I really like the picture you chose for your cover page; it is very simple, but also very intriguing. I have always found sculptures to be very fascinating, not to mention I have to give props to those who are talented enough to make them!
Your introduction starts off very nicely! I like how you explained exactly who Odysseus was. Personally I am not too familiar with him, so it was very helpful to know who all he was related to as well as how he was perceived by those that knew him.
Also, it is nice to see that you are so passionate about these stories; it definitely sparks my interest! The way I look at it, if you think they are really great, you can probably convince someone else that they are great too!
One thing I am a little confused about though…will you yourself be telling the stories of Odysseus, or will it be Melumas?
Although the dialogue between Melumas and Kratos is a nice touch, I did have a hard time following it at times. One thing you might want to consider is spacing out the conversation a little more.
For example:
“Young Kratos,” Melumas said. “Have you never heard the stories before? I can assure you that Odysseus was as real as you and I. Would you like to hear about some real stories of Odysseus?”
“Yes I would,” Kratos exclaimed.
“Okay well lets go to the library where I can tell you some of Odysseus’ greatest stories,” said Melumas.
It’s just my personal opinion, but I think it makes it a little easier to read and follow. Overall, I think your introduction looks pretty good! I’m looking forward to reading your stories!
Anthony, First off, you made a good selection for your storybook unit, Odysseus is a very good character to focus on and there is a plethora of good stories to choose from in the Odyssey unit. I also like your usage of Greek names for the characters in the introduction and I am going to guess you are a God of War fan. Also, I like how you set up the storytelling in this unit by having Melumas telling Kratos the story of Odysseus. The whole idea of books turning into a relic of the past is a definite issue and oftentimes stories or parts of stories are lost when they change mediums. In regards to cleaning the introduction up, I have a couple suggestions. First, I would try to keep the theme consistent throughout the introduction. Both ways of storytelling are good, but the combination of the top's more of a straightforward, informative introduction to Odysseus combined without a transition to the more storytelling-like style of the bottom is a little rough. My idea would be to change it all to your bottom style of storytelling and have Melumas give the top paragraph's information in commentary form. Also, maybe slowly introduce your audience into who your storytellers are in your storybook, I had to reread a couple times to make sense of what was going on. Also, the spacing/formatting in your story is a little spread out, I would try to condense it a little, it works very well in separating who is talking but at the same time it is slightly distracting since there is so much space. However, it is just a couple formatting issues and overall your storybook looks really good. I am excited to see how your storybook turns out!
I do like the photo that you used for the cover page. As the top of the page suggests, you kept the template very clean and simple. I was a little put off about the recent site activity gadget on the left side. For me, it makes the site feel a little cluttered which seems to go against what you are trying to go for. I would suggest that you take everything on the sides of the site off so that the reader focuses only on the picture.
In my opinion, I felt like you could move the first paragraph to the end of the introduction. That way, you would first hook the reader with the dialogue between Melumas and Kratos, and then use that brief history of Odysseus to transition towards the first story that is going to be told. I was a big fan of the readings of Odysseus in High School so I am very interested as to how you continue this storybook!
Anthony, I thought the intro was great! I can't wait to read more of the stories of Odysseus. Personally, I love Homer and I love the Odyssey, but sometimes the way it is told can get a little draggy? That may not be the right word, but that is the best I've got right now. Regardless, I can tell your telling of the story is going to be enjoyable because it's not just constant action - there is time for dialogue and a storytelling vibe. I think that is something that I liked especially in the Introduction and look forward to seeing more of throughout the rest of the Storybook. Also, Kratos? Like, from God of War? Or is there a legit Kratos from Greek myth that I have never heard of? Either way, nice touch, and I can't wait to learn what he learns. I think I would agree with an above poster and get rid of the page activity counter. I just found it kind of distracting, especially with how close it is to the actual Storybook stories. Other than that, though, I really can't complain about anything on this Storybook. Again, I'm excited to read about which stories you pulled from the Odyssey. Keep it up!
Anthony, I love that you choose a Greek Mythology character for your storybook because those are always interesting people and stories and to read about! So you have a lot of ways to go with your storybook.
