The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld, #28)

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The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld #28)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 14,342 ratings · 547 reviews

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...more 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)

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Hardcover, 256 pages

Published November 6th 2001 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published 2001)

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Apr 22, 2013 Clouds - (¿head-in-the?) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: discworld, fantasy, young-adult, reviewed, read-in-2012

Following the resounding success of my Locus Quest, I faced a dilemma: which reading list to follow it up with? Variety is the spice of life, so I’ve decided to diversify and pursue six different lists simultaneously. This book falls into my FINISHING THE SERIES! list.

I loves me a good series! But I'm terrible for starting a new series before finishing my last - so this reading list is all about trying to close out those series I've got on the go.

I remember being given a copy of Reaper Man whe...more

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Mar 09, 2011 Mariel rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Crispin Glover

Recommended to Mariel by: Michael Jackson

What was up with that bullshit message of Ratatouille? (I hope I'm spelling that correctly. I'm gonna look so dumb! In my defense, I've always been the pickiest of eaters.) That whole "Don't steal from humans!" thing. They were rats! What did they care if humans stuck flags and paper umbrellas in every little thing? They shouldn't. The rat had as much right to saffron as stupid Lugini did.

The rodents in Terry Prachett's Maurice and his Educated Rodents are - D'oh! Sorry, Maurice! The AMAZING Mau...more What was up with that bullshit message of Ratatouille? (I hope I'm spelling that correctly. I'm gonna look so dumb! In my defense, I've always been the pickiest of eaters.) That whole "Don't steal from humans!" thing. They were rats! What did they care if humans stuck flags and paper umbrellas in every little thing? They shouldn't. The rat had as much right to saffron as stupid Lugini did.

The rodents in Terry Prachett's Maurice and his Educated Rodents are - D'oh! Sorry, Maurice! The AMAZING Maurice and his Educated Rodents- anthropomorphized. But they are not slaves to the morality of man. They've got, as Richard Adams would say, dignity and animality all their own. They were seeking understanding of themselves and each other. I never cared much for definitions such as "allegory" or "fables". I care about "ring of truth" (if I think too much about types of stories I get confused and start labelling everything). Same goes for satire. Pratchett's satire would still be good if the things he was satirizing didn't exist. I wish all who wrote that would use that as their bench mark of success... Would it matter if you didn't know who it was? What they did? I don't really care that they are rats. Pratchett sure didn't. It was probably that that made their society and feeling of bonds (man, rat, whatever) feel... well, feel. No stupid Lugini tried to force rules on them.

I'm not sure what was up with the less interesting kid people of the story. I KNOW Pratchett can do better than this. In fact, he can do amazing (see the Tiffany Aching series for pretty much the coolest little girl heroine from like ever). Enough about the stupid humans.

I don't know if anyone reading this will relate to this or not. Sometimes I get this sensation when talking to people that they are constantly (this is exhausting) testing me to see if I'll stay interesting, or slip up and say something dumb (of course I'm going to do that). There's a kind of false barrier to that sort of "I'm saying this to see if you'll be shocked!" airs. Maurice could have had that. He does try so very hard. His gaze of the world and others is shrewd, somewhat hard out of necessity, playful too. It was a pleasure to read him come out of those expectations and into the necessity of honest interactions, in spite of himself (necessity if you don't want to be exhausted from constant expectations, anyway). They just wanted to make the most out of life. Who could blame them?

The Pied Piper was one of my favorite fairy tales growing up. I'd feel sure that I wouldn't have been invited with the other kids to follow the music. Jesus, Mariel. (I liked the idea of everyone being gone way too much...)

Anyone cannot cook. I can't. I smell a rat!(less)

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Jun 02, 2011 Dan Schwent rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pratchett, 2010, young-adultery

Maurice, a talking cat, leads a group of talking mice and a stupid-looking kid into a town called Bad Blintz looking for one last score with their pied piper scam. Only Bad Blintz has troubles of its own...

