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Counterweight
From one of South Korea's most revered science fiction writers, an absorbing tale of corporate intrigue, political unrest, unsolved mysteries, and the havoc wreaked by one company’s monomaniacal endeavor to build the world’s first space elevator.
On the fictional island of Patusan—and much to the ire of the Patusan natives—the Korean conglomerate LK is constructing an elevator into Earth’s orbit, gradually turning this one-time tropical resort town into a teeming travel hub: a gateway to and from our planet. Up in space, holding the elevator’s “spider cable” taut, is a mass of space junk known as the Counterweight. And it’s here that lies the key—a trove of personal data left by LK’s former CEO, of dire consequence to the company's, and humanity's, future.
Racing up the elevator to retrieve the data is a host of rival forces: Mac, the novel’s narrator and LK’s Chief of External Affairs, increasingly disillusioned with his employer; the everyman Choi Gangwu, unwittingly at the center of Mac’s investigations; the former CEO’s brilliant niece and his power-hungry son; and a violent officer from LK’s Security Division, Rex Tamaki—all caught in a labyrinth of fake identities, neuro-implant “Worms,” and old political grievances held by the Patusan Liberation Front, the army of island natives determined to protect their sovereignty.
Conceived by Djuna as a low-budget science fiction film, with literary references as wide-ranging as Joseph Conrad and the Marquis de Sade, The Counterweight is part cyberpunk, part hardboiled detective fiction, and part parable of Korea’s neocolonial ambition and its rippling effects.
On the fictional island of Patusan—and much to the ire of the Patusan natives—the Korean conglomerate LK is constructing an elevator into Earth’s orbit, gradually turning this one-time tropical resort town into a teeming travel hub: a gateway to and from our planet. Up in space, holding the elevator’s “spider cable” taut, is a mass of space junk known as the Counterweight. And it’s here that lies the key—a trove of personal data left by LK’s former CEO, of dire consequence to the company's, and humanity's, future.
Racing up the elevator to retrieve the data is a host of rival forces: Mac, the novel’s narrator and LK’s Chief of External Affairs, increasingly disillusioned with his employer; the everyman Choi Gangwu, unwittingly at the center of Mac’s investigations; the former CEO’s brilliant niece and his power-hungry son; and a violent officer from LK’s Security Division, Rex Tamaki—all caught in a labyrinth of fake identities, neuro-implant “Worms,” and old political grievances held by the Patusan Liberation Front, the army of island natives determined to protect their sovereignty.
Conceived by Djuna as a low-budget science fiction film, with literary references as wide-ranging as Joseph Conrad and the Marquis de Sade, The Counterweight is part cyberpunk, part hardboiled detective fiction, and part parable of Korea’s neocolonial ambition and its rippling effects.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2021
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May 18, 2024
You LK people need to start living in me present, the mayor persists. "It's not enough that you've been aping the actions of nineteenth-century imperialists, now you're aping their guilt as well. Can't you afford to skip a few steps? What the hell were you thinking, in this the age when we're taking elevators into space? Do we look like savages in a Victorian novel to you?
Counterweight is double International Booker featured Anton Hur's translation of the 2021 science fiction novel 평형추 by Djuna (듀나), the pen-name of a Korean writer whose real identity is unknown, and a name that was acquired almost by accident, as explained in this interview in Clarkesworld, and with a deliberate and obvious nod to Djuna Barnes, but also to the protagonist of Ellery Queen's Jr. Mystery Stories Series.
That the above interview appears in Clarkseworld is appropriate since this is sci-fi in the tradition of the great Arthur C. Clarke from whom the magazine takes its name, but also a story with strong modern overtones, with the fluid sexuality of the characters (see spoiler below) and its theme of the neocolonial aspirations of large corporations, here the Korean chaebol (itself a 21st version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness).
The novel is set on the fictional island of Patusan (whose location isn't described exactly but appears to be in the area of Indonesia), once a sovereign state but now taken over by the LK Group, who have used it to build a space elevator, a concept with present-day scientific foundation but yet to be realised outside of the pages of science-fiction novels, starting with Arthur C. Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise (itself based on a fictional island called Taprobane) and Charles Sheffield's The Web Between the Worlds. This is also a world where the also scientifically feasible but currently fictional skyhook is ubiquitous:
A cross-shaped island country at the end of the Brierly archipelago. A respectably thick tropical forest with pitifully low biodiversity, a uselessly high extinct volcano in the middle of the island, and villages and cities that had collapsed after draining their aquifers with no consideration of the consequences. And, of course, some truly beautiful butterflies.
Before LK subsumed it, that was the kind of place Patusan was.
Fifteen years ago, when LK announced that they would build the space elevator on Patusan, the people's first reaction was to wonder why they'd do such a foolish thing. LK was already using skyhooks to send three or four spaceships a year beyond Earth's atmosphere. Enough for people to believe that the true Age of Space was finally upon us. Skyhooks were relatively easier to make, and were light, fun, and fast. Compared to them, the large and slow space elevators seemed as archaic as blimps. Beautiful and grand, but completely unnecessary.
브라이얼리 제도 끝에 솟아 있는 십자가 모양의 작은 섬나라. 그럭저럭 빽빽하지만, 생물학적 다양성은 한심하기 짝이 없는 열대림, 섬 중심에 있는 쓸데없이 높은 사화산, 아까운 줄 모르고 지하수를 뽑아 쓰다 지반이 무너져 진흙탕 속에 잠겨버린 마을과 도시들. 그리고 아름다운, 정말로 아름다운 나비들.
LK가 정복하기 전, 파투산은 그런 곳이었다.
