Revenge from Beyond

DENNIS WONG was born in Singapore and his family migrated to Australia in 1977. He holds a degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, and has worked in Information Technology for the past twenty years. He lives in Sydney Australia with his wife and son. A yearning to find answers to life's basic questions led to Wong's interest in spirituality as early as High School. In University, this grew into a passion for Buddhism and subsequently an interest in Chinese culture, myths and beliefs. In 1985, a Chinese Crime Novel by Robert Van Gulik captured Wong's imagination. Many years later, he completed his own first novel in the same genre, Revenge From Beyond, which he entered for the Proverse Prize in 2010. He is now working on a second novel, also set against the backdrop of the Chinese Han Empire. These two novels embody Dennis Wong's interest in life. A person, with high moral ideals, starts his Magistrate's career as an "under-dog". He confronts numerous obstacles and gradually resolves them by deductive thought and spiritual principles. REVENGE FROM BEYOND is a gripping detective story set in Ancient China. It has a full cast of personalities and a mixture of motivations: a beautiful widow, an upright but inexperienced magistrate, a disaffected son, an advisor to the Emperor, and an active group of towns-people anxious to make their living in peace. It includes authentic details of ancient laws, court practices and judicial punishments. "Revenge From Beyond" is a wonderful insight into the role of the Judge/Magistrate in Imperial China. Set in the Tang Dynasty it portrays a judicial system of some sophistication yet steeped in brutality and unchallengeable power. ... A well-crafted satisfying read that both entertains and provides a vivid insight into the Judicial system of China in the Tang Dynasty. It is my profound hope that this is not the last we will hear of Judge Quan and I look forward to further adventures." —H.H. Judge Garry Tallentire, The District Court, Hong Kong.