The Orphan Master's Son

Pak Jun Do grows up in a North Korean camp where orphans are put to work, a camp his father runs, and he never stops thinking of his mother, a singer who was carried off to Pyongyang. His superiors notice his loyalty and sharp instincts, and he rises through the ranks: as a soldier trained to fight in total darkness in tunnels, as a professional kidnapper, and as a radio operator on a fishing boat. Survival means obeying orders that change without warning and bosses whose violence follows no logic, in a land of famine, graft and everyday brutality where friendship and brief beauty still exist. Driven to the edge of endurance, he takes the reckless step of posing as a rival to Kim Jong Il himself, hoping to rescue Sun Moon, a famous actress he has come to love.

AI-generated summary

About the book

Form

Novel

Genres

Politics, Love (assigned by AI)

Set in

North Korea

First published

2012

Author's age

45 when first published

ISBN

9780812992793 (Random House, United States)

9780812982626 (Random House Trade Paperbacks, United States)

9780552778251 (Black Swan, United Kingdom)

More

Wikidata