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Lee Andrew Taylor
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THE S.T.A.R.S PROJECT: (A killer RATS story) Kindle Edition

by Lee Andrew Taylor (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings
Could you kill a rat knowing its blood helps to heal the sick?

The clock is ticking as the rats of Aaronsville grow wise and thirst for blood.

In this suspenseful horror story, set in the British Countryside, humans must make a difficult decision when a deadly virus wipes out most of the rats used to heal the sick.
After a few years, the rats that survived the virus are placed in a laboratory and bred, but when they escape, terror and chaos ensue.
With the police trying to decide whether to recapture the rats or kill them, a few citizens help out to save the day.
If you enjoyed James Herbert's classic RATS novels then you'll be sure to enjoy this gripping tale.

THE RATS ARE COMING!!!

Packed with action and horrific deaths, this story will leave you squirming at the thought of a rat being inside your house, or even by your feet.
Not for the faint-hearted.

"Lee Andrew Taylor vividly paints the story with wonderful imagery and perfect pacing all the way to the satisfying conclusion."

"A well-ordered story that keeps you on the edge of your seat."

"A very well-written horror/sci-fi book that starts off like a shot from a gun and never lets up."
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  1. Print length
    368 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    June 16, 2017
  4. File size
    1.1 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

a few comic images from a scene in my novel - the S.T.A.R.S Project

scene from a chapter

scene from a chapter

scene from a chapter

scene from a chapter

Editorial Reviews

Review

Ragnar Lothbroc5.0 out of 5 stars Small Furry and out for revenge.October 2, 2019Format: HardcoverVerified PurchaseOne of those books that will make you jump when hearing random quiet noises in the dark of the night. Well written with characters you get briefly attached to until they become unattached.

In my misspent youth, I was an animal caretaker for a company that dealt with chemicals I soon grew to learn that rats are not to be trusted. Lee Taylor brought back those feelings.

In general, a very good non-supernatural horror story, buy it you'll enjoy.Well Worth A Read3.0 out of 5 stars Has a good Sci-Fi/horror/creature feature vibe to itDecember 31, 2018Format: PaperbackLike many people, when I think of rats, I think of fleas, filth, and the plague.
Imagine if you will, a world where rats do not carry disease, but cure it. Where instead of killing rats as pests they must be preserved because their blood has the power to heal. When these rats go missing from the lab, it first seems that they may have been stolen. But as the body count goes higher, it's clear these rats have had enough of being experimented on. After a while the rat attacks did get a bit repetitive for my taste but I did still enjoy the story.
I don't usually get into books about government experiments gone awry, but this had a good Sci-Fi/horror/creature feature vibe to it that held my interest.Naomi Downing4.0 out of 5 stars Good readMay 12, 2019Format: PaperbackI don't like rats, the nice pet ones I'm okay with but not wild ones. This book definitely set me on edge, who wouldn't be. These aren't normal wild rats, these one's are smart and have escaped from the lab they lived in.
The description in this book are spot on and terrifying, when the rat's attack you feel like you're sitting there watching it happen.
I really enjoyed this book and the storyline. I have never read anything like it and look forward to reading more from Lee Taylor.

From the Author

When I was a teenager, I read James Herbert's - The Rats - novel, and it stayed with me growing up. In 1993, while at College, I started writing a story for a competition between fellow students, but within a few lines it ended up becoming the start of my version of a killer rats story. I only wrote 35 pages back then, but I kept the pages until I rewrote the story in 2013. I sent it out for feedback for the next few years before finally releasing it. So far, I have written novels based on memories growing up, with my version of why I feared the old saying - Night, night, sleep tight & don't let the bedbugs bite - BEDBUGS (Can you see them?) getting a FRESH release later in 2019. My other novel based on a childhood memory is titled - CLIFTON FALLS - A zombie story which I hope to re-write as a 2-part novel in 2020.  

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B071H41CWF
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Amazon Media; 2nd edition (June 16, 2017)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 16, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 24 ratings

About the author

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Lee Andrew Taylor

Lee Andrew Taylor

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LEE ANDREW TAYLOR – WRITER’S BIO TO DATE -

Lee Andrew Taylor was born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK, in 1969, moving to Bedworth, Warwickshire at the age of 9. All his life he's had a passion for creating things, whether it was new games to play with family and friends, drawing, or creating a story.

