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The Island of Whispers
RICHARD ADAMS meets GEORGE ORWELL in this story of a colony of rats living on an island under the world-famous Forth Rail Bridge. Ruled over by an Inner Circle of evil fat rats, and in fear for their lives, a group of lowly Watchers attempts to brave the stormy waters and scale the giant bridge in a bid for freedom. But celebrations for the bridge's centenary are about to begin... Will they make it?
A story of oppression overcome, fierce loyalty, dreams and devastation. Grisly to the end, but with heart. You'll never look at those little islands in the same way again.
A story of oppression overcome, fierce loyalty, dreams and devastation. Grisly to the end, but with heart. You'll never look at those little islands in the same way again.
Unknown Binding
First published June 12, 2009
3 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Brendan Gisby
25 books21 followersBrendan Gisby was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, halfway through the 20th century, and was brought up just along the road in South Queensferry (the Ferry) in the shadow of the world-famous Forth Bridge. He now lives in splendid isolation in the wilds of Strathearn in Scotland.
Retiring from a business career in 2007, Brendan has devoted himself to writing. To date, he has published four novels, four biographies and several short story collections.
Brendan is also the founder of McStorytellers, a website which showcases the work of Scottish-connected short story writers.
Retiring from a business career in 2007, Brendan has devoted himself to writing. To date, he has published four novels, four biographies and several short story collections.
Brendan is also the founder of McStorytellers, a website which showcases the work of Scottish-connected short story writers.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 24, 2017
The Island of Whispers really took me by surprise. In a good way.
I enjoyed the tale of Twisted Foot, and his difficult life as a Watcher. Evil rulers, through the violence and oppression carried out by the Hunters and Protectors, make life miserable for the Watchers and anyone that disagrees with rules that were created so long ago, still enforced through fear and the stories of death for so many in the past.
This is the first Gisby experience I have had, and I couldn’t have picked a better work to begin my trip through his catalogue. The story was very entertaining, and extremely clever. The mood and brilliant descriptions pull you into the very human lives of the rats living on the island underneath a bridge, and the author is even able to incorporate status and roles and emotion and the thrills of a truly inspiring story. Some parts are dark, but not uncomfortable. The story wraps around you and lets you feel what it is like to be a disgraced Watcher in a violent and unforgiving colony.
Read the blurb, read the reviews, whatever you need to take this opportunity to read a good story. See a community of pests and learn to love them, let them pull you into their world and their struggle. And the next time you drive over a bridge, look down. See the little island and let the chills run the length of your limbs, the despair and destruction roll in your stomach, and the fantastic characterization of this tale warm your heart. Really fantastic read.
I enjoyed the tale of Twisted Foot, and his difficult life as a Watcher. Evil rulers, through the violence and oppression carried out by the Hunters and Protectors, make life miserable for the Watchers and anyone that disagrees with rules that were created so long ago, still enforced through fear and the stories of death for so many in the past.
This is the first Gisby experience I have had, and I couldn’t have picked a better work to begin my trip through his catalogue. The story was very entertaining, and extremely clever. The mood and brilliant descriptions pull you into the very human lives of the rats living on the island underneath a bridge, and the author is even able to incorporate status and roles and emotion and the thrills of a truly inspiring story. Some parts are dark, but not uncomfortable. The story wraps around you and lets you feel what it is like to be a disgraced Watcher in a violent and unforgiving colony.
Read the blurb, read the reviews, whatever you need to take this opportunity to read a good story. See a community of pests and learn to love them, let them pull you into their world and their struggle. And the next time you drive over a bridge, look down. See the little island and let the chills run the length of your limbs, the despair and destruction roll in your stomach, and the fantastic characterization of this tale warm your heart. Really fantastic read.
January 4, 2018
I’ve read many of Gisby’s books and other than a good read you never know what you’re in for. This is a writer who can turn his hand to anything and is all the more interesting for it. I loved it.
With Island of whispers, we’re taken to a world of rats made human. As mentioned elsewhere, Water ship down and Animal farm have trod similar territory but, set on his own turf, this is pure Gisby. The book finds a good balance between political insight, empathy and entertainment in a way that gave me an very enjoyable read and a sense of time well spent.
