In Book 1, Young Thomas (Tom) Hermann arrives in South East Asia to reconnect with his estranged father, André, in the wake of his mother's death. Strangely he is met by Jun, a good-looking badjao boy of the same age, whose mission is to help him retrieve Aldebaran, André's impounded yacht, and guide him to the latter who is currently hiding in the heart of a mangrove forest. Tom is knocked out trying to avoid being run over by a car, but not badly hurt. When they make it to André's hideout, Tom is shocked by his father's dire poverty. However the latter has a plan to get rich which involves Tom. So they set sail for Palawasi where their fortune awaits. But they are attacked by pirates, André is killed and the boys only escape death because the pirates leave in a hurry before a coming typhoon, but are shipwrecked on a small uncharted island. With little hope of being rescued they organize their survival, fall in love and discover gay sex. Their ordeal turns into an enchanting break. They eventually return to civilization. Tom finds a job as a chef in a Swiss restaurant while Jun is hired as an interpreter on a diving expedition. When he's away, Tom meets Maya and falls in love with her. They have great sex and both dread Jun's return. After many incidents including an abduction, blackmail, attempted murder, a disappearance, a hopeless trek in the mangrove and loads of soul-searching, jealousy and unbridled sex, the three become lovers and plan to get married until Tom is beaten to death by a furious villager... Or is he? Book 2 reveals a totally different story...