First off, on your introduction page, I like the picture you used and the simple grey background theme. A suggestion I would make though is your titles. If you notice, there is "The Legend of Odysseus" written a total of 4 times on the page as a title. It is a bit repetitive reading the site title of "The Legend of Odysseus" then the subtitle that says "Storybook: The Legend of Odysseus" and then the page title which also reads "Storybook: The Legend of Odysseus" and then under that is "The Legend of Odysseus By Anthony Clark".
I would suggest leaving the site title as "The Legend of Odysseus" and maybe changing the page title to something more creative or different word. You could consider something like "Stories of the King of Ithaca" or something similar to that - just a thought!
As for your introduction page, I liked the dialogue between Melamus and Kratos, that was unique. I also think it might add something to that page to have an image or graphic on it as well. Images help draw in readers and engage their curiosity, as well as break up all of the writing.
I would have loved to read your first story already as well, but I could not find it on your site. I look forward to checking back in later and reading some of them!
Goodluck with the rest of the development of your storybook!!!
First of all, I think that you picked a great picture for your cover story. The only thing that kind of bothered me was the background for some reason. On each page I thought it was kind of bland, which made it seem boring. And it's not boring at all, I mean you're writing about Odysseus for goodness sakes! Next as far as the introduction goes, I like how you set it up to be in a storytelling style and that you introduced all of the topics you would be talking about. One small think I would suggest not just for your introduction, but for the rest of the book is that you increase the font size a little bit. It's kin of hard to read on the screen. Last but not least, you're story! I really liked your story. I too had read this story in high school, and really liked it! I liked that you stayed close to the original plot line, I feel like it's hard to change stories like this, and that when people do it kind of takes away from the story and does it a disservice. Great job! I loved reading your storybook!
Anthony, thank you so much for your comment on my week 5 storytelling. Seriously some of the best encouragement I have ever gotten. I have never really been super confident in my writing abilities but your words really made my day. It was actually because of your comment that I chose to use that particular story in my portfolio. Thanks again!
Anthony, I wanted to say thank you for your encouragement on my storytelling about Lady Lilith. I am glad you liked my version of the first woman ever to walk the Earth. I appreciate it!
Anthony, you've got a good storybook going! Your coverpage is nice looking; I like the picture and the grey background I think they compliment each other very well. Also, your introduction set up your story really well too. I think that you could have structured it a little bit better, but I definitely know exactly what your story will be about. In addition, it might be nice if you changed the fonts of title. It would make it all more aesthetically pleasing considering you have a basic background and theme too. Also, the font of your introduction is a little too small, making it bigger would be easier to read. Your first story is good too! I did find a few grammatical errors, like misspelled words and such, but nothing than can't be fixed with a quick read through! I thought the story was so detailed, with the scene about the cyclops eating Odysseus's men! It was really entertaining and I followed the story the entire time. Your picture was also perfect for the story. I have not read Homer's Odyssey but now I am interested in reading the original story. Good luck with the rest of your storybook!
The picture of that statue on your coverpage is very striking! There is so much emotion in that stone face! I like the small imperfection located on the statue's nose; it adds a sense of realism. When it comes to your introduction, one of the most striking lines is "But Melumas, I can't read very well." The idea of reading's dying in the future scares me more than you might imagine. I grew up in a household where books were found everywhere, and I find it difficult to imagine a life without reading. In fact, it reminds me of George Orwell's 1984. On that note, you did a pretty good job at depicting your setting.
I would suggest, however, that you explain a little more about the characters in the introduction. The kids, Kratos and Melumas seem to come out of nowhere. Plus, is the first paragraph spoken by Melumas or a different narrator? Some clarification could go a long way.
In your first story, I'm impressed with your ability to slim down the plot so it can fit in your storybook. I don't think you left out anything important. Plus, I didn't notice too many grammatical errors. I would go ahead and check your story for comma usage. Then again, some usages of commas can be debatable.
I really like your storybook so far. The Greek legends of Odysseus are some of my favorite ever. I like the overall feel of your storybook. It feels very clean and precise, just like the future world you created in your introduction! Also, I thought that the cover page had a great photo. I also really enjoyed your introduction. However, I don't think I could live in a world where there aren't any more books! But sadly, I think we are moving that direction. So, I think that this is an awesome way of emphasizing the importance of the classics. I do wish that your introduction had a photo to help me paint a better picture in my mind's eye. Other than that though, everything was awesome!
