The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld Series) by Terry Pratchett

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The Barnes & Noble Review
With the debut of his first young-adult novel, science fiction writer Terry Pratchett invites readers ages 12 and up to visit Discworld -- an imaginary land well known to Pratchett's adult following. At the heart of this tale is a slightly twisted take on the old Pied Piper theme, a talking, thinking cat named Maurice, and a supporting cast of equally talented rats who bear such comical names as Big Savings, Nourishing, and Dangerous Beans.

Maurice and the rats have teamed up with a young lad named Keith to implement a clever moneymaking scheme. Upon entering a town, the rats make a general nuisance of themselves -- stealing food and widdling on things -- until the townsfolk become desperate to get rid of them. Then Maurice and Keith appear on the scene and offer to save the day by ridding the town of its infestation for a small fee. It seems like a surefire plan until the group arrives in the town of Bad Blintz and gets hooked up with Malicia, a young girl with a vivid imagination and a knack for finding trouble. When it's discovered that Bad Blintz already has a rat problem -- one that a couple of shifty-eyed rat catchers claim to have under control -- things turn deadly. For lurking beneath the town's streets is an obstacle course of mangling rattraps and noxious poisons. And beyond that is a monster so powerful and ugly, even Malicia couldn't imagine it.

As Maurice and the rats battle for their very survival, a number of provocative themes surface: life after death, good versus evil, and the sacrifice of the few for the many. But be forewarned -- those in search of lighter fare in these troubled times may not find what they are looking for in Pratchett's vision Despite plenty of razor-sharp wit and lighthearted moments, this tale has an underbelly as dark as the tunnels beneath Bad Blintz. Though The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is deeply witty and engaging, some readers may find parts of the story -- descriptions of how some of the rats die and how others eat their dead -- rather intense. (Beth Amos)

From the Publisher

One rat, popping up here and there, squeaking loudly, and taking a bath in the cream, could be a plague all by himself. After a few days of this, it was amazing how glad people were to see the kid with his magical rat pipe. And they were amazing when the rats followed hint out of town.

They'd have been really amazed if they'd ever found out that the rats and the piper met up with a cat somewhere outside of town and solemnly counted out the money.

The Amazing Maurice runs the perfect Pied Piper scam. This streetwise alley cat knows the value of cold, hard cash and can talk his way into and out of anything. But when Maurice and his cohorts decide to con the town of Bad Blinitz, it will take more than fast talking to survive the danger that awaits. For this is a town where food is scarce and rats are hated, where cellars are lined with deadly traps, and where a terrifying evil lurks beneath the hunger-stricken streets....

Set in Terry Pratchett's widely popular Discworld, this masterfully crafted, gripping read is both compelling and funny. When one of the world's most acclaimed fantasy writers turns a classic fairy tale on its head, no one will ever look at the Pied Piper — or rats — the same way again!

Great Britain Bookseller

Clearly destined for great things...deeply pleasurable and a wonderful and entertaining read.

Publishers Weekly

For this outrageously cheeky tale, British writer Pratchett pairs a dynamite plot with memorable characters a group of intelligent rats sporting such monikers as Hamnpork, Big Savings and Darktan (they've been foraging in the University of Wizards' garbage dump and come up with "the kind of name you gave yourself if you learned to read before you understood what all the words actually meant"), plus a "stupid-looking kid" with a flute and a criminal kitty mastermind named Maurice. The motley con artists' pied piper scam is highly successful until the rats develop a conscience. Reluctantly, they agree to one final heist, but in the town of Bad Blintz things go horribly, hilariously wrong. First, they're twigged by Malicia Grim (granddaughter and grand-niece of the Sisters Grim), then they encounter a pair of conniving rat-catchers, a real pied piper and an evil something lurking in the town's cellars. They triumph, of course, and there's even a glimmer of redemption for the deliciously self-centered Maurice, who tackles the "Grim Squeaker" and bargains for the life of his rat comrade Dangerous Beans. In the end, while the others settle down, Maurice hits the road and is last seen approaching another "stupid-looking kid" with a money-making proposition. Could this mean more tales to come? Readers will eagerly hope so. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

