Torn From Troy

Written by Patrick Bowman

Narrated by Gerard Doyle

Two-and-a half millennia after it was created, Homer's Odyssey remains one of humanity's most memorable adventure stories. In this re-creation of Homer's classic as a young adult novel, we see the aftermath of the Trojan War through the eyes of Alexi, a fifteen-year-old Trojan boy. Orphaned by the war and enslaved by Odysseus himself, Alexi has a very different view of the conquering heroes of legend. Despite a simmering anger towards his captors, Alexi gradually develops a grudging respect for them. As the Greeks fight off the angry Cicones, weather a storm that pushes them far beyond charted waters, and nearly succumb to the blandishments of the bewitching Lotus-eaters, he realizes that they are not the demons they were said to be, but people like himself.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Post Hypnotic Press
• Release date: May 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781927401613

Patrick Bowman

Patrick Bowman was born in Ottawa and educated in Toronto. He has twenty years of writing experience, all of it in software, but has been fascinated by Greek mythology since stumbling over a copy of Bulfinch's Mythology in his father's library as a child. Torn from Troy is his first book. He presently makes his home in Toronto. For more about Torn from Troy, a sample from the upcoming sequel, The Sea God's Curse, and about the author himself, visit patrickbowman.ca.

Reviews for Torn From Troy

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Once I got used to the idea that the Greeks and the Trojans all had British accents, I enjoyed this adventure story which is a retelling of the Odyssey from the point of view of a captured Trojan slave.The book begins with the sacking of Troy when 15-year-old Alexi watches his older sister killed and then runs and hides from the Greek invaders. He is captured and made a slave to Odysseus. He also makes an enemy of one of the Greek soldiers whose name I heard as Yuri. (The one disadvantage I have found to listening to audio books is not knowing how names are spelled.) Alexi's quick temper and disdain for the Greeks makes his first days as a slave difficult. They have all sorts of adventures from storms at sea to encounters with the Lotus-Eaters and a cyclops. Because this is a continuing series, the further adventures told in the Odyssey will be parts of later books.I liked the action. I liked the way Alexi gradually became friends with one of the young Greek soldiers. I liked the portrayal of Odysseus as a man who told two lies every time he opened his mouth. I liked that Alexi had learned about healing from his father. I thought the information about the way the Greeks and Trojans worshipped their gods was interesting.Adventure loving students will enjoy this book and might even be tempted to read the Odyssey to find out what happens next.

[leslie398 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Retelling of Homer's Odyssey as seen from the view of a teenage Trojan captured & enslaved by Troy's downfall. OK for the young end of the young adult audience, but why did the author not call Odysseus Odysseus or even Ulysses?

Gerald Doyle does a fine job with the narration.

[ssperson_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Part of the Odyssey as seen through the eyes of a 15-year-old Trojan slave. A little bit graphic (the Cyclops was NOT gentle), but an interesting look at the well-known legends.

I listened to this on a car trip with my 11-year-old, and he liked it well enough to ask me to get the second book in the series.

[hopeevey · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I hadn't read a description of this book before I started listening to it, so it was a fun surprise to discover it to be a slave's eye view of the Homeric hero. The author seems to have really done his homework on the history and culture of the ancient Greeks. Being already familiar with the setting and the story, I felt this telling dragged. Someone much younger would probably enjoy this a lot more. It's well written and engaging, just not quite engaging enough to hold my interest.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

While I have seen YA retellings of myths, I have never seen one that retells the classic Greek Odyssey. Torn from Troy starts with the sacking of Troy goes through the Island of the Lotus Eaters and finishes with the Cyclops, leaving plenty left for the rest of the series. Unfortunately, there was a bit of down time between each recognizable event.