• The Rats

  • The Rats Series, Book 1
  • By: James Herbert
  • Narrated by: David Rintoul
  • Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (161 ratings)

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The Rats  By  cover art

The Rats

By: James Herbert
Narrated by: David Rintoul
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Editorial reviews

Veteran actor David Rintoul delivers a superb performance of best-selling British author James Herbert’s The Rats, the first book in the classic The Rats series. His rich voice and charismatic delivery heighten the exciting nature of this audiobook. London comes under attack and a state of emergency is declared. The problem? Rats. Swift, terrifying rodents wreaking havoc in the big city. No one is safe. As the death toll rises, it appears that evacuation may be the only option left - that or war.

Publisher's summary

Book One in Herbert’s classic ‘rats’ series.

The terror begins. London is struck by an invasion. Women, children, old and young, none are safe from the deadly menace. The attacks are swift and sure, escape is impossible. A state of emergency is declared. Evacuation seems the only solution in the face of a growing panic and mounting death toll. War is declared on the public enemy number one. The Rats!

James Herbert was one of Britain’s greatest popular novelists and our #1 best-selling writer of chiller fiction. Widely imitated and hugely influential, he wrote 23 novels which have collectively sold over 54 million copies worldwide and been translated into 34 languages.

Born in London in the forties, James Herbert was art director of an advertising agency before turning to writing fiction in 1975. His first novel, The Rats, was an instant bestseller and is now recognised as a classic of popular contemporary fiction.

Herbert went on to publish a new top ten best-seller every year until 1988. He wrote six more bestselling novels in the 1990s and three more since: Once, Nobody True and The Secret of Crickley Hall.

Herbert died in March 2013 at the age of 69.

©1974 James Herbert (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

“Herbert was by no means literary, but his work had a raw urgency. His best novels, The Rats and The Fog, had the effect of Mike Tyson in his championship days: no finesse, all crude power. Those books were best sellers because many readers (including me) were too horrified to put them down.” (Stephen King)
"There are few things I would like to do less than lie under a cloudy night sky while someone read aloud the more vivid passages of Moon. In the thriller genre, do recommendations come any higher?" (Andrew Postman, The New York Times Book Review)
"Herbert goes out in a blaze of glory" ( Daily Mail)

What listeners say about The Rats

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

THE VERMIN RIVER

SHUN HIS TORCH DOWN THE STAIRWAY
This is British, but not overly British. He does use the often never used word in London, THE, even in the title. The Brits do not go to The University or The Hospital, the just go to University or Hospital, if it fits in their sedule, that is.

I was expecting to not like this and I ended up loving it. I had read Haunted and thought it too slow. This started fast, right out of the gate. The action is fairly constant. I would have liked to have had more mad scientist stuff, but it fits well with the writing of the time. Most of the action is unique and will keep your interest. plus you have the added sometimes comical, keep an upper lip and don't get rattled. I say old boy, I see no reason to get upset, (as a horde of rats are breaking down the door.) Those reviewers that you use the training wheels that audible has, are often asked, Would You Listen to This in One sitting. I did listen in one day. The only problem was around lunch. There are plenty of scenes with half eaten corpses and rats are just creepy doing nothing, much less eating people. Maybe, not real gory compared to what Killborn (Konrath) writes, but for the time it had to be fairly shocking. I was also shocked by the amount of sex in it. It is obvious that Stephen King was inspired by Herbert's writing.

It is not perfect, in the middle around chapter 9 and 10, I was thinking not another rat attack, but after that, he has some rat attacks that were worth exploring, I know I will think twice before going to a theatre again.

I am looking forward to book 2, Liar.

Narrator does a great job.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Who Will Survive?...The Rats!

What did you love best about The Rats?

The story captures the mood and feel of London and its suburbs about 30 years ago. A bit dated but as much as you would think. The story is actually pretty well written with realistic characters. Not overly gory but no one is safe. I will definitely get Parts 2 and 3.

Have you listened to any of David Rintoul’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm not sure but he does a a good job narrating The Rats so I am sure he did a fine job on other books.

If you could take any character from The Rats out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Considering that many of the characters ended up AS dinner I wouldn't want to say.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

You're right there running from the rats!

