Adrian Kelly shows that familiarity with the oral background of Homeric poetry is vital for a proper appreciation of Homeric narrative. He presents the kind of information a modern reader requires to become as fluent in traditional epic poetry as an original ancient audience. The principal strength of this work is its patient amassing of a large body of material that allows us to appreciate Book 8's rich and complex intratextual referents. The work has established its author as a 'promakhos' in the field of Homeric studies, and I look forward to reading and profiting from his future research.