The Plotters: *Signed*

The Plotters is the first novel by prize-winning Korean author, Un-su Kim, in English. Reseng has been an assassin for fifteen years. His facilitator is Old Raccoon, who operates out of the library he calls The Doghouse. His instructions come from the Plotters who take orders from the Contractor. An assignment will often see Reseng presenting a body to his friend, Bear who runs a pet crematorium but will, for a fee, cremate a human body with due reverence and ceremony.

Reseng is careful to maintain emotional distance from his victims, because it is important to follow the plotter's instructions to the letter, if the assassin does not want to end up on the list himself. This has happened to two of his associates. But when Jeongan, his tracker and good friend, falls victim, it becomes personal for Reseng. And, as unlikely as it seems, the plotter is apparently a pretty young convenience store cashier.

This is a story with that particular Asian quality to it: the way the characters speak, their logic, their reactions, all are distinctly "not Western". The plot, too, is patently Asian, with a twist or two, and an exciting, although very dark, climax. There's plenty of black humour in this rather unusual tale, along with some delightful ironies. Characters engage in matter-of-fact discussion of assassination, of death, of body disposal, of corruption, of honour, and many more aspects of life. A distinctive work of Korean crime fiction that is flawlessly translated into English by Sora Kim-Russell.

This unbiased review is from a copy provided by Text Publishing.