Customer Reviews

Men Like Rats

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The previous reviewer was a little hostile to this book, but I sort of liked it. It was hard for me to get into at first, but once I got into it there was much that was clever and original in it. The basic premise is that humans are living as vermin in an alien transportation system. They hitch rides on ships, and go back and forth between ships and warehouses, living off of the cargo. The entire system is automated, so we never see the actual aliens. Contrary to the other reviewer, we do not know that the Earth has been covered with boxes. The humans never go outside, so they never know what is outside. In feel, it reminds me of a certain John Brunner Book.

It is unfortunate that this book is out of print, though it is still readily available used. This story, in which humans survive as scavenging vermin, works very well in its stripping away, and gradual rebuilding, of the essential humanity of the survivors. What I especially like about this book is that Chilson dos not shy away from the distasteful thinkgs that humans must do to survive in this scenario, and what the consequences are for all aspects of life. It is true that the narrative is a bit rough at times, but that should not distract the reader too much from one of the more bold and memorable books that I have ever read.

Let me start by saying that Chilson can be a good writer. Black as Blood was hilarious, and well worth some leisure reading time. That being said, if you come across this book online or in a book store, its very important that you scream and run away. If its in a store, set the store on fire on your way out.

Men Like Rats is one of those "mankind *really* lost against the alien menace" books, like Walter Jon William's Praxis, or Disch's The Genocides. Trouble is, its ridiculous. The earth is turned into this huge Rube Goldberg warehouse for storing alien stuff, and mankind runs around in a primitive state breaking into boxes and stealing water and food.

Every so often the godlike aliens release another type of trap to kill those pesky people off. As the traps get more sophisticated, they become more and more like people. Why? Who knows. Personally, I'd unleash a really deadly disease, but then again I'm not a wierd alien that thinks that taking a populated planet and covering it in boxes is a good idea.

What makes this book all the more painful is that there are flashes of decent writing in it. The man can write. But the plotline is DOA, the characters have all the depth of a Blondie cartoon, and never, at any point, does the book seem to have a message or a purpose.

So in summary, save your money. You'll get more out of reading magazines at the Dentists office, and it would cost you less.