Fans of historical fiction and readers who enjoy contempo rary news tales will relish Beth's stories and want to read the next chapter in her life.

Mr. Luk has given us a look at a culture far removed from that of the West and he's done it with style and skill. Let's hope he's got a few more tucked away.

Hong Kong--a marriage of East and West, where the old blends with the new,where ancient Chinese culture and civilization linger below towering structures of steel and concrete.

Beth O'Connor, former Olympian and Harvard graduate, came to Hong Kong as the wife of Michael Chang. heir apparent to the Chang family empire. An empire that is crumbling.

Partially disabled, the patriarch needs a steady hand to guide the empire through the Asian financial crisis. Michael, eyeing the thrown, becomes more and more impetuous, leaving Beth to hold together a family that despises her. and to work within an empire that looks at her as an invader.