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RATS
2015 Finalist International Book Awards - Fiction: Thriller/Adventure
2015 Finalist Beverly Hills Book Awards - Political Thriller
2015 International Rubery Book Awards - Fiction Short List
A masterfully crafted, intense, wild ride from Alaska to Washington to Vietnam with imagery and dialog that have the reader riveted to the page for the entire thrilling adventure.
Summer greets the land of the midnight sun as a lone rider races across the last American wilderness, delivering on a promise he made long ago. He has many names, but the world only knows a shadow called the Demon. Soon to be drawn into the Demon's world, Claire Ferreti, an Army sniper, sips sake in Washington, DC with her lover, a young, ambitious General whose geosecurity specialty remains classified. When a boy finds a small machine, Claire embarks on a a black-ops mission that leads to a test of skill, a clash of ideologies, and her unconscious body lying in a typhoon-ravaged jungle. In that instant she becomes the hunted, the Demon's tool for survival, and an unforeseen threat. As the General pursues them into a labyrinth of cyber-secrets, political necessity and financial reality collide like a fireball piercing steel.
RATS, Joe Klingler's award winning techno-thriller, is filled with fierce writing and fully fleshed out characters. It explodes from the remnants of a war long past to headlines of Washington secrets masquerading as corporate incompetence when two modern-day warriors face off. Both skilled at violence. And deception. Both accustomed to winning.
"A nuanced techno-thriller with both brains and brawn." -- Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Recommended List)
[RATS] is a fun romp-and-motorcycle-ride through intrigue, explosions, action, betrayal, politics, and victory. Non-military readers will thoroughly enjoy it, and military readers will too. -- San Francisco Book Review (4 of 5 stars)
"Even during the summertime in Alaska, the sparseness of the environment is detailed, as opposed to the lush jungle scenes in Vietnam. This gives the book a well-rounded feel as the intensity ratchets up...Fans of international thrillers and espionage books will enjoy this novel." -- Foreword Clarion Reviews (4 of 5 stars)
2015 Finalist Beverly Hills Book Awards - Political Thriller
2015 International Rubery Book Awards - Fiction Short List
A masterfully crafted, intense, wild ride from Alaska to Washington to Vietnam with imagery and dialog that have the reader riveted to the page for the entire thrilling adventure.
Summer greets the land of the midnight sun as a lone rider races across the last American wilderness, delivering on a promise he made long ago. He has many names, but the world only knows a shadow called the Demon. Soon to be drawn into the Demon's world, Claire Ferreti, an Army sniper, sips sake in Washington, DC with her lover, a young, ambitious General whose geosecurity specialty remains classified. When a boy finds a small machine, Claire embarks on a a black-ops mission that leads to a test of skill, a clash of ideologies, and her unconscious body lying in a typhoon-ravaged jungle. In that instant she becomes the hunted, the Demon's tool for survival, and an unforeseen threat. As the General pursues them into a labyrinth of cyber-secrets, political necessity and financial reality collide like a fireball piercing steel.
RATS, Joe Klingler's award winning techno-thriller, is filled with fierce writing and fully fleshed out characters. It explodes from the remnants of a war long past to headlines of Washington secrets masquerading as corporate incompetence when two modern-day warriors face off. Both skilled at violence. And deception. Both accustomed to winning.
"A nuanced techno-thriller with both brains and brawn." -- Kirkus Reviews (Kirkus Recommended List)
[RATS] is a fun romp-and-motorcycle-ride through intrigue, explosions, action, betrayal, politics, and victory. Non-military readers will thoroughly enjoy it, and military readers will too. -- San Francisco Book Review (4 of 5 stars)
"Even during the summertime in Alaska, the sparseness of the environment is detailed, as opposed to the lush jungle scenes in Vietnam. This gives the book a well-rounded feel as the intensity ratchets up...Fans of international thrillers and espionage books will enjoy this novel." -- Foreword Clarion Reviews (4 of 5 stars)
461 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 8, 2013
909 people are currently reading
1095 people want to read
About the author
Joe Klingler
9 books26 followersJoe Klingler was born in the Great Black Swamp on a hot July day during a cold war. In primary school he read Four Wheel Drift. That led to a soap box derby car named Restless, two crashes, and a lifelong love of motion.
Images of Jimi Hendrix playing the U.S. National Anthem at Woodstock inspired pounding on a Gibson in a garage band influenced by local groups like the MC5 and Iggy and Stooges whose pioneering punk music he figured existed everywhere—though it was actually coming out of Detroit, Michigan forty miles to the north.