Terry Pratchett really knows how to write a kids book. I would have devoured this thing when I was a lad. Maurice and the rats are good characters, as is Keith, the aforementioned stupid-looking kid. The origin of Maurice and the rats' intelligence was fairly well done. Hell, it's a fantasy st...more

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Nov 21, 2010 Camilla P. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Che dire, sono rimasta molto sorpresa. E' un libro godibilissimo, a tratti molto profondo, a tratti particolarmente ironico. Un libro in cui i Topi sono più umani degli Umani, in cui l'autore propone riflessioni profonde mascherate da racconto per bambini. Certo, i momenti divertenti non mancano, ma sono rimasta colpita soprattutto da questi pensieri che, attraverso la bocca di Fagiolino, Pesche, Abbronzante, Sardine, e tutti i Mutanti, raggiungono chi legge e rimangono nella testa, a far arrove...more

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Jun 18, 2007 Alice rated it 2 of 5 stars

Well, I have definitely learned a lot about rats. I have mixed feelings about this book. Terry Pratchett is usually SO GOOD at mixing light-hearted silliness with a more macabre subject matter, but this time something felt a little… off. The rats are great at first, a nice blend of ratty grossness and the angst that comes with sudden enlightenment… or puberty. The rat characters are well-developed and as authentic as a bunch of talking rats can be. Maurice the cat is also a wonderful character.

B...more Well, I have definitely learned a lot about rats. I have mixed feelings about this book. Terry Pratchett is usually SO GOOD at mixing light-hearted silliness with a more macabre subject matter, but this time something felt a little… off. The rats are great at first, a nice blend of ratty grossness and the angst that comes with sudden enlightenment… or puberty. The rat characters are well-developed and as authentic as a bunch of talking rats can be. Maurice the cat is also a wonderful character.

But something is not quite right towards the middle. I think things went all pear-shaped with the introduction of the disembodied voice that turns out to be a Rat King, a phenomenon I would have much preferred to remain ignorant of. The whole rat-king business doesn’t seem to quite fit, or maybe I’m just to squeamish to handle the idea of a bunch of live rats with their tails fused together. Ew. In any case, the disembodied voice business just didn’t jive with me and felt out of place in this story.

Also, I got fuddled with this book in the middle section, trying to figure out whether it’s really meant to be a children’s story or a weird children’s-story-for-adults thing. There are some very very oblique sexual references having to do with the more enlightened rats, and some other things that threw me off. Perhaps it’s that the rats are not quite “Mr. Bunnsy” enough for children- they walk and talk like story-book creatures, but they still pee on everything and eat each other and commit little ratty murders. And that’s troublesome. It’s also troublesome that the rats talk about philosophy, clearly not something we want children exposed to. I guess the easy-reading laugh-a-minute feel of most of the discworld books got diluted somehow in this one.

Despite how hinky the middle section is, the ending is really quite satisfying, at least to me. I suppose a law student would a contract to be a good narrative resolution. It feels more authentic than the middle bits and pokes a bit of fun at authority, tourism and government, so all’s well that ends well.

Here’s my advice- go read everything Terry Pratchett has ever written, starting with Good Omens and then blasting through Discworld like it’s your job. Read A Hat Full of Sky and the Wee Free Men, which are also geared for a younger audience. Throw this book on the end of the list and see how it goes. And, for the sake of everything good and decent in the world do NOT do a Google search for “Rat King.” Just don’t.
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Jul 24, 2012 Rasjel rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Amazing Pratchett and His Gleeful Renditions

"Humans, eh? Think they're lords of creation. Not like us cats. We know we are. Ever see a cat feed a human? Case proven."

"'If you don't turn your life into a story, you just become a part of someone else's story.'
'And what if your story doesn't work?'
'You keep changing it until you find one that does.'"

