I found this to be a beautiful translation - I've never read Korean noir before and I really enjoyed it. Given the subject (assassins) I expected a high-octane story but it was actually kind of mellow, and mundane in a lot of ways. This wasn't a bad thing - I enjoyed having my expectations confounded.

Plotters are just pawns like us. A request comes in and they draw up the plans. There’s someone above them who tells them what to do. And above that person is another plotter telling them what to do. You think that if you go up there with a knife and stab the person at the very top, that’ll fix everything. But no-one’s there. It’s just an empty chair.

Reseng was raised by cantankerous Old Raccoon in the Library of Dogs. To anyone asking, it’s just an ordinary library. To anyone in the know, it’s a hub for Seoul’s organised crime, and a place where contract killings are plotted and planned. So it’s no surprise that Reseng has grown up to become one of the best hitmen in Seoul. He takes orders from the plotters, carries out his grim duties, and comforts himself afterwards with copious quantities of beer and his two cats, Desk and Lampshade.

But after he takes pity on a target and lets her die how she chooses, he finds his every move is being watched. Is he finally about to fall victim to his own game? And why does that new female librarian at the library act so strangely? Is he looking for his enemies in all the wrong places? Could he be at the centre of a plot bigger than anything he’s ever known?

Something a bit different this week. A semi-comic crime thriller translated from Korean to English. My gut reaction is that The Plotters by Un-su Kim is not something that can be easily categorised. I should stress I mean that as the highest of compliments. When it comes to fiction, something this unique should most definitely be lauded.

Reseng is a complex young man. He has been raised in environment where death is common place. He knows nothing else and so accepts killing as the norm. Becoming a professional killer is the only path available to him, so growing up Reseng embraces it. It’s when Reseng starts to question his career path that things start to get interesting. There is a point in the story where Reseng tries to walk away from his chosen profession and those chapters are particularly telling. Can a man raised in violence and death really walk away from that life, or will it inevitably follow him? Reseng has a colleague (friend?) called Bear who works in a crematorium that specialises in disposing of assassin’s victims. Their conversations are so matter of fact, almost mundane, that you quickly realised just how desensitized to death Reseng has become.

The relationship between Reseng and his adoptive father, Old Raccoon, is a fascinating one. Old Raccoon has made stoicism an art form. We learn very little of this enigmatic old man. His history is a blank page. I love how Raccoon’s actions and reactions are depicted. He is a master of understatement and subtlety. A barely perceptible nod of the head here, a withering glance there. These displays of micro-emotion make him that much more mysterious. I guess that is exactly what you want from a person who manages assassins. Discretion is key. There is a sense of real depth existing between these two men. The discussions they have can often be interpreted in multiple ways. It feels like Reseng is at the point in his life where he is seeking answers, Old Raccoon may not be the best person to ask. The equilibrium that has existed between the two for many years is suddenly thrown off kilter. The older man appreciates the inevitability of change but Reseng remains conflicted.

Conversations between characters have a tendency to spiral off on unexpected tangents that often lead to darkly comic humour. Initially I was a little unsure about this, but the more and more of the novel I read the more I got into the quirky rhythm of events. How can you not love a book that ends a chapter with one character wiggling their bottom at another?*

The novel ends on a bittersweet note that acts as a perfect full stop to the entire narrative. I expect it might divide some readers, but I rather like that. The Plotters is an introspective piece of writing. The main protagonist spends a lot of his time pondering the nature of his existence. It seems only fitting that the novel’s climax will elicit exactly the same contemplative feelings.

If I’m being brutally honest, I don’t think The Plotters will not be for everyone; it’s literary Marmite. Personally, I loved it. The Plotters is just the right level of weird to capture my attention. I’m a big fan of Asian cinema, but I don’t think I’ve ever read any South Korean fiction, so this was untested waters for me. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

When it came to my music recommendation to accompany The Plotters, I found myself exploring Korean soundtracks. After much pondering I decided The Prison by Bang Jun-Seok fit nicely with the overall tone of the novel.

The Plotters is published by Fourth Estate and is available now. Highly recommended.

*I may not be doing this particular moment justice. The bum wiggling totally works within the context of the book.

A Wee Summary

The Plotters is my first foray into what has been dubbed by many as 'Korean Noir'. With a synopsis that immediately piqued my interest, this novel is unlike any thriller I've ever read.

Following the end of military rule in South Korea, there's been an emergence of an industry for hitmen. The Doghouse Library is home to a guild of such assassins-for-hire, headed by the seasoned and cantankerous Old Raccoon.

Our protagonist, Reseng, is one such assassin. Having been raised in 'The Library' by Old Raccoon, Reseng is one of the best assassins in Seoul.

Throughout the country there are people known as Plotters holed up, contracted by the powerful to devise and plan assassinations.

