Is King Rat a good book?

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.

What is the book King Rat about?

King Rat is a 1962 novel by James Clavell and the author’s literary debut. Set during World War II, the novel describes the struggle for survival of American, Australian, British, Dutch and New Zealander prisoners of war in a Japanese camp in Singapore.

Is King Rat a true story?

Unlike most P.O.W. films, King Rat is not about escape. Rather it is a “based-on-actual events” dissection of the class hierarchies established between the American, Australian, and British officers who were held captive by the Japanese during the latter years of WWII.

Who wrote the novel King Rat?

James Clavell
King Rat/Authors

Where was King Rat filmed?

Due to the cast, director and setting, this is often assumed to be a British movie, but it was entirely filmed in California.

Is there a sequel to Shogun?

Tai-Pan
Shōgun/Followed by

Can I read Shogun first?

Shogun was my first and has always been my favourite. If you read that, this is actually the first of the series, so you’re not missing anything. The next 4 are all related, but I’ve only read the first two.

What year was the movie King Rat made?

1965
King Rat/Initial release

In the engrossing, cynical, and well acted war drama King Rat (1965), George Segal plays Cpl. King, an American held captive in a WWII Japanese-run prison camp along with 10,000 other American, British and Australian POWs.

Was King Rat made into a movie?

King Rat is a 1965 American war film written and directed by Bryan Forbes and starring George Segal and James Fox.

Is King Rat worth the read?

This was Clavell’s first novel, and it shows a little bit. A step or two below ‘Shogun’ and ‘Taipan’, but that’s an awfully high bar to set. Loosely based off of Clavell’s personal experiences in Changi POW camp during WWII, ‘King Rat’ is slower paced than you might expect. Nevertheless, it is entertaining with solid character development.

Is Clavell’s King Rat based on a true story?

The beginning of Clavell’s truly epic series of culture clash novels is a curiously autobiographical book. King Rat takes us to Changi, a Japanese prison camp during World War 2, where British and American soldiers are held in dire conditions.

Who is King Rat?

King Rat is a clash of personalities, a display of cynicism, lack of scruples and ability to adjust to any situation in the camp. But also an extraordinary courage, solidarity and commitment.

Is Peter Marlowe in King Rat a true story?

The sub-story is that the Peter Marlowe character in KING RAT is a fictionalized version of James Clavell and that the Corporal King character is a fictionalized version of the buddy in the Japanese camp who actually saved Clavell’s life.