It was 1993 when Lee first dabbled in writing as an adult. He was at college when someone asked if he would enter a writing contest with other students. He agreed, and that's when the first idea for his killer rats novel - The S.T.A.R.S Project - came about. He wrote around 30 pages and kept the story safe, but in August 2018 it was released on Amazon in Kindle, Paperback, Hardback & Audio.

In 1999, at the age of 30, Lee bought his first computer from a friend and immediately got down to writing a story that was growing inside his head from when he watched his first zombie movie as a child. CLIFTON FALLS - was originally finished in 2001, but wasn't released until around 2011. Lee has since re-released it as a 2-part novel with added scenes. Part 1 was released in May 2021 in Kindle, Paperback, Hardback, & Audio, with part 2 being released in July 2022.

Part 3 of CLIFTON FALLS was released in October 2023. It is available in Kindle, Paperback, Hardback, & as an Audiobook.

Lee is hoping to release part 4 of Clifton Falls in the spring of 2025

Lee has also written - BEDBUGS (Can you see them?) - A story based on his childhood fear of the old saying - Night, night, sleep tight & don't let the bedbugs bite - Where he thought the bedbugs were really going to bite him if he didn't sleep tight.

It was originally released in 2012, but was re-released with extra scenes in July 2020.

In 2015, Lee received a phone call from a movie Producer/Director, asking him to write a Vampire horror/dark comedy screenplay. At that time, Lee hadn't written a screenplay before, but as he writes stories that take readers into his imaginary world, he gave it a go. He wrote the screenplay in 6 weeks. He was grateful for the opportunity. Since then, Lee has written 13 screenplays with some being optioned by movie Producers.

He's had conversations with the likes of Elijah Wood's (Lord of the Rings) & Joe Dante's ( Director of Gremlins) production companies about some of his scripts and has even spoken to Anthony C Ferrante (Director of the Sharknado movies) on Skype about his Bedbugs idea.

In 2019, Lee was hired to write a sci-fi, horror TV pilot for Dark Image Studios in the UK, where he received a letter of recommendation for his professional attitude and ability to write a story based on a single paragraph idea.

In 2023, Lee's ghost story screenplay - RECALL - was optioned by a British Producer, but sadly, the option agreement ended in May 2024.

So far in 2024, Lee has been speaking with a Producer in Canada about his zombie novel series - CLIFTON FALLS - There has been interest in it & a few of his horror screenplays.

To date - Novels - CLIFTON FALLS - parts 1, 2 & 3 / BEDBUGS (Can you see them?) / The S.T.A.R.S Project

To date - scripts - The Lollipop Lady (revenge thriller) / The Soul Guardian (horror/thriller) / Recall (supernatural thriller) / The Plan (revenge thriller) / Shark Cove (A killer shark horror) / The cat that fetches (family-based serial killer thriller) / Blood Twins (A vampire horror/dark comedy) / The Devil's Diary (Horror) / The land at the end of the trees (A children's adventure story) / Dead Gulch (A zombie western) / Clifton Falls (A zombie horror) / The S.T.A.R.S Project (A killer rats horror) / Death Shadow (Sci-fi, alien insect horror based on his bedbugs novel)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
24 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • deedee242
    5.0 out of 5 stars Rats in the belfry!!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    This is the first time reading a novel by Lee Taylor & im looking forward to reading many more. He has such a natural way of writing & his characters are very real. Without giving away too much, rats break out of a lab & are very pissed off at humans because of the horrible experiments done on them. The attack scenes are nice & descriptive...perfect amount of gore. The editing is spot on. I think it would make a great movie...watch out Willard, you wouldn’t want these rats coming to visit you! About to start on his Bedbugs book. Keep ‘em coming Lee, you’re a top notch author!!!
    Helpful
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  • Horror Show Host
    4.0 out of 5 stars A true treat for the terrors underneath the streets
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Plot:
    Something wicked this way comes to Aaronsville.

    They are tiny yet their size doesn’t matter when it comes to ripping the citizens to shreds.

    Who can survive the rats?!?!

    Review:
    Let’s start off with some of the characters because there are a ton.