Joe read The God Machine by Martin Caidin, and started thinking about the nature of computation. He studied electrical engineering, spent time doing research in medical image processing, published academic papers, wrote a few patents. All of which led to an interest in special effects and the software that made them. He co-founded a company that was soon acquired, leading to a string of jobs for bigger and bigger corporations until assimilation by a billion dollar enterprise gave him the idea for a book—which he wrote while moving 525 mph bouncing between the coasts of North America.
That book led to RATS, his debut novel, which draws on the beauty of technology, its uses, misuses and abuses. And how the collision of human ideologies shapes its future—and ours. A minor character in RATS led to Mash Up: a rollicking ride with student musicians through San Francisco, Silicon Valley, social media and the minds of persons who use sharp knives to solve problems.
He currently resides in California with an iMac and a couple of motorcycles, and has recently released his third novel: Missing Mona. He's fond of turbochargers, and loves his S1000RR.
P.S. The best way to know when a new book is released is to subscribe to The Klingler Kronicle at joeklingler.com. Joe sends an update about six times per year, your email address will never be shared, and you can opt out at any time.
Images of Jimi Hendrix playing the U.S. National Anthem at Woodstock inspired pounding on a Gibson in a garage band influenced by local groups like the MC5 and Iggy and Stooges whose pioneering punk music he figured existed everywhere—though it was actually coming out of Detroit, Michigan forty miles to the north.
Joe read The God Machine by Martin Caidin, and started thinking about the nature of computation. He studied electrical engineering, spent time doing research in medical image processing, published academic papers, wrote a few patents. All of which led to an interest in special effects and the software that made them. He co-founded a company that was soon acquired, leading to a string of jobs for bigger and bigger corporations until assimilation by a billion dollar enterprise gave him the idea for a book—which he wrote while moving 525 mph bouncing between the coasts of North America.
That book led to RATS, his debut novel, which draws on the beauty of technology, its uses, misuses and abuses. And how the collision of human ideologies shapes its future—and ours. A minor character in RATS led to Mash Up: a rollicking ride with student musicians through San Francisco, Silicon Valley, social media and the minds of persons who use sharp knives to solve problems.
He currently resides in California with an iMac and a couple of motorcycles, and has recently released his third novel: Missing Mona. He's fond of turbochargers, and loves his S1000RR.
P.S. The best way to know when a new book is released is to subscribe to The Klingler Kronicle at joeklingler.com. Joe sends an update about six times per year, your email address will never be shared, and you can opt out at any time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 8, 2014
A little over the top. A woman sharpshooter, a crazed General, and a make the world right from USA wrongs wonderkid do not develop as character well. Some of the intrigue and plot turn play well but overall I will not return to the jungles of Vietnam
June 27, 2017
Great techno thriller for a first time author
I gave the 5 star rating within the context of the genre, the first book for thus author, and the description and use of technology. I enjoy a technical premise or hypothesis that is matured to reality in a storyline. While this is book not Clarke writing about self replicating monoliths increasing the mass of Jupiter in order to transform it into a sun, there is a lot of technical application. If the reader allows themselves to take the journey and accept the technology premise as real, the story works well.
Challenges:
From a military standpoint, both operationally and culturally, there are gaps, inaccuracies, and and pure fantasy. As the the military aspect is woven into the bones of the story, those that requires military accuracy may be put off. My enjoyment of the book was not hampered by weak military accuracy.
I almost stopped reading after several chapters as the descriptive imagery overwhelmed. Trying to digest the descriptive prose caused me to loose track of the storyline. With that said, much like a Patrick O'Brian book, intertwined with idiomatic language and square rig sailing terminology, once I shifted to the cadence and writting style the story emerges and flowed freely.
Claire, the heroine, seemed more akin to a marksman (markswoman) than an actual sniper. She seemed to lack the layers and depth required to be a combat sniper. I offer this from the context of the self discipline required to be on scope for hours, days etc. She had bravado, self control, confidence, but she more akin to a military helicopter pilot than scout sniper. Stereotypical speaking, I mean no offense.
Worked
I really enjoyed the integration of common and yet to be conventionally commercialized technology. There are many disciplines integrated into the story as common and as cornorstone elements. Whether operationally accurate or not, the military planning aspects were enjoyable, even in a 007 sort of way. As others described there are slow areas, but I found myself reading longer and longer to find out what was going to happen next. The underlying premise of the sourcing of components for the RATS was unexpected and intriguing. I felt the passion of the author through the characters regarding what humans do to humans. You may agree or disagree when an author offers a value in their writing, but this cause resonated with me and resulted in a more powerful connection to the story. I enjoyed the book and wished it had more pages. I look forward to reading the newer works from this author and I hope that another book is released with these characters.