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Feb 21, 2011 Cory Hughart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, british, humor, fantasy, pratchett

This is a 'young adult' novel? I think Terry must have gotten fed up with the run-of-the-mill children's books and decided to do a sort of parody of them, one where the characters constantly make references to the fact that real life is not like 'Mr. Bunnsy Has an Adventure'.

This is definitely a novel that teens can digest, but there are some parts that are even more grim and depressing than many of Pratchett's 'adult' books. I am reading the Discworld series in order of publication, and I was d...more

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Apr 12, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, young-adult

I picked this up wanting something quick and funny that wouldn't make me think much. Well, it was definitely funny, rather bizarre, and I was touched by the surprisingly sweet and/or astute philosophical moments in the book. Without breaking character or tone, Pratchett manages to bring up questions and insights about humanity, consciousness, religion, society, racism, and more. As far as voice goes, there were parts that had me laughing out loud. He's very good at setting up for a punch line wi...more

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Mar 01, 2013 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-for-mt-tbr-challenge

Meatier, and less confusing, than most Discworld novels, imo. Probably a decent introduction to the series, next time you go recommending Pratchett. But it also stands alone.

And (to speak to some of the other reviewers) yes it's YA, and yes it's grimmer and more serious than some of his 'adult' work - that's because teens aren't junior adults who want junior reads - they are in the process of actively figuring out the world and their place in it and they crave substance and intensity in their b...more

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Apr 15, 2013 Gail Roshong rated it 5 of 5 stars

Name: Gail Roshong

Citation: Pratchett, T. (2001). The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Genre: fantastical adventure

Awards: 2001 Margaret A. Edwards’ Award Honor Book; 2001 Carnegie Medal

Format: print

Selection process: Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents was mentioned in Literature for Young Adults during a discussion about Terry Pratchett’s books and the Margaret A. Edwards Awards. Reviews found through Academic Search Complete, almost without e...more Name: Gail Roshong

Citation: Pratchett, T. (2001). The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

Genre: fantastical adventure

Awards: 2001 Margaret A. Edwards’ Award Honor Book; 2001 Carnegie Medal

Format: print

Selection process: Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents was mentioned in Literature for Young Adults during a discussion about Terry Pratchett’s books and the Margaret A. Edwards Awards. Reviews found through Academic Search Complete, almost without exception, recommended this novel.

Review:
Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is the second book in Terry Pratchett’s mythopoeia Discworld series specifically aimed at young adults. The subject of this satire is the venerable fable, The Pied Piper, however, set in Bad Blintz instead of Hamelin. Their odd band consists of Maurice, the “brains’ in the form of a haughty cat, a hapless young piper called Keith, and sundry talking rats: aging Hamnpork, the leader, sage Dangerous Beans, and military-minded Darktan. Since they have now decided it is morally wrong to swindle poor towns of their money, Maurice gets them to agree to one final con job. The town they choose, Bad Blintz, has more than the typical town rat problems. After joining forces with the town mayor’s somewhat unstable daughter, Malicia Grim, the group discovers that the regular town rat catchers are running a scam of their own. Additionally, below the streets, the rats have discovered an even more sinister corollary of the rat catchers’ exploits that is orchestrated by Spider, the Rat King. The ensuing confrontation sequence is both dark and weighty even though it is tempered with ludicrous humor and ethical gravity. The ending will not particularly surprise the reader as the little band’s sense of morality and community service has been brewing throughout this very satisfying book.
Comments have been made that Amazing Maurice does not fit the pattern of other Discworld novels. It makes nearly no references to the environment that Pratchett has so carefully crafted for the rest (over 24) of his series. The only nod to Discworld is Death’s cameo appearance near the end of the novel. Die-hard purists may be disappointed; however, Amazing Maurice remains a fine and funny fantastical adventure with little comparison to Hamelin.

