Enthralling. Gan brings a forgotten hero back to rumbustious life.

– John Keay, historian and author of The Spice Route: A History, Author of The Honourable Company

At last, a novel which engages a crucial and fascinating period of British merchant imperialism and Southeast Asian history.

– Philip Bowring, Author of Empire of the Winds

Takes the reader on a masterfully compelling eighteenth-century birth-to-death journey alongside Francis Light. Vividly imagined scenarios interwoven with the threads of history are guaranteed to keep the reader fully engaged. Sets the benchmark for historical fiction of the region.

– Marcus Langdon, Author

A richly imagined yet historically faithful account of the early career of Francis Light, the founder of modern Penang. A marvelous cast of characters populates this well-researched work of historical fiction, with just the right blend of the real and the imaginary.

– John D. Greenwood, Author of the Singapore Saga series

Deeply researched and beautifully written … convincingly evokes the East of the period.

– Nigel Barley, Author