After listening to EPIC: The Musical numerous times now, I wanted to read the original and see where the inspiration came from. The version I read came from Gutenberg.org and has been rendered into prose form. I'm not a fan of poetry. Never have been.
If you're unfamiliar with The Odyssey, it's the story of Ulysses/Odysseus, a soldier who fought at Troy to save Helen. Now, he's on his way home to his wife and son, but the gods, the sea, and sometimes his own men, seem to be working against him. His wits will only get him so far, but when he makes it home, he still has to deal with the suitors who have taken over his house and are wooing his wife.
It took me a minute to get used to the different versions using the opposite names for the gods. EPIC used the Greek names for them, and The Odyssey was using the Roman names. I'm not as familiar with the Roman names, so once or twice I had to pause and remember who someone was (for some of the minor gods like Vulcan).
The story wasn't actually linear, which really surprised me. Considering it was considered to be written between the 8th and 7th centuries BCE, it's interesting to me that the original poem was that complex. I realize I'm not exactly reading the story in poem form, but I would've never made it had I tried to read it that way.
The other really surprising thing was the balance of the story. I didn't realize how much of the story actually takes place after Ulysses makes it home. The very end of it dragged on a bit, but the overall story was pretty good, and I enjoyed it. Good Book!
Side Note: EPIC isn't a 100% faithful adaptation, but I don't mind. I love the songs and the story it weaves. It doesn't bother me one bit, which is unusual for me. If it had been a book/movie scenario, I'm not sure how I'd feel. In this instance, I'll listen to EPIC any day of the week, and I'm glad I read the book (in prose).
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