It's Reseng's job to unquestioningly complete assassinations as planned by an anonymous Plotter, down to the last detail. Reseng doesn't know for whom he wields his knife, but he follows orders in return for payment.

When Renseng finds himself veering from the stringent plans of the Plotter, he finds his every move is being watched. Is he now the focus of a Plotter? Could his life be at risk? After all, to eliminate an assassin you need to set another hitman on his tail.

My Thoughts

It took me a wee while to get into this book. While I was intrigued from the opening page, it took me some time to piece things together and feel involved.

Reseng is a character that, despite his occupation, I quickly came to like - I'm sure his love of book, reading and cats helped to accelerate the process!

He's the kind of flawed but likeable character that I enjoy in a thriller. I appreciated the humour that this character brings at times, which is needed to balance the dark, occasionally graphic, nature of this tale.

When it comes to translated fiction, the translator is so important to its success. I  was really pleased to find that I found Sora Kim-Russell's translation flowing, often lyrical, and easy to read. Kim-Russell has managed to weave in the Korean language which helps to root this novel in its Korean setting.

I found the whole concept of the novel fascinating and, for the most part, I enjoyed this novel. It's a bit quirky and different from other novels I've read. The writing and translation played out like a film in my mind.

As I've said, it's dark - well, it's about assassins and plotters so what would you expect? It's also humorous in places though, so it made me chuckle at times. I wasn't 100% sold on the pacing of the novel, but it's full of action, and. as the story progressed, I found myself unable to put the book down.

This is my first 'Korean Noir' novel, but it won't be my last.

The Plotters was a real surprise in its subtle delivery, considering this is a Korean thriller about assassins. I expected high octane action with lots of shooting, a book simply oozing violence. Not so. A lot more thinking, introspection and dialog than your typical thriller. The Plotters was far more witty and engaging than I could have hoped. Like I said, a surprise.

I really respected Reseng, our anti-hero assassin. He's been in the killing game long enough to know how things work in Seoul but that doesn't make him a mindless killing machine. He can sense things are changing in this world where assassinations are ordered like pizzas with plotters planning the scene of the murder down to the finest detail. Assassins are meant to follow orders completely. There's no room for off piste murder here and that's what trips up our man, Reseng.

It's hard to put my finger on what I like best about this novel. I suppose the humour and sweetness caught me off guard and made a bigger impression than I first suspected. This novel is unique and sure to be different from any preconceived ideas you may have picking it up. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and you let it get under your skin.

I feel that this book started well but did not live up to my expectations. I expected there to be more drama and action and for the rest of the book to be like the opening chapter. Sadly that was not the case. Sorry.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

From a soap operatic beginning, it started to look and feel and sound like a rehash of James McAvoy's 2008 film 'Wanted' (which was based on a 2003-04 comicbook series written by Mark Millar, with illustrations by J. G. Jones) complete with the 'whose giving orders to the plotters?' plot line. And assassins sounding like characters out of 'John Wick.'
And in the end, it most resembled Byung Hun Lee's 'A Bittersweet Life' (which was written and directed by Kim Jee Won).

Incredibly predictable (no prices for guessing Hanja and The Barber will come after Reseng and he'll go after them and whoever is the real 'plotter').

Cannot believe this is featured in majority of lists of most awaited fiction reads of 2019.

But still, thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

Reseng was delivered early into the killing game. Having been abandoned as a baby he was adopted from an orphanage by Old Raccoon, a contractor for those who are prepared to pay for a life to be taken. Old Raccoon runs his business out of a library, known locally as the Doghouse, in Seoul and in time Reseng grows naturally into his role as a hired assassin. The people who seek out his services are known as Plotters and are perhaps mainly shady government types – though in truth Reseng really doesn’t know who they are or why they want their targets eliminated.

When we first meet Reseng, through whose eyes we’ll watch events unfold, he’s looking at an old General through his rifle scope. Should he shoot him now or wait a while? Decisions, decisions. Well, as things turn out he ends up sharing a meal and quite a lot of whiskey with the old man. But that doesn’t stop him from pulling the trigger a little while later. This provides an early insight into Reseng’s mindset: he’s inquisitive and thoughtful but ultimately cold, very cold.

Another thing we learn is that the job of an assassin has some of the same risks as any other form of employment including competition from other suppliers and, ultimately, unemployment. Who knew! Yes, another contractor is trying to step on Old Raccoons toes by stealing his business. A turf war is about to kick-off; this isn’t going to end well. As for Reseng, well he’s given an out by Old Raccoon, he can escape and start a new life. But is that what he really wants?

