The Plotters

'A powerful, surreal political thriller... [which] builds to a highly cinematic and violent denouement...This strange, ambitious book will appeal equally to literary fiction readers.' * Publishers Weekly (starred review) * 'Demands to be read for its incredible cast of characters...a first-rate thriller.' * Le Monde * 'A rich, funny, cynical Korean noir...A delicious surprise.' * La Croix * 'Like a veteran killer...quickly, coolly, and without hesitation, Un-su Kim commands sentences and stories that stab the reader between the ribs. We've been waiting for this storyteller and his story.' * Park Min-gyu, novelist * 'Awe is my reaction to The Plotters. The novel thrills me like a wolf feels when it has smelled blood.' -- Kwon Yeo-seon 'Now this is a story with power and style. The one-two punches of humor are a nice bonus...You'll be laughing out loud every five minutes...you'll find yourself contemplating the meaning of life, death, and desire for a long, long time. Make sure you leave your evening free, because you won't be able to put this book down once you start.' -- You-jeong Jeong, author of the bestselling thriller The Good Son 'A book of revelations for murder both violent yet graceful, dark yet poetic. With sharp humour and sparkling prose, Un-su Kim stylishly spins the tale of the extraordinary life of an ordinary assassin.' -- Jungmyung Lee [J.M. Lee], author of The Investigation 'More than a crime novel, more than violence and mystery, The Plotters promises both temptation and beauty.' -- Eka Kurniawan 'The Plotters is what would happen if you took the best South Korean crime cinema and distilled it into words. A smart but lightning fast thriller that keeps the pressure on to the very last page.' * Brian Evenson, author of Last Days and A Collapse of Horses * 'Imagine a mash-up of Tarantino and Camus set in contemporary Seoul, and you have The Plotters. Filled with unexpected humour and exquisite fight scenes.' * Louisa Luna, author of Two Girls Down * 'The Plotters by Un-su Kim is a work of literary genius; a quirky, compelling, intelligent, darkly funny, highly original and thought-provoking thriller like nothing I've read. Gorgeous prose elevates the basest of characters and answers the question: How can ours be a life well-lived if we only do as we're told? I loved this book!' * Karen Dionne, author of The Marsh King's Daughter * 'The Plotters tells the story of Renseng, a jaded assassin who startles himself by realising-somewhat belatedly-that he has a moral code, a sense of honour, a soul. All of these will prove to be perilous liabilities in his world. Un-Su Kim is a tremendous writer, and he's crafted a smart, stylish, and surprisingly moving thriller.' * Scott Smith, author of A Simple Plan and The Ruins * 'A novel to keep readers on their toes.' * Booklover Book Reviews * 'It is a harder-than-hard-boiled kooky blast of a book. It is wildly funny and surreal.' * NZ Listener * 'Laugh-out-loud funny.' * Radio NZ * 'The Plotters is a constantly surprising book full [of] fascinating stories and unforgettable characters...A savage, beautifully observed, often poetic novel.' * AustCrime * 'Rich and amusing, with sparkling prose-a cracking noir thriller with soul, wit and intelligence.' * West Weekend * 'A dark, witty, complex and moral tale in a style that is bound to fascinate.' * Otago Daily Times * 'The kind of genre fiction Quentin Tarantino might be inspired by.' * Age * 'Dark wit and searing sarcasm in an irresistible sociopolitical parable designed to delight and dismay.' * Booklist (Starred Review) * 'Engaging reading to the bitter end.' * Complete Review * 'The Plotters is no primer for a visit to Korea. What it does offer is a vivid portrait of a mesmerising central character-the stoic Reseng. It will also keep readers delightfully off-balance...Kim has mixed bookishness, crackpots and commissioned murder into a rich and unsettling blend.' * Washington Post * 'Pleasingly deadpan, The Plotters manages to be both humorous (Reseng's cats are called, delightfully, Desk and Lampshade) and violent, and sometimes even wise...in a translation from Sora Kim-Russell that is both seamless and intriguingly provoking.' * Guardian * '[A] raucous extravaganza of assassins and lunatics by the lauded Korean writer Un-Su Kim...Kim is a good writer, soulful and observant.' * New York Times * 'A seductive, Tarantino-like blend of fight scenes and bizarre social comedy. Sora Kim-Russell's translation is fluent and hiccup-free.' * Sunday Times * 'Tightly plotted, elegantly crafted, and as noir as it gets' * CrimeReads *