It’s a fast paced tale mixed with poignancy and thrills and filled with memorable characters brilliantly named in an almost Native American style. Characters are the books main strength and along with the main man / rat, Twisted Foot, an unlikely and reluctant leader, there’s a stream of them, nuanced beyond simple good and bad.
Another great Gisby read. Give it a go.
With Island of whispers, we’re taken to a world of rats made human. As mentioned elsewhere, Water ship down and Animal farm have trod similar territory but, set on his own turf, this is pure Gisby. The book finds a good balance between political insight, empathy and entertainment in a way that gave me an very enjoyable read and a sense of time well spent.
It’s a fast paced tale mixed with poignancy and thrills and filled with memorable characters brilliantly named in an almost Native American style. Characters are the books main strength and along with the main man / rat, Twisted Foot, an unlikely and reluctant leader, there’s a stream of them, nuanced beyond simple good and bad.
Another great Gisby read. Give it a go.
August 18, 2014
Based on the blurb one would assume that this book is a combination of Adams' "Watership Down" and Orwell's "Animal Farm" (or perhaps "1984" as I first did, but how rats would use technology to spy on each other was beyond me). And because of that blurb and mostly positive reviews I decided to give it a shot. Well, let's just say that blurb was half-right and that it is a little hyperbolic. :-) Understandable from a publisher's point of view, but perhaps irritating to a reader who is expecting more from this book. I loved "Watership Down" and have read "Animal Farm" and "1984," and the comparison to these two writers is overblown.
If you're familiar with "Watership Down" you might recognize the premise of this story as being similar to the militarized rabbit warren of Efrafa. If you're not, then the summary is essentially that the island of this particular novel's rats is a rigidly controlled oligarchy with different castes. The Inner Circle are the rulers, followed by their enforcers the Hunters, then the Watchers, and the lowest caste the Scavengers. Very similar to Adams, but nothing like Orwell. Some rats from the Watchers caste decide that life in a police state is no good and decide to leave. While this is happening, the bridge that crosses their island is about to celebrate is centennial. Will this small group of rats be able to avoid humans and their own kind to start a new life on the mainland?
What works in this book is the premise and the ease with which this book can be read. Those are big pluses in modern literature. What didn't work so much for me is some of the scenes (e.g., a rat rape scene that was totally extraneous and went into more detail than was necessary, as well as rats biting each other's heads off) and that I never felt like I cared for any of these rats. It's not that I don't like rats (I really don't, but I don't hate them and I've held several of them that were pets -- not mine), but these characters never hooked me emotionally or psychologically. I never felt like the risks to their lives were real to me (or them), some of them seemed to risk their lives on a whim, and the danger never seemed like it was present. In short, I never found myself rooting for anybody except for the one Scavenger caste rat who came along because he was the only one that seemed to have any real motivation.
All that being said, I did like the book. As I said, the premise was plausible and it was an easy read. But I would have to stop short of recommending it to anyone who isn't familiar with the location of the bridge and island in Scotland that are the setting of this book. For everyone else, I would say to just read "Watership Down" instead.
If you're familiar with "Watership Down" you might recognize the premise of this story as being similar to the militarized rabbit warren of Efrafa. If you're not, then the summary is essentially that the island of this particular novel's rats is a rigidly controlled oligarchy with different castes. The Inner Circle are the rulers, followed by their enforcers the Hunters, then the Watchers, and the lowest caste the Scavengers. Very similar to Adams, but nothing like Orwell. Some rats from the Watchers caste decide that life in a police state is no good and decide to leave. While this is happening, the bridge that crosses their island is about to celebrate is centennial. Will this small group of rats be able to avoid humans and their own kind to start a new life on the mainland?
What works in this book is the premise and the ease with which this book can be read. Those are big pluses in modern literature. What didn't work so much for me is some of the scenes (e.g., a rat rape scene that was totally extraneous and went into more detail than was necessary, as well as rats biting each other's heads off) and that I never felt like I cared for any of these rats. It's not that I don't like rats (I really don't, but I don't hate them and I've held several of them that were pets -- not mine), but these characters never hooked me emotionally or psychologically. I never felt like the risks to their lives were real to me (or them), some of them seemed to risk their lives on a whim, and the danger never seemed like it was present. In short, I never found myself rooting for anybody except for the one Scavenger caste rat who came along because he was the only one that seemed to have any real motivation.
