Mythos

Stephen Fry begins at the very beginning, with Chaos, and walks the reader through the birth of the Titans, the rise of Zeus and the endless entanglements of gods and mortals. He tells the stories in his own voice, full of jokes, asides and modern turns of phrase, but he clearly loves and respects the material.

The great strength of Mythos is that it makes the bewildering family tree of the gods easy to follow. Fry’s footnotes explain the Greek roots of English words, from panic to narcissism, which is a delightful bonus.

Purists may wince at some of the liberties he takes with the sources, and the humour will not suit everyone. The book is followed by Heroes and Troy, which cover the age of heroes and the Trojan War.

Our verdict

The perfect gateway to Greek mythology for teenagers and adults alike.