    Adam seems to be the lead, however, there are some others up for that job as well. Harvey and Brendan come to mind.

    It’s a book with so many characters that you’d think it’d become a challenge for author Lee Taylor to give them equal page time as well as development and relevance in the story. However, Taylor succeeds where some authors fail.

    Each character has their time to shine. If they have less than a paragraph of description then they probably aren’t important enough to continue on about. Taylor understands this.

    The book is a good four-hundred pages long yet it never really tires or runs out of ideas.

    It jumps from one location to the next but it does so with ease. You never feel like you or the characters are forced into new places. That doesn’t mean they don’t change their locations. Everyone eventually comes together and it feels all the more rewarding.

    Taylor writes in a visual style. What he can envision, he writes. He says that he writes books like their scripts which could be a detriment but I feel (at least in The S.T.A.R.S. project’s case) that it feels organic enough to work as both a book and a script.

    He has tried to submit his works to some places like Joe Dante’s studio. I hope they make his book into a movie and really go all out. The S.T.A.R.S. project is an underestimated gem that we need right now. There are not enough killer rats movies out there.

    Gore:
    We get tons of feastings and bloody bites as well as mangled corpses.

    The rats aren’t huge, they’re normal-sized so the threat doesn’t seem to unbeatable. However, don’t underestimate these little terrors!

    Overall Thoughts:
    If you are a fan of killer creature books in the vein of The Rats by James Herbert then I’d recommend you check this out pronto!

    It’s bloody fun and more than just mindless entertainment.

    Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Closer to a 4 than a 3 in my opinion)
    Helpful
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  • Ragnar Lothbroc
    5.0 out of 5 stars Small Furry and out for revenge.
    Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    One of those books that will make you jump when hearing random quiet noises in the dark of the night. Well written with characters you get briefly attached to until they become unattached.

    In my misspent youth, I was an animal caretaker for a company that dealt with chemicals I soon grew to learn that rats are not to be trusted. Lee Taylor brought back those feelings.

    In general, a very good non-supernatural horror story, buy it you'll enjoy.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Joseph Vigil
    4.0 out of 5 stars Excellet Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2020
    Very well written horror/sci-fi book that starts off like a shot from a gun and never lets up. Well defined characters that you care about and a vivid sense of place. By warned though it is EXTREMELY bloody and violent. If I have any complaint it's that I wish the author would have gone more into what had devastated the human race and the virus that is killing the rats. It's a small complaint though. Great book and it needs a sequel!
    Helpful
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  • @joseph.hallett.author
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great story!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2022
    Lee Taylor vividly paints the story with wonderful imagery and perfect pacing all the way to the satisfying conclusion.
    Helpful
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  • Henya Drescher
    5.0 out of 5 stars If You Want to Jump Out of Your Skin
    Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2020
    This novel is for you if you like to get jumpy at every little noise after reading this book. A well-ordered story that keeps you at the edge of your seat. A must read!
    Helpful
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  • Josefina Hansen
    5.0 out of 5 stars S.T.A.R.S Project Book
    Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2019
    Hello I just receive my S.T.A.R.S Peoject book today. Thank you :*)
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  • Naomi Downing
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2019
    I don't like rats, the nice pet ones I'm okay with but not wild ones. This book definitely set me on edge, who wouldn't be. These aren't normal wild rats, these one's are smart and have escaped from the lab they lived in.
    The description in this book are spot on and terrifying, when the rat's attack you feel like you're sitting there watching it happen.
    I really enjoyed this book and the storyline. I have never read anything like it and look forward to reading more from Lee Taylor.
    This review and more can be found on thenightmarecloset.com
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • nicola deville
    5.0 out of 5 stars Kindle edition
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 6, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Good , easy to follow plot with a few twists.
    Fast paced with plenty of good characters .
    Well worth a read
    Report
  • Natalie
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Rats are coming and Cheese won't save you
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 20, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    The S*T*A*R*S Project Review by Nat Whiston
    Written By Lee Andrew Taylor
    Cover Art By Dean Cook
    Audio Version also available and narrated by Dave Neal

