BOOK: Torn from Troy: Odyssey of a Slave by Patrick Bowman

Torn From Troy: Odyssey of a Slave by Patrick Bowman (5 h 28 min)
narrated by Gerald Doyle

Neat take on The Odyssey by Homer. I have not yet read the original, but have read some other versions, including The Odyssey by Gareth Hinds in graphic novel form, and The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood last year. Here we have a young Trojan boy taken as a slave after the Greeks leave Troy. Alexi's father had been killed in the invasion, and as the Greeks retreat, his sister is killed in the final battle. Being able to watch the story of Odysseus (here called Lopex sometimes) from a different point of view is fun for readers who already know the story, but would also introduce the legend to new readers or children.

This is one of my last books from last summer's YA SYNC downloads and was an easy and enjoyable listen. It is the first in a series, so that was a little disappointing as the full journey of Odysseus doesn't get told. Alexi does get to experience the Lotus-Eaters and the Cyclops; he gets to know Odysseus, who recognizes Alexi's strengths as a healer and his intelligence, as well as Yuri, a mean Greek who would love to kill the little slave. Life on the ship is interesting and original, against the backdrop of the well known mythology.

This was my first read for the Once Upon a Time challenge and would be a mythology book. 

CHALLENGE: Once Upon a Time IX

“Come away, O human child: To the waters and the wild with a fairy, hand in hand, For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.”
~William Butler Yeats

The 9th Once Upon A Time hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings is the true beginning of spring. The signs around here (we still have 4-5 feet of snow on our lawn and I'm not exaggerating!) are not conducive to actual spring. I've seen some posts on Facebook that say the spring birds are arriving and can't get at the ground. It's pretty depressing around here with just piles of old dirty snow.

Of course I'll read a book for this challenge this year. Something in the fantasy, folklore, mythology, or fairy tales area. There are none that I'm specially planning to read, but there are a few floating around that I might read, including a read-a-long of Little, Big by John Crowley hosted by Bellezza. I also have one of the YA Sync audiobooks from last summer, Torn from Troy to listen to. That's probably pretty high on my list actually.

What I Read:
1.Torn from Troy: Odyssey of a Slave - Patrick Bowman (audiobook)
2. Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl (audiobook)
3.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Top Ten Characters You'd Like To Check In With

The topic this week for Top Ten Tuesday hosted at The Broke and the Bookish is Characters You'd like to check in with.



Some of my favorite people have been checked in on - Bridget Jones (Mad About the Boy), Signora from Evening Class (Maeve Binchy kept revisiting old characters in each new book), Harry Potter (had the epilogue, which was enough). Crow Lake characters, by Mary Lawson, are seen in Road Ends and The Other Side of the Bridge. Of course, Anne Shirley got a whole series of books, so we know what happened there. The television series even made up a different ending for Anne  - a journalist is WW1?

On the other hand, many books I've read I was happy with the ending, happy with how the characters ended up and did not feel a need for a sequel. (The Rosie Project would be a great example - I never read the sequel) Even some series 'end' up enough for me at times - I'm almost finished of Flavia de Luce, even though I loved her first few books. She got older and lost her naive charm. There are a few characters however...



Rilla Blythe  - Anne and Gilbert's youngest daughter grew up during world war 1 and got her somewhat happy ending, but more would be nice!

Katniss Evergreen- and then?

Mary Gooch from The Wife's Tale by Lori Lansens - I would love to know what happened to Mary. When I read the book, I thought a retelling from her husband's point of view would be neat as well.

Amy and Nick Dunne - How did those crazy kids (and kid) turn out? Who killed who first?

Lisbeth Salander - The Girl Who ... turned out okay? found some love?

unnamed narrator of The Outlander by Gil Adamson - the last line in this book practically set up a sequel

And the most recent book I listened to, The 4:50 to Paddington by Agatha Christie, left with Lucy Eyelesbarrow, Miss Marple's helper in this book, being interested in someone. Miss Marple predicts Lucy'll marry one of the two eligible characters, but she didn't say which!? I was not impressed! Actually, Lucy Eyelesbarrow herself was a very interesting character, and could have sustained a book or two of her own.

That's all I can think of for now. Once I read some other Top Ten Lists, I'm sure I realize who I forgot.

TOP TEN TUESDAY: Ten Books You Recently Added To Your To-Be-Read List

 

I completely missed Tuesday - so here I am a day late. The sad part is I even had this ready to go ahead of time. Top Ten Tuesday Whateverdayyougetitposted topic is books you've recently added to your to-be-read list.



This list is a blend of Bailey Prize for Women's Fiction titles, and me looking for authors and their new books at Chapters online. Some aren't even released yet, but they go on the list once you become aware.

Reykjavik Nights by Arnaldur Indridason
A prequel of sorts, with early cases by Erlendur, how did I miss the release of this one?

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens
The Girls and The Wife's Tale were excellent. I also have her Rush Home Road to read before I tackle her latest book

Mrs Roosevelt's Confidente by Susan Elia MacNeal (Oct 27 2015)
The next in the Maggie Hope spy series, I'll wait for an audiobook copy as it is the only way I've read this series

The Nature of the Beast by Louise Penny (Aug 25,  2015)
Another Gamauche book

Funny Girl by Nick Hornby
I haven't read a Nick Hornby in quite a while; they are generally excellent

The ones from the Bailey list that intrigue me:

Crooked Hearts by Lissa Evans (July  28, 2015)

Elizabeth is Missing by  Emma Healey

The Girl Who Was Saturday Night by Heather O'Neill