Recommended: Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is highly recommended to high school students if, for no other reason, than to be exposed to the genius of Terry Pratchett.(less)

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Mar 17, 2013 Luna rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cosa succede se dei topi e un gatto involontariamente si cibano di una pozione magica che da loro una coscienza? Che crea in loro dei pensieri e una consapevolezza? e che si trovano adulti ma con la lealt� propria dei bambini, o degli esseri semplici? E cosa pu� succedere ancora se incontrano una bambina che attraverso le favole vive la sua vita come una avventura magica, dove tutto � possibile? e che questo cerca, la magia nei luoghi banali... e la trova! Succede che Pratchett compie l'ennesimo...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maurice, a streetwise tomcat, has come up with the perfect scam. Inspired by the Pied Piper tale, cat and kid lead a band of rats from town to town to fake invasions of vermin. The rewards to get the rats out of town are plentiful. It works perfectly - until their little con game is sussed.

From 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

...more

From 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. Ages 12-up.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-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 (Atheneum, 1971) and Richard Adams's Watership Down (Macmillan, 1974) will love this story. A not-to-be-missed delight.
Miranda Doyle, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Feb 05, 2013 Ian Crook rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book as a bedtime read to my son. As a keen fan of Terry Pratchett's Discworld I was interested to see how he would deal with it for a younger audience. I also secretly wanted to introduce my son, a huge LOTR fan (books and films), to the Discworld. We had begun reading The Colour of Magic and he was enjoying that but was finding it a bit hard going, getting into the universe. We paused it and started Maurice after being lent it by a friend.

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodent ...more

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Feb 03, 2013 Joanne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult-lit

Cute Discworld (humor/fantasy) novel about a talking cat and talking rats who have a nice pied-piper scam going - they go to a town, their boy plays his pipe, they all leave, they get paid. Until they arrive at a town where something is not right.

My favorite character is a girl named Malicia, grand-niece of the sisters Grim (one m; their "fairy stories" are macabre), who has read many books and confuses them with reality, as when she asserts that because the Rats' boy is an orphan, he must also...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Eustacia Tan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I say anything about this fun book, Congrats Ivan William! He's one of my fellow bibliophiles from ACS(I) and he recently bought his first Terry Pratchett. Which, is an event I consider worth celebrating.

Ok, so on to the book. If I remember correctly, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is one of the books aimed at children, like the Tiffany Aching series. It actually doesn't matter, because even though it's funny (and the humour is more obvious), it does have a deeper message.

No...more Before I say anything about this fun book, Congrats Ivan William! He's one of my fellow bibliophiles from ACS(I) and he recently bought his first Terry Pratchett. Which, is an event I consider worth celebrating.

Ok, so on to the book. If I remember correctly, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is one of the books aimed at children, like the Tiffany Aching series. It actually doesn't matter, because even though it's funny (and the humour is more obvious), it does have a deeper message.

Now, while this book is loosely based on the Pipe Piper of Hamelin, it's really about rats (the "Educated Rodents" of the title, finding out what makes a rat a rat (and what about those rats who can't talk or think?), while Maurice (the cat), unwillingly grows a heart. Meanwhile, Keith (the pied piper) meets Malicia (the mayor's daughter) and they try to have an adventure (well, Malicia does. Keith just happened to be there).

The rats are a really lovable bunch. There's Peaches, a rather bossy female rat; Hamnpork, the old leader rat who isn't that enthusiastic about change; Dangerous Beans, the thinker of the group and Darktan, an athletic young rat. There are a bunch of other rats, but these are the main four. Within these four, there are musings on what makes a rat a rat? and a change in the way things are run. This leads to one of those "old vs new" themes that could be old, but is actually really well done (and resolved in a very humorous way).

Of course, Maurice is lovable. In fact, he's the star of the book for me. He's very much like Puss in Boots, although he'd definitely deny the resemblance. But he's sassy (I'm sorry Maurice, I couldn't think of another word) and has a heart of gold despite his mean exterior. I especially love how he's a good negotiator, because look at his effect on people:

"Now he [the mayor] had the slightly hunted expression of anyone who'd been talked at by Maurice for any length of time. It said, "I'm going where I don't want to go, but I don't know how to get off". "

If only I could do that. I could probably get the 2/3 majority needed in a MUN conference. Or you know, get my teachers to give me better marks.