All that being said, I did like the book. As I said, the premise was plausible and it was an easy read. But I would have to stop short of recommending it to anyone who isn't familiar with the location of the bridge and island in Scotland that are the setting of this book. For everyone else, I would say to just read "Watership Down" instead.
October 12, 2013
Reminiscent of Richard Adams’ Watership Down, Brendan Gisby’s novel is a mesmerizing tale of conquest, enslavement and yearning for a life of freedom from oppression and want.
Set in Scotland in an ancient ruined monastery on the island of Inchgarvie that was abandoned during the Middle Ages, “The Island of Whispers” tells the story of the conquest and subjugation of the island’s indigenous black rat population by much larger (cat-size larger) brown rats that arrived from passing ships. Enslaved, despised and abused by the brown rats, the black rats yearn for freedom and dream of founding a just society somewhere else. The ruling leadership will do anything to snuff it out and exterminate it.
Looking out from his island prison, Twisted Foot sees another land. How could they get there? Could it be a place where he, his mate and his child could have a free life? What about Fat One, Small Face and Long Ears? Would they be interested? And Grey Eyes, Soft-Mover and Bone-Cruncher? They would have to be very, very careful to avoid the sharp eyes and ears of the Protectors and the Inner Circle. Eventually, taking Slayer, the Slave King who escapes during a slave revolt that the authorities brutally put down, they leave the island for their freedom.
What happens then? Does their last? Does it grow? Are Twisted Foot, Fat One and their friends able to establish the just society they were dreaming of? You’ll have to read the book to find that out, which – unless you hate rats – shouldn’t be a problem, as it’s a can’t-put-it-down kind of read.
This rat tale is a wonderfully told story of the yearning to be free that’s in every person’s heart. It’s a story that is as ancient as history, and as current as today’s news. Inchgarvie could be Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, North Korea, apartheid South Africa, Israel, the U.S., Argentina during the military junta, Chile during Pinochet’s rule, Myanmar, the company you work for … wherever people are kept down, marginalized, despised, and ignored. Reading it, I kept thinking about Israel’s treatment of both its Arab citizens and the Arabs in the Occupied Territories and Gaza, which has been under a near lock-down siege since June 2007.
Set in Scotland in an ancient ruined monastery on the island of Inchgarvie that was abandoned during the Middle Ages, “The Island of Whispers” tells the story of the conquest and subjugation of the island’s indigenous black rat population by much larger (cat-size larger) brown rats that arrived from passing ships. Enslaved, despised and abused by the brown rats, the black rats yearn for freedom and dream of founding a just society somewhere else. The ruling leadership will do anything to snuff it out and exterminate it.
Looking out from his island prison, Twisted Foot sees another land. How could they get there? Could it be a place where he, his mate and his child could have a free life? What about Fat One, Small Face and Long Ears? Would they be interested? And Grey Eyes, Soft-Mover and Bone-Cruncher? They would have to be very, very careful to avoid the sharp eyes and ears of the Protectors and the Inner Circle. Eventually, taking Slayer, the Slave King who escapes during a slave revolt that the authorities brutally put down, they leave the island for their freedom.
What happens then? Does their last? Does it grow? Are Twisted Foot, Fat One and their friends able to establish the just society they were dreaming of? You’ll have to read the book to find that out, which – unless you hate rats – shouldn’t be a problem, as it’s a can’t-put-it-down kind of read.
This rat tale is a wonderfully told story of the yearning to be free that’s in every person’s heart. It’s a story that is as ancient as history, and as current as today’s news. Inchgarvie could be Egypt, Iran, Tunisia, North Korea, apartheid South Africa, Israel, the U.S., Argentina during the military junta, Chile during Pinochet’s rule, Myanmar, the company you work for … wherever people are kept down, marginalized, despised, and ignored. Reading it, I kept thinking about Israel’s treatment of both its Arab citizens and the Arabs in the Occupied Territories and Gaza, which has been under a near lock-down siege since June 2007.
July 20, 2012
I have a partiality for animal fiction, whether it's the type that explores the real lives of animals, or the type that uses their lives, mostly, to explore us. It isn't an either/or; the animal fiction I like does both. This one isn't out to teach me about rats; though the setting, an islet called Inchgarvie near the great Firth of Forth railway bridge, with the remains of a monastery and a WWII gun emplacement, is extremely real and present, as the author grew up in these parts. He has notable descriptive powers, too.
