Product Description

For millions of years man and rats had been natural enemies. But now for the first time - suddenly, shockingly, horribly - the balance of power had shifted and the rats began to prey on the human population.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46092 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 197 pages

Customer Reviews

The beginning of splatter punk horror novels! A Classic!!!
Here we have Herbert's first novel, The Rats, which became the founder of the splatter punk horror genre. Herbert introduced the world to extreme splatter gore and unashamed violence in a style that has produced so many followers. With this one novel alone he has created a whole new aspect to horror novels that will later be saturated by influenced up and coming authors such as Shaun Hutson. But Herbert is the true master of the splatter punk novels. And this novel set it all off!

The Rats brings us a concoction of blood soaking gore, uncomplicated sex and a narrative that races through the pages with non-stop gore fuelled violence and horror. The novel involves giant rats that have acquired a keen taste for human flesh, who terrorize London with their rampage of slaughter. There are times in the novel where you know what's coming next, and the suspense of the inevitable slaughter is killing you (try using the underground in London with hungry dog sized rats on the loose). This book is nothing short of a classic, which you will not be disappointed in.

Out of the Herbert's work I place this novel within the top three. Once you've read it, there's also the sequel "Lair" to read which is controversially an even more gut churning, gore packed rollercoaster of a ride. Then there's "Domain" which is the third installment, which I feel Herbert let the idea come off the boil a little. Then lastly, there's "The City", which is a graphic novel type of thing, which is a bit of fun, but that's about it! And that's your lot to date for Herbert's Rats series.

Be sure to check out some of his other work such as The Fog, The Survivor, Fluke, '48 and Sepulchre. Enjoy!

Sign of the times
This is a seventies horror, and is very much a book of that time. I originally read this in my teens in the late eighties and didn't fully appreciate much other than the gory deaths and sex scenes.
Rereading it more recently I really enjoyed for other reasons, although it does the gory death ever so well.
You can tell James herbert is a londoner and very much loves the city. Also reading it now it seemed like a period peice, with schlock horror thrown in for good measure.
It isn't a masterpeice, it is pulp horror at it's finest.

An excellent debut
Looking at any plot synopsis of the Rats would convince you that itshouldn't work - giant mutant rats that attack London sounds like a bad1950's sci-fi B-Movie (they're even created by nuclear testing for god'ssake!) but amazingly Herbert manages to make this fairly corny premisework. The key is probably speed - this is a ferociously fast paced book,and you barely have time to question the logic of what's going on beforethe next rat attack kicks in.
Be sure that there are no great plot twists or surprises here, and thecharacters are sketched only thickly enough to be believable, but for afast-paced action packed horror novel James Herbert's debut is hugelyenjoyable. A promising start to an author who would go onwards andupwards.