The humans, on the other hand, were a mixed lot. Keith is a sweet kid, but Malicia was so caught up in her story that she was rather insensitive for most of the book (I did not like to write that sentence). But everyone works out to be likable in the end so....

Personally, I don't see much difference between the "kid" and the "adult" Discworld novels. You should just read them all

First posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile (less)

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Sep 14, 2012 Pau rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

My tags might fool you to believe that this runs along the lines of other fantasy novels for young-adults. Its style is meant for younger readers. But then, like all Pratchett works, its morals are universal and for all ages (but not for all minds and humors).

This is the BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK IN THE WORLD. Why?

1) It takes anthropological concepts, wraps it in fable, and dishes it out in a way that children can understand. Kids can be a curious lot with many questions (e.g. Why is the sky blue? W...more My tags might fool you to believe that this runs along the lines of other fantasy novels for young-adults. Its style is meant for younger readers. But then, like all Pratchett works, its morals are universal and for all ages (but not for all minds and humors).

This is the BEST CHILDREN'S BOOK IN THE WORLD. Why?

1) It takes anthropological concepts, wraps it in fable, and dishes it out in a way that children can understand. Kids can be a curious lot with many questions (e.g. Why is the sky blue? Why does money matter? Why is there inequality in the world?). Most adults are too preoccupied wit life to answer these silly questions. Pratchett takes that into account and mercifully answers for adults everywhere.

2) Strong FEMALE characters. Not just strongly written characters, but really strong female characters that are tough to the bone. Rarely do we see girls who are girls but aren't really into boys but are girls nonetheless. You can be a girl regardless if your interests aren't mainstream.

3) MAGIC. This book is magical not because it takes magic like Harry Potter. It's magical because it offers a view of the world - the good, the bad, AND the ugly - turns it around and has it staring at you in the face... and you wouldn't even realize that it's your own world that you're looking at. No character (except the bad guy) is insanely bad... and the bad guy is in fact so bad, that he's transcended bad. Just like DEATH is not bad, but a bloke who's just doing his job. His Job, in turn, is not all that bad because some people really need it.

Pratchett writes to make intelligent children by showing them how an intelligent child should think. It may or may not appeal to inner strength and suchlike. However, it appeals almost purely on an intellectual level - that part of the self that thinks about things.

I read this book way into my 20s and I do not think I would have enjoyed it more if I was a pimply and hormonal 12 year old. It's a great book for hormonal kids in fact as it teaches them not to just deal with puberty but, MORE IMPORTANTLY, that their puberty is not the center of the universe.

Have a good read! (less)

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May 17, 2012 Amanda Cole rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like cats, especially talking ones who swindle people out of their money. I like philosophy, particularly when talking rats, whom I also like, are the ones doing it (but, some of them prefer to tap dance). I like stupid-looking kids who wind up kind of being heroes, and snotty know-it-all girls who read too many books and think that life should work like a story, when life can always be worse than the most terrifying story you can think of. In fact, I think that's what 'The Amazing Maurice' is...more I like cats, especially talking ones who swindle people out of their money. I like philosophy, particularly when talking rats, whom I also like, are the ones doing it (but, some of them prefer to tap dance). I like stupid-looking kids who wind up kind of being heroes, and snotty know-it-all girls who read too many books and think that life should work like a story, when life can always be worse than the most terrifying story you can think of. In fact, I think that's what 'The Amazing Maurice' is looking at.

This is a story about stories (like many of Terry Pratchett's novels), but it's also about the people in it. It's disturbingly realistic, and yet it's also a fable touched by the supernatural. Any story where Death is a character who interacts with the others (including a Death of the Rats whose only dialogue is SQUEAK) is clearly not straight-up realism. And yet, the characters, especially the villains, are always so realistic.

