Maurice is a talking tomcat, and he has the perfect scheme. With a fake plague of rats and a stupid-looking kid with a pipe they have made a small fortune travelling around towns. But the rats have decided that enough is enough, after this town they’re done. The clan wants their share of gold to buy a rat island. Maurice is understandably upset this con took ages to set up. And you don’t find talking rats everywhere. As he creates plans to keep them on the team, they come across the village of Bad Blintz. Dangerous Beans with the help of Peaches is trying figure out what makes the clan different from other rats. Hampork is dying and Darktan doesn’t want to lead, but what else can he do? As they enter Bad Blintz though these problems take the backseat when they find out someone beat them at their own game. There is already a fake plague of rats here. As they began the con the clan’s future becomes intertwined with that of this odd mountain town. The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett is an enthralling tale of mortality and human nature. It is a goofy mystery novel that deals with the impossible thought that, as the author put it, “... that humans are capable of intelligence as well.” As the rats try to figure out the ups and downs of sentience and Maurice dealing with newfound morals, something deep in the cellars carries out its diabolical plot. 
Terry Patchett’ characters are fun and silly but lovable. While they are not exactly realistic their traits are easy to find in the world around you. Keith with his one-track mind who is happy as long as he can play his flute, and eccentric Malicia who believes the whole world is a great big story book. Fit well together and become great friends. Maurice develops morals, trying to figure out how he learned to speak, he comes across a rather disturbing answer. Hampork doesn’t want to change his ways but with Dangerous Beans coming up with all these ideas and Peaches writing them down he begins to realize that he is falling behind. As his time runs out, he tries to do what he thinks is right for the clan, but not all decisions are easy. As Hampork joins the Big Rat below Darktan is no longer just head of the trappers but also the whole clan his only advice from their previous leader being, “Don’t eat the green wobbly bit.”, but with the help of Sardines, he tackles this new leadership role. A small rat from the widdling squad, Nourishing, must step up and do what's right for the clan. All in all, these characters are easy to get behind and fall in love with. 
The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents is filled with dialogue and twists making it all most impossible to put down. Terry Patchett uses a goofy, messy group of misfits to create the perfect team. While all the characters are over the top, they are easy to relate to and teach important lessons. With wacky personalities they help the story come to life. The book is filled with jokes about politics and human instinct. He keeps a light tone while still discussing tough topics and points. The whole book is an easy read filled with crazy ideas and surprising plot twists. Terry Patchett shows us flaws in society and yet keeps it goofy. As he said, “The problem is that we think that the opposite of funny is serious. It is not. In fact, as G.K. Chesterton pointed out the opposite of funny is not funny, and the opposite of serious is not serious.” In his book he proves this and in the end this book is a fun read. 
The plot of this book is engaging and full of unexpected twists and turns that make for a beautiful road map of a story. It is impossible to predict what comes next, the book takes a darker turn into uncharted territory and keeps you reading no matter your age. I wouldn’t change a thing about even if I could. With complex character story arcs and a full-fledged plot, Terry Patchett’ story seems to jump of the page. I love how he didn’t include a romantic subplot in this story. This makes the book easier to relate to and more realistic. Everyone knows that all stories need a villain. Whether they are an egotistical manic, something inside ourselves, or a dragon hidden away under a mountain, and Terry Patchett provides just that with SPIDER. As the story progresses more secrets are revealed, and new people join the fray. 
Overall, The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents is a wonderful book prefect for middle schoolers and anyone looking for a fun read. It holds its own when compared to other books and even won the Carnegie Medal. The co-author of Good Omens, Neil Gaiman said it was, “... an astonishing novel.” Both he and Terry Pratchett have rather similar themes in their books so if you like The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents try The Graveyard Book or Good Omens, a heartwarming story of a demon and an angel who fell in love with humanity. A New York Times Bestselling Author Terry Pratchett has also written several other novels such as The Wee Free Men, A Hat Full of Sky, and Wintersmith. As the Oakland (MI) Press said in their review this book is, “... like Monty Python crossed with J.R.R. Tolkien with a dash of Charles Dickens and a pinch of Steven Spielberg...” While not containing wizards or knights this is a great fantasy novel for people who love that genre and are looking for a good laugh.