Athena's Vengeance

Gripping. Unputdownable. Controversial. A tale of courage and principle in the heart of one of Africa's most memorable countries.

Well-armed poachers versus underpaid game rangers with outdated weapons? Few jobs for educated young men tempted to sell a rhino horn for $50,000. What are the penalties when poachers are caught and incompetent courts let them go?

Does hunting impact on conservation? Should animals be culled to protect their limited environment? If poachers fire indiscriminately into a herd of elephants, what happens to the young they leave alive?

With Athena's Vengeance, Alex Morris Eyton tells a fast-paced story of defending wildlife in Zimbabwe's Matusadona National Park, which borders man-made Lake Kariba.

Woven into the tale of an elephant matriarch driven mad by grief; of walking safaris in one of Africa's most remote and beautiful game reserves; the troubled path of human lovers; are controversial suggestions for correcting the animal/human imbalance that reflect a deep concern for the future of our planet.

"Humans are encroaching way beyond where they should, and Africa is on fire," a leading conservationist has said. "Now, everyone must take an active interest in frontline conservation projects that work to protect Africa's natural heritage by supporting local communities and threatened wildlife."