It reminds me more of Duncton Wood than Watership Down. As in the Duncton novels, you see the very worst and darkest of behaviour; and if we were talking about humans in history as I know it, these atrocities might be too strong for my stomach, unless I want a punishing read that night. But give me animals, talk indirectly, and I can watch, while the terrible things creatures do to each other are seriously and sincerely put and explored. The Dunctons are warmly humane (I need that too) and I saw the author say of this one, "grisly, but with heart" which is true.
It's a great yarn. I ought to have said that first. A story of revolt against injustice. Twisted Foot the cripple is our hero. Rat society on Inchgarvie has settled into a tyranny, bit of a concentration camp but the only society these island rats know. They can imagine another, however, if they escape to the bridge and beyond. It's tightly plotted and works up the excitement; human business goes on at just the wrong times for the rats. It's neatly, effectively written.
I'd just like to say the she-rats are particularly oppressed and still in need of a she-rat revolution.
I wish we'd hear more from rat world. Author?
Notes: I sampled from Amazon but bought from Smashwords. Differences in formatting and typeface - better on Smashwords, I thought. It's as error-free as you can ask.
It reminds me more of Duncton Wood than Watership Down. As in the Duncton novels, you see the very worst and darkest of behaviour; and if we were talking about humans in history as I know it, these atrocities might be too strong for my stomach, unless I want a punishing read that night. But give me animals, talk indirectly, and I can watch, while the terrible things creatures do to each other are seriously and sincerely put and explored. The Dunctons are warmly humane (I need that too) and I saw the author say of this one, "grisly, but with heart" which is true.
It's a great yarn. I ought to have said that first. A story of revolt against injustice. Twisted Foot the cripple is our hero. Rat society on Inchgarvie has settled into a tyranny, bit of a concentration camp but the only society these island rats know. They can imagine another, however, if they escape to the bridge and beyond. It's tightly plotted and works up the excitement; human business goes on at just the wrong times for the rats. It's neatly, effectively written.
I'd just like to say the she-rats are particularly oppressed and still in need of a she-rat revolution.
I wish we'd hear more from rat world. Author?
Notes: I sampled from Amazon but bought from Smashwords. Differences in formatting and typeface - better on Smashwords, I thought. It's as error-free as you can ask.
March 2, 2014
When I'd finished this book I felt as though I'd been flattened by a steamroller. I can't in honesty say I enjoyed it. I am not built to enjoy suffering and these rats suffer. From page one it keeps on going, horrendous experience after horrendous experience. It is well written, has a good story arc, makes sense within the 'reality' created by the storyteller and if you like that sort of thing - then you will love this example of that sort of thing. In fact as an example of that sort of thing it is probably in the top .5% of all those sorts of things you'll ever read.
I have given it a high rating because within its genre it deserves it and just because I am too much of a wimp to relish the violence and gore I am not too much of an idiot to see it is extremely well done violence and gore and it kept me reading right to the end even though I was wincing all the way through - which shows how well written it was. And when it was finished I was glad. But I wish it had had a few chunks of happiness and fun in there somewhere to give faint hearts like me a place to read and just get to know the characters instead of worrying for them all the way through.
But for pity's sake don't read it thinking it is like Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh - you'll be needing happy pills after reading this one if that is your sort of thing.
I have given it a high rating because within its genre it deserves it and just because I am too much of a wimp to relish the violence and gore I am not too much of an idiot to see it is extremely well done violence and gore and it kept me reading right to the end even though I was wincing all the way through - which shows how well written it was. And when it was finished I was glad. But I wish it had had a few chunks of happiness and fun in there somewhere to give faint hearts like me a place to read and just get to know the characters instead of worrying for them all the way through.
But for pity's sake don't read it thinking it is like Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh - you'll be needing happy pills after reading this one if that is your sort of thing.
March 30, 2012
This was highly enjoyable animal novel in the spirit of Watership Down. It is not a cute-animal-story-for-children story - for the life of the rats is brutal - filled with cannibalism, violence and rape. The rat society and the ways in which they and the human world interact were interesting. This is the story of Twisted Foot, a mildly deformed Watcher rat who realises that there is a way out of the miserable life of servitude in their tiny colony and strives to escape it. The story is a very simple one - with no unexpected twists or turns and it could have done with a bit more tension. It is a short novel, that could have been fleshed out and made more visceral and the climax was rather... non climatic and rushed, as though the author was in a hurry to get it finished. Like most animal novels, all of the main characters are males and the females do not get referred to by name until about halfway through, and even then are just minor characters in the plot.