I gave the 5 star rating within the context of the genre, the first book for thus author, and the description and use of technology. I enjoy a technical premise or hypothesis that is matured to reality in a storyline. While this is book not Clarke writing about self replicating monoliths increasing the mass of Jupiter in order to transform it into a sun, there is a lot of technical application. If the reader allows themselves to take the journey and accept the technology premise as real, the story works well.
Challenges:
From a military standpoint, both operationally and culturally, there are gaps, inaccuracies, and and pure fantasy. As the the military aspect is woven into the bones of the story, those that requires military accuracy may be put off. My enjoyment of the book was not hampered by weak military accuracy.
I almost stopped reading after several chapters as the descriptive imagery overwhelmed. Trying to digest the descriptive prose caused me to loose track of the storyline. With that said, much like a Patrick O'Brian book, intertwined with idiomatic language and square rig sailing terminology, once I shifted to the cadence and writting style the story emerges and flowed freely.
Claire, the heroine, seemed more akin to a marksman (markswoman) than an actual sniper. She seemed to lack the layers and depth required to be a combat sniper. I offer this from the context of the self discipline required to be on scope for hours, days etc. She had bravado, self control, confidence, but she more akin to a military helicopter pilot than scout sniper. Stereotypical speaking, I mean no offense.
Worked
I really enjoyed the integration of common and yet to be conventionally commercialized technology. There are many disciplines integrated into the story as common and as cornorstone elements. Whether operationally accurate or not, the military planning aspects were enjoyable, even in a 007 sort of way. As others described there are slow areas, but I found myself reading longer and longer to find out what was going to happen next. The underlying premise of the sourcing of components for the RATS was unexpected and intriguing. I felt the passion of the author through the characters regarding what humans do to humans. You may agree or disagree when an author offers a value in their writing, but this cause resonated with me and resulted in a more powerful connection to the story. I enjoyed the book and wished it had more pages. I look forward to reading the newer works from this author and I hope that another book is released with these characters.
September 25, 2019
Not Bad...
I applaud Mr. Klingler's action scenes and his ability to keep the reader "in" the story. I enjoyed also the characters;the Good Guys were truly good and the Bad Guys were quintessentially evil.
So... why only three stars? Well, i know it's fiction, but there has to be some tiny fraction of believability to it in order to hold it together. The TAP bombing? In a word... no. It couldn't possibly be done that way. The ingress/egress to China via Vietnam on dirt bikes during a typhoon? Nope. And then the wizardry of Damon with computers and hacking and international shenanigans from a garage-based supercomputer made from spare parts powered by a Home Depot GENERATOR ??? in a tropical jungle without massive air conditioning... sorry, that's just stupid. Big S Stupid.
So a potentially good novel got reduced to something akin to a Jack DeBruul hack job by an overactive imagination and no sense of proportion.
Mr. Klingler... have you ever been in a Vietnamese jungle during rainy season as many of us have? I didn't think so.
I applaud Mr. Klingler's action scenes and his ability to keep the reader "in" the story. I enjoyed also the characters;the Good Guys were truly good and the Bad Guys were quintessentially evil.
So... why only three stars? Well, i know it's fiction, but there has to be some tiny fraction of believability to it in order to hold it together. The TAP bombing? In a word... no. It couldn't possibly be done that way. The ingress/egress to China via Vietnam on dirt bikes during a typhoon? Nope. And then the wizardry of Damon with computers and hacking and international shenanigans from a garage-based supercomputer made from spare parts powered by a Home Depot GENERATOR ??? in a tropical jungle without massive air conditioning... sorry, that's just stupid. Big S Stupid.
So a potentially good novel got reduced to something akin to a Jack DeBruul hack job by an overactive imagination and no sense of proportion.
Mr. Klingler... have you ever been in a Vietnamese jungle during rainy season as many of us have? I didn't think so.
March 21, 2019
Clever and Twisted
Is is the first book I have read by Joe Klingler. I look forward to many more. This book started off with a bang and then some. At the same time, it is was quite mysterious. I could not wait to describe the opening of this book to my husband. At one point he said to stop telling him, because he had to read it. The story line is strong, and the characters are fully developed. One of the characters is a female sharpshooter chasing the Olympics, on the other hand she can use her skills against targets on missions. The other main characters are just as intriguing.
I highly recommend this book.