I also really like your choice for the first story. I think the reader gets to know a lot about who Odysseus is as a hero in his encounter with the Cyclops. I think you do a good job of showing how clever he is, and also how he is a little arrogant. It is his taunting of the Cyclops that ends up causing him so much trouble. I think all of your changes to the story were great, and it read really well. Nice job! I'll definitely be coming back to hear more!
Well I'm back again haha. Your entire topic is still just as interesting to me as it ever was, and I still really enjoy the premise that you've created. I went back and re-read your story about the Cyclops and I was just as impressed as I was the first time. So all of that being said, I liked your second story even more than the first. I'm completely with you in thinking that Circe is a great antagonist, even though she is completely different that the Cyclops. The Cyclops is big and strong, but frankly, he is pretty stupid. So, in my opinion, Odysseus didn't really struggle to defeat him. For Circe though Odysseus needed the help of a god, Hermes, to overcome her. Clearly Circe is not a physical threat to Odysseus and his men, but her magic and cunning present a real threat to them. Even if they did underestimate her. I think your choice, or Homer's, of putting these two stories right next to each other is incredibly interesting. It juxtaposes two completely different types of dangers to Odysseus and his men. Of course though, Odysseus defeats Circe in the end, because he's the hero, and we all know that heroes don't usually lose haha.
First of all, I was a little bit confused about the order of your stories. Your navigation bar on the left seems to be out of order. Thankfully you talk about the order the stories go in in the introduction, but without that I wouldn't have known which one to read first.
I like the way you set everything up in the intro. I want to know more about this universe! All print books are gone and nobody can read? :O Or just the youngins, maybe? Kind of like how kids today may or may not know how to write in cursive anymore? I'd like to see more of that incorporated into the stories themselves somehow but I know it's hard to balance doing that and telling the story itself. I really like it when the kids interrupt or interact with the story.
I think your style of writing is great! And from what I can remember of these stories from when I read them in high school, your versions are very good! I'm interested to see how the other stories will turn out. :) I'll be back!
Hi Anthony. I’m looking for extra storybooks to read this week and this one stuck out because I love the story of the Odyssey but I did not get to read it back in the Greek units.
I think the beginning of your introduction is great. You give a good summary about Odysseus to those who don’t know of him and the premise about rekindling his fame is very clever. I’m curious as to who your storyteller is but maybe that will get clarified later on.
I like the concept of this story being told in the future and books being out of date, great idea! Overall, this is a very good introduction that sets up your stories quite nicely.
The story I chose to read is the Cyclops and I’m very glad I did! This was a very good retelling of the story and you did a good job building the suspense as it went on. I find it interesting how you have the “audience” in the story still not convinced of the fame of Odysseus and it is setting up the rest of this storybook very well!
I honestly didn’t remember who Kratos and Melamas were, so I had to look it up. A quick Google search didn’t bring up anything for Melumas so I’m curious as to who that is, but maybe I’ll find out in the next story! Overall I really enjoyed this storybook and will probably come back for the next story next week!
Anthony, I like the picture that you have on your welcome page. The sculpture definitely makes one think about Greek mythology. One thing I noticed about your navigation bar is that the ordering seems to be incorrect. You currently have Circle’s Magic listed before Introduction. All the links work just fine, though. I would just suggest that you take a look at the ordering and make sure it is how you want it. I really like the idea you have going in the fifth paragraph of your introduction page. You mention how stories went from being told person to person, then were written in books, and then converted to digital files. I think this greatly illustrates how distant Melumas and Kratos are from the time of Odysseus and his adventures. The fact that they are so old yet still being told adds to the importance of the stories. I was not a big fan of the way Odysseus and his men found themselves trapped by the Cyclops. Based on what you wrote, it made Odysseus seem like a fool for asking the horrible Cyclops to share his food. Perhaps you should add something about them not knowing what it was. One would think that if they knew it was a Cyclops, then they would also know how savage it was. Other than that, I like the story a lot. It is also one of my favorite adventures to read about.
