Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
The Rats
- The Rats Series, Book 1
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
Buy Now for £12.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
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.
Editor 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.
Critic reviews
"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
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 03-11-13
Very scary!
What did you like most about The Rats?
An exciting story that grips you from the start.
What does David Rintoul bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
He really builds the tension and breaths life into the characters.
If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?
Don't worry, they are only rats!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
8 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John
- 02-01-17
A very good story and can't wait to listen to the
loved it, can't wait for the next book, so colourful a story, and well read.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Hammerman
- 16-02-17
Thoroughly enjoyed.
This was my first audible and i thoroughly enjoyed it. Enjoyed the Narrator, kept me company and made my long walks home more exciting. looking forward to the next one!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sam
- 02-02-18
Read this a hundred times
Great narrator that feeds into the emotion of James Herbert writing, couldn't put it in an and cant wait to listen to the next two books
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Carla
- 06-05-21
Great book
Loved listening to this, the narrator is brilliant. Now about to start the second one 😁
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- ashley weeks
- 03-02-21
fantastic
edge of your seat stuff, a very good listen, used it to get my daily exercise, kept me walking longer
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Joni J Mielke
- 03-04-22
Excellent!
This is no holds barred horror with graphic descriptions, and as such it makes for very grizzly reading at times so I would not say this for everyone. However, if you can stomach the descriptions, a reader will appreciate the excellent writing. As is the case in his other books, there are no flat or truly one dimensional characters in this book. Each person, no matter how minor, has a voice and back story, and this attention to detail raises this gruesome horror to a whole other level of transcendence. An excellent listen overall.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- dean barry cooper
- 09-06-20
herbert at his best
brought back good memories of the trilogy great atmosphere with great scenes especially the school will definitely listen to the next two installments
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kevin Mckinstry
- 06-01-23
This is my favourite book
Actually scary! I read this as a teen and listening as an adult was awesome.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Josh
- 23-11-23
Well performed but the story is nonsense
At first I thought this book rather interesting and quite shocking. However, as it went on it made less and less sense.
Some of the scenes are quite horrific... mainly the completely unnecessary graphically described sex scenes. The book zigzags from rats horrifically killing a newly introduced character back to an awkward sex scene. Which as a format became quite draining.
Some of the ideas behind this book and the way characters actions and feelings are described lead me to believe James is a bit of a numpty. Some concepts can be brushed off as dated but I think the authors personal opinions shine through enough for me to drop this series at book1.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!