Bio-terrorists release a plague in the United States that spreads to kill most of the world’s Caucasian population. As the deadly virus mutates, Tzu Shin, a renowned medical doctor and biologist, defects from China to help develop a cure. His only daughter, Lin Kwan, is left behind in Hong Kong with her aunt.Then Kwan’s father summons her from across the sea to bring him Chinese medicinal herbs … medicinal herbs he needs to develop a cure. Lonely and missing her parents, she accepts the challenge, traveling with her sensei Li Zhong to the New World.
But a Chinese assassin is on her trail, determined to kill her and Li Zhong, and when Kwan discovers her father has disappeared, she sets out on a journey to find him and deliver her precious cargo, a quest that she may not survive.
more
The world has entered what is called the Second Holocaust when terrorists released a bioweapon in the United States that attacked mostly Caucasian people. It is believed that the substance was supposed to be use on global business and political centers. No antidote has been found and China has its eye on taking over America while it’s weak. What many don’t seem to realize is that the plague could come across the sea and affect them as it continues to mutate. What really happened is a mystery, but it seemed that the ship had crashed into its berth, which caused the substance to be released into the bay and a cloud of poisonous gas into the air. The horror was that half of the population of San Francisco was killed in 5 minutes. Eventually the gas mutated other ethnic groups became affected and as people tried to escape to other countries, they brought the disease with them.
The plot is interesting, and I liked the way the author took a different view of the normal apocalypse. Instead of everyone dying out at the same time it’s interesting that only Caucasians were affected at first then the mutation that started affecting other races. Plus, the world hasn’t gone completely lawless and there are still supplies and some form of government around. We get to see three different characters and their journey’s that have different goals but may end up in the same place. Each journey has its own perils and agendas.
The characters are well developed, and we learn a little of Chinese custom and how men and women interreact. We get to see their customs that have been kept alive even during the hard times. Each character that we meet has extreme bravery and a strong will to complete the tasks that have been set out for them.
The characters give us a view of just how much their culture is being held onto besides the horrors and difficulties. We could all learn a lesson watching this family take on two people without demanding recompense. If something like this ever happened, I believe there would be very few people that would keep their hearts open. I adore Mr. Shu because of just how much she cares for Lin and how strong and resourceful she is, especially by taking care of her husband. They are no longer young, and her husband is ailing from asthma. It so sweet watching Lin take the risks that come with walking the streets at night with the roaming gangs to get the medicine he desperately needs along with food. On one of her forays’, she meets the Enforcer, Xi San who does his best to keep the streets safe He is also facing the same issue as Kwan to leave San Francisco as he is becoming run down. He also receives a letter that changes his life and gives him hope for a better future.
This is a wonderful book with a complex plot, wonderful characters especially a strong woman who will do anything to help her father save the world. It will be interesting to see how both the Enforcer and Kwan’s journey goes, and I hope that they somehow meet together on the road. That is the one thing I wish was different, I hoped that we would get to see the end of the journey and what happens. However, like everyone else in the story we must have faith.