I remember first coming across this book when my little sister received it as a present. Frankly I thought it would be childish, and only turned to it when I had nothing left to read of my own, but how wrong I was. Even as a member of the 'mtv generation' this book had me completely entralled. Pratchett has to be one of the most eloquent and talented writers of out time and I can't believe I left it as late as my teens to discover him.
This book basically folows the escapades of Maurice, the cat, and his troop of intelligent rats (most of which have wonderfully inventive names, e.g Hamnpork, Dangerous Beans and Nourishing). With a couple of humans thrown in (Keith and Malicia) the cast is complete. It all sounds pretty benign, doesn't it? But the book it a lot darker than it first seems and you will be gripped from start to finish.
Personal favourite characters of mine were Malicia, whose loose tongue gets her into more trouble than she can afford, Keith, whose gentle nature prevents the book from becoming over-exciting, and Nourishing, a young and nervous rat who I adored from her first entry.
The plot is clever and entralling, with a great ending. I can only hope that one day I will be able to write as well as Pratchett. He is a wonderful story teller, and really, with The Amazing Maurice, his work is flawless.