15년 전 LK가 파투산에 궤도 엘리베이터를 세운다는 계획을 발표했을 때, 사람들의 반응은 왜 그런 쓸데없는 짓을 하느냐는 것이었다. LK는 이미 궤도를 도는 스카이후크로 매일 서너 대씩 우주선을 궤도와 궤도 바깥으로 날려 보내고 있었다. 그것만으로도 사람들이 진정한 우주 시대가 왔다고 믿기에 충분했다. 스카이후크는 상대적으로 만들기 쉽고 가볍고 재미있고 빠르다. 그에 비하면 거대하고 둔하고 느린 궤도 엘리베이터는 비행선 같은 과거의 몽상처럼 보였다. 아름답고 장엄하지만 굳이 만들 필요는 없는
The novel's narrator is the Head of External Affairs, himself from, he hints, a background which if revealed would place him in jeopardy, his job to fix the political issues associated with LK's annexation of the island, which has led to the formation of a Patusan Liberation Front determined to reclaim sovereignity of the country from which they have largely been expelled.
But when things start to go wrong following a raid on a Liberation Front base (in revenge for their assassination of a relatively pro-LK local political leader) it becomes increasingly unclear if the Liberation Front are responsible, a private security firm who play-off both sides, rogue elements within LK's security services, or a power struggle among the 'House of Han', the descendants of the Group's founder Han Bukyeom, who still, some anti-chaebol law evading official governance aside, dominate the firm.
The House of Han family tree is sufficiently complex to rival a Wilkie Collins novel, but as the opening quote suggests this is a modern-day tale, and one where the use of 'worms' inserted in people's brains, which can channel recorded thoughts and memories, and AI based on a download of someone's personality mean that characters can even exercise direct influence from beyond the grave.
For all the pseudo-science of the space elevator, I found this the type of sci-fi where one has to rather go with the flow of the various deus ex machina plot complications, which diminished the narrative tension for me a little, and this isn't a type of novel I'd normally read in English, but this is a fun read in Anton Hur's translation, and the political angle gives it additional heft.
3 stars for personal taste but 4+ for general merit
Counterweight is double International Booker featured Anton Hur's translation of the 2021 science fiction novel 평형추 by Djuna (듀나), the pen-name of a Korean writer whose real identity is unknown, and a name that was acquired almost by accident, as explained in this interview in Clarkesworld, and with a deliberate and obvious nod to Djuna Barnes, but also to the protagonist of Ellery Queen's Jr. Mystery Stories Series.
That the above interview appears in Clarkseworld is appropriate since this is sci-fi in the tradition of the great Arthur C. Clarke from whom the magazine takes its name, but also a story with strong modern overtones, with the fluid sexuality of the characters (see spoiler below) and its theme of the neocolonial aspirations of large corporations, here the Korean chaebol (itself a 21st version of Conrad's Heart of Darkness).
The novel is set on the fictional island of Patusan (whose location isn't described exactly but appears to be in the area of Indonesia), once a sovereign state but now taken over by the LK Group, who have used it to build a space elevator, a concept with present-day scientific foundation but yet to be realised outside of the pages of science-fiction novels, starting with Arthur C. Clarke's The Fountains of Paradise (itself based on a fictional island called Taprobane) and Charles Sheffield's The Web Between the Worlds. This is also a world where the also scientifically feasible but currently fictional skyhook is ubiquitous:
A cross-shaped island country at the end of the Brierly archipelago. A respectably thick tropical forest with pitifully low biodiversity, a uselessly high extinct volcano in the middle of the island, and villages and cities that had collapsed after draining their aquifers with no consideration of the consequences. And, of course, some truly beautiful butterflies.
Before LK subsumed it, that was the kind of place Patusan was.
Fifteen years ago, when LK announced that they would build the space elevator on Patusan, the people's first reaction was to wonder why they'd do such a foolish thing. LK was already using skyhooks to send three or four spaceships a year beyond Earth's atmosphere. Enough for people to believe that the true Age of Space was finally upon us. Skyhooks were relatively easier to make, and were light, fun, and fast. Compared to them, the large and slow space elevators seemed as archaic as blimps. Beautiful and grand, but completely unnecessary.
브라이얼리 제도 끝에 솟아 있는 십자가 모양의 작은 섬나라. 그럭저럭 빽빽하지만, 생물학적 다양성은 한심하기 짝이 없는 열대림, 섬 중심에 있는 쓸데없이 높은 사화산, 아까운 줄 모르고 지하수를 뽑아 쓰다 지반이 무너져 진흙탕 속에 잠겨버린 마을과 도시들. 그리고 아름다운, 정말로 아름다운 나비들.
LK가 정복하기 전, 파투산은 그런 곳이었다.
15년 전 LK가 파투산에 궤도 엘리베이터를 세운다는 계획을 발표했을 때, 사람들의 반응은 왜 그런 쓸데없는 짓을 하느냐는 것이었다. LK는 이미 궤도를 도는 스카이후크로 매일 서너 대씩 우주선을 궤도와 궤도 바깥으로 날려 보내고 있었다. 그것만으로도 사람들이 진정한 우주 시대가 왔다고 믿기에 충분했다. 스카이후크는 상대적으로 만들기 쉽고 가볍고 재미있고 빠르다. 그에 비하면 거대하고 둔하고 느린 궤도 엘리베이터는 비행선 같은 과거의 몽상처럼 보였다. 아름답고 장엄하지만 굳이 만들 필요는 없는
The novel's narrator is the Head of External Affairs, himself from, he hints, a background which if revealed would place him in jeopardy, his job to fix the political issues associated with LK's annexation of the island, which has led to the formation of a Patusan Liberation Front determined to reclaim sovereignity of the country from which they have largely been expelled.
But when things start to go wrong following a raid on a Liberation Front base (in revenge for their assassination of a relatively pro-LK local political leader) it becomes increasingly unclear if the Liberation Front are responsible, a private security firm who play-off both sides, rogue elements within LK's security services, or a power struggle among the 'House of Han', the descendants of the Group's founder Han Bukyeom, who still, some anti-chaebol law evading official governance aside, dominate the firm.
The House of Han family tree is sufficiently complex to rival a Wilkie Collins novel, but as the opening quote suggests this is a modern-day tale, and one where the use of 'worms' inserted in people's brains, which can channel recorded thoughts and memories, and AI based on a download of someone's personality mean that characters can even exercise direct influence from beyond the grave.
