This is the story of how two ancient epics captured the world's imagination, for fans of Stephen Fry and Natalie Haynes.

The siege of Troy and Odysseus' long voyage home have inspired many of our most thrilling and radical poets . Henry Power takes us on a surprising journey through the afterlives of these mysterious epics, first sung thousands of years ago by a poet who may never have existed.

Power guides us through the twists and turns of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Travelling to the places where Homer's stories have taken root – from the islands of Greece to the Scottish Highlands, from the Devon coast to suburban Los Angeles – he traces the footsteps of the poets, politicians, lunatics, and lovers haunted by mythical heroes and monsters.

Boldly original, dazzling and, above all, a heartfelt testimony to the power of poetry, Homer Haunted is an epic account of how our oldest stories have shaped the way we read, write, and think.