The Rage of Hercules (2001)
For the purposes of this setting, Bodkin imagines Hercules has died and Hades and Persephone prevail upon him to relate the story of the twelve labors before he can leave the underworld. Here they are (as listed at the Perseus Digital Library) :
Labor 1: The Nemean Lion
Labor 2: The Lernean Hydra
Labor 3: The Hind of Ceryneia
Labor 4: The Erymanthean Boar
Labor 5: The Augean Stables
Labor 6: The Stymphalian Birds
Labor 7: The Cretan Bull
Labor 8: The Horses of Diomedes
Labor 9: The Belt of Hippolyte
Labor 10: Geryon's Cattle
Labor 11: The Apples of the Hesperides
Labor 12: Cerberus
Bodkin mixes thrills and humor in the telling and also, being "socially conscious", has an ulterior motive here, the whole epic is sort of structured around Hercules trying to learn how to control his rage. You may recall that the labors were assigned to him as a way of purging his conscience after he accidentally murdered his family in a Hera-induced blinding rage. I guess this is Odds Bodkin's way of preventing another school shooting, a noble enough cause,nd for the most part he keeps it fairly subtle, though he does go a mite overboard when he has Hercules finally get control of his fury only after spending a few years cross-dressing (you'll have to give it a listen to find out) and getting in touch with his feminine side.
Hercules does lead a pretty violent life, so the recording is not suitable
for young children, but any teenage boys who watch wrestling are certainly
old enough for this. You don't have to inform them that they're also
getting a healthy dose of their cultural heritage in the process.
(Reviewed:21-Jul-01)
Grade: (B-)