PW called this tale about a group of intelligent rat criminals, a kitty and a kid who develop a highly successful pied piper scam (until the rats develop a conscience) "an outrageously cheeky tale, with a dynamite plot and memorable characters." Ages 12-up. (May) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature

Maurice is a con man, or more correctly, a con cat. He travels from town to town scamming the local governments with his passel of trained rats. After feasting upon garbage in back of the university laboratory, the rats and Maurice are able to speak. They put aside the natural distrust between cat and rat, join together and then enlist a "stupid-looking kid" who plays the flute. This clever turnabout of the Pied Piper story relays important lessons in morality and is humorous as well. The rats are fascinated with a book about animals wearing clothes and conversing freely with humans and other species. These rats may talk, but they seem to think wearing clothes is constricting and unwise. They are also troubled because they have gained the ability to wonder and imagine and sometimes have thoughts and fears they would rather not experience. A young girl, claiming to be descended from the Sisters Grimm, believes life is to be lived like a story and she further complicates the plot. Although the imaginative descriptions of the rats and their adventures may be distasteful to the squeamish, this is an interesting concept and a well-written, worthwhile story. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford

Children's Literature

A cat, a clan of rats and a boy with a pipe successfully cure a series of towns of their "rat plague." Then, they encounter genuine evil, and the talking animals discover that along with their ability to speak, they've developed a conscience. Much more than a Pied Piper story, this award-winning fantasy deals with questions of life and death, respect and responsibility for others of all species, cooperation, courage, evil within and without, and the nature of leadership. While this is not laugh-out-loud funny like some of Pratchett's other books, readers can't help but smile as Hamnpork, Darktan, and Dangerous Beans take on the town of Bad Blintz, helped by Keith the musician and Malicia, the mayor's story-telling daughter. What is most appealing about this book is the way Pratchett develops his characters—cat, rat, and human alike—and allows them to grow, but not unrealistically far. Maurice the cat, the instigator of their scam, surprises himself and readers with his new understanding, but at heart remains the manipulator he has always been. The happy-ever-after ending extends to the town itself. Lucky readers who encounter this thought-provoking story about stories in its revised paperback edition, which includes an interview with the author and a reprint of his Carnegie Medal acceptance speech will be highly satisfied. Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs

VOYA

When the rats gobble up drippy candle ends and cauldron residue from the Wizard's University dump, they have no idea that they will be changed forever—and so will Maurice, the cat, who inadvertently eats one of them. The magical goop the rats consume transforms them into educated rats, and they choose names such as Dangerous Beans, Donut Enter, Hamnpork, and Sardines. Maurice, who can read and speak now, becomes their leader. Teaming up with Kevin, a boy piper, they travel the countryside running a Pied Piper scam. Life is good until they reach Bad Blintz, a town that employs two full-time rat catchers who are running their own scam. Kevin and Malicia, the mayor's daughter, help their four-legged friends expose a diabolical scheme to brutalize innocent rats and extort food and money from the townsfolk. Before long, hostages are rescued, the bad guys are punished, and Maurice and his rodents are guaranteed security for life by the grateful residents. This book is pure, unadulterated fun as Dangerous Beans and the gang struggle with unusual quandaries that only educated rats encounter, such as the true meaning of life and whether it is okay to eat a dead friend. The action is fast paced, the dialogue witty, and the characters endearing and unforgettable. This latest Discworld romp, aimed at younger readers, stands alone and will attract a wide audience. It joins two recent Discworld novels, Thief of Time and Last Hero (both HarperCollins, 2001). VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J S A/YA (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult and YoungAdult). 2001, HarperCollins, 224p, $15.95. PLB $15.89. Ages 11 to Adult. Reviewer: Nancy K. Wallace SOURCE: VOYA, February 2002 (Vol. 24, No.6)

