The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld #28)
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
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
Hardcover, 256 pages
Published
November 6th 2001
by HarperCollins Publishers
(first published 2001)
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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
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
The rodents in Terry Prachett's Maurice and his Educated Rodents are - D'oh! Sorry, Maurice! The AMAZING Mau...more
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
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
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
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
B...more
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.'"
"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.'"
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 WeeklyFor 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
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
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodent...more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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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
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
"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
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
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
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
This is a very grown-up story, though it was awarded the Carnegie Award for Children's L...more
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
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
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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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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