The thousand crimes of Ming Tsu : a novel
(Book)

Orphaned son of Chinese immigrants, Ming Tsu is raised by the notorious leader of a California crime syndicate, who trains him to be his deadly enforcer. Ming falls in love with Ada, daughter of a powerful railroad magnate, and they elope with plans to escape to a different life. When the tycoon's henchmen kidnap Ada and conscript Ming into service for the Central Pacific Railroad, he partners with a blind clairvoyant known as the prophet. They set out to rescue his wife and to exact revenge on the men who destroyed Ming, aided by a troupe of magic-show performers, some with supernatural powers, whom they meet on the journey. -- adapted from jacket