Lair (Rats, #2)

Title: Lair (Rats, #2)

Author: James Herbert

Published in: 1979

Date read: 4th October 2005

Score: 4/5

Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychological

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Lair" by James Herbert is the chilling 1979 sequel to his ground-breaking debut novel, "The Rats." While "The Rats" depicted a terrifying plague of mutant, carnivorous rodents overwhelming London, "Lair" moves the horror to a more secluded, rural setting, showing that the nightmare was far from over.

The story picks up a few years after the events of "The Rats." The general public believes that the mutant black rats that terrorized London were eradicated. However, one especially cunning and grotesquely mutated white rat survived the ultrasonic and gassing campaigns. This unique creature, larger, more intelligent, and far more malevolent, managed to escape the city and established a new breeding ground in the vast and ancient Epping Forest, just outside London.

Here, this "mother rat" has bred a new, even more evolved generation of mutant rats. They are larger, smarter, and display an organized, almost military-like precision in their hunting. They have established a vast and intricate underground "lair" within the forest, where they continue to multiply and thrive, feeding on local wildlife and, inevitably, turning their attention back to humans as their numbers swell. The protagonist of "Lair" is Lucas Pender, an employee of "Ratkill Laboratories," a pest control company that rose to prominence after the initial rat outbreak. Pender is a competent but somewhat jaded individual, and he is sent to Epping Forest to investigate a series of disturbing and seemingly isolated incidents: strange attacks on animals, disappearances of hikers, and increasingly disturbing reports from residents near the forest.

As Pender delves deeper, he uncovers mounting evidence that the mutant rats are not only back but have adapted and become even more formidable. He faces an uphill battle convincing local authorities and even some of his own colleagues of the true scale of the threat, as many are reluctant to believe the nightmare has returned.

The novel features several horrifying encounters as the rats begin to target human communities, including isolated homes, mobile home parks, and eventually larger groups. Herbert ratchets up the gore and visceral terror, depicting graphic attacks and the sheer, overwhelming numbers of the rodents. He also delves into the internal hierarchy of the rat colony, showing the chilling intelligence and coordination of the creatures.

The climax of "Lair" involves a desperate, large-scale operation to find and destroy the central "lair" of the new rat colony within Epping Forest. Pender, along with military and scientific personnel, must confront the apex of the rat's evolution – the hideously deformed and hyper-intelligent lead mutant – in a brutal, no-holds-barred battle for survival, hoping to prevent another devastating outbreak.

"Lair" intensifies the horror of its predecessor, exploring the chilling possibility that humanity's attempts to control nature are ultimately futile when faced with a truly adaptable and malevolent force. It's a relentless and gruesome read, characteristic of Herbert's early work, focusing on the primal fear of being hunted and devoured.

Comments:
A new stage in this trilogy sends those with musophobia into an even worse state. I have never had a problem with any rodents until I read this and it made me think twice about unchecked infestations. Brilliant book, it still drives fear into those who read it and that is why these books are always mentioned when you ask about James Herbert.

Books that we've read by James Herbert (20):
The Rats (Rats, #1) (1974), The Fog (1975), The Survivor (1976), Fluke (1977), The Spear (1978), Lair (Rats, #2) (1979), The Dark (1980), Jonah (1981), Shrine (1983), Domain (Rats, #3) (1983), Moon (1985), Magic Cottage (1986), Sepulchre (1987), Haunted (David Ash, #1) (1988), The Ghosts Of Sleath (David Ash, #2) (1994), Others (1999), Once... (2001), Nobody True (2003), The Secret of Crickley Hall (2006), Ash (David Ash, #3) (2012)