Trickster

Ash and Gabble are brothers, young rats who have not yet earned their adult names from their mothers.  Gabble is serious and steady but Ash is quick, impetuous and has no sense of danger.  So when Ash manages to get on to a raiding party, Gabble has to go along to try and look after his adventurous brother.  Ash is injured, although they manage to get him home and the two brothers receive their names; unfortunately Ash misunderstands due to his condition and thinks he has been given the name that really belongs to Gabble.  As the story continues this issue has a major effect on the way Ash behaves and hence the future of the clan.  There are meetings with other groups such as the rats of Notratlan and importantly the Damplanders and eventually a violent confrontation takes place.  Throughout all of this Gabble the Trickster, who is good with words, does his best to protect his brother and clan, aided by the young female Feather whose father is clan leader.

This is the third novel from Tom Moorhouse and this time he has moved away from water voles to concentrate on rats.  The characteristics are beautifully observed and there is a real sense that this is the way that they live their lives.  Over the years we have become so used to the humanization of animals that it is a real pleasure to find stories that keep them as wild animals.  Yes, there is the inclusion of beliefs about the ‘Taker’ and other mythologies that the rats might believe in, but this is much closer in feel to Watership Down rather than to Wind in the Willows.  This is very much about being accepted as part of a group and about how being different can change the way you are treated.  Ash is an Albino rat and this links him to the ‘Taker’, so he feels that he needs to consistently prove himself.  It is also about knowing yourself, which is why having an adult name that reflects your character is so important to the rats.  Once again Tom Moorhouse has given us a well written and plotted story with strong characters that you care about.