Customer Reviews:

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

A Glorious Acheivement:

This is the only only book that written that in my opinion supplants Clavell's own Shogun as perhaps the best historical novel ever written.

Partly autobiographical, King Rat recounts the story of Phillip Marlowe, a character no doubt based on Clavell himself, and his years spent in the notorious Singapore POW camp known as Changi during WW2.

What is so stunning about this novel, is that perhaps because of the very real life experiences that forged its narrative, it becomes more than mere words on... more info

This book really makes you think!:

Of all Clavell's books, this has always been my favorite. I will not deny that Clavell tends to use the same story and characters in every novel (compare shogun with tai-pan and noble house). I love all his books (even gai-jin which few seem to enjoy), but King Rat is the best. It really makes you think about human nature, and what's really important in life. All these people grew up in a certain lifestyle, and suddenly and thrown together in a POW camp, and under brutal circumstances. I have done research... more info

A great study of the human psyche:

Circa 1962 Clavell astounds the reader with his insight to the human condition. From the beginning until the end, King Rat never ceases to surprise and evoke the dark humor concurrent withthe grim reality of terrible circumstances. I remember seeing this book in countless rucks during Viet Nam, read and re-read, taped together, dog eared and in heavily stressed condition then, passed along.

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