The Lyre of Orpheus

“And suddenly I understand the true nature of karate. Not as a combat sport or a recreational activity, or learning various katas, but as a philosophy. A Belief. A Worldview. I can anchor myself in that, so uprooted. It gives me strength. Be like a tiger. Help others.”

A hybrid of sports, fantasy, and a social problem novel – ideal for casual reading.

Due to a series of unpleasant life events at school and at home, high school student Evi is transformed with the help of karate from a diligent, obedient girl, who always adapts to situations and is easily led by others, into a determined warrior who thinks for herself and stands up to adolescent violence. The story is set in the city of Ptuj, but since the protagonist is connected to the distant past through her grandmother, the reader also learns a lot about the Roman military outpost Poetovium. The story is based on the struggle between good and evil on different levels. This time round, with Evi’s help, the dark forces are defeated, but the ending suggests that the fight isn’t quite over.

The mysterious and suspenseful book starts off the new Silver Axe series, in which the renowned author of children and youth literature, Aksinja Kermauner, and writer and martial arts master, Silvester Vogrinec, who is one of the pioneers of the sports novel in Slovenia, join forces for the first time to present you with a truly superb piece of writing.