Finalist for the 2022 Epigram Books Fiction Prize
What if the first modern republic in the world was not America or France but a gold-rich state founded in 1777 in the middle of West Kalimantan?
Entrepreneur Hector Yan sets off on a perilous journey after the mysterious murder of his aunt, travelling from Singapore to Hong Kong, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and West Kalimantan, in a desperate effort to uncover a priceless treasure. His path mirrors that undertaken by his famous late uncle, who was obsessed with uncovering a lost treasure from a former republic in the thick jungles of Borneo. In a tale interwoven with the rich tapestry of Southeast Asia, Hector races against time to prevent his enemies from uncovering secrets that could change the world as we know it.