Hi Anthony! I really like the simplicity of your site layout. It encourages the audience focus more on the story rather than being distracted by an elaborate site. One thing I would recommend fixing is the side bar order. If you notice the stories under Navigation are out of order. It’s a pretty simple fix. I had the same issue and Laura gladly helped me fix it! Aside from that I love the style of your introduction and the rest of the story. It’s a nice way to breakdown who Odysseus was in a way anyone could understand. Incorporating children in this story definitely helps as well. Using different points of views will also definitely help the story unfold. Overall I think your introduction does a very good job at explaining. All your stories are very descriptive and also very informative. I haven’t heard of the story of Odysseus in a while so this was a nice refresher for me. I think you did a very good job in compacting all of the important parts of the story into something easy to read. Adding your own flare to the story also made it a more interesting read for the readers who already knew the story.
Hi Anthony! I have yet to come across your storybook so I will be commenting on your introduction and the first story of your storybook. It was a good idea to start your introduction with the history of who Odysseus the King is. I have heard of Odysseus before and I’ve read Homer’s Iliad but it was good to have a refresher! The set up of your story is great. I like that it will be someone retelling Odysseus’ stories to someone who is not familiar with them. Also, having the setting be in a library is brilliant. Where else would be a perfect place to tell stories that have been lost??? On to the first story… The story of Odysseus and the Cyclops is one of the most memorable stories I have and I think that was a great one to begin your storybook with. You did a good job retailing the story and concluding it with questions to the kids from the narrator was a great way to end it. I never really thought about Odysseus not being a hero. It made me question it also when the kid in story mentioned that Odysseus was brave and succeeded but also got a lot of his men killed. Interesting point! I am looking forward to reading more about Odysseus.
I liked the stories, Anthony. I think your stories were really well-written and the subject matter is universally enjoyable. I also like how you play with the ambiguity of Odysseus' morals. I am one of the few people, I think, who never viewed Odysseus as a full-blown hero - even when reading the stories as some middle school kid. I really enjoyed the Storybook being in a storytelling frame, and the kid, Kratos, is a surprisingly good voice of reason for what the narrator's blinded love for Odysseus has to say. I am interested in seeing how it all turns out. I'm even more interested to see what your next story will be as I have no clue as to what other story might can solidify his heroics in Kratos' eyes. However, I may just be too much of a skeptic like him. Anyway, keep it up, and I look forward to reading more of Odysseus' adventures soon.
Hi, Anthony.
ReplyDeleteI really like the picture you chose for your cover page; it is very simple, but also very intriguing. I have always found sculptures to be very fascinating, not to mention I have to give props to those who are talented enough to make them!
Your introduction starts off very nicely! I like how you explained exactly who Odysseus was. Personally I am not too familiar with him, so it was very helpful to know who all he was related to as well as how he was perceived by those that knew him.
Also, it is nice to see that you are so passionate about these stories; it definitely sparks my interest! The way I look at it, if you think they are really great, you can probably convince someone else that they are great too!
One thing I am a little confused about though…will you yourself be telling the stories of Odysseus, or will it be Melumas?
Although the dialogue between Melumas and Kratos is a nice touch, I did have a hard time following it at times. One thing you might want to consider is spacing out the conversation a little more.
For example:
“Young Kratos,” Melumas said. “Have you never heard the stories before? I can assure you that Odysseus was as real as you and I. Would you like to hear about some real stories of Odysseus?”
“Yes I would,” Kratos exclaimed.
“Okay well lets go to the library where I can tell you some of Odysseus’ greatest stories,” said Melumas.
It’s just my personal opinion, but I think it makes it a little easier to read and follow. Overall, I think your introduction looks pretty good! I’m looking forward to reading your stories!
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, you made a good selection for your storybook unit, Odysseus is a very good character to focus on and there is a plethora of good stories to choose from in the Odyssey unit. I also like your usage of Greek names for the characters in the introduction and I am going to guess you are a God of War fan. Also, I like how you set up the storytelling in this unit by having Melumas telling Kratos the story of Odysseus. The whole idea of books turning into a relic of the past is a definite issue and oftentimes stories or parts of stories are lost when they change mediums. In regards to cleaning the introduction up, I have a couple suggestions. First, I would try to keep the theme consistent throughout the introduction. Both ways of storytelling are good, but the combination of the top's more of a straightforward, informative introduction to Odysseus combined without a transition to the more storytelling-like style of the bottom is a little rough. My idea would be to change it all to your bottom style of storytelling and have Melumas give the top paragraph's information in commentary form. Also, maybe slowly introduce your audience into who your storytellers are in your storybook, I had to reread a couple times to make sense of what was going on. Also, the spacing/formatting in your story is a little spread out, I would try to condense it a little, it works very well in separating who is talking but at the same time it is slightly distracting since there is so much space. However, it is just a couple formatting issues and overall your storybook looks really good. I am excited to see how your storybook turns out!
