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Rats
Rats – a journey from one world to the next – beginning in the future, ending in the past.
In one world she is Bitch Singer – fighting a dictator, guerilla style. In another, she is Dorrie Hart, housewife and mother – carer to a speech-impaired child. Which world is real, which life is true? And why does she wake each morning crying for a lost lover – a lover she is determined to find.
"The Hunger Games meets Divergent in post-apocalyptic Wales, where your best chances of survival is to become Rat." – JJ Marsh, author of The Beatrice Stubbs Series.
"A narrative voice so frinking fresh it keeps on singing to you long after you've put the book down." – John Hudspith, author of Kimi's Secret.
In one world she is Bitch Singer – fighting a dictator, guerilla style. In another, she is Dorrie Hart, housewife and mother – carer to a speech-impaired child. Which world is real, which life is true? And why does she wake each morning crying for a lost lover – a lover she is determined to find.
"The Hunger Games meets Divergent in post-apocalyptic Wales, where your best chances of survival is to become Rat." – JJ Marsh, author of The Beatrice Stubbs Series.
"A narrative voice so frinking fresh it keeps on singing to you long after you've put the book down." – John Hudspith, author of Kimi's Secret.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2014
72 people want to read
About the author
J.W. Hicks
3 books5 followersJW Hicks, born and bred in South Wales, writes speculative fiction. Weaned on Grimm and Mary Norton she graduated to Heinlein, Dick and Cherryh. Her dystopian novel, Rats, published with the Triskele Books collective was published October 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 14, 2014
I loved this book and enjoyed every moment of my exhilarating ride through the amazing world JW Hicks has created. However it’s taken me a while to write a review because I’ve been struggling to think what I could say that would do the book justice.
I’m still not sure if it’s the characters, the settings, or the wonderful prose that I enjoyed most. When you learn that the heroine of a novel is called Bitch Singer of the Whip Tails you know you’ve found an author with complete confidence in her own unique style of language.
The Rats are a tribe of outlaws and rebels in a post-apocalyptic world, where the forces of totalitarianism, in the shape of dictator Templeton, are beginning to gain the upper hand. The adventure takes Bit, her lover Striker, and the ragtag army of Rats from the ruins of our modern civilization on a journey through their nightmarish world. This is no standard dystopia, but a brilliantly depicted vision of the future. The various and diverse settings are so well-realised that each one feels absolutely authentic.
The characters too are totally believable. Apart from Bit and Striker I loved One Eye. Spartax, Brown (of course!) and… well all of them. But be warned Hicks spares no one and to say that you never know what’s coming next is very much an understatement.
If I have one criticism it may be that the final twist, whilst very clever (and most welcome for a reader deeply invested in these characters) stretched my imagination a little further than I found comfortable. However it does (hopefully) hint at a sequel,which could explain any uncertainties I was left with. It certainly didn't diminish my pleasure in the story.
An absolute treat for fans of SF, dystopian, and YA novels, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves a great story brilliantly told.
I’m still not sure if it’s the characters, the settings, or the wonderful prose that I enjoyed most. When you learn that the heroine of a novel is called Bitch Singer of the Whip Tails you know you’ve found an author with complete confidence in her own unique style of language.
The Rats are a tribe of outlaws and rebels in a post-apocalyptic world, where the forces of totalitarianism, in the shape of dictator Templeton, are beginning to gain the upper hand. The adventure takes Bit, her lover Striker, and the ragtag army of Rats from the ruins of our modern civilization on a journey through their nightmarish world. This is no standard dystopia, but a brilliantly depicted vision of the future. The various and diverse settings are so well-realised that each one feels absolutely authentic.
The characters too are totally believable. Apart from Bit and Striker I loved One Eye. Spartax, Brown (of course!) and… well all of them. But be warned Hicks spares no one and to say that you never know what’s coming next is very much an understatement.
If I have one criticism it may be that the final twist, whilst very clever (and most welcome for a reader deeply invested in these characters) stretched my imagination a little further than I found comfortable. However it does (hopefully) hint at a sequel,which could explain any uncertainties I was left with. It certainly didn't diminish my pleasure in the story.
An absolute treat for fans of SF, dystopian, and YA novels, but I would recommend it to anyone who loves a great story brilliantly told.
November 9, 2014
Dystopian Wales.
The concept amuses me more than it probably should - the juxtaposition of sweet Celtic Wales and a horrific fight-for-your-life tribal society. No fault of the author though, the writing is great, giving us just enough info to work out what happened without labouring over the details. This fits in well with the main girl's life and personality - she laments the downfall of civilisation and the rise of a harsh new regime but she just wants to get on and survive.
The characters are believable and interesting, especially Cassie and her various aliases. She wasn't a whole lot like me but I could still identify with her and perhaps in another world I would end up thinking and behaving like her.
