Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8187 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04-23
• Binding: Paperback
• 197 pages

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

My first Herbert novel
And I would recommend it. Gorier than anything else I have read, but it has its genre place even if I won't be making it my sole or main type of book to read.

It is also important to put it into the context of being written in 1974 and in some places it shows that it is over 34 years old, but bearing this in mind it makes it tolerable. Look how Jaws has aged. Also at only 200 pages it is a short easy read that you can finish in a couple of days and won't be trying to wade through weeks later.

A good tale
I read this after my friend read the series and told me she was too scared to go to the loo anymore! Not since Stephen King's Dreamcatcher has there been a book to have an affect on me from a horror point of view. So out I went and bought The Rats. I was unable to put it down as it was very easy to get into and easier to read. Although it was written in the seventies, I didn't find it too dated either which was good.

It tells the story of giant mutant rats over running the city of London. They have aquired a taste for human flesh and also carry a deadly disease, so that if you manage to survive an attack you will die within 24 hours from the bite. There are some good characters here too, my favourite being that of the 'hero' teacher Harris. Just an ordinary bloke who stands up for the fight without much thought for his own safety.

The origins of the rats are explained, but left me wanting to know more about the massive white rat in the cellar at the climax. Hopefully I'll find out more when I read Lair. This book was good enough for me to want to read the follow up titles in the series. All in all this is a good tale but it didn't have me afraid to use the facilities or give me bad dreams. (I think I'll stick with my beloved King for that!)

Iconic
Did you ever see the episode of "Friends" where Joey kept his copy of "The Shining" in the freezer because it scared him to have it lying around?

Well that's how I feel about The Rats.

I read this at age 13 and ever since, whenever i see it on my parents bookshelf I shiver.

It is an iconic book which captures 1970's Britain in all its hideous glory.

The gore is truely horrific, the death of a tiny baby eaten alive haunts me to this day. I cant actually bring myself to read it again it scared me so much!

I cant believe this is the same man who wrote "Fluke".

Without a doubt, The Rats is a book everyone should read at least once in their lives.