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by Geraldine McCaughrean
Theseus is beloved of the gods. He is also—alas—a bit too beloved of himself. But when a man is bigger, bolder, stronger, and more desirable than any man around him, what is to hold his feet on the earth?
The tale is one every educated person should know—not just Theseus’s pulse-pounding battle with the terrifying minotaur, but the whole arc of his life. Follow him through his first, high-spirited adventures with monsters such as Procrustes and Sciron, through his years as king of Athens and his great loves Hippolyta and Phaedra, to the thundering climax of his fateful conflict with his son, a tale filled with deep pain, and great love.
With prose that is graceful, witty, poetic, and sometimes ferocious, England’s most honored writer for young people brings a great hero’s story to fresh life for listeners of all ages.
Author | Geraldine McCaughrean | More in the Hero Series |
Narrator | Cynthia Bishop | Odysseus |
Length | 3 hrs and 17 mins | Perseus |
© Copyright | 2003 Geraldine McCaughrean | Hercules |
℗ Audio Copyright | 2008 Full Cast Audio |
Reviews:
“Superbly narrated by Cynthia Bishop . . . Highly recommended for listeners from 9 to 90, ‘Theseus’ will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to school and community library audio book collections.”
— Midwest Book Review August 2009
“Geraldine McCaughrean’s accessible retelling of the tale (Cricket, 2005) about Theseus brings to life the handsome, talented son of King Aegeus of Athens who slays the Minotaur (among his many accomplishments), is loved by Ariadne and the Amazon Queen Hippolyte, and finally gets his recompense from the curse that he asks the gods to place upon his beloved son. Cynthia Bishop narrates, and the full cast makes each of the characters unique with their own flaws and agendas.”
— School Library Journal May, 2009
“With a light and animated feel, Mark Austin and the Full Cast crew read award-winning British children’s author Geraldine McCaughrean’s witty and poetic retelling of Theseus’s long life of battling monsters, tragic mishaps, and lost loves. In this bold and cautionary tale, the brash, egotistical Theseus turns out to be one of the more complex, human, and star-crossed characters in Greek myth.”
— Audiofile July, 2009
“Bishop’s narration manages to balance a godly regal elegance with the enthusiastic breathlessness of fandom, creating a perfect frame to showcase the ensemble group of readers. Mark Austin, as Theseus, excellently portrays an egotistic yet innocently beguiling strongman. He shouts the hero’s trademark refrain to the gods, “Did you see? Were you watching?” with whiz-bang joy. … This enjoyable audio will find plenty of takers.”
— Booklist April 15, 2009
Listen to samples from this audiobook:
- Theseus encounters the Tree-Bender. (3:00) Geraldine McCaughrean 3:00
Meet the Cast: |
|
Mark Austin | Theseus |
Karel Blakeley | Daedalus |
Rob Fonda | Hippolytus |
Alec Funicello | Icarus |
Joshua Gutmaker | Young Theseus |
Trevor Hill | King Minos |
Rozlynn Jakes-Johnson | Phaedra Aethra |
Andrea Leonard | Hippolyta |
Claire McAuliffe | Adriadne |
Chelsea Mixon | Oracle Xenoclea |
Bill Molesky | King Aegus |
Rick Powell | The Minotaur |
George Richardson | Prince Medus |
Lauren Synger | Medea |
Directed by: | Bruce Coville |