Everyone’s talking about that new release from Christopher Nolan, the feature film that is just so big that it’s one everyone oughtta see. Zack has already seen it. Stephen will see it sometime. Meanwhile, what about that book by Greek poet Homer that changed the course of our world’s epic storytelling? Dramatist and author Phil Lollar—no stranger to that name!—returns to the studio for our tour of The Odyssey.

Episode sponsors1. Enclave Publishing: Worlds Collide by Clint Hall 2. Above the Circle of Earth (softcover) by E. Stephen Burnett 3. Iffy Eats Monsters for Breakfast by Bryan Timothy Mitchell 4. Lorehaven Guild: July 2026 book quest for The Silver Chair

Mission update New review at Lorehaven: Regeneration and more * New Onscreen article: Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Film May Feel Woke but Fights for Judeo-Christian Morality * Subscribe free to get updates and join the Lorehaven Guild * New book quest Aug. 3: The Shattered Ones* by Brigitte Cromey

Quotes and notes* This episode follows 322 about real risks of “toxic fandoms.”

We have forgotten what makes a pagan convert. We think that Peter and Paul were preaching to greedy, selfish, lustful pagans. They weren’t. They were preaching to greedy, selfish, lustful literary pagans, and that made all the difference. The Roman knew he was cowardly because God gave him a conscience, but he knew he could be more than a coward because Homer gave him Hector. The Greek lady recognized she was flirting with infidelity because she had moral instincts, but she knew she could resist infidelity because she also had Penelope.

Want to Change the World? Read Harry Potter

Backstory: Phil Lollar

Phil Lollar started his performing career at the tender age of five. He won numerous acting awards in high school, and studied music, screenwriting and directing in college. Phil then worked with Focus on the Family, co-creating Adventures in Odyssey and writing more than 270 episodes plus directing more than 400 episodes. Phil also co-developed the hit comedy series Jungle Jam and Friends! as well as the animated video series Little Dogs on the Prairie. Phil also served as a writer and consultant for the television series, The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss. Phil resides in Arizona with his wife.

• Phil Lollar’s page at AdventuresinOdyssey.com
• Subscribe to the Adventures in Odyssey Club
• Newest AiO album release: The Long Way Home

1. Fans say Nolan’s film is mixed yet moral* Stephen’s impression of the criticism and often-reluctant praise.
2. Zack Russell’s take on the film that he just saw the previous day.

3. Phil Lollar’s response to the film and/or the cultural controversies.

4. Our adventures in Homer’s The Odyssey* Basics about the story’s origin: date, setting, English translations

5. Stephen hasn’t yet read The Odyssey; Zack and Phil Lollar have.
6. Their thoughts on the story as a story, what it is and what it isn’t.

7. Open discussion

8. Epic stories owe their lives to Odysseus* Homer’s legacy across 2,000+ years of culture and mythmaking.

9. His sense of Greco-Roman morality helped built our real world.
10. Without this story, we’d likely have no other fantasy worlds.
11. Open discussion

Com stationTop question for listeners Did you make yourself read The Odyssey*? What did you think?

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