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The Secrets of the Pied Piper #1
The Peddler's Road
It is said that in the thirteenth century, in a village called Hamelin, a piper lured all of the children away with his magical flute, and none of them were ever seen again.
Today tough, pink-haired Max and her little brother, Carter, are stuck in modern-day Hamelin with their father . . . until they are also led away by the Piper to a place called the Summer Isle. There they meet the original stolen children, who haven’t aged a day and who have formed their own village, vigilantly guarded from the many nightmarish beings that roam the land.
No one knows why the Piper stole them, but Max and Carter’s appearance may be the key to returning the lost children of Hamelin—and to going home themselves. But to discover the secrets of the Piper, Max and Carter will have to set out on a mysterious quest down the dangerous Peddler’s Road.
Today tough, pink-haired Max and her little brother, Carter, are stuck in modern-day Hamelin with their father . . . until they are also led away by the Piper to a place called the Summer Isle. There they meet the original stolen children, who haven’t aged a day and who have formed their own village, vigilantly guarded from the many nightmarish beings that roam the land.
No one knows why the Piper stole them, but Max and Carter’s appearance may be the key to returning the lost children of Hamelin—and to going home themselves. But to discover the secrets of the Piper, Max and Carter will have to set out on a mysterious quest down the dangerous Peddler’s Road.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2015
About the author
Matthew Cody
45 books135 followersOriginally from the Midwest, Matthew Cody now lives in New York City with his wife and son. When not writing books or goofing off with his family, he teaches creative writing to kids of all ages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 8, 2015
Full Disclosure 1: I received this ARC book thru NetGalley for an honest review.
Full Disclosure 2: As those who read my reviews know, I tend to be partial to and look favorably upon fairy-tales of all-sorts. But, to this day, none of them have ever captured my imagnination quite as much the "PIed Piper of Hamelin". I've read countless variations of the classic tale, and read a number of reimaginings/re-telling/continuations that have shed new light to the Pied PIper mythos.
The original story is elegant in it's simplicity, and deals (as most fairy-tales do) with some of the larger human issues, such as Greed, Hubris, and Revenge. But where it differs from it's fairy-tale genre partners is in it's resolution (or in this case, lack thereof.)
SO, I was thrilled that author Matthew Cody has chosen to explore and expand upon this rich Mythos with a new series, and I was thriled to get an advance copy to read and review (and recommend, in this case.)
The book starts off by introducing our protagonists (Max and Carter), a likable brother/sister duo lving with their dad in modern-day Hamelin. The characters are immediately relatable and likable (there's JUST enough of both that "Teenage-Angst" coupled with the the "Brother-Sister Love/Hate" dynamics.) The book is also well-served by alternating POV Narrative characters between chapters (incidentally, also employed quite well in Rick Riordans The Kane Chronicles.)
The book begins almost immediately to ratchet up the tension/mystery/suspense, and it never really lets up, prompting an excellent lead-in to the next book in the series.
Oh, and (since I always mean to remark upon this in my reveiws and always forget), "Kudos" to the fantastic cover artist, who drew an engaging cover painting, sure to suck readers into this fantstic voyage.)
A solid 4-stars, with one of the only drawbacks being that I now have to wait for the next book in the series!
Full Disclosure 2: As those who read my reviews know, I tend to be partial to and look favorably upon fairy-tales of all-sorts. But, to this day, none of them have ever captured my imagnination quite as much the "PIed Piper of Hamelin". I've read countless variations of the classic tale, and read a number of reimaginings/re-telling/continuations that have shed new light to the Pied PIper mythos.
The original story is elegant in it's simplicity, and deals (as most fairy-tales do) with some of the larger human issues, such as Greed, Hubris, and Revenge. But where it differs from it's fairy-tale genre partners is in it's resolution (or in this case, lack thereof.)
