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Well-armed poachers versus underpaid game rangers with outdated weapons?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."