'The Amazing Maurice' tips its hat to the Pied Piper legend, but then it strays into an unsettling mystery -- examinations of the formation and evolution of human and social consciousness -- meta-narrative -- the dichotomy of good and evil -- and true Pratchett villains: people who commit the ultimate crime of treating other people like objects. In this book, the "people" also happen to be rats.

Both the plot and the underlying theme have a dark strain that Mr Pratchett's constant humor helps to mitigate without detracting from the narrative's intensity. His Discworld villains don't always manage to creep me out, but there's an evil lurking in 'The Amazing Maurice' that creeps splendidly. This book always gives me a delicious chill, but it ends on a hopeful note -- one of Mr Pratchett's hallmarks that I personally appreciate. I don't care for stories that make me miserable, but I do like for there to be a weight, a seriousness to the story and the characters' experiences. 'The Amazing Maurice' definitely has that.

Even though it's a YA pared down from Pratchett's usual style, 'The Amazing Maurice' retains all the density of his for-grown-ups narrative with a slimmer prose style and plot. I love it to pieces. It's also the only Terry Pratchett I have managed to foist off on people who just can't get into him.

And it is AWESOME.

Sorry. Had to give into blazing subjectivity. (less)

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Apr 01, 2012 Ангел rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Прекрасна история!

Първата книга На сър-а, която прочетох. Изключително съм щастлив, че именно тя ми беше първата. Много фенове споделят, че обикновено първата остава любима - може и така да е, но и самата тя е по-различна от останалите. Корицата изключително ме грабна и, всъщност, тя бе първата и основна причина да си купя книгата. Дори оформлението беше различно от обичайното. Може би и този странен индивидуализъм ме доубеди да я грабна, защото не съм фен на дългите поредици, особено, когато ня...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Robert Sloan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oddly enough this one competes for my top favorite Terry Pratchett book. I think a great deal of it is that Maurice is a Real Cat as much as a Real Character. I'm as soft on cats as any cat lover. But like most real cat lovers, I like cats as they are and don't expect them to be cute little fluffy bunnies with pointed ears. They're fanged, clawed, whip-quick obligate carnivores with a sense of humor all too human at times and a wicked intelligence. The pleasure of having a cat is knowing one of...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Mjhancock rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Maurice, the intelligent cat, masterminds a team of similarly intelligent rats and a boy piper in a scam that's very familiar. They travel to a new town, only to find out that someone's beaten them to it, and that someone doesn't like sharing.
This is one of my favorite Pratchett books. While shorter than most, it still contains many of the major themes of its more "adult" brethren, and does it better to boot. There's discussions on the nature of humanity, the value of stories, and meaning of dea...more

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Oct 07, 2010 Myles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kids-stuff, fantasy

I always do this with Pratchett books, I want them to last me a couple bus rides, but as soon as I get started I can never put them down when I get home.

This was one of the earlier books of Pratchett's I'd read, but I'd forgotten how dark it was. This book is certainly meant for a younger audience but it is a lot more serious than most of Pratchett's "adult" novels.

I was particularly disturbed by the Rat King, dear God, what the hell.

All of that misery and death however, is balanced by what sho...more

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Apr 24, 2010 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars

A stupid looking young boy arrives in the town of Bad Blintz, along with a scruffy looking cat and a troop of rats. This is the Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents. No, Maurice isn’t the boy. Maurice is the cat, who talks and is the brains of the operation. Maurice is, to put it bluntly, a con artist. The rodents also talk, courtesy of the garbage pile behind the wizard’s university. They are intelligent and self aware, and in fact are evolving their own system of ethics and religion. They...more

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Jan 07, 2010 Taylor Styes rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-adventure, comedy