For all the pseudo-science of the space elevator, I found this the type of sci-fi where one has to rather go with the flow of the various deus ex machina plot complications, which diminished the narrative tension for me a little, and this isn't a type of novel I'd normally read in English, but this is a fun read in Anton Hur's translation, and the political angle gives it additional heft.
3 stars for personal taste but 4+ for general merit
July 24, 2023
What did it mean to have briefly been a human body in the long history of these elements that began some hundreds of millions of years ago inside a supernova?
What sounds more plausible? A big corporation with neo-colonialist pursuits trying to take over the world or the fact that one of the most prolific science fiction writers in South Korea has been publishing as a faceless writer (no knowledge of age, gender, or real name) for more than 20 years?
Counterweight is a cautionary tale about the dangers of AI, and how disposable human beings are about to become (if we aren’t already) when it comes to the greater end of things, and what happens when that is juxtaposed with a man with delusions of grandeur and enough money to believe himself an extraordinary man (by the terms of my dear Rodion Raskolnikov)
Someone had to die. (…) Can we really call that selfish? When the elevator tower is the most important asset humanity possesses
I have to confess AI scares me, it might be because of the old "people are scared of the things they don’t understand" or just my head fantasizing imagining futures like the one in this story, where all technology exists in a very fine web of interconnected knowledge and our brains and bodies become slaves to it. All I know is I flinch every time I come across an AI cover song of my favorite artists or seemingly impeccable text written by AI, it feels wrong to me somehow.
Can we really say that using technology to get ahead is cheating? If it were allowed, what would it mean to select for talented individuals
Because it was first conceived to be a sci-fi film, the cinematographic approach takes focus most of the time, neglecting character development, and explanations about the world building that would have made the plot move effortlessly. It also tried to be too much, in addition to science fiction/cyberpunk, it could also be classified a spy novel, and a whodunit mystery, and a twisted love story.
Overall it was an entertaining, stimulating read, where is best to follow the butterfy kaleidoscope and don’t get caught up trying to understand every single detail.
3.5 but rounding up because Anton Hur.
What sounds more plausible? A big corporation with neo-colonialist pursuits trying to take over the world or the fact that one of the most prolific science fiction writers in South Korea has been publishing as a faceless writer (no knowledge of age, gender, or real name) for more than 20 years?
Counterweight is a cautionary tale about the dangers of AI, and how disposable human beings are about to become (if we aren’t already) when it comes to the greater end of things, and what happens when that is juxtaposed with a man with delusions of grandeur and enough money to believe himself an extraordinary man (by the terms of my dear Rodion Raskolnikov)
Someone had to die. (…) Can we really call that selfish? When the elevator tower is the most important asset humanity possesses
I have to confess AI scares me, it might be because of the old "people are scared of the things they don’t understand" or just my head fantasizing imagining futures like the one in this story, where all technology exists in a very fine web of interconnected knowledge and our brains and bodies become slaves to it. All I know is I flinch every time I come across an AI cover song of my favorite artists or seemingly impeccable text written by AI, it feels wrong to me somehow.
Can we really say that using technology to get ahead is cheating? If it were allowed, what would it mean to select for talented individuals
Because it was first conceived to be a sci-fi film, the cinematographic approach takes focus most of the time, neglecting character development, and explanations about the world building that would have made the plot move effortlessly. It also tried to be too much, in addition to science fiction/cyberpunk, it could also be classified a spy novel, and a whodunit mystery, and a twisted love story.
Overall it was an entertaining, stimulating read, where is best to follow the butterfy kaleidoscope and don’t get caught up trying to understand every single detail.
3.5 but rounding up because Anton Hur.
August 22, 2023
I picked this one entirely based on vibes so I didn't really expect anything in particular. It was a quick and fairly interesting read but not a super impressive one.
August 1, 2023
2,5*
When Djuna said he had written this as a low-budget sci-fi movie, he really wasn’t lying. It felt like an over-complicated CSI episode but in a cyberpunk world.
The setting was really cool. It’s set on a fictional island named Patusan and a company is building the first space elevator - name something cooler than that. The President of the company that started developing this has died and the Chief of External Affairs (the narrator) thinks an unremarkable Korean man holds the key to the secrets of the late president.
I’m not a fan of cyberpunk noir or hardboiled fiction so I wasn’t expecting to love this, and I didn’t. But it was an enjoyable read and I was fascinated by the island and the overall idea of the counterweight and the elevator. I liked how the book approached the concept of AI (AI be scary my lads).
I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Red Dust by Yoss (and vice versa), it had a similar vibe.
When Djuna said he had written this as a low-budget sci-fi movie, he really wasn’t lying. It felt like an over-complicated CSI episode but in a cyberpunk world.
The setting was really cool. It’s set on a fictional island named Patusan and a company is building the first space elevator - name something cooler than that. The President of the company that started developing this has died and the Chief of External Affairs (the narrator) thinks an unremarkable Korean man holds the key to the secrets of the late president.
I’m not a fan of cyberpunk noir or hardboiled fiction so I wasn’t expecting to love this, and I didn’t. But it was an enjoyable read and I was fascinated by the island and the overall idea of the counterweight and the elevator. I liked how the book approached the concept of AI (AI be scary my lads).
I recommend this to anyone who enjoyed Red Dust by Yoss (and vice versa), it had a similar vibe.
August 2, 2023
Okay. So. I don’t think I can tell you what this book is about or accurately describe a single thing that happened...?
At first I thought it was me and because I read the first half ~in public, when it didn’t have my full attention. But I went and read some other reviews and the general consensus seems to be that this book is, uh, confusing, to put it mildly (I’m mostly glad it’s not just me).
There wasn’t a ~ton of world building here, which was the main problem for me. I spent most of the book feeling like I’d missed something here or there or just being confused about how, exactly, this world operates.
This was a short, quick read but I would’ve preferred it had been longer and more in-depth so I would’ve connected with it. Instead, it felt like the cliff notes version of a mystery that never really seemed to have a point and, therefore, no real resolution. And the longer I read, the more I just wanted it to be over so I could read anything else.
