ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ThejourneytoSHANGHAIDREAMhasbeenfraughtwithfalsestarts,boutsoffrustration,andoccasionalfeelingsofhopelessness.Iwouldliketothankthefollowingpeoplewhohaveofferedopportunities,inspiration,andencouragementasIfeltmywaythroughmyownstringofescalatingnightmarestopletethisbook.

IwouldliketothankLawrenceChungforintroducingmetotheamazingcityofHongKong,thepleasuresofHongKongactionmovies,andteachingmetoswearinCantonese,allthoseyearsagoinourLondondormroom.ManythankstoLawrenceGrayoftheHongKongWriters’Circle,whoseenthusiasmfor“thecraft”helpedinwaysthatevenhemightnotfullyappreciate.Atthelastminute,SharonCooper’smeticulouseyeensuredthatglaringtyposetc.didnotmakeitintothefinishedmanuscript.Anytyposinthenovelareentirelymyown.Thankyou,Sharon.

Iwouldalsoliketomentionmysister,AnisaJohnny,whoalwaysbelievedIwouldonedayreachmydestination,evenwhentheprojectwasmoribund.Finally,IacknowledgemydebttoallthepeopleinHongKongandChina,whohavemademefeelathomeinthisexcitingpartoftheworld,andwhocontinuetofeedmyfascinationwiththeincredibleplacethatisChina.

Thankyou.

ForAshley,DimitriandRyan

“Thefuturehasalreadyarrived.Itsjustnotevenlydistributedyet.”

WilliamGibson

“IfyouwanttoseethefutureofChina,thatsShanghai.Beijinghaspalaces,governmentoffices,moreinterestingsmallshops,andbetterfood.ButtheresalreadynothinglikeShanghaiontheplanet,andtheplaceisstillunderconstruction,withthenationalbirdofChina,theConstructionCrane,inevidenceeverywhere.Isatinthesuperbbaronthe85thflooroftheGrandHyatt(likeHiltonsandSheratonsabroad,theresnoparisonwiththedomesticcounterparts),smokingaCohibaLanceroandsippingaCourvoisier,surroundedbyvintageart.Itwasdarkandfoggywithlightdrizzleand,asalargeblimpdriftedbyabout40storiesbelowme,itsaerostatilluminatedwithadvertisinginChinese,itbecameclearthatIwasalreadylivingintheworldoftheBladeRunner.”

DougCasey’sInternationalSpeculator