1)The novel was supposed to be set in a dystopian era.
2)The American ambassador, Michael Dexter, was initially a Caucasian. The African-American was another CIA agent named “Charlie Brown.” The characters were merged into one to simplify the plot.
3)The ambassador’s mansion was the actual property of the author’s grandfather.
4)An action scene in Manhattan, New York, was removed because it was deemed “redundant.”
5)The protagonist Jethro Westrope (Jet West) was initially known as James Gent, a brand for a toiletry company.
6)The protagonist initially drove a Pagani Zonda. It was changed to an MX-5 to accommodate his journalist salary.
7)The cat described in a Cairo scene is based on an actual character.
8)The secret underground base in Singapore is inspired by an actual location.
9)The mysterious island with the citadel is inspired by the old Dutch fortress, Fort Belgica, located in the Moluccas islands, Indonesia.
10)The novel is riddled with secret messages.
Shhh… don’t tell anybody.