Events happened without explanation or lead up. Characters were just dropped into the narrative with little to no introduction or explanation. And when there was explanation, it was a giant info dump. So. This writing style was just not for me???
The one thing this really had going for it, though, was *the vibes*. The setting and ~atmosphere reminded me of Blade Runner and Ray Bradbury and made me nostalgic for the type of sci-fi I first fell in love with.
So. I really, really wanted to love this. But, sadly, it just did not work for me. It feels like it’s missing a few pages here and there and, for me, that was not an enjoyable reading experience.
Anyway. Thank you to NetGalley & Pantheon for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!
At first I thought it was me and because I read the first half ~in public, when it didn’t have my full attention. But I went and read some other reviews and the general consensus seems to be that this book is, uh, confusing, to put it mildly (I’m mostly glad it’s not just me).
There wasn’t a ~ton of world building here, which was the main problem for me. I spent most of the book feeling like I’d missed something here or there or just being confused about how, exactly, this world operates.
This was a short, quick read but I would’ve preferred it had been longer and more in-depth so I would’ve connected with it. Instead, it felt like the cliff notes version of a mystery that never really seemed to have a point and, therefore, no real resolution. And the longer I read, the more I just wanted it to be over so I could read anything else.
Events happened without explanation or lead up. Characters were just dropped into the narrative with little to no introduction or explanation. And when there was explanation, it was a giant info dump. So. This writing style was just not for me???
The one thing this really had going for it, though, was *the vibes*. The setting and ~atmosphere reminded me of Blade Runner and Ray Bradbury and made me nostalgic for the type of sci-fi I first fell in love with.
So. I really, really wanted to love this. But, sadly, it just did not work for me. It feels like it’s missing a few pages here and there and, for me, that was not an enjoyable reading experience.
Anyway. Thank you to NetGalley & Pantheon for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!
June 23, 2023
I haven't read a lot of books in the cyberpunk genre, but I've seen this one described as a "cyberpunk noir" and I have to agree. It's set in an unspecified future, on a fictional island nation called Patusan where a huge global conglomerate is constructing a space elevator. The previous President and CEO of the conglomerate has recently died, and its Chief of External Affairs soon finds himself entangled in a complex puzzle whose pieces point him in the direction of a seemingly unremarkable worker named Choi Gangwu who may hold the key to the late President's biggest secrets.
AI plays a large part in the twisty plot of this story. There are "worms" that can store electronic copies of an individual's memories and be neuro-implanted. There's technology that can disguise or replicate people's identities. There are political secrets and draconian business dealings, and the oppressive presence of the monolithic LK corporation can be felt at every turn as it wages a covert campaign of espionage and PR against the indigenous population of Patusan who are determined to stand up for their sovereignty in the face of encroaching commercialization.
This story was originally conceived as a low budget science fiction film, and there are definitely elements that would be more effective cinematically. As a book, it could've gone into more depth about the motivations of the main characters; it was sometimes hard to figure out what exactly was happening and why. But it's a very inventive and vividly told story for how short it is.
AI plays a large part in the twisty plot of this story. There are "worms" that can store electronic copies of an individual's memories and be neuro-implanted. There's technology that can disguise or replicate people's identities. There are political secrets and draconian business dealings, and the oppressive presence of the monolithic LK corporation can be felt at every turn as it wages a covert campaign of espionage and PR against the indigenous population of Patusan who are determined to stand up for their sovereignty in the face of encroaching commercialization.
This story was originally conceived as a low budget science fiction film, and there are definitely elements that would be more effective cinematically. As a book, it could've gone into more depth about the motivations of the main characters; it was sometimes hard to figure out what exactly was happening and why. But it's a very inventive and vividly told story for how short it is.
May 14, 2023
This was a thought provoking and interesting read. It is a sci-fi book set on a fictional island. While the premise of this book was rather interesting, I found it rather hard to get into and a bit discombobulated. I did find it hard to get into it and struggled with it overall. I do think that some people will enjoy this one in the cyber-punk genre. If you are going to read this one you will need to be in the right mood as it does require a lot of focus.
November 8, 2023
Like many other readers, I found this one a bit hard to get into, but it was certainly worth the effort, and will pay even richer dividends on re-reading, I suspect.
For once, the tags are spot on, this is cyber-punk noir at its very best - corporate intrigue at the construction of a space elevator, with a slightly dodgy narrator, espionage, deception and murders galore. But this is no mere convoluted political thriller with spaceships thrown in; like all the best sci-fi, its central themes give us a chance to explore the ethics of our increasing technological capabilities.
In this book of the (very) near future, physical augmentation is commonplace, giving some people near superpowers, but this is nothing compared to the mental augmentation possible with the "Worm", a brain chip that can as easily teach you a new language instantly, as it can transfer the memories or consciousness of another human being into your brain.
In this ambiguous and delusory world, AI has gradually taken over, and Djuna skilfully draws the reader into a moral and hallucinatory web. The ending will leave you shaken and just a little bit scared.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions are my own.
For once, the tags are spot on, this is cyber-punk noir at its very best - corporate intrigue at the construction of a space elevator, with a slightly dodgy narrator, espionage, deception and murders galore. But this is no mere convoluted political thriller with spaceships thrown in; like all the best sci-fi, its central themes give us a chance to explore the ethics of our increasing technological capabilities.
In this book of the (very) near future, physical augmentation is commonplace, giving some people near superpowers, but this is nothing compared to the mental augmentation possible with the "Worm", a brain chip that can as easily teach you a new language instantly, as it can transfer the memories or consciousness of another human being into your brain.
In this ambiguous and delusory world, AI has gradually taken over, and Djuna skilfully draws the reader into a moral and hallucinatory web. The ending will leave you shaken and just a little bit scared.
Thanks very much to Edelweiss for the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions are my own.
