The Plotters
SynopsisPlot
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.
Story
About this book
Reseng has been an assassin for most of his life. He was raised inside a criminal headquarters known as The Library, a place stacked with books that nobody reads, run by a veteran killer called Old Raccoon. Reseng grew up following orders without asking questions: where to go, who to eliminate, and why. The novel is set in an alternate version of Seoul, where assassination guilds operate as competing enterprises, each vying for control over contracts and territory. It is a world with its own rigid hierarchy and internal logic, treated by Un-su Kim with dark humor and a matter-of-fact tone.
The story shifts when Reseng breaks from his instructions during an assignment, disturbing a network of carefully arranged plans. He then discovers a scheme orchestrated by three young women: a convenience store clerk, her sister who uses a wheelchair, and a cross-eyed librarian. Their actions push Reseng toward a choice about whether he will continue to serve as an instrument for others or try to determine his own course.
Originally written in Korean, the book blends crime fiction with speculative elements. Its alternate Seoul functions less as a futuristic setting and more as a slightly tilted version of the familiar city, where organized killing has become a structured industry.