    S.T.A.R.S (Scientific Testing aimed at a Rat's Survival) is a project set up by the government to increase the population of rats in the town of Aaronsville. In today's society, rats have become a lifeline for people, and their blood is used to heal the sick. But a worldwide virus killed off most of the population a few years ago. The local government set up a lab to help maintain the rats and to mate them for the future. But now, a few years later, a change has happened; a change within the rats has arrived. They have grown wise to people and want out. Scientists have been studying the rats for a long time, but now the rats have begun to study them. They sit and watch the humans from behind their glass cages. They sit and plan an escape. Tonight, they will flee from the lab, taking revenge on the human race who thought it best to cage them. Tonight, the town of AARONSVILLE will once again be awakened with the scurrying of rodents, but this time the outcome will be different. THE RATS ARE COMING!!!

    So, where to start? I have to admit I find it hard to get into Sci-fi Horror books usually. However, this one piqued my interest. One the cover art, cose who doesn't love a cute little rat walking over a corpse and two the synopsis. I grew up on horrors of the slash variety but was introduced to sci-fi horror by my dad, and recently my mom has been getting me into newer releases. Being a massive fan of films such as Alien and the old sci-fi B movies came from Out of Space and the old Quatermass series. So having read years ago RATS by James Herbert, I was pretty excited to dig into this bad boy.
    So bear in mind even after reading this book, my opinion on rats hasn't changed. I still want some. The first scene is set with the cute little old couple who live on the farm, Raymond and Norma Palmer. Just a typical happy morning on the farm, but then Ray finds something in his vegetable patch. If the prologue didn't give you a hint, here's one: they are fluffy, have tiny little legs and aren’t fooled by a bin with cheese in it. Raymond meets a very bloody end, as does his already terrified wife, who I think the rats enjoyed tormenting.
    Have to admit I let out a sad aww when Sean, their son in law found Trigger eaten by the rats. I even felt sorry for Sean! Poor guy lost his wife, now his dog and to top, it off ends up eaten by killer rats.
    The task of investigating the lab goes to Adam and his Nephew Brendan. There's a lot of things that don't add up for them. But for me, my bets are all on Uber rat, who was separated from the bunch as his cage was the only one smashed up. Following the investigation, the two officers drag you into more mystery, which grabs your brain and shakes it—making me even more eager to follow the story, mainly for Uber rat I kind of wanted to know his story. I enjoyed the different personalities in this book. Chris shouldn’t feel bad for waving at the cows though I do it all the time when I'm on a walk. I think that's the best and the worst part; in the minor interactions you have with the people in the book, you start to like them and relate to them as characters. So it's even more brutal when the rats make them their nom noms. It's a great paced story that focuses on keeping the reader engaged, and I think the only character I wasnt a fan of was John. But that is mainly because I’m not a fan of people who were bullies, so yeah, I was sitting there going, ‘Oh dude, I hope you become rat chow.’ There are points in this book where I sat there and went, ahhhh, this is how I'd die in that situation. Mainly the bit where Tess sees the rat at her doorstep, and her immediate reaction is to pet it as it's so darn cute.
    Also, the drama within the lives of the members of the community was very grabbing. When specific details were revealed, I was left sitting there gobsmacked, making me realise mostly how truly hypocritical Rachel was. But you will understand once you dig in. The rats in this are so super sadistic. I mean, they go as far as taunting the survivors with the corpses of their dead friends! These rats messed up. But then again, they are being led by a rat who a mad scientist tortured, so they can't take the blame for everything. The book sucks you in big time, and I was so lucky to find such an entertaining book. I felt like I was falling into various people's lives in each chapter to find out what horrible thing has happened now. There are a lot of characters in here, but I found it easy to pick back up again, like oh the little boys have run off back to the shop, and Adam’s going off with Henry chief of police to reinvestigate the lab; so it wasn't hard for me to remember which character was where. It gets a lot more sinister as it goes on, especially for the mad scientist Walter. That guy is next level messed up, but what a great character design for a villain. You may argue with me about this, but a guy that drowns and experiments on rats is two sandwiches short of a picnic. Shout out to the Albino and Uber rat for being my favourite rats out of the hundreds that broke out of the lab, and regardless of the story, I’m still siding with the rats.
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  • C Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars BEWARE OF RATS OF COURSE XD!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    thanks
    Report

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