'It's a world where disparate cultures constantly collide.'
By David Maguire |
May 12, 2013, Sunday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE debut novel of Hong Kong-based author Phillip Y. Kim - called "Nothing Gained" - has recently been published in China by Penguin. A 25-year veteran of the global finance industry, Kim has spent most of his career in Asia and the book draws on his knowledge of the region in depicting the world of big money, murky deals and shady characters. Kim recently discussed the book with Shanghai Daily.
Q: This is a pacy thriller from an investment banker-turned-author - how much of an insight does it give to your day job?
A: I wanted to present a story that felt very real in detail and plausibility. Much of the authenticity comes from my experiences in investment banking over the past 22 years in Asia. It's rare that bankers deal with fraud, deception or menace on the level presented in "Nothing Gained."
Q: It captures the essences of Hong Kong very well. Is your insight of the city one of the reasons it is a central character in the book?
A: I absolutely wanted to make Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore key characters. In general, settings, particularly those that have such strong characteristics as these cities, reflect the culture and ambitions of the people who inhabit them. This type of story could not have happened in Kansas.
Q: Are the bad guys and harsh circumstances all your own imagination, or are they drawn from experience?
A: The characters - good and bad - are drawn from my imagination but based on composites of people I have encountered over the past two decades. The plot is my own. However, some of the themes - collapsed investment banks, Ponzi schemes and corruption around Macau casinos - are, sadly, rooted in reality.
Q: It's a concoction of shady men, secret dealings, money and sex, greed and danger, a mystery thriller with well-defined protagonists. What more would you add?
A: That's a lot of lurid descriptors - I'm exhausted just hearing them! On top of being a thriller, I wanted "Nothing Gained" to be a morality tale. Truth and consequences and a search for redemption are key themes.
Q: What perspectives do you want the reader to take from your depiction of the glitzy Hong Kong lifestyle of expatriates?
A: For sure, the expatriate lifestyle can be very glamorous. However, it's also life in a bubble. Hong Kong is not considered "home" by many expatriates, even after many years of living here. They are insulated from violent crime, mundane chores and an insurmountably difficult local language.
Q: How long had the story idea been percolating before you wrote it?
A: The idea of writing a book about banking in Asia had percolated for years. Suddenly in mid-2010, the plot idea came to me. I knew then if I didn't seize the opportunity to write, I might never do it. Nine months later, I'd completed the first rough draft.
Q: Asian finance is rich with story ideas. Can we expect more from you set against this background?
A: I agree that Asian finance is an incredibly rich and fertile ground for stories. It's a world where disparate cultures constantly collide. Passions run high. The results range from brilliant and inspiring feats of collaboration to episodes of catastrophic misunderstanding and conflict. I'm working on a "prequel" to "Nothing Gained" which describes the world of excesses in pre-2008 Asia.
Q: This is a pacy thriller from an investment banker-turned-author - how much of an insight does it give to your day job?
A: I wanted to present a story that felt very real in detail and plausibility. Much of the authenticity comes from my experiences in investment banking over the past 22 years in Asia. It's rare that bankers deal with fraud, deception or menace on the level presented in "Nothing Gained."
Q: It captures the essences of Hong Kong very well. Is your insight of the city one of the reasons it is a central character in the book?
A: I absolutely wanted to make Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore key characters. In general, settings, particularly those that have such strong characteristics as these cities, reflect the culture and ambitions of the people who inhabit them. This type of story could not have happened in Kansas.
Q: Are the bad guys and harsh circumstances all your own imagination, or are they drawn from experience?
A: The characters - good and bad - are drawn from my imagination but based on composites of people I have encountered over the past two decades. The plot is my own. However, some of the themes - collapsed investment banks, Ponzi schemes and corruption around Macau casinos - are, sadly, rooted in reality.
Q: It's a concoction of shady men, secret dealings, money and sex, greed and danger, a mystery thriller with well-defined protagonists. What more would you add?
A: That's a lot of lurid descriptors - I'm exhausted just hearing them! On top of being a thriller, I wanted "Nothing Gained" to be a morality tale. Truth and consequences and a search for redemption are key themes.
Q: What perspectives do you want the reader to take from your depiction of the glitzy Hong Kong lifestyle of expatriates?
A: For sure, the expatriate lifestyle can be very glamorous. However, it's also life in a bubble. Hong Kong is not considered "home" by many expatriates, even after many years of living here. They are insulated from violent crime, mundane chores and an insurmountably difficult local language.
Q: How long had the story idea been percolating before you wrote it?
A: The idea of writing a book about banking in Asia had percolated for years. Suddenly in mid-2010, the plot idea came to me. I knew then if I didn't seize the opportunity to write, I might never do it. Nine months later, I'd completed the first rough draft.
Q: Asian finance is rich with story ideas. Can we expect more from you set against this background?
A: I agree that Asian finance is an incredibly rich and fertile ground for stories. It's a world where disparate cultures constantly collide. Passions run high. The results range from brilliant and inspiring feats of collaboration to episodes of catastrophic misunderstanding and conflict. I'm working on a "prequel" to "Nothing Gained" which describes the world of excesses in pre-2008 Asia.
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