SO, I was thrilled that author Matthew Cody has chosen to explore and expand upon this rich Mythos with a new series, and I was thriled to get an advance copy to read and review (and recommend, in this case.)
The book starts off by introducing our protagonists (Max and Carter), a likable brother/sister duo lving with their dad in modern-day Hamelin. The characters are immediately relatable and likable (there's JUST enough of both that "Teenage-Angst" coupled with the the "Brother-Sister Love/Hate" dynamics.) The book is also well-served by alternating POV Narrative characters between chapters (incidentally, also employed quite well in Rick Riordans The Kane Chronicles.)
The book begins almost immediately to ratchet up the tension/mystery/suspense, and it never really lets up, prompting an excellent lead-in to the next book in the series.
Oh, and (since I always mean to remark upon this in my reveiws and always forget), "Kudos" to the fantastic cover artist, who drew an engaging cover painting, sure to suck readers into this fantstic voyage.)
A solid 4-stars, with one of the only drawbacks being that I now have to wait for the next book in the series!
October 28, 2015
I thought the concept for this book sounded intriguing. Which it was but what sounds good on and what really is the truth are two different things. I can remember reading the story about the Pied Piper.
The Start of this book was good. It started with the story of the Pied Piper and then flashed forward to the present day with Max and Carter. I felt bad for Carter, which is a good thing. It formed a connection with him. Than there is Max. She may be the big sister and have her moments of being a meanie like a big sister but she does love Carter. This is where the story dropped for me. I could not form any other connections with any of the other characters in this book, although part two of the story was a little more interesting with the rats and fun names like Whiptail, Wormling, Spitter, and King Marrow. Overall for me this book did not strike a cord with me but my nephews will enjoy this book.
The Start of this book was good. It started with the story of the Pied Piper and then flashed forward to the present day with Max and Carter. I felt bad for Carter, which is a good thing. It formed a connection with him. Than there is Max. She may be the big sister and have her moments of being a meanie like a big sister but she does love Carter. This is where the story dropped for me. I could not form any other connections with any of the other characters in this book, although part two of the story was a little more interesting with the rats and fun names like Whiptail, Wormling, Spitter, and King Marrow. Overall for me this book did not strike a cord with me but my nephews will enjoy this book.
July 13, 2022
4 stars - English Ebook
Quote: Carter had just turned ten, and Max was nearly thirteen, so Max had a good four inches on her younger brother, even when she slouched (which was something she did a lot). She stared down at her brother as she waited for the inevitable snarky quip.
There was no way Carter would pass up an opportunity to make fun of her new pink hair. Maybe he’d say she looked like one of those troll dolls you get out of those fifty-cent machines (Max worried that she kind of did). But Carter kept quiet as he shimmied by her, a pained look of concentration on his face as he squeezed his knees together.
As they passed each other, Max bumped into Carter and he stumbled on his bad leg, barely catching himself on the marble washbasin.
“Oh! Carter, I’m sorry!” said Max, but her brother waved her away.
“I’m fine,” he said. “But can I have some privacy, for Pete’s sake?”-
Explodes into a wild fantasy adventure. . . . Cody has begun what promises to be an epic trilogy. - New York Times-
This was a wonderfully well written adventure book that blends a little Chronicles of Narnia, a little Grimms Brothers and a little Percy Jackson. It builds on the standard story of the Pied Piper but goes beyond that to telling the story of kidnapped children and even adding a new "lost" fairy tale that adds a new character.
I loved the uniqueness of the expanded fairy tale and while it seems a little younger, it really did make me think of the Rick Riordan's series. I am really looking forward to reading this series with my kids who loved the Percy Jackson books.
Miner: it end's with a cliffhanger, rrrrrrrr.....
Quote: Carter had just turned ten, and Max was nearly thirteen, so Max had a good four inches on her younger brother, even when she slouched (which was something she did a lot). She stared down at her brother as she waited for the inevitable snarky quip.
