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  • King Rat

  • The Asian Saga, Book 4
  • By: James Clavell
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 15 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (86 ratings)

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King Rat

By: James Clavell
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's Summary

The epic novel of war, savagery, and survival in a Japanese POW camp by the #1 New York Times bestselling author and unparalleled master of historical fiction, James Clavell

Japanese POW camp Changi, Singapore: hell on earth for the soldiers contained within its barbed wire walls. Officers and enlisted men, all prisoners together, yet the old hierarchies and rivalries survive. An American corporal, known as the King, has used his personality and wiles to facilitate trading with guards and locals to get needed food, supplies, even information into the camp. The imprisoned upper-class officers have never had to do things for themselves, and now they are reduced to wearing rags while the King’s clean shirt, gained through guts and moxie, seems like luxury in comparison. In the camp, everything has its price and everything is for sale. But trading is illegal—and the King has made a formidable enemy. Robin Grey, the provost marshal, hates the King and all he represents. Grey, though he grew up modestly, fervently believes in the British class system: everyone should know their place, and he knows the King’s place is at the bottom.

The King does have a friend in Peter Marlowe, who, though wary of the King and himself a product of the British system, finds himself drawn to the charismatic man who just might be the only one who can save them from both the inhumanity of the prison camp but also from themselves. Powerful and engrossing, King Rat artfully weaves the author’s own World War II prison camp experiences into a compelling narrative of survival amidst the grim realities of war and what men can do when pushed to the edge. A taut masterwork of World War II historical fiction by bestselling author James Clavell.

©2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc. (P)2015 Blackstone Audio

What listeners say about King Rat

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King Rat, a Masterpiece

Firstly Felicitations to both Clavell & Vance, both exceptional artists and craftsmen.
King Rat 🐀 took me inside a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp , also inside many 2nd World War POW Camps. This work has allowed a unique vantage , no amount of research into this war has been able to give me. Both poignant and compelling, it took a certain girdling of the loins to get through certain parts; all the while my own Dear departed Father who died much to young as a direct result of 4 years as a POW, walked beside me. I now understand him just that little bit more. ThankYou Mr Clavell ✨🙏🏼✨

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Another incredible piece

Clavell is a literary genius. Whilst not my favourite of the series, it’s still an amazing story and compels me to want to read the next.

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Wonderful

Excellent story, very well read. Definitely recommend this story to people who enjoyed other James Clavell stories.

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not as good as first three

first three books in Asian saga were better. this one I found a bit lacking but it was still worthwhile

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An epic tale of survival

A truly epic tale of survival of the human spirit against all odds and a system designed to systematise despair. Clavell’s ability to describe human interactions, and the motivations that underpin these, is uncanny!

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Real Australian accents in context

His best novel . He was in Changi though he was careful to say the characters are amalgams of other people.

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King Rat: the best Clavell novel.

Sat up last night listening to the last 5 hours. A horrific tale, unfortunately true. Mans inhumanity to man shows through streaked with human misery and compassion. In 2018 we don’t understand the significance of the book. I am not sure I will be able to sleep tonight.

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Superb

A superb rendition of a great story. What's more to be said? Highly recommended, listen to it!

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Great tale.

I really liked the Ralph Lister readings of Shogun and Tai Pan, and I was a bit dubious about changing narrator but this is a great reading of a great novel. Just give it a go, you can also return it!

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one of my all-time favorites

the narration was epic as was the story which I have not heard for many many years much I had forgotten and very glad to remember loved it

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