The Birth of China is a historical adventure novel following Sean Semineaux, a merchant seaman traveling out of New Zealand in 1986. After his ship sinks under mysterious circumstances in the Pacific, Sean survives the wreck and washes ashore on the coast of China - but in the wrong century. He finds himself in 261 BC, during the violent final years of the Warring States period.
At first believing he has gone mad, Sean slowly realizes he has been thrust into one of the most pivotal eras in world history. As he struggles to survive in an unfamiliar ancient world, he becomes an eyewitness to the rise of the Qin state and the events leading to the first unification of China in 221 BC under Qin Shi Huang.
The novel blends time-travel, survival, and historical drama, placing a modern man inside the political intrigue, warfare, and cultural transformation that shaped early China. It explores the clash between contemporary identity and ancient civilization while following Sean's fight to adapt, endure, and understand the forces reshaping the world around him.
