When the goddess Hera, wife of Zeus, discovers her husband's mortal son Hercules, she vows to destroy him. Thus begins Hercules's legendary and epic journey in which he is forced to take on a series of seemingly impossible tasks.

His mother was a human princess. His father was none other than Zeus, the king of the gods. But fate has a way of twisting things, and now to save his mother from a dreadful marriage Perseus must undertake a perilous quest. Along the way the young hero will encounter a wealth of wonders, including a magic helmet, a flying horse, a dreadful sea serpent, and a gorgon whose gaze turns all who look upon her to stone.

The Trojan War is over, and Odysseus longs to return to wife and son on his island kingdom of Ithaca. But between hero and home stands an array of dangers unlike any ever faced by mortal man.

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are unquestionably two of the greatest epic masterpieces in Western literature. Though more than 2,700 years old, their stories of brave heroics, capricious gods, and towering human emotions are vividly timeless. The Iliad can justly be called the world’s greatest war epic. The terrible and long-drawn-out siege of Troy remains one of the classic campaigns. The Odyssey chronicles the many trials and adventures Odysseus must pass through on his long journey home from the Trojan wars to his beloved wife.

Here are the thrills, grandeur, and unabashed fun of the Greek myths, stylishly retold by Stephen Fry. The legendary writer, actor, and comedian breathes life into ancient tales, from Pandora's box to Prometheus's fire, and transforms the adventures of Zeus and the Olympians into emotionally resonant and deeply funny stories, without losing any of their original wonder. Learned notes from the author offer rich cultural context. This volume is a doorway into a captivating world.