This is an awesome book. Terry Pratchett knows how to make fantasy wonderfully satirical in a way that is similar to what Douglas Adams did with the sci-fi genre, and this book is a great example. Part of the Discworld series that Pratchett is famous for, the book opens with Maurice, who is a talking cat and con artist genius, and his companions, which are a "stupid-looking" musician kid named Keith and a band of intelligent talking rats. They are on their way to the next town to do a scheme, th...more This is an awesome book. Terry Pratchett knows how to make fantasy wonderfully satirical in a way that is similar to what Douglas Adams did with the sci-fi genre, and this book is a great example. Part of the Discworld series that Pratchett is famous for, the book opens with Maurice, who is a talking cat and con artist genius, and his companions, which are a "stupid-looking" musician kid named Keith and a band of intelligent talking rats. They are on their way to the next town to do a scheme, the same one they've been doing, and that is to convince the town that they have a rat plague by having the talking rats act out an infestation. Then the kid plays a pipe, and "drives" the rats out, except this was their plan all along. The town pays the kid, and they leave the town none the wiser. At the point the book begins, the rats and the kid have gotten tired of scamming people-the rats, who call themselves "Changelings", are trying to build their own society, because they can talk and think-why Maurice and the rats can talk/think is a long story onto itself. The kid is just feeling guilty about it. Maurice, being a cat, has no qualms whatsoever about con artistry, and no particular morals for that matter, still agrees to quit doing it, except for one last job, which leads them into the town of Bad Blintz. There is an air of filth and destitution about the town, and what starts out as another job becomes a horror that neither Maurice, Keith, or the rats had bargained for.
This is a great book to read for fun, because it is a fast read and very compelling. What's especially interesting is how the rats come to understand themselves with their new thinking abilities, and Pratchett's humor is always present-to the rats getting their names off labels and signs(ie. Dangerous Beans, Nourishing, Peaches) to Malicia Grim's notion of the world, to Mr. Bunnsy(a parody on Beatrix Potter), a children's book, being the foundation of the rats' society. Read for sure-you will not regret it.(less)

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Dec 22, 2009 Monica rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is very much a new take on the Pied Piper tale but, being part of Terry Pratchett's Discworld, is also deeper than simply a new spin on an old story. Even in his first Young Adult novel, Mr. Pratchett manages to retain the balance of humor and profundity that makes his books so enjoyable.

The titular Maurice is a tomcat and consumate con and he has gathered his own pipe-playing, "stupid-looking kid", Keith, and a ready-made plague of rats - educated by...more The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is very much a new take on the Pied Piper tale but, being part of Terry Pratchett's Discworld, is also deeper than simply a new spin on an old story. Even in his first Young Adult novel, Mr. Pratchett manages to retain the balance of humor and profundity that makes his books so enjoyable.

The titular Maurice is a tomcat and consumate con and he has gathered his own pipe-playing, "stupid-looking kid", Keith, and a ready-made plague of rats - educated by virtue of eating the Unseen University's trash. The rats are their own community, lead by old Hamnpork, the only rat to resent the Change. He often finds himself in conflict with the young, idealistic Dangerous Beans, who desires a place in which rats and humans may coexist peacefully.

After differences arise in the group, they all agree to do one last job in the town of Bad Blintz. But upon arrival in the town, the idea of a simple last job is quickly destroyed. By all appearances, there is a genuine plague of rats - except there are no rats to be found, though the local rat catchers are doing quite well. Worse than a simple if suspicious oddity, there is something decidedly evil in Bad Blintz too, a manipulative Voice lurking in the cellars.

In the course of being sucked in to the mystery the company encounters Malicia, daughter of the mayor and so taken by stories that her grip on reality is skewed. She attaches herself to their investigation, teaming with Keith to confront the rat catchers through most of the action. The group discovers the ugly truths hidden in the town, but not without meeting the Voice as well. Stripping the animals of their education and pulling at the will of others, the Voice also attacks Dangerous Beans with disillusionment: the harmonious world he wishes for is impossible.

