The Martyred (Penguin Classics)

During the early weeks of the Korean War, Captain Lee, a young South Korean officer, is ordered to investigate the kidnapping and mass murder of North Korean ministers by Communist forces. For propaganda purposes, the priests are declared martyrs, but - as he delves into the crime - Lee finds himself asking: What if they were not martyrs? What if they renounced their faith in the face of death, failing both God and country? Should the people be fed this lie?

Part thriller, part existential treatise, The Martyred was published to universal acclaim and became a National Book finalist, earning debut author Richard E. Kim comparisons to Fyodor Dostoevsky and Albert Camus.