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THE RATASTROPHE CATASTROPHE by David Lee Stone

THE RATASTROPHE CATASTROPHE

From the Illmoor Chronicles series, volume 1

by David Lee Stone

Pub Date: Oct. 1st, 2004
ISBN: 0-7868-5128-7
Publisher: Hyperion

A delightfully nasty Pied Piper retold in the style of Terry Pratchett (though in no way resembling The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents, 2001). Diek, a shepherd boy, is gifted with an evil power that makes his everyday flute charm children and animals. The simple boy happens upon the rather wicked town of Dullitch, where mercenaries have been called in to confront a plague of enormous rats. In a convoluted tangle, Diek repeatedly crosses paths with Gordo, an arrogant dwarf, and Groan, a massive barbarian garbed in posing pouch and crocheted bobble hat. No story of fantasy cliché is complete without bearded sorcerer (Tambor, erstwhile councilman) and boy thief with hopeful future (the incompetent Jimmy Quickstint). More by serendipity than skill, the good guys kinda beat the bad guys, and evil is slightly frustrated, at least until the next installment. Luscious silliness, in which honor and bravery can only be rewarded by a cat “widdling” in a young hero’s ear. (Fantasy. 10-14)