After the defeat of the Voice things wrap up quite nicely, not in a way that seems implausible but perhaps a little rushed. The final parts of the book certainly do feel sort of strange for how much calmer and more mundane the conflict is after everything else that has happened. These are, however, the only issues I had and despite its faults, the conclusion is still satisfying.(less)

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Nov 10, 2009 Kevin rated it 4 of 5 stars

There once was a time when towns and villages were so overrun with rats that they called in a piper to play a tune that would make all the rats come out of hiding and follow the piper who would lead them to their death by drowning in a river or lake. But what if it was all a scam? The rats and the piper were in cahoots and the brain behind the operation was a cat… a talking cat, no less. Oh yeah, the rats could talk too. And they have a plan. Their plan is to have the rats “infest” the town and...more

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Jul 24, 2009 Nicholas Karpuk rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Pratchett fans, young adults, sentient animals

Terry Pratchett knows a lot of stories. It makes sense that he and Neil Gaiman are friends. They both pick apart fantasy traditions and rebuild them better.

"The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" is a young adult book set in the Discworld series. All that means is he scaled back the social and political commentary and took it easy on the quantum physics discussions.

It's a pretty good model for what young adult fiction should be. It's a good story, it's not even remotely condescending, an...more

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May 25, 2009 Emmy added it

Shelves: cya, read-in-2009

Annotation
A talking cat, a clan of opinionated rats and a stupid-looking boy travel the land together, swindling unsuspecting villages until they encounter a town with evil lurking in the sewers, changing their plans entirely.

Review
Maurice is a big-mouthed cat and savvy con artist who teams up with a pack of talking rats and a stupid looking boy named Keith, taking their pied-piper scheme across the land to hilarious effect in another Terry Pratchett novel set in Discworld. The haphazard band of...more

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Apr 27, 2012 Rebecca Brothers rated it 5 of 5 stars

Terry Prachett, I heart you and your takes on famous tales. This one in the Discworld series is a real stand-aloner. Prachett takes on the "Tale of the Pied Piper" with the aplomb you'd expect, but he tackles this with a grace I found surprisingly appetizing. You don't need to read a single other Discworld novel to enjoy this one, though it does appear to take place in the same mulit-verse as his other works.

This is a very grown-up story, though it was awarded the Carnegie Award for Children's L...more

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Feb 05, 2012 Ali Alawi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Mice and Men!

I'VE NEVER FELT SOOOOOOOOOOOO HAPPY READING A BOOOK!!!!
CINEMATIC! LAUGHABLE! WITTY! PHILOSOPHICAL! SCIENTIFIC! DANCY! ANTI-WAR! ANTI-SEMANTIC! ANTI-MICE! LIVELY!
TERRY PRATCHETT <33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333!

AND! the whole thing in my imagination was a perfect Dreamwork's animation! I've just directed a whole animation based on a novel in ma head!!! lOl
here's just a list of the characters and ow i got them in ma swiveling imagination:

Mau...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Travis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008

I never read any of these young adult Discworld novels, because, well, they were YA, and they weren't "proper" Discworld novels, but recently I decided to give them a try anyway. [return][return]This is the first of the YA discworld novels (though I don't think the other ones are connected?) and I'm honestly not sure why it wasn't put out as just part of the main series. Sure, it doesn't have any of the familiar characters (except a cameo by Death and the Death of Rats), but there have been othe...more

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About Terry Pratchett

Sir Terry Pratchett sold his first story when he was thirteen, which earned him enough money to buy a second-hand typewriter. His first novel, a humorous fantasy entitled The Carpet People, appeared in 1971 from the publisher Colin Smythe. Terry worked for many years as a journalist and press officer, writing in his spare time and publishing a number of novels, including his first Discworld novel,...more

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“If you don't turn your life into a story, you just become a part of someone else's story.” — 281 people liked it

“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.” — 53 people liked it

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The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld #28)

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