April 17, 2023
The book is also set in the future in a time just before the point of singularity. Humanity still has an inkling of control left, but they've forfeited a lot of rights to AI to manage information systems, attack sequences, and companies…
The story revolves around a company that has built an elevator into space that's opened up space expeditions at a faster rate. The previous President recently died, and our MC is in the throes of settling affairs from external forces like a potential revolution of indigenous people who have been displaced by the building of this elevator, and other so-called nefarious forces, both human and AI.
He operates in a world where people can change their face through implanted transplants, needs to discern who's really who because there are such things as AI fabricated mannequins who can fill in for people, while utilizing super cool tech like the "worm" which is AI embedded in his brain that functions as a hooked up computer that gives his brain access to libraries of data, and constantly updated data that's cast against the walls of his mind.
This book's world is ever-changing and illusory, where people operate knowing that everything is propped up on lies, artifice, and layers of misdirection.
It's sci-fi meets future noir in the best way possible. It's no longer the dark streets of noir where the enemy is lurking in the alleyway shadows. The villains lurk deep within the minds of either bot, human, or something in between.
This would make a spectacular movie
(4.5)
The story revolves around a company that has built an elevator into space that's opened up space expeditions at a faster rate. The previous President recently died, and our MC is in the throes of settling affairs from external forces like a potential revolution of indigenous people who have been displaced by the building of this elevator, and other so-called nefarious forces, both human and AI.
He operates in a world where people can change their face through implanted transplants, needs to discern who's really who because there are such things as AI fabricated mannequins who can fill in for people, while utilizing super cool tech like the "worm" which is AI embedded in his brain that functions as a hooked up computer that gives his brain access to libraries of data, and constantly updated data that's cast against the walls of his mind.
This book's world is ever-changing and illusory, where people operate knowing that everything is propped up on lies, artifice, and layers of misdirection.
It's sci-fi meets future noir in the best way possible. It's no longer the dark streets of noir where the enemy is lurking in the alleyway shadows. The villains lurk deep within the minds of either bot, human, or something in between.
This would make a spectacular movie
(4.5)
October 17, 2024
Basically a techno-thriller with lots of corporate espionage and shady characters scheming against each other. That simply isn't "my thing", so it is at best 2-star for me.
There were some interesting SF ideas related to AI and brain implants. The space elevator at the center of the story is irrelevant: this could have happened in a high-tech shoe factory instead.
I'm willing to try more from "Djuna". I loved the adorable author photo*, and it isn't often that I can say that!
FYI: The setting is the fictional island of Patusan, from "Lord Jim".
* It is a photo of a plush bunny.
There were some interesting SF ideas related to AI and brain implants. The space elevator at the center of the story is irrelevant: this could have happened in a high-tech shoe factory instead.
I'm willing to try more from "Djuna". I loved the adorable author photo*, and it isn't often that I can say that!
FYI: The setting is the fictional island of Patusan, from "Lord Jim".
* It is a photo of a plush bunny.
July 31, 2023
While I don't often outwardly admit to liking science fiction novels, I often find that those are the books I have the most fun reading and thinking about. This one I felt a little more lukewarm about, however.
Counterweight is written by a South Korean author, Djuna, of whom nobody knows their real identity. It's relatively short at 176 pages so also relatively fast-paced but I felt confused for the first quarter of the plot and also am of the opinion that the world-building which is so crucial in science fiction writing was sorely lacking. I found myself to be drawn in and invested in the story especially in the second half but without an emotional connection to any of the characters.
So what's it about? LK, a multinational corporation has set up shop on the island of Patusan, a failed resort Island of the past. LK has been using Patusan as home base for construction of their space elevator as well as "sky hooks", another method of space travel. Underlying the main story arc is the Patusan natives' genreral disapproval of LK's actions. After the death of the company president, several of his employees that weren't hired in the traditional way are now at risk without his protection. It is discovered that one employee has somehow had some of the late presidents memories implanted into his brain and brings up the question of where his other memories are and whether or not they may be dangerous to the company. As some background, everyone who works at LK has a "worm" implanted in their brain which allows them to be connected to other worms and to LK as a whole. Through the worms they can communicate with eachother telepathically and receive communications from corporate. They can even be shown images through these channels.
At the core of Counterweight is the idea that one day humans will be overtaken by artificial intelligence and become superfluous and that when that day comes, we may not even be aware. Scary, right?
I like the premise of this book. But it just didn't land for me primarily due to the lack of character development and world-building.
You may like this one of you're looking for a quick read and enjoy thinking about ramifications of AI.
Counterweight is written by a South Korean author, Djuna, of whom nobody knows their real identity. It's relatively short at 176 pages so also relatively fast-paced but I felt confused for the first quarter of the plot and also am of the opinion that the world-building which is so crucial in science fiction writing was sorely lacking. I found myself to be drawn in and invested in the story especially in the second half but without an emotional connection to any of the characters.
So what's it about? LK, a multinational corporation has set up shop on the island of Patusan, a failed resort Island of the past. LK has been using Patusan as home base for construction of their space elevator as well as "sky hooks", another method of space travel. Underlying the main story arc is the Patusan natives' genreral disapproval of LK's actions. After the death of the company president, several of his employees that weren't hired in the traditional way are now at risk without his protection. It is discovered that one employee has somehow had some of the late presidents memories implanted into his brain and brings up the question of where his other memories are and whether or not they may be dangerous to the company. As some background, everyone who works at LK has a "worm" implanted in their brain which allows them to be connected to other worms and to LK as a whole. Through the worms they can communicate with eachother telepathically and receive communications from corporate. They can even be shown images through these channels.
At the core of Counterweight is the idea that one day humans will be overtaken by artificial intelligence and become superfluous and that when that day comes, we may not even be aware. Scary, right?
I like the premise of this book. But it just didn't land for me primarily due to the lack of character development and world-building.
You may like this one of you're looking for a quick read and enjoy thinking about ramifications of AI.
