It seems that Homer faced the same challenge that writers face today when trying to close an epic series. How does one creatively and successfully bring a saga to a close? As I read this, I was reminded of the many great television series that I watched, and the ones that had successful closings and the ones that failed miserably. I had a sense that Homer struggled here. How could he bring such an epic tale to a close?
Because I hate spoilers, I am not going to go into the details of this episode. I will share my opinion, though. It felt somewhat lukewarm to me. It didn’t suck, but it wasn’t great either. It almost felt like a postscript, some commentary at the end. While there were some interesting sections, the overall impression I had was that Homer was trying to tie up all the loose ends and present what he felt was closure to the tale. And that’s OK, but honestly, there were a few parts that felt contrived and other parts which I felt could have been omitted. I could have let my imagination come up with scenarios for what happened to the souls of the slaughtered suitors. Sometimes, it’s best to leave some details open for the readers (or listeners in Homer’s day) to fill in on their own. But that’s just my opinion, for what it’s worth.
Anyway, that brings this blog series to a close. I hope you enjoyed it and I want to thank you for going on this literary odyssey with me. Thanks for all your great comments, and be sure to keep on reading cool stuff!
Stuff Jeff Reads 
It’s been a great journey, Jeff, made much more pleasurable and enlightening by your comments and just the fact that it was a group read-along. Many thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Jerry. Again, it was great having you along!