Stories of the Styx 3

In artwork "Stories of the Stix", by Patrice Martinez, we find the protagonist Apohibos  in the the underworld, after his decapitation. He is condemned to spend eternity with forty nine nymphs and fiftieth Hypermnestra, who is destined to watch other forty nine nymphs to fulfill their duty correctly. Their duty is filling of a tank of water. Since the vases to carry watter has a holes in their bases, nyphs have eternal, never ending hard job - they are spilling water while trying to fill tank.

     Apohibos starts to narrate them stories about his terrestrial life. He was a sailor so he narrates his numerous adventures. He is hopping that story telling will lead him and beautiful nymphs to Champs - Elysees (ancien Greeks' paradise). In his stories we meet, together with humans, gods, half-gods, nymphs, witches, dwarfs and other mythological creatures. Mister Patrice Martinez shows again his deep and wide knowledge of antic world. Because of his anthropomorphic gods he riminds me of modern days Homer. On the other hand, his idea of shortening time by telling stories overwhelmingly reminds me of Boccaccio and his Decameron, only here we have not ten but only one story-teller. I hope his artwork will approach this amazing classical, ancient world that is actually the source of our civilisation to younger generations who avoid "fat, old, boring books" and in best case read short versions on network.

Nevertheless, every story is interesting and attracts and our attention. l find this book easy for reading, understendable and keeping reader's attention from cover to cover. Deffinitly worth of reading.