36 Streets

December 20, 2021
Napper debuts with a gripping near-future cyberthriller involving gangsters, an addictive video game, and a plot to alter the memories of an entire nation. Born in Vietnam and later adopted and raised in Australia, 24-year-old Lin Thi Vu has never felt like she fit in. Now back in Vietnam, her determination and skill earn her the attention of crime boss Bao Nguyen, but even as a gangster in the grimy underworld of the 36 Streets in Chinese-controlled Hanoi, Lin feels like an outsider. Part employer, part mentor, Bao teaches Lin the skills she’ll need to eventually run a gang herself. His latest assignment for her is to take a job as a PI for an English businessman investigating the murder of the programmer behind Fat Victory, an addictive virtual reality game that turns the U.S.-Vietnam war inside out. When her investigation stirs up far more trouble than she bargained for, she and Bao get caught between warring local gangs and an international battle to control a mind-breaking technology. Napper drives the brisk plot forward with plenty of action and intrigue. Cyberpunk fans will find much to enjoy in the noir tone, unique setting, and high stakes.

January 1, 2022
Lin Thi Vu is a gangster in the Binh Nguyen run by crime boss Uncle Bao in Chinese-occupied Hanoi. Bao sends Lin to meet Englishman Herbert Molayson to take on a case: Molayson's friend Raymond Chang has been murdered. Chang had designed the video game Fat Victory with a friend; they were bought out by a Chinese company with ties to the Chinese military. Lin soon realizes there is more going on, especially after she is nearly beaten to death by the rival Green Dragon gang, backed by the powerful Macau Syndicate. There are those who will stop at nothing to make sure no one finds out who altered Fat Victory, making it so addictive it psychologically devastates those who play the game. This leads to an all-out gang war between the rival factions on the streets of Hanoi, which turns into an opportunity to attack the Chinese military occupiers. Intricately plotted, using advanced biotechnology, a close investigation into Vietnamese history and culture, and a hard-edged, complicated lead character, Napper's fine first novel will draw in cyberpunk readers.

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