Is is the first book I have read by Joe Klingler. I look forward to many more. This book started off with a bang and then some. At the same time, it is was quite mysterious. I could not wait to describe the opening of this book to my husband. At one point he said to stop telling him, because he had to read it. The story line is strong, and the characters are fully developed. One of the characters is a female sharpshooter chasing the Olympics, on the other hand she can use her skills against targets on missions. The other main characters are just as intriguing.
I highly recommend this book.
February 16, 2020
Decent read
After surviving the first several pages of either choppy writing or poor edits, the book had a nice plot. Presumably some of the unnecessary characters are being added to feature in future editions. Was lead here as a fan of the John Rain series, this didn’t really compare in writing maturity to that series or the characters themselves. I would potentially read another in the series.
After surviving the first several pages of either choppy writing or poor edits, the book had a nice plot. Presumably some of the unnecessary characters are being added to feature in future editions. Was lead here as a fan of the John Rain series, this didn’t really compare in writing maturity to that series or the characters themselves. I would potentially read another in the series.
March 19, 2022
I like some military thrillers but this one was not good. I really had trouble getting past the enormous plot holes. The antagonist turned protagonist had all the James Bond toys and then some. His super aware computer is stuff of the future. It's not a horrible story, the main character was decent, but the alter ego was a huge stretch. Billy the General turned out to be a complete idiot and the President was about as wooden as can be. If you look past a silly plot and an anti-land mine preaching you'll love this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2017
Excellent story. First you have a man on a motorcycle driving very fast through Alaska throwing things we later find out are called RATS at the pipeline. These are little bombs. A little boy sneaks out of his house and finds one and takes it home with him. There are lots of interesting scenes and all tie together at some point. I loved it!
April 6, 2018
Could be DRATS instead!
Very confusing story. Why is a general doing his own dirty work? How does Damon conceive a computer in a cave that can outwit U.S. government technology? Blowing up a oil pipeline as a solution to get land mines removed from Viet Ham? A little too far fetched for my liking.
Very confusing story. Why is a general doing his own dirty work? How does Damon conceive a computer in a cave that can outwit U.S. government technology? Blowing up a oil pipeline as a solution to get land mines removed from Viet Ham? A little too far fetched for my liking.
May 15, 2018
Really Good Read
If you like a good techno thriller with with government conspiracies and international locations this book is for you. Great cast of characters along with a great story line makes it one of those you just can’t put down. Futuristic technology in today’s world with a humanitarian side. Loads of fun and action.
If you like a good techno thriller with with government conspiracies and international locations this book is for you. Great cast of characters along with a great story line makes it one of those you just can’t put down. Futuristic technology in today’s world with a humanitarian side. Loads of fun and action.
January 13, 2019
Assassin
I liked the 180 flip of Billy trying to kill his lover. But more importantly his failure to do so and the impending retaliation of Cpl Ferretti and her new lover. Well written, plot follows in a calculated well thought out plan, unlike a story with a domino effect chapter type that is boring and easy to follow, this book kept me on my toes the whole way. Loved it!
I liked the 180 flip of Billy trying to kill his lover. But more importantly his failure to do so and the impending retaliation of Cpl Ferretti and her new lover. Well written, plot follows in a calculated well thought out plan, unlike a story with a domino effect chapter type that is boring and easy to follow, this book kept me on my toes the whole way. Loved it!
December 13, 2021
10% in, we know the female protagonist’s body dimensions and height. Before 50%, we hear what it’s like to wear a thong. So far I find it gratuitous and chauvinist. The other reviews say it has a plot twist, and if I haven’t already figured it out at 55% done ( where I am now), or if it keeps my attention until the end, I will up my rating from one star.
November 10, 2025
Revenge
This is a fascinating story with lots of moving parts about a terroristic attack on an oil pipeline, and the subsequent investigation into who and why. The hunter eventually becomes the prey and some futuristic equipment aids both sides as the story moves along. I'm looking forward to reading more stories from this author.
This is a fascinating story with lots of moving parts about a terroristic attack on an oil pipeline, and the subsequent investigation into who and why. The hunter eventually becomes the prey and some futuristic equipment aids both sides as the story moves along. I'm looking forward to reading more stories from this author.
November 28, 2017
More twists and turns than a jungle trail.
Terrific read. The author managed to surprise me over and over without confusing the reader. Hard to tell who the bad guy is until it is revealed. Highly recommended, you won't be disapointed.
Terrific read. The author managed to surprise me over and over without confusing the reader. Hard to tell who the bad guy is until it is revealed. Highly recommended, you won't be disapointed.
