The Roaches Have No King (A Five Star Title)

By Daniel Evan Weiss

Book Overview

When Ira Fishblatt's girlfriend, Ruth Grubstein, moves into his appartment, he cleans up his act and his kitchen much to the repulsion of the hoards of cockroaches who also inhabit his flat. This grubby army who, up until now, had happily existed on the food debris littering his flat, now face a harsh future: eviction or death from starvation. Driven into a frenzy by their dark fate, a leader cockroach, Numbers, devises a diabolical plan which will forever rid them of Ruth and her damnable tidiness. Enlisting the unwitting help of Rufus, the local cocaine dealer, Elizabeth and his hot-blooded ex-girlfriend, the Gypsy, they act out a masterplan to save their home? and their lives.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1852427469
• ISBN13: 9781852427467
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Serpent's Tail
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.7" x 5.1"

Customer Reviews

Funny and Clever

While this novel may not be for everyone (be warned that there are some quite graphic descriptions of bodily functions, human sexual activity, and insect sexual activity), this is perhaps the cleverest book I've read in a very long time. It is funny, touching, and memorable.The protagonist, a cockroach named Numbers, has big plans. He wants to get Ira Fishblatt's very messy girlfriend to come back to the apartment ... so that the plentiful food will return with her. He has a problem, though, because the strength and longevity of his species derives from their inherent lack of cooperative effort. The title is their best attribute: their selfishness is their strength.Hilarity ensues as Numbers' plans hit a variety of snags, and I found myself rooting for this very unusual insect. It is a well-written novel, and the pages fly by. If you have the stomach for it, this makes for a different and interesting reading experience.

Simultaneously Disgusting and fascinating. Loved it!

This is one of the best books I've read in a long while. A phenomenal satire. Mr. Weiss was able to hold the proper character tone/perspective throughout the entire book, which is written, unbelievably, from a cockroach's point of view. Not for the squeemish, but for any one with an open mind, it is an EXCELLENT read!.

One of the few books Ive read over and over.

I bought this book years ago, and have ended up reading it year after year. In England it was published under a different title:- Unnatural Selection, I recommend it utterly if you want to smile throughout a book. Thank God we have few roaches in this country!

Satire with a sense of creativity and enlightenment

This book expands perspective, gives a smile, and creates dark humor at its best - without bording on the macabe. The best "blind" book choice I have done in over five years.