The first ever book by Britain's much-missed King of Horror.
It was only when the bones of the first devoured victims were discovered that the true nature and power of these swarming black creatures with their razor sharp teeth and the taste for human blood began to be realized by a panic-stricken city. For millions of years man and rats had been natural enemies. But now for the first time – suddenly, shockingly, horribly – the balance of power had shifted . . .
16 comments
tek-monkey
3 Oct 17#1
Great book, although 10 year old me was quite shocked at the content having previously only read fluke!
JustExhumed to tek-monkey
3 Oct 17#2
Going from Fluke to The Rats is like going from Enid Blyton to James Herbert :laughing: (i did love Fluke though)
tek-monkey to JustExhumed
3 Oct 17#4
Tell me about it. I even got it from a school fete, you'd think the teacher manning the stall would have questioned it! It did unwittingly open my eyes to horror though, a good thing as I've read some great books over the years that I may never have otherwise thought to read.
quidditys_shore to tek-monkey
3 Oct 17#15
11 years old for me when I got it out of the school library! Everyone in our class wanted to read his books for the sex lol
Gazz59 to tek-monkey
7 Oct 17#16
The Rats, Lair & and Domain Eeeek :astonished: between James Herbert & Stephen King I've spent a soddin FORtune on LIGHT bulbs
davewave
3 Oct 17#3
Brilliant book, read it a while ago.
ToastyBuns
3 Oct 17#5
I haven't read this in years! Heat!
NoliCedere
3 Oct 17#6
+1 from me. Scared the bejeezzus out of me when I was younger :joy:
horsepills
3 Oct 17#7
Love this book - short, sharp and brutal! It was written in the 70s so some of the dialogue is a bit "of its time", but what a thrill ride! The action and horror is relentless.
Curlyman83
3 Oct 17#8
Great book. They only get better, too. 'Lair' and 'Domain' are pulse-racing masterpieces!
His greatest achievement has got to be 'The Dark' though. What a book!!
cookied
3 Oct 17#9
If you love reading horror these should not be missed. I'm not a big reader but over the years I've come back to reading these 3 over & over again. 1 more to add to the list is "The Fog" I've got to say James Herbert has one brilliant but twisted mind......
mooglamachuck
3 Oct 17#10
Some of the first horror novels I ever read and I still have my original copies on the bookshelf. I actually got a detention for reading The Rats at school! Heat added. Also, if anyone prefers physical books over digital then The Works have all 3 books in their 3 for £5 range at the moment.
jamgin
3 Oct 17#11
Oh my God. This was scary back in the 70/80s. Would still scare the life out of me now
markda2000
3 Oct 17#12
I remember reading this in school. Loaned it from the school library of all things. Even discussed it with the RE teacher / librarian. Crazy thinking it was something they had in the shelves now.
steve10574
3 Oct 17#13
All his books are brill The Fog is fabulously messed up
MissYDW
3 Oct 17#14
I read all of these at school too lol. I still can't look out of the window at night into the dark.....visions of the window imploding will live with me forever.
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Opening post
It was only when the bones of the first devoured victims were discovered that the true nature and power of these swarming black creatures with their razor sharp teeth and the taste for human blood began to be realized by a panic-stricken city. For millions of years man and rats had been natural enemies. But now for the first time – suddenly, shockingly, horribly – the balance of power had shifted . . .
16 comments
(i did love Fluke though)
His greatest achievement has got to be 'The Dark' though. What a book!!
1 more to add to the list is "The Fog"
I've got to say James Herbert has one brilliant but twisted mind......
Crazy thinking it was something they had in the shelves now.