Domain was published by Hodder & Stoughton in 1984, the final volume of the Rats trilogy. A nuclear attack devastates London, and the survivors who take shelter in the underground tunnels and government bunkers beneath the city discover that the mutant rats have been breeding in the darkness for years. The novel combined two horror traditions — the nuclear apocalypse story and the creature feature — and the result was Herbert’s most epic and devastating work.
The post-nuclear London was rendered with terrifying specificity: the firestorms, the radiation, the collapse of infrastructure, the desperate scramble for shelter. Herbert’s research into nuclear civil defense plans (or the lack thereof) informed the novel’s political critique — the government bunkers are well-stocked for officials while ordinary Londoners are left to die.
The Rats Trilogy
Domain completes the trilogy that began with The Rats (1974) and continued with Lair (1979). Each volume escalated the threat: from local infestation to suburban spread to nuclear-apocalypse convergence. The trilogy remains the most commercially successful series in British horror fiction, with combined sales exceeding ten million copies.
Collecting Domain
First edition (Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1984): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $30–$75
- Very good: $10–$30
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation. Collectors seek the complete Rats trilogy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Domain the final Rats book? Yes. Domain (1984) is the third and final novel in the trilogy. It combines the rat menace with a nuclear apocalypse, as survivors sheltering in London’s Underground discover that the mutant rats have thrived in the post-attack environment. It is widely considered the strongest book in the trilogy.