(1998) gives us the first of Miéville’s ordinary heroes (see Deeba in

and Billy in

), and Miéville’s first depiction of a vast, dark, vibrant city – in this case, contemporary London. It’s a rendition of the self-discovery of the hero, as in Superhero stories (for instance, Spiderman) and traditional hero stories (for instance, Siegfried). The hero discovers his powers, loses his innocence, and completes a grim task. The tale mixes London Gothic, horror/serial killer stories, and stories of animals with special powers, bathing all in the impurities and humour of grunge.

Our hero Saul finds himself wrongly accused of the murder of his father, and taken up into, or rather down into and across into, the world of King Rat. Saul learns he is King Rat’s

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Citation: Palmer, Christopher. "King Rat". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 February 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=34371, accessed 25 November 2024.]

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