First novel (released 1962) by author James Clavell and fourth in the timeline of The Asian Saga.

King Rat takes place in the notorious, Japanese controlled Changi prison POW camp located in Singapore late in the second world war. The story revolves around a group of yanks, limeys, and aussies, struggling to survive in a truly harsh environment. Fear, hunger, hopelessness, and death surround them. It's an observation of a person's ability to evolve and change with his environment, no matter how bad it may be.

A little known fact about James Clavell is that he himself was in this POW camp for several years. The road prison in the story did exist. Statistically, only one man in 15 survived their stay. This makes the novel all the more horrifying, and (sadly) interesting.

The title to King Rat is more apt and appropriate than that of any other book that I've read. Behind Shogun, this is his best novel.

Not to be confused with a Rat King (which is a tail-tangled mess of regular rats), the King Rat is the titular head of the British charitable organisation Grand Order of Water Rats. Generally, they are people who are pretty well-known to the public - past King Rats include such worthies as:

• Bert Weedon
• Paul Daniels
• Danny La Rue
• Roy Hudd
• John Inman

It's a shame that in this enlightened age, there are no women in this list. This is because entry to the Water Rats is limited to long-standing male members of the entertainment business. I long for the first Queen Rat, but in the meantime as a good recorder, I pass on the only other piece of information available; they are elected for a period of one year, although they can be elected for another term.

---

It is also worth noting that James Clavell's novel was filmed in 1965 by Bryan Forbes, and starred:

• George Segal
• James Fox
• Denholm Elliott
• Leonard Rossiter
• John Mills