- Paperback: 358 pages
- Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group (31 Dec 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385333765
- ISBN-13: 978-0385333764
- Product Dimensions: 15.2 x 1.9 x 22.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,003,727 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
King Rat
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Product Description
Product Description
The time is World War II. The place is a brutal prison camp deep in Japanese-occupied territory. Here, within the seething mass of humanity, one man, an American corporal, seeks dominance over both captives and captors alike. His weapons are human courage, unblinking understanding of human weaknesses, and total willingness to exploit every opportunity to enlarge his power and corrupt or destroy anyone who stands in his path.
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First Sentence
"I'M GOING TO GET that bloody bastard if I die in the attempt." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
"I'M GOING TO GET that bloody bastard if I die in the attempt." Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I kind of enjoyed Shogun but didn't really enjoy any of the rest of Clavell's novels and nearly didn't bother with this one. However, as soon as I began reading I could not put it down. It is a truly fascinating and thrilling account of life in Changi prisoner of war camp. Everything was very carefully and accurately observed and everything has a strong ring of truth to it. There are really fascinating character studies and a lot of interesting detail combined with a very good narrative. Excellent fodder for the amateur historian. For me, this was such a contrast to the tedious, one-dimensional, misogynistic melodrama of his later works. They say that most writers only have one good book in them -- well -- in my opinion King Rat is Clavell's and I would highly recommend you read it.
Format:Kindle Edition
I have read King Rat a few times over the years and get something different from it everytime I read it. When I read it first as a young teenager I was taken by the way the American POWs were portrayed and wondered how much of the story was likely to be true. In my more recent reading, I was taken by the insight into the humanity through the treatment of the main chracters - perhaps a little over engineered in places but providing a good insight into humanity.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This book i read before long time ago, but i bought the new cover edition and would be reading this soon. Is a fantastic story about this war hero call 'King Rat' how he is so superior over the other soldiers in a POW camp in my country Singapore.
2nd time read - would have to say still a great book. Peter and the King of Changi POW camp are the 2 characters that have gone through much of it all; trading in black market, selling rat meat, and other small business that made them the survivor of the lot in the camp. They are not fighting the japs, but their will to live a proper life towards the end of this war is over. At the end, we part with the King turning to his own lonesome when everyone is going home. He is no more the King but just like them to be back home. Peter would have understand him and had wish the war did not end to part their friendship.
2nd time read - would have to say still a great book. Peter and the King of Changi POW camp are the 2 characters that have gone through much of it all; trading in black market, selling rat meat, and other small business that made them the survivor of the lot in the camp. They are not fighting the japs, but their will to live a proper life towards the end of this war is over. At the end, we part with the King turning to his own lonesome when everyone is going home. He is no more the King but just like them to be back home. Peter would have understand him and had wish the war did not end to part their friendship.
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