To some, Francis Light, the man who founded the important trading settlement of Penang, was a visionary on par with Sir Stamford Raffles; to others, he was a slave owner and a devious man who cheated the Sultan of Kedah of an island and robbed the resources. The author has researched Light's role in the acquisition of Penang as well as explored the subsequent development of the colony. The old kingdom of Kedah has often been ignored and the author enlightens the reader on the history of this ancient kingdom which is intertwined with that of Penang. Allein Moore presents history in an easy-to-read style, slipping in some little-known facts in this fascinating tale of the Pearl of the Orient.