Troy

The tale of Troy is the Big Bang of story-telling. Every story that came afterwards contains fragments of its incredible mixture of drama, tension, romance, betrayal, cunning, magic, violence, comedy, revenge, wonder, beauty, sacrifice, sorrow and triumph. The original epic, and still the best. I've loved it since I first heard about the matchless Helen of Troy, the noble Hector, the glorious Achilles and the cunning Odysseus. Retelling the story, getting to know the personalities, twists and divine interventions and immersing myself in the wildly exciting blend of myth, legend and real history has been one of the most completely enjoyable experiences I've ever had. I hope you get as much pleasure from reading it.' Stephen Fry.