April 11, 2018
A tangled plot with interesting ideas.
Didn't want to stop reading. The plot was realistic enough to keep me interested, but introduced some innovate gizmos that could be real. Very entertaining.
Didn't want to stop reading. The plot was realistic enough to keep me interested, but introduced some innovate gizmos that could be real. Very entertaining.
April 27, 2018
A real page turner
A refreshing thriller with a nice twist or two. A plausible scenario with a legitimate view of an American president sadly akin to the current jackass in the White House.
A refreshing thriller with a nice twist or two. A plausible scenario with a legitimate view of an American president sadly akin to the current jackass in the White House.
July 21, 2019
Very good spy thriller.
Very well written spy thriller with nice twists and turns. The story keeps you intrigued and is hard to put down. Excellent plot and character development. I enjoyed this book!
Very well written spy thriller with nice twists and turns. The story keeps you intrigued and is hard to put down. Excellent plot and character development. I enjoyed this book!
June 12, 2021
An Interesting story
This is the first free book from Book Bub that was well written and had a complete story. I enjoyed the characters and plot. I will definitely read more from this author.
This is the first free book from Book Bub that was well written and had a complete story. I enjoyed the characters and plot. I will definitely read more from this author.
November 3, 2024
A very different book.
Lots of intrigue and surprises in this adventurous story.
RATS is not what you expect and most will find it interesting.
A great book for a long flight or train ride.
Lots of intrigue and surprises in this adventurous story.
RATS is not what you expect and most will find it interesting.
A great book for a long flight or train ride.
January 23, 2025
This was an excellent book that combined suspense, technology, love & excitement. This is the 1st book that I read by him & am already on a 2nd book.
I am an avid reader ever since I would make money mowing lawns as a teenager to get money to buy paperback books at pawnshop for 25 cents each. (I am now 72 & a retired RN who worked during Covid-19)
He is my new favorite writer.
I am an avid reader ever since I would make money mowing lawns as a teenager to get money to buy paperback books at pawnshop for 25 cents each. (I am now 72 & a retired RN who worked during Covid-19)
He is my new favorite writer.
May 16, 2017
Drones and Robots and Real People
An excellent preview of where our military is headed. Fast paced action with believable characters. Same word misspelled twice. AltAr. Alter means to change. A great read.
An excellent preview of where our military is headed. Fast paced action with believable characters. Same word misspelled twice. AltAr. Alter means to change. A great read.
June 24, 2017
Great story
Hope to see as a movie soon! Was Billy, the General, ever a good guy? Loved Billy the child. And Claire, such a complex character. Loved it all, fun read.
Hope to see as a movie soon! Was Billy, the General, ever a good guy? Loved Billy the child. And Claire, such a complex character. Loved it all, fun read.
February 26, 2018
I enjoyed the writing and pace but there seemed to be too much going on and things kind of fell off track. Couple threads could have been wrapped up better, they just kind of dropped.
April 2, 2018
Very Entertaining
Rats kept my interest from the beginning to the end. it was fast paced. I enjoyed the characters and plot. I was sorry it ended!
Rats kept my interest from the beginning to the end. it was fast paced. I enjoyed the characters and plot. I was sorry it ended!
January 21, 2019
Into the robot age
A for action, b for betrayals, and c for computer technology so believable you'd swear this story was happening in real time. Great read.
A for action, b for betrayals, and c for computer technology so believable you'd swear this story was happening in real time. Great read.
April 12, 2019
Fun romp
This was a great read! The characters were believable and worth rooting for or against. Well rounded and fun to read from beginning to end. Totally worth the read.
This was a great read! The characters were believable and worth rooting for or against. Well rounded and fun to read from beginning to end. Totally worth the read.
July 4, 2019
Rats
It was a slow start but once it got moving it never stopped. The characters are good but they could be better, more rounded. Max’s home was very cool!
It was a slow start but once it got moving it never stopped. The characters are good but they could be better, more rounded. Max’s home was very cool!
October 15, 2019
A book with a twist
March 18, 2020
Hang in there
When this book starts - it is down right confusing. But if you hang in there, you end up with a really cool story.
When this book starts - it is down right confusing. But if you hang in there, you end up with a really cool story.
September 5, 2020
Spellbinding
I only meant to read a sample, but couldn't put it down. Lots of military intrigue combined with a plot that twisted and turned like a roller coaster. A great read!
I only meant to read a sample, but couldn't put it down. Lots of military intrigue combined with a plot that twisted and turned like a roller coaster. A great read!
July 14, 2021
Great, full of surprises
Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews