In 1949, an old poop goes on an ocean journey on a freight vessel as part of a favor from his old friend's father, who owns the shipping company. While on board, he encounters Caeneus, the mythical hero from Greek Mythology, serving as the second mate. Caeneus proceeds to tell the tale of his journey with Jason and the Argonauts on their quest to find the golden fleece. They become trapped on an island of women and spend the better part of a year servicing them and mainly just screwing their brains out. The old poop is offended by all of this and quickly becomes the most unlikeable character in the narrative. He seems to be that guy that everybody just puts up with, but no one really likes that much. This was a pretty unremarkable read to me...there's really nothing here to recommend the protagonist and the work itself is so-so at best.

As opening lines go, this is a pretty great one: "I, Valdimar Haraldsson, was in my twenty-seventh year when I embarked on the publication of a small journal devoted to my chief preoccupation, the link between fish consumption and the superiority of the Nordic race." Sjon spins a truly unique yarn from mythological/Argonaut-y inspiration.

Although quick, easy, and entertaining to read, I have to confess the book went as far over my head as Caeneus’ stories went over Valdimar’s. I know the stories within the story were often referential (although The Guardian claims less so than Sjón’s other work). I know they borrow as much from the Eddas (which I have read) as from the Argonautica (alas for my 90s feminist education – I have only read the story of Medea). Wikipedia tells me that Caeneus was not on the Argo, so his inclusion in Sjon’s story must be a result of his transformations – from maid to warrior, and from warrior to bird (although some versions of his story have him sinking through the earth to Tartarus). All significant details I’m sure, but I can’t begin to figure out how Caeneus’ tales relate to the story told by Valdimar. As Jack Skellington says, “Fascinating. But what does it mean?”

4.5 - I wish it had have been longer because I really enjoyed this. The mythology was told eloquently and the twist at the end was brilliant!!! Far out, I love magical realism. The end redeems both the unreliable and unlikeable narrator. I think a whole lot of people will take offence to the themes and scream sexism but before you do just remember that this is a book relating to the Titans, Caeneus and Hercules who was biggest player in mythology - you wouldn't be able to retell these myths without some level of 'sexism' (get over it and get onboard the ship)

A quick fun read with twists and turns of mythical lore! I'm not a classics scholar myself, so I enjoyed being surprised by the stories. Wish it had come with a reading guide :).

I read this all in one sitting on a flight home after a trip to New Orleans. I'd had high hopes for it. The blurbs were over the top in their praise of the writer, and it is true that the book was both sly and funny. I enjoyed it and was happy to have its company for my plane ride. Still, it wasn't all I hoped. When a book receives praise as lavish as this one has, I get expectations, and this slim volume just failed to live up to them. I'm not sorry I read it, but I won't be reading it again. That said, I'd certainly be willing to give another of his books a go.

Interesting; as a mythology lover I appreciated the novel twist on familiar stories, since it is hard by now to come up with a new way to tell the myths we all know so well. It was a bit meta (I think that’s the word I want to use) and I’m sure if I had read it as part of a class there would be a LOT to analyze and read into between the covers. As it was I give it a 4 because I did like it, but I wasn’t in love with this—I’m a bit too literal to really appreciate the fine nuances of the choices the author made.

I loved this little gem of a book, that demands much more than the 143 pages it is written on. It is an invitation to embark on the adventures of The Argonauts, as told by the second mate Caeneus, who while voyaging on a ship in 1949 narrates his previous adventures on the Argo under Captain Jason in their quest for the Golden Fleece.

Not being familiar with the epic poem written by Apollonius of Rhodes, (Hellenistic poet, 3rd century BC) I diverged off course to familiarise myself with its plot, and some of the named characters mentioned, as this is a book full of mythological literary references that make a pleasant and fulfilling divergence in its reading.

Set in 1949 as an elderly, eccentric Icelandic man is invited by the father of one of the fans of his work on Nordic culture and fish consumption, to embark on a voyage at sea from Copenhagen to the Black Sea, he recounts his journey as he sees it, while learning about the grand voyage of Caeneus.

The sources quoted on the last page provide a link to the sparks that ignited the imagination of Sjon.
Entertaining, intriguing, intellectually stimulation and fun, what more could one for from a book read on the 1st day of the new year 2016.