Still, highly enjoyable and convincingly written.
Still, highly enjoyable and convincingly written.
April 24, 2011
The Island of Whispers is a powerful, atmospheric tale of the deprived, less than perfect individual who takes a stand against the evil dominance of those more powerful than him and attempts to escape the bonds of servitude. The protagonist, a cripple named Twisted Foot, is a thinker, and eventually a planner, who enlists the aid of other unfortunate beings in a group bid for freedom. The author takes us into the dark underworld of rattus rattus, which has its own powerful class divisions and soul destroying inequities. The story is couched in eminently readable prose, the plot does not meander nor deviate and the work does not in any way disappoint. Highly rcommended.
May 12, 2013
If you enjoyed Watership Down you will love this book - if you don't mind rats! Mr Gisby has created a diverse society of rats facing problems from within and without. Possibly a hint of allegory in this, but it can be read simply for itself. I loved it.
March 9, 2014
Actually really enjoyed the story. Wasn't sure what I was in for, narrated by rats. It felt just like human life in a controlled and dominated society, with physically descriptive names. Rooting for the underdog came quickly for me.
July 31, 2025
The Island of Whispers is one of those rare allegorical tales that creeps under your skin and lingers. Brendan Gisby builds an entire society of rats with Orwellian tension and a touch of Richard Adams’ heart and it works. It really works.
What starts as a grim, oppressive world ruled by power-hungry elites turns into a gripping, emotional journey of courage, escape, and sacrifice. The symbolism is clear, but never heavy-handed. And the backdrop, the eerie shadow of the Forth Rail Bridge, adds a raw, industrial beauty to the narrative.
Grisly in moments, deeply moving in others, this is a story that makes you pause and think… and maybe never look at a quiet island the same way again.
Highly recommend to readers who love dystopian allegories with soul.
What starts as a grim, oppressive world ruled by power-hungry elites turns into a gripping, emotional journey of courage, escape, and sacrifice. The symbolism is clear, but never heavy-handed. And the backdrop, the eerie shadow of the Forth Rail Bridge, adds a raw, industrial beauty to the narrative.
Grisly in moments, deeply moving in others, this is a story that makes you pause and think… and maybe never look at a quiet island the same way again.
Highly recommend to readers who love dystopian allegories with soul.
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November 24, 2025Interesting ferryman giving rides to the afterlife
June 17, 2010
TITLE: The Island of Whispers
AUTHOR: Brendan Gisby
PUBLISHER: Black Leaf Publishing (June 12, 2009) http://www.blackleafpublishers.com
PRICE: $12.67, £7.35
PAGES: 236
FORMAT: Paperback
ISBN-10: 1907407103
ISBN-13: 9781907407109
Twisted Foot, a Watcher, is a black rat who lives in an abandoned monastery on Inchgarvie Island. As Twisted Foot stands watch in the Upperworld, he realizes how cruel his home in the Underworld is.
He also considers what happened during the Selection. Broken Tail, the Chief Protector sniffed out the deformed and weaker of the newborn rats. He would swipe each across the snout marking them for destruction. Then, the newborns would be herded and guarded by the Protectors for food for the Rulers. Twisted Foot remembers that he had lost a couple of children this way.
He reminds himself they were broken up into different classes of rats. There were the Rulers who depend on the rat colony for substance and everything else for that matter. Next in the pecking order are the Inner Circle. These few advised the Rulers. There were the Hunters. The Hunters held a position of honor since they hunt each night to provide food for the rat colony. Of course, the Rulers get the best pieces of food. Next, come the Protectors. These bullies think that they can torture, kill and rape anyone in a lower class than they are. The ones the Protectors usually attacked were the Watchers and the Slave-rats. Not to mention the she-rats and their young. What to do about such cruelty? Was there a world beyond the Upperworld?
When Twisted Foot was on Watcher duty, he could see another land beyond the water. Was there a colony there too? Could they make a bid for freedom and escape?
You cheer as Twisted Foot, his friends, their mates and youngsters as they make their escape. The author holds you in suspense as they climb the Giant’s Foot to crawl across it. Will Twisted Foot and his friends find a place where they can start their own society of equality?
I fully recommend this book! This reviewer had to start The Island of Whispers several times. This is mainly because I can’t stand rats. The Island of Whispers is a ‘stick with it book.’ It is an engrossing tale from start to finish about breaking away from cruelty and dictatorship. The Island of Whispers is a fascinating and suspenseful story. The Mr. Gisby holds you in suspense from the beginning to the last page! His powers of description will have you both cringing and enthralled.
If you wish to learn more about the author, Brendan Gisby, visit his website at: http://www.brendangisby.com. You can purchase The Island of Whispers at: http://www.amazon.com or http://www.amazon.co.uk.
AUTHOR: Brendan Gisby
PUBLISHER: Black Leaf Publishing (June 12, 2009) http://www.blackleafpublishers.com
PRICE: $12.67, £7.35
PAGES: 236
FORMAT: Paperback
ISBN-10: 1907407103
ISBN-13: 9781907407109
Twisted Foot, a Watcher, is a black rat who lives in an abandoned monastery on Inchgarvie Island. As Twisted Foot stands watch in the Upperworld, he realizes how cruel his home in the Underworld is.
He also considers what happened during the Selection. Broken Tail, the Chief Protector sniffed out the deformed and weaker of the newborn rats. He would swipe each across the snout marking them for destruction. Then, the newborns would be herded and guarded by the Protectors for food for the Rulers. Twisted Foot remembers that he had lost a couple of children this way.
He reminds himself they were broken up into different classes of rats. There were the Rulers who depend on the rat colony for substance and everything else for that matter. Next in the pecking order are the Inner Circle. These few advised the Rulers. There were the Hunters. The Hunters held a position of honor since they hunt each night to provide food for the rat colony. Of course, the Rulers get the best pieces of food. Next, come the Protectors. These bullies think that they can torture, kill and rape anyone in a lower class than they are. The ones the Protectors usually attacked were the Watchers and the Slave-rats. Not to mention the she-rats and their young. What to do about such cruelty? Was there a world beyond the Upperworld?
When Twisted Foot was on Watcher duty, he could see another land beyond the water. Was there a colony there too? Could they make a bid for freedom and escape?
You cheer as Twisted Foot, his friends, their mates and youngsters as they make their escape. The author holds you in suspense as they climb the Giant’s Foot to crawl across it. Will Twisted Foot and his friends find a place where they can start their own society of equality?
I fully recommend this book! This reviewer had to start The Island of Whispers several times. This is mainly because I can’t stand rats. The Island of Whispers is a ‘stick with it book.’ It is an engrossing tale from start to finish about breaking away from cruelty and dictatorship. The Island of Whispers is a fascinating and suspenseful story. The Mr. Gisby holds you in suspense from the beginning to the last page! His powers of description will have you both cringing and enthralled.
If you wish to learn more about the author, Brendan Gisby, visit his website at: http://www.brendangisby.com. You can purchase The Island of Whispers at: http://www.amazon.com or http://www.amazon.co.uk.
November 20, 2011
THE ISLAND OF WHISPERS by Brendan Gisby made me think of WATERSHIP DOWN. In THE ISLAND OF WHISPERS there are no (mostly cuddly) furries with long ears, but, oh don't we all dread them, rats. And Gisby pulls it off. The rats become personalities, characters, doing what they have to do, very much reminding me of what we do to each other every day, somewhere.
Gisby creates a small world somewhere in the North of England, where - many generations after having arrived on a tiny island - the newcomers create a kingdom with a ruling family weakened by too much comfort, hubris and the illusion of safety. Next are the courtiers, the rats who run the shop, the protectors. The protectors keep the royal rat family far from the `dirty' business of survival and rule the roost with an iron fist and absolute ruthlessness. There are the hunters (providing the daily meals of hunted and killed gulls - the only other inhabitants apart from the rats - mainly for the ruling class) the watchers (the lookouts on rotating guard duty) followed by the slaves who do the dirty work.
Predictably some at the lower end of this particular rat society's scale tweak to the possibility of changing the system, of perhaps escaping and starting somewhere else, a new beginning with a fair system of government in a green and pleasant world.