Hey Anthony,
ReplyDeleteI do like the photo that you used for the cover page. As the top of the page suggests, you kept the template very clean and simple. I was a little put off about the recent site activity gadget on the left side. For me, it makes the site feel a little cluttered which seems to go against what you are trying to go for. I would suggest that you take everything on the sides of the site off so that the reader focuses only on the picture.
In my opinion, I felt like you could move the first paragraph to the end of the introduction. That way, you would first hook the reader with the dialogue between Melumas and Kratos, and then use that brief history of Odysseus to transition towards the first story that is going to be told. I was a big fan of the readings of Odysseus in High School so I am very interested as to how you continue this storybook!
Anthony, I thought the intro was great! I can't wait to read more of the stories of Odysseus. Personally, I love Homer and I love the Odyssey, but sometimes the way it is told can get a little draggy? That may not be the right word, but that is the best I've got right now. Regardless, I can tell your telling of the story is going to be enjoyable because it's not just constant action - there is time for dialogue and a storytelling vibe. I think that is something that I liked especially in the Introduction and look forward to seeing more of throughout the rest of the Storybook.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Kratos? Like, from God of War? Or is there a legit Kratos from Greek myth that I have never heard of? Either way, nice touch, and I can't wait to learn what he learns. I think I would agree with an above poster and get rid of the page activity counter. I just found it kind of distracting, especially with how close it is to the actual Storybook stories. Other than that, though, I really can't complain about anything on this Storybook. Again, I'm excited to read about which stories you pulled from the Odyssey. Keep it up!
Anthony, I love that you choose a Greek Mythology character for your storybook because those are always interesting people and stories and to read about! So you have a lot of ways to go with your storybook.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, on your introduction page, I like the picture you used and the simple grey background theme. A suggestion I would make though is your titles. If you notice, there is "The Legend of Odysseus" written a total of 4 times on the page as a title. It is a bit repetitive reading the site title of "The Legend of Odysseus" then the subtitle that says "Storybook: The Legend of Odysseus" and then the page title which also reads "Storybook: The Legend of Odysseus" and then under that is "The Legend of Odysseus By Anthony Clark".
I would suggest leaving the site title as "The Legend of Odysseus" and maybe changing the page title to something more creative or different word. You could consider something like "Stories of the King of Ithaca" or something similar to that - just a thought!
As for your introduction page, I liked the dialogue between Melamus and Kratos, that was unique. I also think it might add something to that page to have an image or graphic on it as well. Images help draw in readers and engage their curiosity, as well as break up all of the writing.
I would have loved to read your first story already as well, but I could not find it on your site. I look forward to checking back in later and reading some of them!
Goodluck with the rest of the development of your storybook!!!
First of all, I think that you picked a great picture for your cover story. The only thing that kind of bothered me was the background for some reason. On each page I thought it was kind of bland, which made it seem boring. And it's not boring at all, I mean you're writing about Odysseus for goodness sakes!
ReplyDeleteNext as far as the introduction goes, I like how you set it up to be in a storytelling style and that you introduced all of the topics you would be talking about. One small think I would suggest not just for your introduction, but for the rest of the book is that you increase the font size a little bit. It's kin of hard to read on the screen.
Last but not least, you're story! I really liked your story. I too had read this story in high school, and really liked it! I liked that you stayed close to the original plot line, I feel like it's hard to change stories like this, and that when people do it kind of takes away from the story and does it a disservice. Great job! I loved reading your storybook!
Anthony, thank you so much for your comment on my week 5 storytelling. Seriously some of the best encouragement I have ever gotten. I have never really been super confident in my writing abilities but your words really made my day. It was actually because of your comment that I chose to use that particular story in my portfolio. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteAnthony, I wanted to say thank you for your encouragement on my storytelling about Lady Lilith. I am glad you liked my version of the first woman ever to walk the Earth. I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteAnthony, you've got a good storybook going! Your coverpage is nice looking; I like the picture and the grey background I think they compliment each other very well. Also, your introduction set up your story really well too. I think that you could have structured it a little bit better, but I definitely know exactly what your story will be about. In addition, it might be nice if you changed the fonts of title. It would make it all more aesthetically pleasing considering you have a basic background and theme too. Also, the font of your introduction is a little too small, making it bigger would be easier to read. Your first story is good too! I did find a few grammatical errors, like misspelled words and such, but nothing than can't be fixed with a quick read through! I thought the story was so detailed, with the scene about the cyclops eating Odysseus's men! It was really entertaining and I followed the story the entire time. Your picture was also perfect for the story. I have not read Homer's Odyssey but now I am interested in reading the original story. Good luck with the rest of your storybook!