I found one of the most interesting characters here to be Bear, who runs the local pet crematorium and as a sideline disposes of bodies for the assassins. But then there’s an ex-soldier who cuts hair for a living and kills for money on the side and a fair number of other quirky people knocking around. It’s a strange world we’re delivered into, populated by somewhat weird people living unconventional lives.

This is the second Korean crime fiction novel I’ve read recently, following the excellent The Good Son. Both seem to offer up a very different world to that I’m used to – a culture that’s hard to pin down, seemingly futuristic but also locked into the past. It’s exciting and slightly disturbing. I’d certainly recommend lovers of this genre to try out one of these books (or both). I know I’ll be going back for more.

I so wanted to love this but I just couldn't. I was expecting an action packed thriller but actually not an awful lot happens other than a load of existential angst.

Not for me, I'm afraid.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I love how Un-su Kim takes the tropes of the hardboiled crime novel, plays around with them, has some professional killers question them within the text and tops it all of with a critique of South Korean society - it's clever, inventive and entertaining. Our protagonist Reseng has been left in a garbage bin as a baby and then brought up by a librarian who runs a professional assassination business (Ryū Murakami will probably love this novel). We meet 32-year-old Reseng, now a successful assassin himself, at the crossroads of his life: Not only does his job take a toll on him, the political and business landscapes have shifted and his former ally has become his biggest - and very deadly - competition.

Un-su Kim talks about the assassination business as just another highly specialized industry in capitalist society, and Reseng has no illusions: He grew up in this trade, he knows he is disposable, a puppet instrumentalized to eliminate targets, paid and sent out by "plotters" who come up with schemes in order to control politics and business - but does that mean he isn't morally responsible? Does his backstory explain or even excuse his actions or the actions of others? These questions are at the core of the novel: This assassin wants to know in how far he is obliged to resist the dynamics he is caught up in, even if it will cost him his life.

Obviously, this is a deeply political question, and I love how this author wraps it up in a thriller: "This world isn't a mess because people are evil. It's because everyone has their own stories and excuses for doing bad things." Those who execute the violent deeds are actually "cowardly, weakest-of-the-weak people who say ´We had no choice because that's how the world is and because life is hard and because we have no power.`" And even the plotters themselves are not people, but commodities in a self-sustaining system of supply and demand: "You know what's there if you keep going all the way up to the top? Nothing. Just an empty chair." Yes, you can read this for the story and the characters and it will be rewarding, but the philosophical musings of the assassins are the real highlights of the text: As in every good crime novel, the criminals mirror society and ask some uncomfortable questions.

A really absorbing, smart read.

Interesting storyline but not as fast paced as i'd hoped. The main characters are very well outlined and the story does build to a finale.

The country and political system are described in detail and you get a feel of what was happening and the levels of corruption and control.

A very good read and will certainly look out for the author next novel.

Let me start off by saying that I have never read a book like this before.
What happens when an assassin has outlived their usefulness? It's obvious you send more assassins to kill him. This book is clever, funny and packed with action. It is beautifully written and the translation is top notch. I was hooked from the first page and literally tore through this book. There is lot of violence and be warned it is graphic. This will be another book that I will read again and again. I will definitely be looking out for more of this authors work. Think that I have found another guilty pleasure Korean Crime Fiction. I want more now ??? A very happy reader and this book comes highly recommended.

This is a beautifully translated addition to the emergent genre of Korean Noir, it is offbeat, full of wit, irony and black humour, gritty and brutal but never less than engaging and gripping, set in Seoul. It this story of a quagmire of plotters, we have our anti-hero an assassin, Reseng, inescapably destined to become an exceptional hitman after being raised by Old Raccoon. You cannot help but be drawn into his life and character despite the brutality of his occupation. Contract killings are managed, planned and plotted at The Library of Dogs, in the business of assassinations. It is utilised by the criminal community and has close political connections with a corrupt government that cannot quite deal with being truly democratic and has found alternative ways of dealing with 'problems' through the route of outsourcing. The police seek the person who pulled the trigger rather than investigating below the surface, content with the obvious.

Reseng, a lover of literature, lives with his cats, dealing with his violent occupation by finding solace in drinking beer. Then he goes off script on a killing assignment, veering off the straight and narrow path of following orders and his life begins to move into unexpected directions with the strange and bizarre happenings, such as explosives in his toilet, labyrinthian plots galore and rivalries. There is a pet cemetery owner, Bear, who Reseng utilises, a 'barber', Hanja, who is more than what he seems and what exactly happens to old assassins? This is a richly detailed intelligent satire with quirky beats, and full of atmosphere. The characterisation is simply fabulous, none more so than our central protagonist and the shadowy underworld is portrayed with panache. I look forward to reading more from this author! I recommend this to those looking for something different in the crime fiction genre. Many thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate for an ARC.

