Frederic Gegauff

Philippe Durieux' Strange Holiday Frederic Gegauff

Imagine a world that was not created and where nothing evolves. Philippe Durieux, a literature teacher at the Sorbonne University of Paris, is about to find it out. For having profaned, a sacred tree, Philippe is sent to the mythological past . Durieux meets then follows young Theseus on his way to Athens to meet Aegeus, the king, so he can be recognized by him as his son. On the way, Philippe will witness Theseus' fight to Procrustes the deadly innkeeper and his purification, into the Cephisus River for the crimes he committed. In Athens Philippe and Theseus meet Aegeus and Medea, the fearful queen. While, Theseus does not yet reveal his true identity, the king is suspicious of him and the queen manage to figure him out. Medea had borne a son from Aegeus, Medus, whom she expect to be the next king of Athens, and sees Theseus as a potential rival. The king sends him to Marathon to capture a terrible bull that terrorizes the region. In the meantime, Philippe remains in the royal palace as a guest. The queen learned about his soothsaying ability and wants to keep a hand on him. Durieux meets Xanthippe, a mysterious woman from whom he found himself terribly attracted to. He manage to escape the castle from the queen's grip and soon meet Theseus again to witnesses the bull's capture. After many more adventures, Philippe learns about the true meaning of his coming in this world and what this universe really is. Facing many enemies, Philippe will have to find a way back to his own time or face an unavoidable death.