Public Book Awards 2026: Best New Author Award for Giorgos Syrmas for "REC"
It is with great joy and deep emotion that we celebrate the significant distinction awarded to Giorgos Syrmas at this year’s Public Book Awards. At the award ceremony held yesterday morning at the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron), REC was honored with the Best New Author Award—a distinction of particular significance as it comes directly from the votes and the love of the reading public.
REC represents a remarkable literary debut that managed to captivate readers from the very first page. Through a mature narrative voice, clarity of language, and the creation of robust, authentic characters, Giorgos Syrmas has made a powerful introduction to Greek literature, already leaving a distinct mark.
In the photograph, the author is pictured with publisher Nikos Argyris and distinguished historian Maria Efthymiou, who presented the award.
Warmest congratulations, Giorgos!
SELECTED REVIEWS FOR THE BOOK
"Giorgos Syrmas, a new voice in Greek crime fiction, possesses narrative skills that raise high expectations for his writing future."
– Filippos Filippou, To Vima
"Giorgos Syrmas, an actor and translator, enters the literary scene with a social crime novel that, while not failing to shed light on violence and the arbitrariness of power, focuses on how the dissolution of social structures is experienced individually and shapes the paths of bewildered social subjects."
– Titika Dimitroulia, I Epohi
"It is comforting to see young writers turn to the crime novel with different credentials and methods: Syrmas’s almost theatrical narration makes the difference, set against an Athens that functions as an evocative landscape, featuring protagonists who are classic representatives of different social categories."
– Tina Mandilara, LIFO
"With a vibrant, fluid narrative and a plethora of well-drawn characters, the debut author addresses social issues such as racism, the patriarchal system, and homophobia, delivering a charming, gritty novel that is, at its core, a treatise on fear."
– Kostas Mostratos, Athina 984
"A highly interesting debut with a story firmly rooted in the psychological portraits of its various characters. Written with literary language, convincing in its progression... A realistic description of contemporary Athens, with a poetic quality that, without hiding its ugliness, reminds us why we love this city."
– Hilda Papadimitriou, Book Press