A novel where "assassination guilds compete for market dominance" and which feels like an almost surreal combination of Tarantino and Murakami's narratives; the way the characters express themselves, their logic and reactions, are emphatically Asian, which means "not Western", whilst the plot is a classic thriller, full of eerily ironic discussions of assassination, of death, of body disposal, of corruption, of honour.

The Plotters did not turn out to be the standard thriller with an Asian bent that I expected. Instead, it is so much more. The writing and translation are both beautifully done, The language is rich with powerful imagery, verging on poetic at times.

While there is an overarching plot, the book reads more like a series of vignettes telling the story of the life of assassin, Reseng. The book is peppered with deeply engaging characters and strange events. It is dark, funny, sad and most of all, compelling. An unusual and brilliant read.

A quirky crime novel which follows Reseng, an assassin living in Seoul, as his life becomes increasingly complicated and in danger as a result of his job.

I found the opening chapter fantastic - we join Reseng as he trails and later befriends an elderly man and his dog who he has been hired to kill. The plot then progresses to include a lot of infighting between the plotters of the title; Reseng is unsure who to trust as it seems like anyone could (literally) stab him in the back at any time. Unfortunately the later chapters were not as engaging as the opening ones, however I enjoyed the section when Reseng goes to work in a factory and has something almost resembling a normal life.

I won't lie, I found this book a bit baffling in the start but then when the events picked up, and I got what was going on it became so anti-climatic and interesting.
Would it be awkward if I define it as "Tarantino meets David Lynch"? The whole story, characters, events are bizarre and different, but not in a bad way. There is violence, sadness, a well-painted atmosphere, solid characters. If you're into cat/mouse game type of crime novels and fancy a quirk don't give this a miss. Second Korean crime fiction I have read this year and would love to read a third one.

This is a surreal novel that should have been right up my street, but for whatever reason, I just didn’t get on with it. It wasn’t bad by any means, just not for me, unfortunately.

There were elements that I liked about the novel, including the (anti) hero’s surprisingly sympathetic character, given his role as an assassin. I also liked the way that the story was told, with a surprisingly gentle narrative when not discussing assassination and the subsequent disposal of the bodies.

‘Reseng had no rules. Not having rules was his only rule.’

Imagine a mash-up of a book-loving assassin, wry dialogue that could have come out of Hammett or Chandler, Tarantino-esque violence, an ending worthy of Luc Besson’s ‘Leon’ and a storyline fit for Jason Bourne…. and you get ‘The Plotters’.

In a Seoul where murder is business, and Plotters control who lives and who dies by ‘outsourcing’ to assassins for hire, Reseng is one of the top killers. As those close to him start to die he becomes involved in a plot way more complicated than he could imagine. What happened to the cross-eyed librarian? What has the convenience store worker have to do with it all? Will Old Raccoon, who rescued Reseng from an orphanage as a young boy, see off the challenge to his domain by the slick Hanja? Who is the Barber – and is he actually a barber?? You can’t really go into plot details without spoiling it, so I won’t – suffice to say it has plenty of twists and turns.

I thoroughly enjoyed this smart, clever thriller. It seemed in part an homage to the genre itself, part satire on modern Korea and its drive towards wealth and capitalism. The characters were developed enough for you to be interested, and Reseng himself was someone that, unwittingly or not, you find yourself rooting for. It is very definitely a page-turner as the action ramps up towards a (literally) explosive ending. Clever, funny at times, very dark at others; Kim is certainly a writer to watch in an ever-increasingly impressive emergence of Korean writers being translated into English. A very definite recommended read.

(With thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.)

Strangely fascinating - the main shooter/assassin-for-hire was raised from an orphanage to become the weapon of a government hit-squad - secretly deployed we are told when the government went democratic but still wanted to kill off opponents - and they are all marked! The greatest of them all goes AWOL after letting a prostitute live after being ordered to kill her ... meanwhile a rising plotters' team if beginning to horn in on Reinsen's boss - and he taps our man. The opening scenes perfectly reveal the sociopathic, flat emotion of this killer - as we follow his trail through a hunt for that rogue assassin - a friend of his, who he lets live when he has the chance to make a name for himself - we wait for his emotional skin to be pierced - and it is! And it's whammo - I do not think this is for the faint hearted because we get very close to the protagonist - and with the flavourful atmosphere of a state where you are always looking over your shoulder for an enemy, it all adds up to a peculiarly amoral atmosphere ..intriguing like crazy.

A different book set in South Korea, in a cruel, corrupt world. It's a story of assassins, who earn money with this job. It was an interesting read, as the main character is an assassin, yet the hero of the story, and is quite likeable.
That's why I found this book original. There were lots of twists and turns, it was exciting. Sometimes, it slowed down, but overall, it was a good book that took me out of my usual reading habits.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honesty review.