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Cover of King Rat by James Clavell

King Rat

  • 391 pages · about 7 hours
  • First published 1962
  • 49 editions

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1 About this book

The time is World War II. The place is a brutal prison camp deep in Japanese-occupied territory. Here, within the seething mass of humanity, one man, an American corporal, seeks dominance over both captives and captors alike. His weapons are human courage, unblinking understanding of human weaknesses, and total willingness to exploit every opportunity to enlarge his power and corrupt or destroy anyone who stands in his path.

Good for readers who want: historical fiction and science fiction.

  • Historical fiction
  • Japanese Prisoners and prisons
  • Prisoners and prisons
  • Science fiction
  • Prisoners of war
  • Soldiers
  • War stories
  • World War II

2 About James Clavell

1924–1994

James Clavell (born Charles Edmund Dumaresq Clavell; October 10, 1924 – September 6, 1994) was an Australian-born British author, screenwriter, and director, best known for his Asian Saga consisting of 6 novels, including the critically acclaimed Shōgun (1975). This epic historical novel, inspired by the story of English navigator William Adams, explores cultural clashes and survival in feudal Japan.

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