This time Terry tackles the fable of the Pied Piper. Set on
the Discworld, he naturally gives the story his own inimitable twist. The
heroes of the tale are a tribe of rats who lived on the Unseen University
waste heap. Having eaten one magical waste product too many, they
naturally became aware and started talking. A cat called Maurice who eats
one of the contaminated rats also becomes aware. Maurice and the rats pick
up a flute playing orphan boy and start doing the rounds of local towns
and villages - the usual scam of vermin over-running a town, although
unusually, one of the rats wears a straw hat and tap dances. Much fun
ensues until they land in the Uberwald town of Bad Blintz where a pair of
crooked rat catchers are already milking the town, and something very bad
is going on.
Apart from cameo appearances from Death and the Death of Rats, there are
none of the regular characters. However fans of Gaspode will recognise and
love Maurice. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rats is marketed as a
book for the juvenile market (8 and over). But Discworld fans of any age
will enjoy it. The book is physically smaller, and there is basically only
the one plot line. With a 30% discount available from Amazon it is
excellent value. Go and buy it immediately. |