March 12, 2024
I really wanted to like Counterweight. Unfortunately, I found that there was a lot left to be desired, despite the novel having a lot of promise in contributing to Korean science fiction, particularly cyberpunk. I did learn that Counterweight was first conceived to be a low-budget science fiction film, and the novel certainly read like the beginning stages of one. I did find the setting interesting, as well as the question Djuna posed about the presence of artificial intelligence in society, but neither were fully developed to sate my curiosity.
I had high hopes for this one, especially as someone who is fascinated by cyberpunk, so the disappointment is real. I wish Djuna had made their novel much longer than the just over 150 pages it ended up being.
I had high hopes for this one, especially as someone who is fascinated by cyberpunk, so the disappointment is real. I wish Djuna had made their novel much longer than the just over 150 pages it ended up being.
April 27, 2024
I enjoyed this story, a scifi/mystery novel written by Djuna, a Korean author. The narrator is Mac, the chief of External Affairs for LK, a giant Korean corporation, which took over an entire island off the coast of Korea to create a space elevator. Mac is investigating the death of LK's president. To cover his own crimes, Mac makes people up on paper and convinces others that they are real. I thought the whole idea of a space elevator and people traveling to other planets was interesting. There was a lot going on in this story that I didn’t understand, but the main theme of the book had to do with AI and whether it will help humans or hurt us.
October 14, 2023
There was no real promise setup at the start of this novel, so any pay off or reveal as I progressed didn't really have any affect. It felt a little like a Neal Stephenson book.
July 28, 2023
It’s amazing how much is packed into this novel. Not even 200 pages on my E-reader, but it still managed to make an impact.
Filled with familial drama, corporate dystopia, climate disasters, and colonialism with the flair of science fiction, you can’t go wrong picking up Counterweight!
Filled with familial drama, corporate dystopia, climate disasters, and colonialism with the flair of science fiction, you can’t go wrong picking up Counterweight!
July 29, 2024
I honestly don't know how they were able to make a synopsis for this book because I am just so confused after reading it. I really can't say much about it. It was all over the place for me and I just am left feeling like I can't even count this as a book I read because I literally cannot reiterate what I read in any way shape or form.
August 18, 2023
Sci-fi detectives!!!
July 8, 2023
Thank you to Pantheon Books for the gifted ARC.
As the Chief of External Affairs, Mac is tasked with investigating any suspicious activities pertaining to LK, the Korean tech giant that integrates AI, space travel, and personal data storage. But when a low-level employee Choi Gangwu unwittingly becomes the center of a brewing conspiracy, Mac must race up LK's space elevator to reach Counterweight, the mass of space junk, where the key to saving humanity lies.
COUNTERWEIGHT is a short and fast-paced sci-fi that explores the consequences when tech companies become so influential that it holds political power to self-govern and the technology so powerful the poorly understood AI gets out of hand to threaten humanity. (Sounds familiar? 🤣)
The book goes straight into the story and doesn't spend any time explaining the tech terms; the readers will just have to accept the concepts of "spiders," "worms," etc., right off the bat. The plot moves quickly with thriller/mystery-like intensity, and I couldn't put the book down once I got into the story.
COUNTERWEIGHT probably won't be for the everyday reader. But for fans of THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, or those following the evolution of ChatGPT closely, this one is for you.
As the Chief of External Affairs, Mac is tasked with investigating any suspicious activities pertaining to LK, the Korean tech giant that integrates AI, space travel, and personal data storage. But when a low-level employee Choi Gangwu unwittingly becomes the center of a brewing conspiracy, Mac must race up LK's space elevator to reach Counterweight, the mass of space junk, where the key to saving humanity lies.
COUNTERWEIGHT is a short and fast-paced sci-fi that explores the consequences when tech companies become so influential that it holds political power to self-govern and the technology so powerful the poorly understood AI gets out of hand to threaten humanity. (Sounds familiar? 🤣)
The book goes straight into the story and doesn't spend any time explaining the tech terms; the readers will just have to accept the concepts of "spiders," "worms," etc., right off the bat. The plot moves quickly with thriller/mystery-like intensity, and I couldn't put the book down once I got into the story.
COUNTERWEIGHT probably won't be for the everyday reader. But for fans of THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, or those following the evolution of ChatGPT closely, this one is for you.
July 11, 2023
With nods to Arthur C. Clarke and The Golden Age of Science Fiction, noir crime movies and pulp fiction, this book will mostly appeal to ardent fans of sci-fi, cyberpunk and postcyberpunk. There’s AI, human augmentation, evil corporate conspiracies, a space elevator, drones, fake identities, brain implants for communication and surveillance, and, of course, technology stashed in space junk that threatens humanity's future.
An occasional reader of sci-fi who appreciates complex speculative thrillers by Jeff VanderMeer and sci-fi of the Andy Weir variety will probably find this novel both confusing and underwhelming. I had a hard time following the intricacies of Han family power struggles and I found the futuristic technology intriguing but hard to visualize. The social and political backdrop (neocolonialism, militarized corporate space agencies and the threats of AI) was fascinating but the human connection was just missing. It was difficult for me to stay interested in any of the flat characters and this short novel took me far too long to read.
The translation by Anton Hur was seamless and elegant as usual, but the writing itself didn’t feel particularly detailed, rich or compelling. The premise was intriguing, but I feel like I wasn’t the right audience for this book.
An occasional reader of sci-fi who appreciates complex speculative thrillers by Jeff VanderMeer and sci-fi of the Andy Weir variety will probably find this novel both confusing and underwhelming. I had a hard time following the intricacies of Han family power struggles and I found the futuristic technology intriguing but hard to visualize. The social and political backdrop (neocolonialism, militarized corporate space agencies and the threats of AI) was fascinating but the human connection was just missing. It was difficult for me to stay interested in any of the flat characters and this short novel took me far too long to read.
The translation by Anton Hur was seamless and elegant as usual, but the writing itself didn’t feel particularly detailed, rich or compelling. The premise was intriguing, but I feel like I wasn’t the right audience for this book.
September 1, 2023
COUNTERWEIGHT by Djuna (translated by Anton Hur), a cyberpunk sci-fi novel about a powerful Korean conglomerate that is building a space elevator on the fictional island of Patusan. This book was conceived initially as a low-budget sci-fi film, which is readily apparent as you’re thrown into the madcap action from the first moment until the epilogue.
