
The Plotters
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Arthur Lee
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By:
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Un-su Kim
About this listen
"[A] powerhouse of a novel.... It reads as if Haruki Murakami rewrote The Day of the Jackal." (Locus Magazine)
"Editor's Choice" New York Times Book Review
"The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2019" CrimeReads
"Most Anticipated Books of 2019" Lit Hub
"This Winter's Best Thrillers" Chicago Review of Books
"Best Books of the Year" Apple
A fantastical crime novel set in an alternate Seoul where assassination guilds compete for market dominance.
Behind every assassination, there is an anonymous mastermind - a plotter - working in the shadows. Plotters quietly dictate the moves of the city's most dangerous criminals, but their existence is little more than legend. Just who are the plotters? And more important, what do they want?
Reseng is an assassin. Raised by a cantankerous killer named Old Raccoon in the crime headquarters "The Library", Reseng never questioned anything: where to go, who to kill, or why his home was filled with books that no one ever read. But one day, Reseng steps out of line on a job, toppling a set of carefully calibrated plans. And when he uncovers an extraordinary scheme set into motion by an eccentric trio of young women - a convenience store clerk, her wheelchair-bound sister, and a cross-eyed librarian - Reseng will have to decide if he will remain a pawn or finally take control of the plot.
Crackling with action and filled with unforgettable characters, The Plotters is a deeply entertaining thriller that soars with the soul, wit, and lyricism of real literary craft.
©2019 Un-su Kim (P)2019 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"Editor's Choice" New York Times Book Review
"9 New Books We Recommend This Week" New York Times
"The Most Anticipated Crime Books of 2019" CrimeReads
“Most Anticipated Books of 2019” Lit Hub
"This Winter's Best Thrillers" Chicago Review of Books
"Picks of the Week" Publishers Weekly
"The Best Books of the Week" New York Post
"The Best Reviewed Books of the Week" Book Marks
“15 Newly Translated Novels You Need to Read in 2019” Barnes and Noble
"It would be hard to accuse The Plotters, a raucous extravaganza of assassins and lunatics by the lauded Korean writer Un-Su Kim, of conforming to any template." New York Times Book Review
“[A] gripping portrait of a killer for hire …The Plotters is no primer for a visit to Korea. What it does offer is a vivid portrait of a mesmerizing central character—the stoic Reseng. It will also keep readers delightfully off-balance. In The Plotters Kim has mixed bookishness, crackpots and commissioned murder into a rich and unsettling blend." The Washington Post
“Korean author Kim makes his U.S. debut with a powerful, surreal political thriller…The complex plot, in which Reseng becomes involved with a more polished, CEO-like hit man named Hanja, builds to a highly cinematic and violent denouement. Most memorable, though, is the novel’s message about the insidiousness of unaccountable institutions, from those under the military junta to those that thrive in today’s economy. The consequence of the pervasive corruption is an air of existential despair. This strange, ambitious book will appeal equally to literary fiction readers.” Publishers Weekly (Starred review)
Intriguing, well done
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Not your typical thrillers
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The dialogue and characters are all very interesting, though I wish some relationships were explored more deeply in the book. It felt like I didn't have enough time to get attached to some characters or relationships before it was over.
The narration was good at times, but very uneven for most of the book. The delivery for Ressing didn't seem to match the writing.
Overall I enjoyed this book! It just could have used a little more character development, and better pacing.
Great character study, uneven narration and pacing
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Good
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Solid
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Very thoughtful book
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Methodical story of empathy and loss
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Cinematic and philosophical
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A unique take on a thriller adventure
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Not for multi-tasking
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