King Rat by James Clavell Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of King Rat
Book Review: A Glorious Acheivement
Summary: 5 Stars
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 paper, it becomes a very real world where the old class lines are broken down as officers and enlisted men sleep in the same mud huts, where getting an egg in your rice for dinner constitutes a great day, a transvestite becomes the sexual icon of the whole camp and the very concept of traditional ethics and morals are challenged.
What makes this novel so very magical is that the depth with which the characters and their respective personalities and fates resonate with the readers, their laughter becomes your laughter, their sorrow becomes your sorrow, their joy becomes your joy, very rarely is a novel simultaneously able to so superbly entertain and make you affect your outlook on life, after the end of this short novel you will feel as if you have emerged from three years in a Singapore prison camp, and like the men in this novel, you will never be the same again.
Book Review: A Gripping Read!
Summary: 5 Stars
This book, like all of Clavell's historical fiction, pulled me in within the first five pages. The gripping story of life within a WW2 POW camp is disturbing, enlightening and dramatic all at once. The story centers around two characters and their reactions to the horror around them. As we get deeper into their lives we begin to get a picture of why life is worth living and the way that it should be lived. The ending of the book is much more telling than the end of most of Clavell's books and does a fine job of summarizing the book's overall purpose. By far, this is the best book that I have ever read by Clavell.Book Review: A MUST READ! My favorite novel!
Summary: 5 Stars
I read this novel for an oral presentation in my 10th grade honors english class. This was such a good book, in fact, that I produced a 15 minute presentation and earned a grade of an A+ from a teacher that has NEVER given an A+ in 30 years of teaching.In his shortest Novel of the Asian series, Clavell fills every page with meaning. His contant references back to Christ build his every aspect of the setting. The last two pages of this novel are the best two pages of literature that I have ever seen in my 16 years on this earth. I have read and re-read them over 100 times (honest!). I recommend this book to all audiences, but especially to those who want a book with heavy information.
"And Adam ruled, for he was the King. Until the day his will to be King deserted him. Then he died, food for a stronger. And the strongest 'was always the King, not by strength alone, but King by cunning and luck and strength together. Among the rats" (352).
Book Review: A chilling look at human nature
Summary: 4 Stars
King Rat is set in a Japanese prisoner camp in World War II. Most of the novel deals with the interactions among the prisoners (who are British, Australian, American, etc.) and between the prisoners and the guards. The main theme is whether or not each prisoner is morally required to help the other prisoners, or whether in this setting it's "every man for himself". The main character is someone who took every possible advantage for himself at the expense of the other prisoners. He becomes the most powerful force in the camp, but he has to sacrifice his humanity to do so. I found this book to be well written and thought provoking; I would recommend it to anyone but especially to anyone contemplating military service.Book Review: A deeply honest, revealing examination of humanity.
Summary: 5 Stars
King Rat is Clavell's best work. The story is engrossing, with an intriguing plot and beautifully worded prose. Readers may be so amazed at this fact that they ignore the larger genius inside the work -- a study of human suffering, survival, competition, ethics, and beliefs. Fears, petty hatreds, pleasures, religious convictions, and the constraint of social rules are all subjected to a scrutiny which turns one's views upside down. The wisdom that Mr. Clavell gained out of his experience at Changi during the war is expressed perfectly in this "fictional" account of life at that prison camp; the commentary on humanity seen in all of his other books in the Asian Saga are first seen here. Quite simply, a MUST READ!!!