Sandra and John

How is it possible that the first book written in western literature can be considered as the best? The characters are brilliantly described from the witch with the wild sexual desires to the suppliant home maker who just wants to please (Circe and Calypso) to Nausicaa and Penelope the 2 options offering a long contented marriage. Odysseus with his PTSD considers these options and chooses to return to Penelope, by once again begging for mercy as a wretched beggar (at least this time he was clothed). Homer includes in the story so many options and plots - was Telemachus mad and did he imagine the return of his father to justify his crimes? I think that the first book in western literature is actually the best but cant explain how this was possible in 700 BC.