The reader is soon caught up in the intrigues, sufferings, cruelties, deceits and can't help but soon identifying with, and supporting, the `good guys', suffering with that little band of braves their fear, the dangers, and rejoicing with them when their courage wins the day.
A great read. Once you start you won't stop until you're sure that all ends well. I became a kid again as well as contemplating some of the ills of our world which I think Gisby had in mind when he was writing THE ISLAND OF WHISPERS.
Gisby creates a small world somewhere in the North of England, where - many generations after having arrived on a tiny island - the newcomers create a kingdom with a ruling family weakened by too much comfort, hubris and the illusion of safety. Next are the courtiers, the rats who run the shop, the protectors. The protectors keep the royal rat family far from the `dirty' business of survival and rule the roost with an iron fist and absolute ruthlessness. There are the hunters (providing the daily meals of hunted and killed gulls - the only other inhabitants apart from the rats - mainly for the ruling class) the watchers (the lookouts on rotating guard duty) followed by the slaves who do the dirty work.
Predictably some at the lower end of this particular rat society's scale tweak to the possibility of changing the system, of perhaps escaping and starting somewhere else, a new beginning with a fair system of government in a green and pleasant world.
The reader is soon caught up in the intrigues, sufferings, cruelties, deceits and can't help but soon identifying with, and supporting, the `good guys', suffering with that little band of braves their fear, the dangers, and rejoicing with them when their courage wins the day.
A great read. Once you start you won't stop until you're sure that all ends well. I became a kid again as well as contemplating some of the ills of our world which I think Gisby had in mind when he was writing THE ISLAND OF WHISPERS.
May 26, 2012
"Standing on his hindquarters in the centre of the platform among the half-eaten corpses of the Rulers, Slasher rallied the latter defenders....Slasher had claimed the throne. he was their undisputed King-rat now."
How apt that this allegory of race, class, and a latter-day feudal society -plays out in the deep dark recesses of a long-ruined medieval monastery, the kind one can see all over Ireland and Scotland.
The hierarchy of power which was prevalent in the Medieval feudalism of the Middle Ages also applied to the monasteries.
Just as the monks answered to the dean who answered to the prior who answered to the abbot...who answered to a bishop, the anthropomorphic rats ultimately answered to the Rulers, the Chamberlain, the Assembly, the King. The Watchers, Scavengers, Protectors and others all had their preordained roles from which they could not deviate.
Rats could become both powerful and successful breeders - if only they were born into the right caste until one cataclysmic day when the inexorable urge to be free coincided with a centenary celebration of the cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth (don't you love that phrase?)
A chance event altered those grim expectations of the Watcher caste. Rising unfulfilled expectations have led more than once to human revolutions. In this book, rats like humans break the surly bonds of their oppressors.
Long Snout, Neck Snapper, Bone Cruncher, Fat One, Twisted Foot, Grey Eyes all have their unique personalities. I was reminded a bit of the Homeric poems in the epithets applied.
There was murder, mayhem, cruelty - not the sort of subjects I would usually choose for recreational reading, but the story telling is so masterful, and the language so good, that I kept reading straight through. This is the kind of storytelling one gets only in Ireland and Scotland.
Buy this book!!
How apt that this allegory of race, class, and a latter-day feudal society -plays out in the deep dark recesses of a long-ruined medieval monastery, the kind one can see all over Ireland and Scotland.
The hierarchy of power which was prevalent in the Medieval feudalism of the Middle Ages also applied to the monasteries.
Just as the monks answered to the dean who answered to the prior who answered to the abbot...who answered to a bishop, the anthropomorphic rats ultimately answered to the Rulers, the Chamberlain, the Assembly, the King. The Watchers, Scavengers, Protectors and others all had their preordained roles from which they could not deviate.
Rats could become both powerful and successful breeders - if only they were born into the right caste until one cataclysmic day when the inexorable urge to be free coincided with a centenary celebration of the cantilever railway bridge over the Firth of Forth (don't you love that phrase?)
A chance event altered those grim expectations of the Watcher caste. Rising unfulfilled expectations have led more than once to human revolutions. In this book, rats like humans break the surly bonds of their oppressors.
Long Snout, Neck Snapper, Bone Cruncher, Fat One, Twisted Foot, Grey Eyes all have their unique personalities. I was reminded a bit of the Homeric poems in the epithets applied.