Paula Rohrlick - KLIATT

To quote from the review of the hardcover in KLIATT, November 2001: Pratchett, a popular British writer of funny SF novels, is known for his Discworld series. This is his first Discworld novel aimed specially at YA readers, and it should win him new fans. The amazing Maurice is a clever talking cat who has come up with a fake Pied Piper scheme. He has made an arrangement with some talking rats and a "stupid-looking kid" who plays the flute, staging rat plagues and then resolving them profitably. All is well until the little band reaches the strange town of Bad Blintz, and encounter there the evil rat king who manipulates minds. Adventure, suspense, snappy dialogue, and satiric humor abound. As in the classic Watership Down, Pratchett succeeds in creating a believable and sympathetic community of animals fighting for their lives. And as in Rats, Paul Zindel's 1999 horror novel for YAs, he conveys the terror of that fearful creature, the rat king. Superior entertainment for fantasy fans. KLIATT Codes: JS*—Exceptional book, recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2001, HarperTrophy, 340p.,

School Library Journal

In this laugh-out-loud fantasy, his first "Discworld" novel for younger readers, Pratchett rethinks a classic story and comes up with a winner. His unforgettable characters include Maurice, a scheming and cranky but ultimately warmhearted cat; Keith, a young musician who isn't as dumb as he looks; and half a dozen intelligent rats with personalities all their own. Their plan is simple. The rats steal food, frighten ladies, "widdle" in the cream, and generally make nuisances of themselves. When the town advertises for a piper, Keith appears to lead the rats away, and they all meet up later to divide the loot. It works like a charm until the conspirators stumble into Bad Blintz, a village with not a single "regular" rat to be found. As Maurice's band of rodents poke around in the town sewers, Keith befriends the mayor's daughter, a ditzy girl with a head full of stories. When the humans are captured by evil rat catchers, it's up to Maurice and his crew to save the day. Pratchett's trademark puns, allusions, and one-liners abound. The rats, who grew intelligent after eating magic-contaminated trash behind a university for wizards, now tackle major questions of morality, philosophy, and religion. Despite the humorous tone of the novel, there are some genuinely frightening moments, too, as the heroes confront a telepathic Rat King in the bowels of Bad Blintz. Readers who enjoyed Robert C. O'Brien's Mrs. Frisby & the Rats of NIMH and Richard Adams's Watership Down will love this story. A not-to-be-missed delight.-Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Satiric adult SF superstar Pratchett (The Last Hero) resets the Pied Piper tale on Discworld, with predictably unpredictable results. Here the rats themselves are pulling off a profitable scam, masterminded by Maurice the cat. The animals, their intelligence accidentally magically enhanced, infest town after town, until the desperate inhabitants pay their human accomplice to pipe them out. But the rats have developed consciences; and when they agree grudgingly to just one more "plague," they run up against an evil combining the worst of human and rat natures-and that only human, rat, and cat together can defeat. Much of the charm here resides in the way the animals remain true to their natures-the rats, each with a distinct personality, still fight, steal, and stink, while Maurice is as self-centered as only a cat can be-yet still remain far more appealing than the foolish humans around them. Pratchett hasn't blunted his wickedly funny pen for younger readers; the only apparent concessions to a teen audience are the adolescent humans abetting the rats, and the story's relative brevity. He retains the lethal combination of laugh-out-loud farce, razor-sharp satire, and the underlying passionate idealism unique to the confirmed cynic that makes his adult Discworld series so popular. A lot is packed in amidst the humor: ruminations on good and evil, dreaming and doing, leadership and compromise. But this is at heart a story about stories, so necessary as consolations, inspirations, and guides, but also so dangerous when allowed to replace independent thought. Excruciatingly funny, ferociously intelligent.

Product Details

• Table of Contents
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Table of Contents

Read an Excerpt

Rats!

They chased the dogs and bit the cats, they—

But there was more to it than that. As the amazing Maurice said, it was just a story about people and rats. And the difficult part of it was deciding who the people were, and who were the rats.

But Malicia Grim said it was a story about stories.

It began — part of it began — on the mail coach that came over the mountains from the distant cities of the plain.

This was the part of the journey that the driver didn't like. The way wound through forests and around mountains on crumbling roads. There were deep shadows between the trees. Sometimes he thought things were following the coach, keeping just out of sight. It gave him the willies.

And on this journey, the really big willie was that he could hear voices. He was sure of it. They were coming from behind him, from the top of the coach, and there was nothing there but the big oilcloth mail-sacks and the young man's luggage. There was certainly nothing big enough for a person to hide inside. But occasionally he was sure he heard squeaky voices, whispering.