ReplyDeleteThe picture of that statue on your coverpage is very striking! There is so much emotion in that stone face! I like the small imperfection located on the statue's nose; it adds a sense of realism. When it comes to your introduction, one of the most striking lines is "But Melumas, I can't read very well." The idea of reading's dying in the future scares me more than you might imagine. I grew up in a household where books were found everywhere, and I find it difficult to imagine a life without reading. In fact, it reminds me of George Orwell's 1984. On that note, you did a pretty good job at depicting your setting.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest, however, that you explain a little more about the characters in the introduction. The kids, Kratos and Melumas seem to come out of nowhere. Plus, is the first paragraph spoken by Melumas or a different narrator? Some clarification could go a long way.
In your first story, I'm impressed with your ability to slim down the plot so it can fit in your storybook. I don't think you left out anything important. Plus, I didn't notice too many grammatical errors. I would go ahead and check your story for comma usage. Then again, some usages of commas can be debatable.
Hey Anthony,
ReplyDeleteI really like your storybook so far. The Greek legends of Odysseus are some of my favorite ever. I like the overall feel of your storybook. It feels very clean and precise, just like the future world you created in your introduction! Also, I thought that the cover page had a great photo. I also really enjoyed your introduction. However, I don't think I could live in a world where there aren't any more books! But sadly, I think we are moving that direction. So, I think that this is an awesome way of emphasizing the importance of the classics. I do wish that your introduction had a photo to help me paint a better picture in my mind's eye. Other than that though, everything was awesome!
I also really like your choice for the first story. I think the reader gets to know a lot about who Odysseus is as a hero in his encounter with the Cyclops. I think you do a good job of showing how clever he is, and also how he is a little arrogant. It is his taunting of the Cyclops that ends up causing him so much trouble. I think all of your changes to the story were great, and it read really well. Nice job! I'll definitely be coming back to hear more!
Hey Anthony,
ReplyDeleteWell I'm back again haha. Your entire topic is still just as interesting to me as it ever was, and I still really enjoy the premise that you've created. I went back and re-read your story about the Cyclops and I was just as impressed as I was the first time. So all of that being said, I liked your second story even more than the first. I'm completely with you in thinking that Circe is a great antagonist, even though she is completely different that the Cyclops. The Cyclops is big and strong, but frankly, he is pretty stupid. So, in my opinion, Odysseus didn't really struggle to defeat him. For Circe though Odysseus needed the help of a god, Hermes, to overcome her. Clearly Circe is not a physical threat to Odysseus and his men, but her magic and cunning present a real threat to them. Even if they did underestimate her. I think your choice, or Homer's, of putting these two stories right next to each other is incredibly interesting. It juxtaposes two completely different types of dangers to Odysseus and his men. Of course though, Odysseus defeats Circe in the end, because he's the hero, and we all know that heroes don't usually lose haha.
Hi there, Anthony!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I was a little bit confused about the order of your stories. Your navigation bar on the left seems to be out of order. Thankfully you talk about the order the stories go in in the introduction, but without that I wouldn't have known which one to read first.
I like the way you set everything up in the intro. I want to know more about this universe! All print books are gone and nobody can read? :O Or just the youngins, maybe? Kind of like how kids today may or may not know how to write in cursive anymore? I'd like to see more of that incorporated into the stories themselves somehow but I know it's hard to balance doing that and telling the story itself. I really like it when the kids interrupt or interact with the story.
I think your style of writing is great! And from what I can remember of these stories from when I read them in high school, your versions are very good! I'm interested to see how the other stories will turn out. :) I'll be back!
Hi Anthony. I’m looking for extra storybooks to read this week and this one stuck out because I love the story of the Odyssey but I did not get to read it back in the Greek units.