The cast of characters and whirling plot include company employees (including the prior president’s ghost and a dystopian security arm that assassinates people at will), the Patusan Liberation Front (an indigenous group trying to protect their own sovereignty), robots, politicians, and random pawns in a metaphorical chess game that’s orchestrated by an unseen hand. But who is the mastermind behind it all?
There’s an almost frantic pacing to the plot, skipping from vivid scene to scene in a way that’s gripping but leaves the reader to make connections for themselves – or to scratch their head. For sci-fi fans, this is light on the science while leaning harder on the detective noir part of the spectrum. I appreciated the themes of neocolonialism, AI spiraling out of control, family dynasties (chaebols), and corporate intrigue, but to be honest, at the end of the book, I wasn’t sure what exactly had happened or what I was supposed to take away. That being said, it was a wild ride and I think I enjoyed it?
Read this if you appreciate cyberpunk sci-fi, chaos, action-packed scene-based writing, and themes of potential AI takeovers and corporate malfeasance. For the love of books, do NOT read the blurb, because it gives away something that isn’t revealed until 80% of the way in. Thank you @pantheonbooks @netgalley for the —ARC.
The cast of characters and whirling plot include company employees (including the prior president’s ghost and a dystopian security arm that assassinates people at will), the Patusan Liberation Front (an indigenous group trying to protect their own sovereignty), robots, politicians, and random pawns in a metaphorical chess game that’s orchestrated by an unseen hand. But who is the mastermind behind it all?
There’s an almost frantic pacing to the plot, skipping from vivid scene to scene in a way that’s gripping but leaves the reader to make connections for themselves – or to scratch their head. For sci-fi fans, this is light on the science while leaning harder on the detective noir part of the spectrum. I appreciated the themes of neocolonialism, AI spiraling out of control, family dynasties (chaebols), and corporate intrigue, but to be honest, at the end of the book, I wasn’t sure what exactly had happened or what I was supposed to take away. That being said, it was a wild ride and I think I enjoyed it?
Read this if you appreciate cyberpunk sci-fi, chaos, action-packed scene-based writing, and themes of potential AI takeovers and corporate malfeasance. For the love of books, do NOT read the blurb, because it gives away something that isn’t revealed until 80% of the way in. Thank you @pantheonbooks @netgalley for the —ARC.
September 25, 2023
Quite literally the worst book I have ever read. Not sure if the translation just doesn't do it justice but it sure seems like the real issue is that this "South Korean sci fi legend" sucks at writing and should be put in prison for even publishing something as awful as this.
January 20, 2023
This was a trip. Full of the best kind of cyberpunk near-future plausible/horribly plausible techno noir.
September 21, 2023
Soundly mediocre Korean cyberpunk. Aiming at Stephenson and Gibson but coming up short. Occasional cool vibes and settings but gets convoluted and doesn’t quite gel.
Read
July 18, 2023Thank you to Pantheon Books for sending me an advanced reading copy of COUNTERWEIGHT by Djuna which went on sale Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
South Korean mega-corporation LK Group has colonized the (fictional) island Patusan to become the earth’s hub of the first space elevator. The native islanders are understandably unhappy and have coalesced into the Patusan Liberation Front.
When Mac, head of LK’s External Security, travels to Patusan to quelch a PLF attack, he finds links to an unassuming employee, Choi Gangwu. Mostly unremarkable, Gangwu loves his sister and butterflies. He’d failed the LK application process twice, but the third time, he had a remarkable knowledge of the elevator.
To gain employment, Gangwu contracted with an underground group who implanted undetectable biodata from no other than LK’s recently deceased president. With Mac’s help, Gangwu has to race to the space elevator’s counterweight, hoping to beat the other power players in the company.
In the future landscape of COUNTERWEIGHT, companies are run by AI, people have “worms” in their brains (an advanced connection to the network but controlled by the corporation providing it, if I understand correctly), espionage is the norm, Oh Amelia and slipping into and out of identities is commonplace.
Djuna first conceived of this project as a script, and much happens in only 196 pages. It introduces interesting questions of identity, AI, colonization, and corporate control.
Mac alludes to a fascinating an illicit backstory which is never sussed out, and some parts of the book went over my head, but it’s a novel anyone interested in the cyberpunk genre will want to read.
South Korean author Djuna (a pseudonym) has been writing sci-fi for decades, and this is their first book translated into English.
South Korean mega-corporation LK Group has colonized the (fictional) island Patusan to become the earth’s hub of the first space elevator. The native islanders are understandably unhappy and have coalesced into the Patusan Liberation Front.
When Mac, head of LK’s External Security, travels to Patusan to quelch a PLF attack, he finds links to an unassuming employee, Choi Gangwu. Mostly unremarkable, Gangwu loves his sister and butterflies. He’d failed the LK application process twice, but the third time, he had a remarkable knowledge of the elevator.
To gain employment, Gangwu contracted with an underground group who implanted undetectable biodata from no other than LK’s recently deceased president. With Mac’s help, Gangwu has to race to the space elevator’s counterweight, hoping to beat the other power players in the company.
In the future landscape of COUNTERWEIGHT, companies are run by AI, people have “worms” in their brains (an advanced connection to the network but controlled by the corporation providing it, if I understand correctly), espionage is the norm, Oh Amelia and slipping into and out of identities is commonplace.
Djuna first conceived of this project as a script, and much happens in only 196 pages. It introduces interesting questions of identity, AI, colonization, and corporate control.
Mac alludes to a fascinating an illicit backstory which is never sussed out, and some parts of the book went over my head, but it’s a novel anyone interested in the cyberpunk genre will want to read.
South Korean author Djuna (a pseudonym) has been writing sci-fi for decades, and this is their first book translated into English.
September 18, 2023
Solid 4 stars! Would've made it 5 stars if only the novel is longer cause it's quite interesting! It's an entirely new world that can be a reality few decades from today.
