On May 23rd, a new voice in the literary world emerged with the release of Escalate, a debut novel by advertising creative director Ray Chan. Blending the compelling intricacies of psychological fiction with the boundless possibilities of science fiction, this freshman novel promises a unique and stimulating reading experience that delves deep into the human condition.
About Ray Chan
Ray Chan is a Hong Kong-based creative director and author with a passion for crafting vivid, cinematic stories. Born in Brighton, UK, Ray studied Advertising, Media & Marketing at Bournemouth University and earned an MA in Media Production from Canterbury Christchurch. His advertising career took him from London to Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Singapore, where he founded his own agency before returning to Hong Kong in 2012. Since 2015, he has served as a creative director for an energy technology multinational.
Drawing on his British-Chinese heritage and Hong Kong’s dynamic energy, Ray began writing Escalate in 2020. His debut novel — a thrilling blend of adventure, humour, and speculative fiction — reimagines classic tropes with a fresh, cross-cultural lens.
Be sure to bookmark his website to watch for future projects.
About Escalate
Chan’s first foray into storytelling masterfully weaves together three narratively distinct stories, each set against the pulsating backdrop of Hong Kong:
- A High-Stakes Heist: A gambling debt incurred from cockroach racing propels a pair of friends into a daring mission: to steal the legendary Yijin Jing manuscript from a formidable Shaolin monastery. This narrative thread promises action, suspense, and perhaps a touch of unexpected humor.
- A Personal Revelation: A young boy navigates a deeply personal struggle with a brain implant, leading him to unravel shocking family secrets that challenge his very sense of identity and morality. This storyline suggests a journey of self-discovery intertwined with ethical dilemmas and unexpected twists.
- The Wisdom of an Escalator: In a stroke of imaginative genius, a sentient escalator in Hong Kong’s Mid-levels offers sharp humor and profound wisdom as it observes the unfolding lives of its countless passengers. This unique perspective will provide both a touch of comedic relief and insightful commentary on human nature.
Through these interwoven tales, Chan skillfully explores universal themes of friendship, ambition, and the delicate nuances of human existence, frequently including the intrusive and all too often hidden thoughts within. Escalate is poised to be a bold, imaginative, and truly genre-defying read that invites readers to experience Hong Kong and humanity from an entirely new perspective.
What to Expect as You Read
Chan begins with the understanding that this novel is about humanity at its heart. Hinting at the rich tapestry of characters awaiting readers, noted in the introduction:
“Salarymen and grandmothers, teenagers with wanderlust, old men clinging onto slipping ambition… It’s a buffet bar of humanity that has no equal.”
This insightful quote sets the stage for a novel populated by diverse individuals, each grappling with their own desires, struggles, and the unpredictable nature of life while occupying the same space and breathing the same air.
A key theme explored in Escalate is the art of reading people, a skill often honed in high-stakes environments. Chan, drawing on his own observations, reflects on the thrill of gambling:
“Basically, the real edge beyond knowing what the probability of a hand is, is in being able to see if there are any little habits your opponents display that tell you they’re bluffing or actually holding a powerful hand.”
Beyond the fleeting high of a win or the satisfaction of besting the house, Escalate delves into a more profound aspect of gambling: the intimate thrill of understanding an opponent. It’s not just about luck; it’s about the intellectual superiority derived from discerning tells and motivations, a silent victory achieved without a single word exchanged. This nuanced exploration of human interaction at its most competitive promises to be a captivating element of the novel.
The novel also touches upon the darker, more contemplative aspects of the human mind, as evidenced by a powerful quote:
“As I blow hard onto the cake, I watch the candle flames wobble to quivering smoke that snakes up and across the disco lights of the nightclub. For a moment, I wonder what the world would be like if the light inside all of us were as easily extinguished.”
This evocative imagery points to moments of profound introspection and perhaps a touch of existential dread, hinting at the psychological depth embedded within the narrative.
Final Thoughts
Escalate is more than just a novel; it’s an invitation to explore the intricate dance of human ambition, the quiet battles within our minds, and the surprising connections that bind us. Ray Chan’s debut promises a reading experience that’s as intellectually stimulating as it is emotionally resonant, a true “buffet bar of humanity” set against the bustling surroundings of Hong Kong.
If you’re ready for a speculative psychological thriller like you’ve never read before that will challenge your perceptions and linger in your thoughts long after the final page, then Escalate is your next must-read. Don’t miss out on this captivating journey into the heart of what it means to be human. Purchase your copy today and experience the unique world Ray Chan has crafted.
Looking for more thrillers to read? Click here.
Be sure to check out our Thriller and Mystery shelves on Bookshop.org.
