context

Celebrating the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths, Mythos breathes life into ancient tales—from Pandora’s box to Prometheus’s fire.

This gorgeous volume invites you to explore a captivating world with the brilliant storyteller Stephen Fry as your guide.

Mythos is an amazing retelling that gives an approachable take on ancient Greek Mythology. While I listened to the audiobook for the actual storytelling, I do have a copy of the printed version, which has amazing visuals. Stephen Fry provides a nice delivery of the stories as there is an enjoyable mix of humor with the tragedy as each tale is told. As each portion goes over a single tale, the novel is also great for those who prefer to read it as a collection with small bits at a time while also being great for those who want to read it continuously.

The book goes in a semi-chronological order beginning with the origins of Chaos (the Greek universe) to the Titans to the original Olympians. Many of the famous figures, such as: Gaia, Cronus, Prometheus, Zeus, Hades, Hera, Demeter, along with many others all have their own tale told. Fry takes readers on a journey from the creation of each to the war between the Titans and Olympians before the reader reaches the creation of man. Since there are too many tales to include everything, I felt Fry did a great job selecting the ones that were intriguing to the reader. Many of the stories are shortened, which, again, worked for me as it gave the important details without leaving too much out. As I enjoy mythology, I have read most of the full tales, so I liked that this version condensed everything so more information could get across to the reader without feeling overwhelming.

Overall, I liked the style of the writing as it was easy to follow as each character and story was introduced. While most people I know have studied the Olympians, it was nice to see the creators and Titans given their moment as they can sometimes be forgotten. The rise of the Olympians and the Age of Heroes were nicely tied together. Since the next novel will follow the Heroes and their stories, it will be amazing to continue the series and timeline!