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rosekk's review against another edition
3.0
It was a weird way to end the series, because the feel of the book was entirely different from the first two. In the first two the rats were the central focus of the book, and provided all the horror. In this the nuclear devastation and everything it brought with it overshadowed the rats a little. The main characters were still fairly interesting, although Kate's nature wasn't very clear to me. It was an interesting take on an apocalyptic setting, but I didn't feel like it concluded much about the over all story. We still don't really know what the whole deal with the rats is - why the brains? Why the white mutants? It's not even clear of there's always only ever 1 main white rat, or if there are many. All the knowledge about the rates, developed over the first two books, never really comes to anything. It was still an enjoyable read though - as a stand-alone book I'd have given it 4 stars, but I docked a star for its place in the series.
itcamefromthepage's review against another edition
4.0
James Herbert bring the Rats saga to its end with a BANG...quite literally as this post apocalyptic animal attack book begins with the bombs falling on London.
The bulk of this book is some of the best work in the trilogy, unfortunately the ending gets a little repetitive. At least in Lair the ending had an interesting twist, Domain essentially just recreates the bulk of the ending of the original with a single (and unendingly ridiculous even for a book about giant rats) twist.
The post apocalypse section is truly chef's kiss and I would have loved to read James Herbert expand upon this topic even more.
Herbert almost goes the entire book without being cringe but rest assured he gets some racism in there near the midpoint.
All of this makes this one a bit under Lair which from my recollection dated fairly well.
The bulk of this book is some of the best work in the trilogy, unfortunately the ending gets a little repetitive. At least in Lair the ending had an interesting twist, Domain essentially just recreates the bulk of the ending of the original with a single (and unendingly ridiculous even for a book about giant rats) twist.
The post apocalypse section is truly chef's kiss and I would have loved to read James Herbert expand upon this topic even more.
Herbert almost goes the entire book without being cringe but rest assured he gets some racism in there near the midpoint.
All of this makes this one a bit under Lair which from my recollection dated fairly well.
megapixelmoon's review against another edition
3.0
I have wanted to read The Rats Trilogy for years and when I finally had the opportunity I was not disappointed. It isn't the best horror series but it is a captivating read.
In my opinion the first and second books are the best. The rats in Domain however felt like they were out of place to me. The nuculer holocaust was very well described and I enjoyed reading it, but I can't help but think this would have been better for a separate book, the addition of rats just seemed a bit unessesery to me.
I would have preferred a book which concludes the story, either with humans completely loosing or the rats finally being destroyed for good.
In my opinion the first and second books are the best. The rats in Domain however felt like they were out of place to me. The nuculer holocaust was very well described and I enjoyed reading it, but I can't help but think this would have been better for a separate book, the addition of rats just seemed a bit unessesery to me.
I would have preferred a book which concludes the story, either with humans completely loosing or the rats finally being destroyed for good.
darkstar69's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
fullwom777's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
bundy23's review against another edition
4.0
The book opens at the start of a nuclear attack on London and just gets darker and darker and, somehow, darker still...
Strangely I found this to be both the best of the series and also the least entertaining... The plot's actually really good, the writing is on point, it's just that it's so much more serious than [b: The Rats|397867|The Rats (Rats, #1)|James Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356454885l/397867._SY75_.jpg|2452726] and [b: Lair|397872|Lair (Rats, #2)|James Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348473330l/397872._SY75_.jpg|1422642] which is what lessened the enjoyment factor a little for me. There's still some pretty funny stuff in here though, the dude trapped in his bunker with the neighbours cat is a particular high-point, it's just that after that it all gets very grim...
The one thing I couldn't stop thinking when I was deep into the second half was, "I reckon this would make a great premium TV series if someone threw a heap of cash at it and did it properly."
Strangely I found this to be both the best of the series and also the least entertaining... The plot's actually really good, the writing is on point, it's just that it's so much more serious than [b: The Rats|397867|The Rats (Rats, #1)|James Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356454885l/397867._SY75_.jpg|2452726] and [b: Lair|397872|Lair (Rats, #2)|James Herbert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1348473330l/397872._SY75_.jpg|1422642] which is what lessened the enjoyment factor a little for me. There's still some pretty funny stuff in here though, the dude trapped in his bunker with the neighbours cat is a particular high-point, it's just that after that it all gets very grim...
The one thing I couldn't stop thinking when I was deep into the second half was, "I reckon this would make a great premium TV series if someone threw a heap of cash at it and did it properly."
aoutramafalda's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
mariasbooknook1's review against another edition
4.0
Maybe the most horrifying book, I’ve ever read. For me, it reminds of The Walking Dead kind of feel, just with giant mutant rats instead of zombies. Yikes! However, a good story line and hard to put down.
catsflipped's review against another edition
5.0
I read the first 2 books of this series many years ago and now find myself asking why on earth did I not read Domain at that time. It is hands down the best book by far and having given the first two 5 stars I now wish I had the option to give 6!
Probably because it combines 2 of my favourite genre (chiller and post apocalyptic) I absolutely loved this book.
A nuclear war has started and the few who survived not only have to deal with the risk of radiation but the mutant rats who have been hiding in the sewers realise the world has changed and they no longer have to hide.
Brilliant writing from Herbert will keep you awake long into the night.