There was only one passenger at this point. He was a fair-haired young man, sitting all by himself inside the rocking coach, reading a book. He was reading slowly, and aloud, moving his finger over the words.

'Ubberwald,' he read out.

'That's "Überwald",' said a small, squeaky but very clear voice. 'The dots make it a sort of long "ooo" sound. But you're doing well.'

'Ooooooberwald?'

'There's such a thing as too much pronunciation, kid,' said another voice, which sounded half asleep. 'But you know the best thingabout Überwald? It's a long, long way from Sto Lat. It's a long way from Pseudopolis. It's a long way from anywhere where the Commander of the Watch says he'll have us boiled alive if he ever sees us again. And it's not very modern. Bad roads. Lots of mountains in the way. People don't move about much up here. So news doesn't travel very fast, see? And they probably don't have policemen. Kid, we can make a fortune here!'

'Maurice?' said the boy, carefully.

'Yes, kid?'

'You don't think what we're doing is, you know . . . dishonest, do you?'

There was a pause before the voice said, 'How do you mean, dishonest?'

'Well . . . we take their money, Maurice.' The coach rocked and bounced over a pot-hole.

'All right,' said the unseen Maurice, 'but what you've got to ask yourself is: who do we take the money from, actually?'

'Well . . . it's generally the mayor or the city council or someone like that.'

'Right! And that means it's . . . what? I've told you this bit before.'

'Er . . .'

'It is gov-ern-ment money, kid,' said Maurice patiently. 'Say it? Gov-ern-ment money.'

'Gov-ern-ment money,' said the boy obediently.

'Right! And what do governments do with money?'

'Er, they . . .'

'They pay soldiers,' said Maurice. 'They have wars. In fact, we've prob'ly stopped a lot of wars by taking the money and putting it where it can't do any harm. They'd put up stachoos to us, if they thought about it.'

'Some of those towns looked pretty poor, Maurice,' said the kid doubtfully.

'Hey, just the kind of places that don't need wars, then.'

'Dangerous Beans says it's . . .' The boy concentrated, and his lips moved before he said the word, as if he was trying out the pronunciation to himself, '. . . It's un-eth-ickle.'

'That's right, Maurice,' said the squeaky voice. 'Dangerous Beans says we shouldn't live by trickery.'

'Listen, Peaches, trickery is what humans are all about,' said the voice of Maurice. 'They're so keen on tricking one another all the time that they elect governments to do it for them. We give them value for money. They get a horrible plague of rats, they pay a rat piper, the rats all follow the kid out of town, hoppity-skip, end of plague, everyone's happy that no-one's widdling in the flour any more, the government gets re-elected by a grateful population, general celebration all round. Money well spent, in my opinion.'

'But there's only a plague because we make them think there is,' said the voice of Peaches.

'Well, my dear, another thing all those little governments spend their money on is rat-catchers, see? I don't know why I bother with the lot of you, I really don't.'

'Yes, but we—'

They realized that the coach had stopped. Outside, in the rain, there was the jingle of harness. Then the coach rocked a little, and there was the sound of running feet.

A voice from out of the darkness said, 'Are there any wizards in there?'

The occupants looked at one another in puzzlement.

'No?' said the kid, the kind of 'no' that means 'why are you asking?'

'How about any witches?' said the voice.

'No, no witches,' said the kid.

'Right. Are there any heavily-armed trolls employed by the mail-coach company in there?'

'I doubt it,' said Maurice.

There was a moment's pause, filled with the sound of the rain.

'OK, how about werewolves?' said the voice eventually.

'What do they look like?' asked the kid.

'Ah, well, they look perfectly normal right up to the point where they grow all, like, hair and teeth and giant paws and leap through the window at you,' said the voice. The speaker sounded as though he was working through a list.

'We've all got hair and teeth,' said the kid.

'So you are werewolves, then?'

'No.'

'Fine, fine.' There was another pause filled with rain. 'OK, vampires,' said the voice. 'It's a wet night, you wouldn't want to be flying in weather like this. Any vampires in there?'

'No!' said the kid. 'We're all perfectly harmless!'

'Oh boy,' muttered Maurice, and crawled under the seat.