King Rat (1962) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit

Write a ridiculously simplified synopsis.

Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Peter Marlowe: the main protagonist, a young British fighter pilot, POW in Changi, who later becomes an author; based on James Clavell
• King: American corporal who has become the most successful trader and black marketeer in Changi POW camp.
• Sean: Add a description of this character.
• Max
• Robin Grey: British officer and Provost Marshal of the POW camp
• Yoshima
• Timsen
• Steven
• Hawkins
• Dino
• Sellars
• Dr. Kennedy
• Rodrick
• Forsyth
• Ewart
• Mac
• Torusumi
• Samson
• Frank
• Duncan
• Brough
• Townsend
• Father Donovan
• Blakely
• Drinkwater
• Jones
• Dave Daven
• Miller
• Spence
• Johnny
• Kurt
• Trina
• Ronson
• Gurble
• Shagata
• Brant
• Suliman
• Blodger
• Sulina
• Vexley
• Changi
• Prouty
• Adam
• Griffiths

Quotes edit see section history

• “The King’s mind was alive. Half was listening to the jungle. The other was racing and rehashing the pattern of the deal to be. Yes, he told himself, it’s a good plan. He checked the time. The minute hand went slowly. But it gave him more time to plan. The more time you plan before a deal, the better it is. No slip-ups and a bigger profit. Thank God for profit! The guy who thought of business was the real genius. Buy for a little and sell for more. Use your mind. Take a chance and money pours in. And with money all things are possible. Most of all, power. When I get out, the King though, I’m going to be a millionaire. I’m going to make so much money that it’s going to make Fort Knox look like a piggy-bank. I’ll build an organization. The organization’ll be fitted with guys, loyal but sheep. Brains you can always buy. And once you know a guy’s price you can use him or abuse him at will. That’s what makes the world go round. There are the elite, and the rest. I’m the elite, and I’m going to stay that way. I’ll never be poor again. Now others are going to clean up my mess. All I need is the dough. “All men are created equal…certain inalienable rights.” Thank God for America, he told himself. Thank God I was born American.”

  Author, about King

• “So I must hand over the money before I even see the diamond! thought Cheng San. Impossible, and Tuan Rajah knows it. Very bad business. If it really is four carats, I can get fifty—a hundred thousand dollars for it. After all, I know the Chinese who owns the machine that prints the money. But the five thousand in Malay Straits dollars—that is another thing. This I would have to buy on the black-market. And what rate? Six to one would be expensive. “Tell my friend the Rajah,” he said, “that this is a strange business arrangement. Consequently I must think, longer than a man of business should need to think.” He wandered over to the window and gazed out. He was tired of the war and tired of the undercover machinations that a businessman had to endure to make a profit. He thought of the night and the stars and the stupidity of man, fighting and dying for things which would have no lasting value. At the same time, he knew that the strong survive and the weak perish. He thought of his wife and his children, three sons and a daughter, and the things he would like to buy them to make them comfortable. He thought also of the second wife he would like to buy. Some how or another he must make this deal. And it was worth the risk to trust the King.”

  Author

• ““My daughter deserves a whipping, I think.”“It would be a pity to blemish such a delicate thing,” Peter said. “Tuan Abu used to say, ‘Beat a woman at least once a week and thou wilt have peace in they house. But do not beat her too hard, lest thou anger her, for then she will surely beat thee back and hurt thee greatly!”“I know the saying. It is surely true. Women are beyond comprehension.””

  Author

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• To tempt is but a woman’s way—to be desired is but a woman’s need.

  Highlighted by 12 Kindle customers

• But for the love of God guard yourself and your conscience—no one else will—and know that a bad decision at the right time can destroy you far more surely than any bullet!”

  Highlighted by 9 Kindle customers

• A man’s life is always at a crossroads. And not his life alone, not if he’s a man. Always others in the balance.

  Highlighted by 8 Kindle customers

• ‘Beat a woman at least once a week and thou wilt have peace in thy house. But do not beat her too hard, lest thou anger her, for then she will surely beat thee back and hurt thee greatly!’”

  Highlighted by 6 Kindle customers

• The way that he volunteered nothing and kept most of his thoughts to himself. That’s the English way, Peter Marlowe told himself contentedly. Just let out a little at a time, when you’re in the mood. What you are or who you are is your own affair—until you wish to share with a friend. And a friend never asks. It has to be freely given or not at all.

  Highlighted by 5 Kindle customers

• then she must still live for there are always people to take care of and look after and this was the world, the whole meaning of a woman’s life.

  Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers

• And Adam ruled, for he was the King. Until the day his will to be King deserted him. Then he died, food for a stronger. And the strongest was always the King, not by strength alone, but King by cunning and luck and strength together. Among the rats.

  Highlighted by 4 Kindle customers

• Number one, poverty’s a sickness. Number two, money’s everything. Number three, it doesn’t matter how you get it as long as you get it.”

  Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers

• “You got to look after number one, Peter. No one else does.”

  Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers

• a squatting naked man relieving himself is the ugliest creature in the world—perhaps the most pathetic.

  Highlighted by 3 Kindle customers

Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Singapore
• Kooas
• States
• Bandung
• Utram Road
• Calcutta
• Azumi
• Japan
• England
• Texas
• Malaya
• London

Organizations edit see section history

• Imperial Japanese Army: Add a description of this organization.
• British Army

First Sentence edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Prisoner of War: Describe this theme.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Gai-Jin, and followed by Noble House.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. James Clavell (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3553.L365 K5 1962
• Dewey: 823.914

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › War
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Genre Fiction › Historical
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary

Movie Connections edit see section history

• King Rat (1965) (IMDb): Staring George Segal and James Fox