The Incarnations

Set in Beijing, the story begins with a taxi driver navigating the streets during the busy time of the 2008 Olympic Games.

Jun finds a letter in his cab saying that his soulmate has found him again. Jun continues to receive letters detailing aspects of his life that only someone close with him would know.

In the present day, Jun has a wife and a son. They live in a modest apartment dwelling as they do what they can to make a living and survive.

There is also the story of Jun’s family. His mother had a difficult life. There are also ties to 1,000 years of history dating back to the Tang Dynasty, and the obsessions and intrigue of the past has shaped the world in the present-day.

Susan Barker is a British-Malaysian author who has written four books with Asian themes.

Her most recent is Old Soul published in 2025. It is a novel following vampires in Japan. It has elements of horror, western, and thriller.

Originally Published on November 13, 2025