(New English Library, 1988)First ... we brought you RATS IN THE CITY... now... there are RATS IN THE FOREST!* The second book in the Rats trilogy (read my review of the first one HERE), this novel is set four years after the mass cull of the mutant black rats that caused such terror and carnage in London. Now, a few miles away in Epping Forest, it seems that the survivors of the cull - and their hideous new leader - have bred and multiplied to such an extent that their fear of humans has become secondary to their overwhelming strength in numbers... and their renewed taste for human flesh. Now it's up to Ratkill investigator Lucas Pender to contain the problem, working with the local farmers, conservation workers and the military to find the rats' new lair before they can take over again.
A cracking sequel that I sped through as quickly as the first - I particularly liked the addition of short Jaws 2-esque** insights into the existence of the rats. The only thing that really pissed me off is how spoilerific the cover art is - it gave away the location of the rats' hideout by the time I got a quarter of the way through the book! Anyway, one more ratty horrorfest to go - and I think the final one, Domain, is RATS IN A DYSTOPIAN FUTURE LONDON, which should be interesting!
* To be read in a 'movie trailer voiceover guy' voice. OBVIOUSLY.
** Seriously, Jaws 2 by Hank Searls is a great book. Vastly superior to the movie, from what I gather! He uses the same technique - short sections in italics - to let us into the 'mind' of his female great white shark.
Source: I nabbed this one from the shop shelves just as I was finishing the first book, The Rats.
