Escalate weaves together three narratively distinct stories set against the vibrant backdrop of Hong Kong…
A cockroach-racing gambling debt propels a pair of friends into a high-stakes Steal the mythical Yijin Jing manuscript from a Shaolin monastery.
A young boy navigates a deeply personal struggle with a brain implant, unravelling shocking family secrets that challenge his sense of identity and morality.
A sentient escalator in Hong Kong’s Mid-levels reflects on humanity with sharp humour and wisdom, as it watches its passengers’ lives unfold.
... Through these interwoven tales, Chan explores friendship, ambition, and the quirks of human existence, delivering a bold, imaginative and genre-defying read.
This book was a wild ride. I love the way everything slowly began to connect and make sense. Scifi, crime, kung-fu masters, crude humour, and so many cockroaches!
The author had an incredible idea that was reasonably well executed, however a more thorough edit before publication would’ve been beneficial. Several typos and a few grammar issues, plus a handful of sections that dragged on a bit and got a tad boring.
The only other thing I’d comment on is the sentient escalator piece. It’s brought up at the start, but because the story moves away from this perspective, you forget about it until the end.
Overall, this book was a brilliant read, but not for the more prudent-type readers.