Ⅰ, Son of China (1900-1924)
1. My Father
As Paul Draken states in the author's preface, The first chapter of the entire "CHINA PEARL", is based on a previously unpublished biography of his father, Sir James Draken. Because this chapter alone is so captivating and lengthy, we decided to publish it separately, accompanied by numerous historical illustrations, and title it "The Prequel of CHINA PEARL" Since the entire "CHINA PEARL" book exceeds 500,000 words and spans a century, it's unlikely to be compiled into a single volume due to market realities. This is the reason why the book has remained unpublished for the past 20 years. Therefore, we have attempted to separate the prequel, as it focuses on the deeds of Baron James Draken and deserves a separate biography. We believe Paul Draken would agree with this approach. While "The Prequel of CHINA PEARL" is based on the private biography of Sir James Draken, it has actually been rewritten by Paul Draken, incorporating his own perspective, and is therefore not in the form of a first-person diary or autobiography. Because Paul Draken was not a professional writer, the first and second person perspectives are sometimes used interchangeably (e.g., between "my father" and "Sir Draken"). However, this minor flaw does not detract from the overall quality. To preserve the original text, we have not made any modifications, at most adding supplementary footnotes. This is something we would like to ask readers to be aware of. Furthermore, although "The Prequel of CHINA PEARL" focuses on the story of Sir Draken, many of its elements foreshadow the later story of Paul Draken. Therefore, please keep an eye out for future publication information on subsequent chapters of "CHINA PEARL" Reading both together will allow you to experience the fascinating intertwining of historical causes and effects. The illustrations in the book were not Paul Draken's own creation but were added by us. However, he liked the style and felt it fully expressed the atmosphere he was in at the time, so he included it in this publishing project, hoping to create a new form for historical novels. Since most readers today have grown up in an environment of film, television, and animation, it wouldn't be a bad thing if we could attract their interest through exquisite historical illustrations and turn them into fans of "CHINA PEARL" and "Paul Dragon".
Yao Kaiyang,
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