Probably because it combines 2 of my favourite genre (chiller and post apocalyptic) I absolutely loved this book.
A nuclear war has started and the few who survived not only have to deal with the risk of radiation but the mutant rats who have been hiding in the sewers realise the world has changed and they no longer have to hide.
Brilliant writing from Herbert will keep you awake long into the night.
gen_wolfhailstorm's review against another edition
3.0
The third, and final book (not including the graphic novel that I'm probably not going to read), concludes the horror that is The Rats. Although I enjoyed the story generally, and the sort of short stories that interconnected with our main character, Culver, I found this to be pretty disappointing when comparing it to the first and second book, and feel like I could have got away with out reading it.
For one thing, I was not at all sure why pretty much every character was acting shocked and oblivious to these rats, when the first events that showed these mutated fiends was only a few years ago... Surely they'd still have that inherent fear and suspicion. I struggled to pause my disbelief at the sheer naivety and stupidity of this situation.
As I've noticed a lot with the works of Mr Herbet that I have read thus far, there were a few strange descriptions (particularly to the over sexualised female body). One weird line "sensuous innocence of his son's", made me incredibly uncomfortable.
Another scene which made me stutter in belief (and I keep mentioning belief because this concept of mutated beasts and world war 3 isn't too far fetched, especially with our current world of hostile relationships and climate change) was how Claire, the Doctor... A professional in that respect, overheard her patients' distressed nightly terrors, surely she wouldn't go out of her way to tell someone... It wasn't something that needed to be shared for safety of anyone and it just seemed so out of order, all for the sake of a possible romance plot. I mean doomsday has happened... there's other things to talk about.
And of course we had yet more dated descriptions regarding race and garrishly descriptive sections on horniess and corpses.... A tint of necrophilic thoughts in a character that was rather disturbing to read.
In regards to descriptions, as I'm on that topic, something about the grotesque detail of this one really tipped me over the edge. The way mutated body parts were described made me feel nauseated and it struck me differently. I think it's cause I had just started my new job and we have degus in, which I couldn't help picturing, but warped, when reading, and it made me sad and sick because they are so sweet! So reading it so gory made me cringe even more because I didn't want to think about these precious babies like that.
This began to feel like the same story told three different ways in each book, and unfortunately this one just didn't live up to its predecessors. It was thicker, promising an exciting expansion of the story I enjoyed, yet it felt over long, repetitive and fell flat. It also had me annoyingly baffled at how naive these people were being to the idea of yet another rat outbreak... like at this point, why wouldn't you fear that this could happen again when it's happened twice already?
Although this review seems to have ripped into this last installment rather heavily, I'd like to leave it on a positive. I did enjoy following this cast of characters, I cared for them when deaths and other attacks occurred and I was interested to see the state of affairs after all that happened. It added a lot to the development of a world war three concept, but the rats portion wasn't as big of a theme and driving point as in previous books even though it did seem a logical, if not convienent, addition in the effects of an act of war and the end of civilisation.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén
For one thing, I was not at all sure why pretty much every character was acting shocked and oblivious to these rats, when the first events that showed these mutated fiends was only a few years ago... Surely they'd still have that inherent fear and suspicion. I struggled to pause my disbelief at the sheer naivety and stupidity of this situation.
As I've noticed a lot with the works of Mr Herbet that I have read thus far, there were a few strange descriptions (particularly to the over sexualised female body). One weird line "sensuous innocence of his son's", made me incredibly uncomfortable.
Another scene which made me stutter in belief (and I keep mentioning belief because this concept of mutated beasts and world war 3 isn't too far fetched, especially with our current world of hostile relationships and climate change) was how Claire, the Doctor... A professional in that respect, overheard her patients' distressed nightly terrors, surely she wouldn't go out of her way to tell someone... It wasn't something that needed to be shared for safety of anyone and it just seemed so out of order, all for the sake of a possible romance plot. I mean doomsday has happened... there's other things to talk about.
And of course we had yet more dated descriptions regarding race and garrishly descriptive sections on horniess and corpses.... A tint of necrophilic thoughts in a character that was rather disturbing to read.
In regards to descriptions, as I'm on that topic, something about the grotesque detail of this one really tipped me over the edge. The way mutated body parts were described made me feel nauseated and it struck me differently. I think it's cause I had just started my new job and we have degus in, which I couldn't help picturing, but warped, when reading, and it made me sad and sick because they are so sweet! So reading it so gory made me cringe even more because I didn't want to think about these precious babies like that.
This began to feel like the same story told three different ways in each book, and unfortunately this one just didn't live up to its predecessors. It was thicker, promising an exciting expansion of the story I enjoyed, yet it felt over long, repetitive and fell flat. It also had me annoyingly baffled at how naive these people were being to the idea of yet another rat outbreak... like at this point, why wouldn't you fear that this could happen again when it's happened twice already?
Although this review seems to have ripped into this last installment rather heavily, I'd like to leave it on a positive. I did enjoy following this cast of characters, I cared for them when deaths and other attacks occurred and I was interested to see the state of affairs after all that happened. It added a lot to the development of a world war three concept, but the rats portion wasn't as big of a theme and driving point as in previous books even though it did seem a logical, if not convienent, addition in the effects of an act of war and the end of civilisation.
Pick it up, give it a go and enjoy! >(^_^)<
Gén