Crocodile Eye Dawn (First Press Limited Edition, Author Signed)

Eyelids of Morning

2023 Taiwan Literature Award Gold Award

2024 Taipei International Book Fair Grand Prize Novel Award

2023 Openbook Good Book Award Chinese Work of the Year

Asia Weekly's top ten novels of 2023

Giant crocodiles in the Borneo rainforest, the British Crown Diamond, the Sarawak Revolution, and treasure hunting in the Gambir River—
The legend of three hundred years of Chinese colonization and three million years of pre-existing love.
The stars sank to the bottom of the sea, the earth cracked at the horizon, and at the moment of species extinction, the crocodile shed a tear.
Never before has the South Seas been so majestic, yet so gloomy. Crocodile Eyes Dawn marks Zhang Guixing's most significant breakthrough.
—David Wang (Edward C. Henderson Professor of East Asian Languages ​​and Civilizations and Comparative Literatures, Harvard University)

Good and evil sing temptations at the cave entrance. Truth and secrecy are buried at the end of the vast abyss of hell. Enter or escape?
In the turbulent and magical Borneo, Zhang Guixing depicts the love and loneliness of the century-old tropical weeds, which is both fantastical and vivid.

The mysterious history of the left-wing armed struggle, the giant who left a big footprint, the red-haired woman of unknown origin, the Japanese bugler, and various groups of people entered the forest with ulterior motives. The British army, majors, national army, field troops, Gurkha mercenaries, Iban self-defense forces, civil defense forces, guerrillas, Chinese... started a revolutionary war in Yunluo Village, and life and death were at stake.

Winner of the 2023 Newman Chinese Literature Award, the Taiwan Literature Golden Classic Award, the Taipei International Book Fair Award, the United Daily News Literature Award, the Dream of the Red Chamber Award, the Golden Tripod Award, the Huazong Literary Award, the Malaysian Chinese Literature Award, and the Openbook Good Book Award—Zhang Guixing's new novel, From Sarawak to Southeast Asia, establishes an epic legend of the Nanyang Chinese people and marks a new milestone in Chinese fantasy literature.

A giant crocodile crisscrossing the rivers of Borneo opens its eyes, releasing the morning light, which pierces the riverbank and devours everything in the world. The radiant diamond, the "Star of Sarawak," sheds its scarlet blood, carrying the wounds of family history. Carrying on the legacy of four generations and continuing family memories, Tian Jinshu, to fulfill his grandfather's promise and his mother Zhao's instructions, embarks on a journey of no return. With six close friends, they paddle up and down the Gambir River in longboats and sampans, traversing a hail of gunfire and heading towards a mysterious and barbaric land. Seven women enter the jungle to join the guerrillas, seeking the whereabouts of their lovers amidst the bloody storm...

At the height of Britain's power, the Empire reached its greatest extent, encompassing over one-fifth of the world's territory and population. The sun never set on a territory spanning twenty-four time zones. Following the coronation of the young Queen Elizabeth II, the Imperial Crown and Coronation Jewels mysteriously disappeared, ending up in Borneo. Major Marshall was commissioned to search for the missing royal treasures, particularly the "Star of Sarawak," which shone rosy-red beneath the Bornean sky, shrouding a plowing oxen in the fields.

At 19, piglet Tian Jinshi arrived in Borneo from China, building a family from scratch. He met James, the first king of the Brok dynasty, and became one of the three richest men in the Kingdom of Sarawak, founding the Zhenshun Company. Upon his triumphant return to his homeland, he carefully handed over Chris to his only son, Tian Jinhong. Tian Jinhong traveled alone to Yunluo, encountering the vendors Fang Huang and Fang Wu, and the brothers Xu Cai and Xu Lan, who made oil-paper umbrellas. He missed two coronations, never witnessing the crown in person, and died with regret for not being able to present a massive 72-carat diamond to his first love. Three years before his death, he could not name his grandson, Tian Jinshu, but could point to a portrait on the wall and pronounce the crown or tiara's name aloud. Before her death, Tian Jinhong asked Tian Jinshu to find the lost "Sarawak Star" and harmonica.

Tian Jinshu had never seen "The Star of Sarawak," yet fate had destined him to embark on this ill-fated journey, a journey of absurdity, a hunt that would last over sixty years, and an uncertain outcome. He, Niao Shi Jiao, Bing Chu, Lao Si, Hong Fan, San Jie, and Ba Dao set sail inland on a longboat. Thunder roared, and for a month, torrential rain fell...

A skull pipe, a remnant of sand, 116,360 hairs, prehistoric skeletons from Borneo, Lucy, diamonds, Chris, a harmonica, and seven oil-paper umbrellas painted with beautiful women—the story begins here as three men yearn for a beautiful, ill-fated woman until their death.

2023-01-03

時報出版

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