ReplyDeleteI think the beginning of your introduction is great. You give a good summary about Odysseus to those who don’t know of him and the premise about rekindling his fame is very clever. I’m curious as to who your storyteller is but maybe that will get clarified later on.
I like the concept of this story being told in the future and books being out of date, great idea! Overall, this is a very good introduction that sets up your stories quite nicely.
The story I chose to read is the Cyclops and I’m very glad I did! This was a very good retelling of the story and you did a good job building the suspense as it went on. I find it interesting how you have the “audience” in the story still not convinced of the fame of Odysseus and it is setting up the rest of this storybook very well!
I honestly didn’t remember who Kratos and Melamas were, so I had to look it up. A quick Google search didn’t bring up anything for Melumas so I’m curious as to who that is, but maybe I’ll find out in the next story! Overall I really enjoyed this storybook and will probably come back for the next story next week!
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteI like the picture that you have on your welcome page. The sculpture definitely makes one think about Greek mythology. One thing I noticed about your navigation bar is that the ordering seems to be incorrect. You currently have Circle’s Magic listed before Introduction. All the links work just fine, though. I would just suggest that you take a look at the ordering and make sure it is how you want it.
I really like the idea you have going in the fifth paragraph of your introduction page. You mention how stories went from being told person to person, then were written in books, and then converted to digital files. I think this greatly illustrates how distant Melumas and Kratos are from the time of Odysseus and his adventures. The fact that they are so old yet still being told adds to the importance of the stories.
I was not a big fan of the way Odysseus and his men found themselves trapped by the Cyclops. Based on what you wrote, it made Odysseus seem like a fool for asking the horrible Cyclops to share his food. Perhaps you should add something about them not knowing what it was. One would think that if they knew it was a Cyclops, then they would also know how savage it was.
Other than that, I like the story a lot. It is also one of my favorite adventures to read about.
Hi Anthony!
ReplyDeleteI really like the simplicity of your site layout. It encourages the audience focus more on the story rather than being distracted by an elaborate site. One thing I would recommend fixing is the side bar order. If you notice the stories under Navigation are out of order. It’s a pretty simple fix. I had the same issue and Laura gladly helped me fix it! Aside from that I love the style of your introduction and the rest of the story. It’s a nice way to breakdown who Odysseus was in a way anyone could understand. Incorporating children in this story definitely helps as well. Using different points of views will also definitely help the story unfold. Overall I think your introduction does a very good job at explaining. All your stories are very descriptive and also very informative. I haven’t heard of the story of Odysseus in a while so this was a nice refresher for me. I think you did a very good job in compacting all of the important parts of the story into something easy to read. Adding your own flare to the story also made it a more interesting read for the readers who already knew the story.
Hi Anthony! I have yet to come across your storybook so I will be commenting on your introduction and the first story of your storybook. It was a good idea to start your introduction with the history of who Odysseus the King is. I have heard of Odysseus before and I’ve read Homer’s Iliad but it was good to have a refresher! The set up of your story is great. I like that it will be someone retelling Odysseus’ stories to someone who is not familiar with them. Also, having the setting be in a library is brilliant. Where else would be a perfect place to tell stories that have been lost??? On to the first story… The story of Odysseus and the Cyclops is one of the most memorable stories I have and I think that was a great one to begin your storybook with. You did a good job retailing the story and concluding it with questions to the kids from the narrator was a great way to end it. I never really thought about Odysseus not being a hero. It made me question it also when the kid in story mentioned that Odysseus was brave and succeeded but also got a lot of his men killed. Interesting point! I am looking forward to reading more about Odysseus.
ReplyDeleteI liked the stories, Anthony. I think your stories were really well-written and the subject matter is universally enjoyable. I also like how you play with the ambiguity of Odysseus' morals. I am one of the few people, I think, who never viewed Odysseus as a full-blown hero - even when reading the stories as some middle school kid. I really enjoyed the Storybook being in a storytelling frame, and the kid, Kratos, is a surprisingly good voice of reason for what the narrator's blinded love for Odysseus has to say. I am interested in seeing how it all turns out. I'm even more interested to see what your next story will be as I have no clue as to what other story might can solidify his heroics in Kratos' eyes. However, I may just be too much of a skeptic like him. Anyway, keep it up, and I look forward to reading more of Odysseus' adventures soon.
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