Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Odyssey (Dramatised)

By: Homer, Simon Armitage - dramatisation
Narrated by: Tim McInnerny, Amanda Redman, full cast
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £7.99

Buy Now for £7.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

Winner of the Audio Drama category at the Audies, 2009.

"My fame is written in the heavens, and my fate too..." So speaks Odysseus as he starts to recount his struggles to sail home to Ithaca, in one of the greatest pieces of storytelling in Western literature. The Odyssey is his incredible traveller's tale, and also the story of his faithful wife Penelope who waits for him, besieged by suitors, and their son Telemachus who has a quest of his own.

In a 20-year journey, fabulous fantasy mixes with extraordinary reality as Odysseus encounters enchantresses, nymphs, monsters, prophets, and ghosts. From the temptations of the lotus flowers and the Sirens' song to the horrors of the Cyclops' cave and the Land of the Dead, the story of his encounters is riveting. We hear of Circe, who turned his men into swine; Calypso, who held Odysseus prisoner for seven years; and the dreadful six-headed monster Scylla who devoured some of his crew. And we hear of the Gods, who have a vital role to play...

Dramatised by major contemporary poet Simon Armitage to celebrate the return of the Olympics to Athens, this full-cast production brings Odysseus's adventures to vivid life, conveying all the excitement, suspense, and poetry of the original. A stunning aural rollercoaster ride, The Odyssey will have your heart in your mouth and stir your soul.

©2004 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2004 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The 57 Bus cover art
The Last Days of Troy cover art
Greek Myths: Modern Re-tellings cover art
The Aeneid cover art
Myths Reimagined: Troy Trilogy, Dionysos & More cover art
Homer Box Set: Iliad & Odyssey cover art
The Odyssey cover art
Ghost Stories: Stephen Fry's Definitive Collection cover art
The Divine Comedy cover art
Jeeves & Wooster: The Collected Radio Dramas cover art
Blackadder: The Complete Collected Series cover art
Charles Paris: A Second BBC Radio Collection cover art
The Lord Of The Rings: The Return of the King (Dramatised) cover art
Caesar! cover art
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Dramatised) cover art
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Dramatised) cover art

What listeners say about The Odyssey (Dramatised)

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    111
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    6
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    86
  • 4 Stars
    15
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    87
  • 4 Stars
    12
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent telling

Poor Odysseus, after trekking across the sea under the banner of Agamemnon to kill a load of people, completely unconnected to the crime of their prince, now must face a ten year journey home to his beautiful wife, oh woe, Odysseus!



This BBC production is excellently told, and brings the story to life. The English accents may seem out of place but the quality of story-telling is marvelous.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Odyssey

Where does The Odyssey (Dramatised) rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very engaging enterpretation of the Homer story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Odyssey (Dramatised)?

Meeting Calypso, this brought to life the analogous nature of the book which is what attracted me to it in the first place.

What does Tim McInnerny and Amanda Redman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

They are both great actors and amazing voices. Tim for this ?? I think it needs someone a little more macho than Tim as Lord Percy's character emerged from time to time.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I never listen to a book all in one sitting however as I was taking early morning walks around the Kas Peninsular in Turkey, it was perfect.

Any additional comments?

I felt thrilled and enlightened by the end of the play, jus fabulous.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Enthralling couldn't stop listening

Love full cast audio this didn't disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed it the dramatisation was perfect, the visual perception of what I was I was hearing was amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Engaging, fast moving and accessible

This dramatised productions is by the now poet laureate is fast moving and entertaining. It’s a really accessible way to approach this classic story particularly for those who have struggled to get through the original text. But it’s also a good listen for those familiar with the text bringing a new and refreshingly rugged idiom to the telling.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well performed if not a bit dull in places

This audiobook is a bit dated judging by the style and voice quality, but it’s a solid performance nonetheless. The voice acting is superb and script is well paced and well narrated. It does get a bit long winded in places with the dialogue but the action and story is well told and made for good listening. Good value and worth purchasing if you wish to be immersed in one of the defining epics of Greek Mythology.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Between 'The Archers' & 'Hitchhiker's Guide...'!

BBC Dramatisations are funny things - they are often well produced, but the subject matter is either modern controversy-for-controversy's sake or an overwrought historical piece. Rarely do you get something that is skillfully acted, with a good story and that is a notable classic.

Happily, this Audiobook is all three, with the excellent Tim McInnerny (Captain Darling in 'Blackadder') as Odysseus, Amanda Redman as his long-suffering wife and many other well portrayed characters aside. The narrative flows well and creates convincing audio-landscapes which only go to prove that scenery is always better in your head!

My one criticism (to echo the 4 star reviewer 'Reeves') is the accuracy of the narrative. To make for an interesting story, the characters have been altered from what they should be, and the text itself (being a dramatisation) is not the same as the book. However, the story is fairly close to Homer's original intention, even if some of the narrative and personalities of the actors are a little different.

To conclude, this dramatisation is fantastic if you want to get a good impression of a classic story of the ancients. It is clearly no substitute for reading the real thing but, sometimes, things such as these can make subjects accessible to study, when previously they felt like swimming in treacle! I certainly have found this audiobook helped me appreciate a story that I would not have fathomed in other ways.
So, if you want some good listening for the car, then look no further than this book...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating!

I don't normally listen to stories and I've always wanted to find out about the adventures of Odeseus but I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this particular book.

That said I was totally floored by this captivating and entertaining story.
I would highly recommend checking it out.
It's not very long and is masterfully performed by the cast.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dramatic Drama.

Theatrical in the best sense of the word. Russell
crowe seemed to be playing Odysseus !

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent

This is a wonderful full drama really bringing the text to life, with all the quality that the BBC are famous for.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant telling of a classic story

Good dramatisation of a classic tale. characters are fully fleshed out and totally believable. brilliant!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!