If you could sum up The Rats in three words, what would they be?

Worst nightmare ever!

What other book might you compare The Rats to and why?

The closest book I have is,"The Colony" by A.J. Colucci because its another when nature goes wrong book!

Which character – as performed by David Rintoul – was your favorite?

I found the main character extremely brave and very capable! If I were in that situation I would have wanted him keeping me safe!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Mostly I just cringed!

Any additional comments?

I'm in the process of listening to it now and all I can say is if I'm ever in charge of telling a campfire story I'm bringing this! (I'll get permission first!)

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Outstanding!

Terror!
Sex!
Death!
This story has it all!
Fantastic writing!
Outstanding narrative!
Thank you Gentlemen!

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Rats! Disgusting! Vile! RAAAATS!!!

RATS is one of James Herbert’s most famous ( or infamous? ) horror novels.
It like a 1970’s 'Exploitation Movie'. It luxuriates in all its excessive drinking, smoking, overly abundant sex, and strange depictions of silly-brained 1970's women.
But, mostly, it all about the really delicious... ( oops, I mean dreadful ) ...uber- violence.
All the unnecessary details of some very explicit '70's drive in ...GORE!
Yes, it’s so freaky-'70’s you feel "Karl Kolchak • The Night Stalker" will make a cameo appearance... ('cept for its dank n' dreary London location. )
However, it's far more GROSS than any '70's television show could be. This is 'pre-splatter-punk', right up there with "The Wizard of Gore" kinda' imagery from the Drive-In of yesteryear.
SEE ~ the gross description of the mutant rat attacks, an' the horrible disease they infect their victims with!
SEE ~ It's detailed gory violence when the distorted vermin tearin' apart their human prey!
SEE ~ Most of all, it’s oh so disgusting lurid passages describing the revolting, breathless, fumbles & sweaty rutting that humans do in their unpleasant hormone driven reproductive obsession called... (yuck) sex.

It's all lovingly brought to you with that hip-Hollywood "Never-enough" style of story-telling that ROB ZOMBIE is the king of.
So, put on a your 'old WHITE ZOMBIE tunes, click on the audio book, an' tremble with pleasure as the Rats, the Vile Disgusting RAAAATS come to get...everyone!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A life changing book of my youth

What did you love best about The Rats?

I read this book when I was 12 and it blew me away. It made me a lifelong fan of James Herbert. Some 35yrs later the book is still solid, somewhat of an unusual story structure but still an enjoyable read. Thanks for all the stories, Jim.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

boring, what a disappointment

What a waste of time & credit. It really had potential too. The author spends WAY too much time on developing secondary characters that all die. Why bother. Slow, no horror here. Next...................

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Well plotted thrill ride

This book is one I should have read years ago. When it first came out almost everyone I knew read it and had nothing to say but good things to say about it. Well, I finally got around to reading it, and it was as good as advertised. Written at a time when most horror novels involved a monstrous Demon like villain this book takes a different slant using a new breed of man eating rats that infest London. The book moves at a brisk pace and is full of action and gory scenes with a satisfyingly ending. Add in an everyman hero and plausible situations it's no wonder this book is now considered a classic in the genre. However was not as impressed with the narration. It was over dramatic in some instances and the characterisation was uneven. Also the book did suffer from too many backstroke that affected the pace. I would also have liked the demon rats to feature more prominently. But this still a great book and a was an excellent ride.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Rats... powerful in numbers & resilient.

It was a gripping read throughout & there was never a dull moment. The writer captivates your mind with his words and the best choice made for the narrator who does justice to the writer's vision.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Food of the Gods Vibe

This book had me enthralled from start to finish and some rather interesting cast of characters. The fact that the rats aren't just giant monster, but more overgrown animals is a nice touch even with the basis of how they came about. The reason they do what they do in away is also interesting. Heck this is a story that does not hold back which I enjoyed as much as the setting it was thrown into and the way the narrator brought it to life.

This is a creature feature worth owning especially if your more into the animal vs mankind genre. I went from this book straight through the next and right into the third before taking a break. Trust me it is a rather riveting adventure indeed. More than I bargained for when I picked it up myself.

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