REVIEW King Rat by James Clavell

King Rat
by James Clavell

This was the first novel I read by James Clavell, and, as such, holds a special appeal to me. While not necessarily my favorite in the Asian Saga - it nevertheless brings back fond memories from high school. In many ways, I believe it contributed to my interest in historical fiction in general, and stories of World War II in particular.

This novel tells the story of a group of American and British P.O.W.s in a Japanese prisoner camp. In particular, three characters are followed: The King is an American corporal, Robin Grey is a British officer, and Peter Marlowe is a younger British officer. Both Grey and Marlowe are minor characters in Noble House. Peter Marlowe, interestingly enough, is based on Clavell himself, who was also a prisoner of war for three years.

A quicker read than most of the novels in the Asian Saga, this is an excellent first book to read to get a feel for Clavell's writing style.