Counterweight

More about the book

For fans of Philip K. Dick, Squid Game, and Severance, this absorbing tale delves into corporate intrigue, political unrest, and unsolved mysteries surrounding a South Korean conglomerate's ambitious project to build the world's first space elevator on the fictional island of Patusan. The construction is met with resistance from the island's natives as LK transforms the tropical resort into a bustling travel hub to Earth's orbit. Central to the story is the counterweight, a mass of space junk that holds critical personal data left by LK's former CEO, which could determine the fate of the company and humanity. The narrative follows Mac, LK's Chief of External Affairs, who is increasingly disillusioned with his employer, as he races against rival forces to retrieve the vital data. Among these are Choi Gangwu, an unwitting pawn in Mac's investigations; the former CEO's brilliant niece and power-hungry son; and Rex Tamaki, a violent officer from LK's Security Division. As they navigate a labyrinth of fake identities, neuro-implant "Worms," and the Patusan Liberation Front's grievances, the story unfolds as a blend of cyberpunk, hardboiled detective fiction, and a parable of Korea's neocolonial ambitions. Conceived as a low-budget science fiction film, it weaves literary references from Joseph Conrad to the Marquis de Sade.