Inspiration
Beijing, Zelda Fitzgerald, The Problem of Evil, ISIS, Polanski's "Repulsion", Head's "Maru", Rhodes Must Fall, Houellebecq's "Atomised", The Coolidge Effect, suicide bombers, Locard's Exchange Principal, The Great Wall, Houris, Kerrigan's "Human Traffic", Weizhou Island.
Blurb
When Daniel Anderson graduates from university he moves to Beijing, China – to work, but essentially to run from his problems back home. He feels lost and disillusioned with the world. At a debaucherous, illegal party Daniel meets Yusuf Al Sadan. Like Daniel, Yusuf is in his mid-twenties and throws secret parties all over Beijing and is an enigma to the expat community. Some thought he came from a Royal Saudi family; others that he was an international drug trafficker with ties in the Chinese government or that he was some newly moneyed tech billionaire out to bed all the women in the city. Rumors abounded about his motivations and where his money came from, but no one knew. Yusuf and Daniel bond and he receives more invites to activities, some are secret parties, others are random Yusuf created events like Chinese Factory Fight Club. Yusuf is guarded about his life and Daniel is advised by others in this select group to not meddle or enquire for then the invites would stop. When Yusuf proposes a set of “adventure travel missions” for Daniel to join, Daniel agrees. On these adventures, Yusuf’s secrets unravel, and Daniel is forced to deal with the repercussions, and in doing so make peace with himself and the world.