'COUNTERWEIGHT' was written by one of South Korea's acclaimed sci-fi writers, Djuna, and was translated by award winning author Anton Hur. Originally conceived as a low budget science fiction film, 'COUNTERWEIGHT' is giving space opera, neocolonial, cinematic feels.
I guess I love how it uses modern social and scientific concepts. I love how it transitions from an Agatha Christie mystery at some point to a Star Wars episode in another chapter. It's pretty cool that even though it was written 2021 in Korean and then later on published this year in English, it already discusses an inevitable end where we're all fated to disappear into the bowels of an AI (Artificial Intelligence) behemoth. Timely, huh?
Right now listening to Andy William's 'A Summer Place' which was played repeatedly during the last part of the novel. :)
Overall, a fun, enjoyable, quick read that leaves you wanting for more: more from this neoclassical world, and more from Djuna!
A surprising favorite for 2023! :)
'COUNTERWEIGHT' was written by one of South Korea's acclaimed sci-fi writers, Djuna, and was translated by award winning author Anton Hur. Originally conceived as a low budget science fiction film, 'COUNTERWEIGHT' is giving space opera, neocolonial, cinematic feels.
I guess I love how it uses modern social and scientific concepts. I love how it transitions from an Agatha Christie mystery at some point to a Star Wars episode in another chapter. It's pretty cool that even though it was written 2021 in Korean and then later on published this year in English, it already discusses an inevitable end where we're all fated to disappear into the bowels of an AI (Artificial Intelligence) behemoth. Timely, huh?
Right now listening to Andy William's 'A Summer Place' which was played repeatedly during the last part of the novel. :)
Overall, a fun, enjoyable, quick read that leaves you wanting for more: more from this neoclassical world, and more from Djuna!
A surprising favorite for 2023! :)
December 18, 2024
This is a (south) Korean cinematic techno-thriller. The author, Djuna, is both well-known (publishing for 20 years) and secret (their real identity is still hidden). I read it as a part of the monthly reading for October 2024 at Speculative Fiction in Translation group.
It starts relatively usually for such a story: a (initially secret) narrator follows a man, who works at the construction of a space elevator. The location is an island of Patusan (thinly veiled Indonesia), where ‘true power is in the hands of the Korean conglomerate LK which is constructing an elevator into Earth’s orbit. The narrator shadows an ordinary man, who out of the blue decided to join the construction, aced the exams and is currently on site. He soon finds out that the man has neuro-implanted “Worms” in his brain with memories and expertise of a recently deceased head of LK…
Overall, it is too sketchy to my taste
It starts relatively usually for such a story: a (initially secret) narrator follows a man, who works at the construction of a space elevator. The location is an island of Patusan (thinly veiled Indonesia), where ‘true power is in the hands of the Korean conglomerate LK which is constructing an elevator into Earth’s orbit. The narrator shadows an ordinary man, who out of the blue decided to join the construction, aced the exams and is currently on site. He soon finds out that the man has neuro-implanted “Worms” in his brain with memories and expertise of a recently deceased head of LK…
Overall, it is too sketchy to my taste
November 9, 2023
Sometimes you take a gamble on a book just because of the cover. And sometimes that bet unlocks a whole new world for you.
This was my first read by the mysterious anon Djuna & it did not disappoint. Counterweight, like its name suggests is a story that balances on pure centrifugal force. A treatise on the AI future embedded in the glistening shell of a sci-fi thriller with all the twists and turns of an Agatha Christie mystery, despite what the narrator may eschew. A ghost story and a love story that takes subtle stabs at capitalism, soft power & modern imperialism, while also recognizing its own helplessness against constructs that have become too deeply entrenched. And yet Djuna seems to approach this imminent & daunting future and present with a wiry nonchalance, perhaps even urging us to go give in to our own obsolescence, because what does it mean?…
“What did it mean to have briefly been a human body in the long history of these elements that began some hundreds of millions of years ago inside a supernova?”
This was my first read by the mysterious anon Djuna & it did not disappoint. Counterweight, like its name suggests is a story that balances on pure centrifugal force. A treatise on the AI future embedded in the glistening shell of a sci-fi thriller with all the twists and turns of an Agatha Christie mystery, despite what the narrator may eschew. A ghost story and a love story that takes subtle stabs at capitalism, soft power & modern imperialism, while also recognizing its own helplessness against constructs that have become too deeply entrenched. And yet Djuna seems to approach this imminent & daunting future and present with a wiry nonchalance, perhaps even urging us to go give in to our own obsolescence, because what does it mean?…
“What did it mean to have briefly been a human body in the long history of these elements that began some hundreds of millions of years ago inside a supernova?”
August 13, 2023
Compelling action and mystery, but fizzles into a strangely disparate commentary that isn’t fully convincing on AI, capitalism, or humanity. I liked it, and it’s short enough I don’t mind the limited themes, but I was a little underwhelmed. 3.5 stars—good writing, good translation. Suffered from having the last twenty pages basically be a convoluted Wikipedia-type summary of all the intrigue that had been going on, and then dangling its theme very half heartedly as the result of this. But I loved the experience of reading it, so I’m conflicted on how to review it.
May 25, 2024
It's an interesting exploration of colonization, capitalism, and where our relationship with AI can lead to. The narration from the main character's pov felt a little too detached, both from the story and the characters around them. Why it's like that makes sense from the background of that character, but it also made it harder to care about what happens. For such a short book, it took me a while to finish.
Shelved as 'dnf'
August 24, 2023DNF @ 53%
I’m DNFing this for the same reason I should have DNF’d The Memory Police. The space elevator is what intrigued me about the synopsis but, like The Memory Police, we don’t learn anything about it. It looks like this is just going to be about government conspiracies and I’m not in the mood.
I’m DNFing this for the same reason I should have DNF’d The Memory Police. The space elevator is what intrigued me about the synopsis but, like The Memory Police, we don’t learn anything about it. It looks like this is just going to be about government conspiracies and I’m not in the mood.
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