There was murder, mayhem, cruelty - not the sort of subjects I would usually choose for recreational reading, but the story telling is so masterful, and the language so good, that I kept reading straight through. This is the kind of storytelling one gets only in Ireland and Scotland.
Buy this book!!
November 27, 2013
Brendan’s goal was to write “an adventure story, pure and simple; nothing more, nothing deeper” and he has achieved that. If that’s all you’re looking for in a book then buy a copy of this right away; you will not be disappointed. I, however, was disappointed because there was the potential here for more. He completed the first three parts quite quickly, but had to stop at that point because of business commitments and it was not until 2009, almost twenty years later, that he picked up the manuscript again and completed the final two parts. Here was an opportunity to reach for the stars and one that was missed. Part of me understands because when I came to edit my first two novels ten years after they were first written I chose to keep them as a record of the man I was then rather than try to make them into something else so it would be hypocritical to make too much of the fact Brendan’s novel falls short of some imaginary mark. It has exceeded his goal anyway. It’s not simple “an adventure story”. It’s thought-provoking and certainly a good book for teenagers who might balk at reading most of the other books mentioned above for various different reasons. That said the title is not exciting nor is the current cover. An earlier version sported a rat on the cover and I thought that was better; the current cover looks more like a travel guide.
Read my full review here.
Read my full review here.
January 30, 2016
The island of Inchgarvie is real; I've seen it. Locals call it Rat Island, and author Brendan Gisby creates a world that tells us why.
A colony of rats constitute the characters in this tale, which reminded me a little bit of Watership Down. Twisted Foot is the leader of the Watchers; he's one of the few who has ever seen the outside world. The colony is stratified into slaves/Scavengers, Watchers, Protectors, and Rulers ... and none dare step outside their role.
Until the Two-footers (humans) show up and start building a contraption up above ... and Twisted Foot decides it might be time to actually try to leave the island by swimming to the mainland.
This was not an easy book. There are incredibly violent scenes that show how difficult life is for the rat colony; they are not gratuitous, but they are unpleasant. I became rather attached to some of the characters, which sometimes made it challenging to read about the hardships they faced.
The plot and characters were well-developed, and give a backstory to a real place that I might not have considered. Well done.
A colony of rats constitute the characters in this tale, which reminded me a little bit of Watership Down. Twisted Foot is the leader of the Watchers; he's one of the few who has ever seen the outside world. The colony is stratified into slaves/Scavengers, Watchers, Protectors, and Rulers ... and none dare step outside their role.
Until the Two-footers (humans) show up and start building a contraption up above ... and Twisted Foot decides it might be time to actually try to leave the island by swimming to the mainland.
This was not an easy book. There are incredibly violent scenes that show how difficult life is for the rat colony; they are not gratuitous, but they are unpleasant. I became rather attached to some of the characters, which sometimes made it challenging to read about the hardships they faced.
The plot and characters were well-developed, and give a backstory to a real place that I might not have considered. Well done.
June 29, 2011
The Island of Whispers is a powerful, atmospheric tale of the deprived, less than perfect individual who takes a stand against the evil dominance of those more powerful than him and attempts to escape the bonds of servitude. The protagonist, a cripple named Twisted Foot, is a thinker, and eventually a planner, who enlists the aid of other unfortunate beings in a group bid for freedom. The author takes us into the dark underworld of rattus rattus, which has its own powerful class divisions and soul destroying inequities. The story is couched in eminently readable prose, the plot does not meander nor deviate and the work does not in any way disappoint. Highly recommended.
December 4, 2020
A Society of Rats in which the oppressed revolt. This novel will grab you quickly and not let you go. The heroism and the sacrifices made by the leaders to overcome the tyranny of the Inner Circle mirrors what happens in our own human societies. When you read this, you will quickly forget that you are reading about rats. They taken on such strong characteristics, that you will forget they are rats and think of them as humans fighting for a better life and survival. !!!
July 8, 2015
Does improve slightly as it goes on, but I prefer a book that shows rather than tells sometimes.
January 22, 2016
Surprisingly good
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it but it honestly wasn't bad. Just different. Secrets of NiMH meets Watership Down. Pretty decent for a book about rats.
I wouldn't necessarily recommend it but it honestly wasn't bad. Just different. Secrets of NiMH meets Watership Down. Pretty decent for a book about rats.
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