Why read Black Ships Before Troy?

Book cover of Black Ships Before Troy: The Story of The Iliad

Book description

Frances Lincoln is proud to reintroduce the Greenaway award-winning Black Ships Before Troy.

Here is Homer's epic poem The Iliad, brought to life by Rosemary Sutcliff with all the skill of a master storyteller. Alan Lee's dramatic cover image hauntingly recreates the age of heroes in this introduction to the…

Explore

Topics

Genres

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Black Ships Before Troy as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Kaitlin Bevis

Author

I can’t write a list of Helen of Troy's many faces without including the most famous source material. Though it’s marketed for children, it’s one of the most faithful and accessible adaptations of the Iliad that I’ve ever read.

I loved the illustrations and how the scenes stayed faithful to those written many centuries ago while still packing an emotional punch to a modern-day reader. The ancient classics that spread orally are all translated retellings, so while there’s definitely value in reading the more academic versions, those aren’t any more or less valid than an accessible text with modern language…

From Kaitlin's list on mythology retellings of Helen of Troy's many faces.