The Curse of Wu (Castle Rock, #1)

by Ernest Spencer

Overview

Wu Chen immigrated to California from China as the secretary for Kong Mak's tong in the 1850's. A tong was an embassy in a strange land, a kind of fraternal society for Chinese who arrived in San Francisco. It was from this tong that a lone Chinese male gained access to work, food, shelter, and entertainment. The tong members mined gold, silver and built the railroad up and over the Sierras.

 

Throughout his 34 years of working for Kong Mak, Wu had accumulated 800 pounds of gold and had hidden it all throughout the Sierras. On the day the novel begins, May 5th, 1885, Wu has finally moved all of his gold stash to his hiding place in Castle Rock on Mount Diablo in northern California. That same day Wu's only son, Jimmy, decides to betray him for his gold. Instead of tremendous wealth, Jimmy receives a tremendous curse from his father. A curse that lasts for generations to come.

 

One hundred years later, Wu's body, a pistol, ten pounds of gold and a journal are found in his hidden cave by a young man named Ken. It sets him and his detective friend, Gene, on a journey to Moloka'i, Hawai'i to unravel the rest of the story. Ken and Gene locate the living Chen relatives and learn the deeper meanings of love and lost love. 

 

Castle Rock is a historical fiction trilogy that will help you rediscover the beauty and sadness that exist in every generation, the strength of the spiritual practices that Hawaiians have long believed in and the power of family and forgiveness.  "The Curse of Wu" is Book One in this trilogy. 

 

Product Details

BN ID:	2940166781666
Publisher:	Corps Productions, Inc.
Publication date:	09/30/2022
Series:	Castle Rock
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	550 KB

About the Author

Ernest Spencer is a Hawaiian born Korean American. Born in the mid 1940’s, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve in 1963.

During his second year in college, where he was studying philosophy, he “was overwhelmed by the futility of reason as an effective force in life.” Disillusioned by reason, his life did not make sense to him. He was drawn to the Marine Corps by the sense of belonging. The Corps also offered him the chance to confront life rather than read about it. Spencer states, “I could confront life by going to the edge, or at least what I perceived as the edge: Existence itself.”

In 1967, he was sent to lead a line unit (an infantry unit) that is at Khe Sanh, the 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment. There were four rifle companies in this infantry battalion: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. Spencer commanded Delta. He recalls “you have got to understand what it means to a 24-year-old guy who’s macho to be made a commanding officer of a rifle company in combat. He is Jesus Christ himself.” He was also the first Korean American to command a marine rifle company in combat.

Since his time in Vietnam, Spencer founded a publishing company.

Now, after enjoying retirement, he has founded a non-profit to support education in his beloved Hawaii. He is now writing a historical fiction trilogy and self-narrating his books for the audio book market. 

And keeping his softball skills up!