King Rat

[j. d. worthington]

Just came across this particular discussion. I've been marginally aware of Mieville for some time (I worked for a while in a science-fiction/fantasy/mys-tery bookshop), but most of the feedback I heard was rather ambivalent, and I was pretty snowed under (still am) with a backlog of reading material, so I've passed it by. After this, however, I think I'm going to have to look up this gentleman's work and give it a whirl. I'd had some suggestions from people here, but hadn't yet made up my mind -- now I think I have. Thanks for the heads-up!

[Space Elf]

You can't go wrong with King Rat, seriously, it's great stuff.

[j. d. worthington]

Hmmm. After the previous post, I may want to rethink this.....

I just finished reading the novel this evening, and I can't say that I thought it was as good as I'd expected; for one thing, in the earlier (and some later) parts of the novel, the descriptions, especially of movement with King Rat and Saul, were done in such a way that I simply had trouble visualizing some of it -- other times they were quite brilliantly done. Also, I simply had trouble with the way the premise was handled at times; I suppose the concepts, with their fairy-tale elements (especially things like Loplop being able, more or less, to fly for certain distances) jarred for me with the very modern urban and realistic background; and I found myself being jarred out of the book at such times.

That said, as a first novel it really is an amazing piece of work; very imaginative, and with very colorful characters and -- contrary to some comments I've seen -- I rather thought the ending worked quite well; it kept up a certain irony without damaging the bizarrerie of the whole. There are also some excellent passages of writing, as well; the opening pages of the second section, especially those describing Natasha's work with her mixes, is very well done, for one thing; and I was quite struck by the phrasing of the line (later in the book): "Saul and King Rat moved like liminal figures, hovering between evolutionary strata, bestial and knowing." That final phrase really pulled me up short and -- to me -- gave worlds of insight into the world of King Rat himself.

So, while overall I was a little disappointed -- too high expectations, I think -- nonetheless I found it a good read; but from the story collection I've read earlier, I'd say he's certainly grown since this. I look forward to the others, when I have a chance.

Thanks for all who suggested this and gave feedback.

[AryaUnderfoot]

I just finished "King Rat" the other night and found it to be quite good. As with "The Scar," I couldn't really find myself liking any of the characters, although some of them struck me as very cool.
I guess the only thing I really had trouble with was deciding whether or not King Rat, Anansi, and Loplop were human or not. Are they just humans with characteristics of the animals they represent, or are they demi-gods of a sort?
I found the drum 'n' bass segments to be a bit overwhelming at times, but then again it lent a sense of realism. If he'd just brushed over the scene it would have felt much more contrived.
To sum it up, I'll definitely be recommending this book to other readers.

[Nesacat]

I just finished King Rat this morning and I've mixed feelings about the tale. I've always had a fondness for the tale of the Piper.

The descriptions of London's underbelly was amazing and very vivid. I could see myself slipping through the alleys and walking across the rooftops. The description of the food they ate from the garbage bins and the slow change in Saul as he discovers himself and comes into his own was very well done.

The same with the description of King Rat himself. I could actually see him standing in the shadows of my room with his blurred outlines and dirt-encrusted clothes and to a large extent I greatly sympathised with him though I found myself hating the way in which he went about trying to regain his kingdom. But it did ring true especially in this day and age perhaps and was all the more hard-hitting and believable for that.

The characters of Loplop and Anansi were not as well utilised or developed and could have effectively been removed I thought along with some of the text which seemed superfluous and took away from the gritty, edgy feel of the story.

Aside from the descriptions I liked the way he used music and the fact that in the end there is a realisation that a person is not merely the sum of two parts, so Saul was not merely the combination of a human and a rat. he was his own person and therefore unique and more than just 1+1.

[Sathai]

This was the first book I've read Mieville. I thought it was an interesting read. I especially liked his twist on the Pied Piper of Hamelin tale.

[andrew.v.spencer]

I read this recently.

I think it demonstrated his future brilliance, particularly around evocative description. In parts it's astonishing and reveals the linkage to Gormenghast, especially with the roof top descriptions.

But at times it was awfully juvenile, so much so that I almost put it down. The sixth form pseudo NME adoration of drum and bass, (ooh it's soo important), infuriated me and completely threw me out of the story. It read like an eloquent teen's fanzine.

I struggled with Saul's blase acceptance of his new ratty life. As for his friends, they couldn't die quickly enough for me.

I liked the King Rat Saul encounters and could have done with more of that. But I struggled with the motivation of the Piper, what was his aim, why? The revenge explanation didn't cut it for me.

So brilliant in parts all breathy wide eyed enthusiasm in others.

[ravenus]

For what it's worth Ravenus' opinion on King Rat here