Gripping from the first pages, Garland's new novel is set over three hours during one night in Manila. With the pace and suspense of "The Beach", this novel intertwines three stories: the shady dealings of gangsters, the tautly and emotionally drawn tale of a Phillipino family and the violent lives of a gang of street kids, until their different lives collide in a shattering finale. It is beautifully written and unputdownable. 'Is Alex Garland the new Graham Greene? After "The Tesseract" the question needs to be asked ...a powerful narrative drive, exotic locations that unfold like a corrupt and mysterious flower, and a moody intelligence that holds everything together' - JG Ballard.