The first of Sax Rohmer’s classic Fu Manchu series, when The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu was first published in 1913, it caused a sensation. It was firmly in the “Yellow Peril” genre of literature, and originated most of the tropes we associate with this kind of work. Indeed, the Oriental Mastermind Fu Manchu has spawned countless imitators and representations in films, books, radio and television shows, comic books, and art.
The plot revolves around the "Yellow Peril" (Asiatic threat) and Fu-Manchu's diabolical plan to restore China to its former glory and replace the British Empire with a Chinese one.
In addition to Fu Manchu’s virtual menagerie of hideous and deadly animal and human assassins, he is also a master of chemistry who uses poison gas and a variety of other fantastical elixirs unknown to modern science.
He is also a cruel master of torture, which cannot be described here except to say that the book contains passages filled with true horror.
Packed with what are considered today the worst types of racist and xenophobic character depictions (it was published a century ago), Rohmer’s racism can be tough to stomach. But as a thriller master Rohmer still intrigues.

SAX ROHMER (1883–1959), was a prolific English novelist. He is best remembered for his series of novels featuring the master criminal Dr. Fu Manchu.