As fictional as the events in this novel are, we have a genetic memory of sorts as regards to rats that just make us know that something like this was possible and could be possible again. So I am massively thankful that Herbert handled this one so well.īecause the main ‘villains’ are rats and they have such a dark history with our species (they will never truly live down the hatred from the days of the Black Death) it was easy to get a sense of dread as the story unfolded.

This, I felt was lacking in ‘The Dark’ which just felt like a jumble of short story pieces hobnailed together with a slender thread of main story. I was pleasantly surprised that, although Herbert uses the same format that I hated with ‘The Dark’, he does it in such a way that it feels like each of the small, isolated scenes feel like a solid part of the main narrative. It was a format I hated in ‘The Dark’ and I just felt the six hours of this audio book were going feel like they dragged on for sixty. Upon starting it, I inwardly groaned at the fact that the ‘short scene featuring the death of everyone involved followed by a main character reacting to each scene later on’ filled me with dread. I had heard great things about this book, and the series in general so, when I saw it for sale as part of the Audible Daily Deal I leapt at the chance to buy. Purchase: Audible UK, Audible US, Amazon UK, Amazon US War is declared on the public enemy number one.

Evacuation seems the only solution in the face of a growing panic and mounting death toll. The attacks are swift and sure, escape is impossible. Women, children, old and young, none are safe from the deadly menace. Book One in Herbert’s classic “rats” series.

The Rats by James Herbert