King Rat by James Clavell Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of King Rat
Book Review: A fantastic read...
Summary: 5 Stars
Once again James Clavell has exceeded my expectations and written a real gem. The characters and scenery are so richly described that I felt I was in the camp with these unfortunate men. I would encourage anyone to take the time to read this book...and then, go back and read the rest of his novels.Book Review: A good read!
Summary: 3 Stars
I hadn't read anything of Clavell's before "King Rat," so I came to him fresh and with no preconceived notions. I enjoyed this book, but found the ending somewhat unsatisfying.Still, I would recommend "King Rat" for its apparently realistic view of the horrors of a POW camp and the lengths to which the human spirit will go to survive. The main character IS an interesting fellow.
Book Review: A great study of the human psyche
Summary: 5 Stars
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.Book Review: A thrilling read...
Summary: 5 Stars
James Clavell has drawn upon his personal experiences of a WW II POW camp to write this novel. And what a novel it is...I could not put the book down. I highly recommend the exciting adventures of The King and his entourage!Book Review: A very good read
Summary: 4 Stars
After reading Shogun I was hungry for anything written by Clavell and went on to read King Rat (which was also made into a movie that I found to be quite good). Clavell is a master of character development and as this is one of his earliest
(if not earliest) works, one can see the greatness of this author who would go on to write at least one of the best books of our time (Shogun). This book which takes place in a Japanese prison camp located in Singapore Island during WW2 and it centers on one of the few Americans imprisoned among mainly British and Australian prisoners. The American thrives in this harsh environment and manages to possess more than anyone else and has a knack for making money. It is a character study about greed, friendship, war-time relationships and social hierarchy. It's a well written book and an interesting story that is remembered long after the book is read. I highly recommend it and would have given it 4 1/2 stars if allowed.