I do wish Dorrie Hart had never been mentioned in the blurb OR she had been given more "screen-time". This is because she's only really in the last 50-ish pages of the novel. I still very much enjoyed it, but it made this whole section feel slightly underdeveloped after I'd been expecting her to make an appearance all throughout the novel, thanks to the blurb.
I would have liked to have learned more about Dorrie's world to the same level of details we learned about Bitch Singer's. We pick up a fair amount through osmosis and background descriptions, but I would like to know more - how are they connected, for example? For what purpose was she put there?
I did find the ending sweetly satisfying. Well, bittersweet I suppose.
If you're a fan of dystopian speculative fiction, there's a good chance you'll really enjoy Rats.
I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway.
The concept amuses me more than it probably should - the juxtaposition of sweet Celtic Wales and a horrific fight-for-your-life tribal society. No fault of the author though, the writing is great, giving us just enough info to work out what happened without labouring over the details. This fits in well with the main girl's life and personality - she laments the downfall of civilisation and the rise of a harsh new regime but she just wants to get on and survive.
The characters are believable and interesting, especially Cassie and her various aliases. She wasn't a whole lot like me but I could still identify with her and perhaps in another world I would end up thinking and behaving like her.
I do wish Dorrie Hart had never been mentioned in the blurb OR she had been given more "screen-time". This is because she's only really in the last 50-ish pages of the novel. I still very much enjoyed it, but it made this whole section feel slightly underdeveloped after I'd been expecting her to make an appearance all throughout the novel, thanks to the blurb.
I would have liked to have learned more about Dorrie's world to the same level of details we learned about Bitch Singer's. We pick up a fair amount through osmosis and background descriptions, but I would like to know more - how are they connected, for example? For what purpose was she put there?
I did find the ending sweetly satisfying. Well, bittersweet I suppose.
If you're a fan of dystopian speculative fiction, there's a good chance you'll really enjoy Rats.
I received this book as part of a GoodReads giveaway.
September 21, 2014
Switched on to how cool YA could be by a teenage sassmistress, I read this with a certain attitude of challenge.
Can YA really entertain a veteran reader with high expectations?
Oh yes, it can.
My presumptions regarding YA were wet heroines, unrealistic scenarios and weak writing. Rats is the absolute reverse.
A superb premise, fully realised characters, a harsh environment, constant plot twists and some darker themes dragged me fully into this world.
Best of all, what a voice! This is Anthony Burgess, Tony Harrison and Steven Berkoff in terms of language as identity (but never offensive), from a writer who wields words like graffiti. Rhythm, onomatopeia, imagery and poetry in punchy, action-filled scenes which actually make you hold your breath. An extraordinary debut and I'm keeping everything crossed there's more where this came from. Wholly deserved five stars.
Can YA really entertain a veteran reader with high expectations?
Oh yes, it can.
My presumptions regarding YA were wet heroines, unrealistic scenarios and weak writing. Rats is the absolute reverse.
A superb premise, fully realised characters, a harsh environment, constant plot twists and some darker themes dragged me fully into this world.
Best of all, what a voice! This is Anthony Burgess, Tony Harrison and Steven Berkoff in terms of language as identity (but never offensive), from a writer who wields words like graffiti. Rhythm, onomatopeia, imagery and poetry in punchy, action-filled scenes which actually make you hold your breath. An extraordinary debut and I'm keeping everything crossed there's more where this came from. Wholly deserved five stars.
December 7, 2014
Highly addictive read...you just don't want to put it down...
This is a fantastic book...I'm truly in awe of it...The characters are amazing and it is action-packed all the way through, there's no off-switch when it comes to action. Just when you think things are settling..BAM! Really weird ending that was just amazing to read.
The only criticism I have is that near the beginning it jumps through time a lot...meaning at the end of a chapter a significant thing would happen, then start of next chapter they've fast-forwarded two years later. What happened in those two missing years, you never find out. But this in no way deterred my enjoyment.
Overall, Fantastic Story!
This is a fantastic book...I'm truly in awe of it...The characters are amazing and it is action-packed all the way through, there's no off-switch when it comes to action. Just when you think things are settling..BAM! Really weird ending that was just amazing to read.
The only criticism I have is that near the beginning it jumps through time a lot...meaning at the end of a chapter a significant thing would happen, then start of next chapter they've fast-forwarded two years later. What happened in those two missing years, you never find out. But this in no way deterred my enjoyment.
Overall, Fantastic Story!
November 16, 2014
I received this book from a goodreads giveaway. I enjoyed the book which at times I found emotional, however, I did not find it was a book I did not want to put down. I did guess how the book was going to end but did not find this disappointing. I am sure there will be a follow up book as it does leave you wondering what happens next. I would definitely read the next book if there was to be one.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews