Mentors - we all need one. In fact, over the course of a lifetime we should probably have several of them. And when our time comes, we should all dare to be Mentors too.
Telemachus Alesandratos is a typical teenager in rural Australia back in the late '60s. He's the only son of immigrant Greek parents who run the local fruit and veggie shop in the small town of Yarramah. In fact he's not their son - he's adopted, or "chosen" as his parents choose to say - not that it makes any difference because he loves them and they love Tel.
Being Greek, Tel's Dad Peter loves Homer's Odyssey, and Tel grew up learning all about the trials and tribulations of Odysseus, the hero of Homer's story. In fact his Dad named his son after the son of his Ancient Greek hero.
One day Tel finds himself defending one of his class mates, a girl called Julie, against the town's local drunk, Chook Harris, but things don't go too well and Tel gets flattened in the process.
That's when Tel starts having fits! Epileptic fits. Then his life becomes very complicated.
During one fit he finds himself in Ithaca in Ancient Greece talking with his namesake, the son of the long missing Odysseus. There he meets Mentor himself, but he is never quite sure whether it really is Mentor or the goddess Athene whom he's talking to. When it comes to helping those she likes - and she likes anyone who likes Odysseus - Athene can take on any form, whether it be Mentor, an owl or even the scent of Rosemary.
"Mentor" tells the story of how young people need a Mentor in their lives.
For Tel, his mentor comes in the form of Kevin O'Ryan - who has an uncanny resemblance to Mentor in Ithaca. Kev is a hard working, hard playing larrikin who captains the local footy team - but never trains - and who's mates call him Rooster (but never to his face) for the effect he has on the ladies. But behind Kev's facade is a wise, good man with a big and generous heart.
As the story unfolds, Tel decides he wants to find out who his real parents are and also if he really does have epilepsy, or is it all just a dream.
This is the story of a young man's journey to adulthood, of falling in love, of doubting his own abilities and of dealing with life's many conflicts. But life does present us with mentors along that path if only we have the eyes to see them. Tel's search for his real parents has unexpected consequences as he learns that the world is bigger and more extraordinary than he could ever have imagined.