There was no way Carter would pass up an opportunity to make fun of her new pink hair. Maybe he’d say she looked like one of those troll dolls you get out of those fifty-cent machines (Max worried that she kind of did). But Carter kept quiet as he shimmied by her, a pained look of concentration on his face as he squeezed his knees together.
As they passed each other, Max bumped into Carter and he stumbled on his bad leg, barely catching himself on the marble washbasin.
“Oh! Carter, I’m sorry!” said Max, but her brother waved her away.
“I’m fine,” he said. “But can I have some privacy, for Pete’s sake?”-
Explodes into a wild fantasy adventure. . . . Cody has begun what promises to be an epic trilogy. - New York Times-
This was a wonderfully well written adventure book that blends a little Chronicles of Narnia, a little Grimms Brothers and a little Percy Jackson. It builds on the standard story of the Pied Piper but goes beyond that to telling the story of kidnapped children and even adding a new "lost" fairy tale that adds a new character.
I loved the uniqueness of the expanded fairy tale and while it seems a little younger, it really did make me think of the Rick Riordan's series. I am really looking forward to reading this series with my kids who loved the Percy Jackson books.
Miner: it end's with a cliffhanger, rrrrrrrr.....
December 20, 2017
A retelling! For a story I don't normally run into a retelling for! So of course I had to give it a shot.
And boy am I glad I did!
This particular retelling, if you cannot tell from the title is of the Pied Piper story. You know the one? The one where the pied piper comes and plays his music and removes all the rats from the town.
Well in this one, once upon a time, he did do that...and then the village didn't pay the price that he asked, so he came and took all the children. Minus one - that kid couldn't make it. Or at least that is the story the town tells. But everyone else just believes them to be fairy tales.
Then we come to more of a now time in history and there are two kids, Max and Carter, are in the town of the story with their dad (a person who researches fairytales) and things start happening.
First they see a strange person hiding out in the shadows. Then they have their house flooded with rats....and then they find themselves in a strange place with all the children of Hamelin that were taken over 100 years ago!
Then from there the adventure starts. They, obviously, want to find their way home. And they want to help the kids find their way back too.
Of course, there are giant evil rats in the way. And some wizards. And some fairies.... And other creatures...
It is quite a fun story! I really enjoyed it! The adventure was actually quite fun, filled with little twists and turns. The world was very creative too. There were so many different types of "creatures" and "beings" that we encountered through the whole story. You never really knew who would turn up next. And the characters themselves were quite enjoyable. They all had their distinct personalities, and I found myself enjoying the crass old wizard guy
There are more books in this series, and yes I am totally going to read them!
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are mine and mine alone.
Find more of my reviews here:
https://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com
And boy am I glad I did!
This particular retelling, if you cannot tell from the title is of the Pied Piper story. You know the one? The one where the pied piper comes and plays his music and removes all the rats from the town.
Well in this one, once upon a time, he did do that...and then the village didn't pay the price that he asked, so he came and took all the children. Minus one - that kid couldn't make it. Or at least that is the story the town tells. But everyone else just believes them to be fairy tales.
Then we come to more of a now time in history and there are two kids, Max and Carter, are in the town of the story with their dad (a person who researches fairytales) and things start happening.
First they see a strange person hiding out in the shadows. Then they have their house flooded with rats....and then they find themselves in a strange place with all the children of Hamelin that were taken over 100 years ago!
Then from there the adventure starts. They, obviously, want to find their way home. And they want to help the kids find their way back too.
Of course, there are giant evil rats in the way. And some wizards. And some fairies.... And other creatures...
It is quite a fun story! I really enjoyed it! The adventure was actually quite fun, filled with little twists and turns. The world was very creative too. There were so many different types of "creatures" and "beings" that we encountered through the whole story. You never really knew who would turn up next. And the characters themselves were quite enjoyable. They all had their distinct personalities, and I found myself enjoying the crass old wizard guy
There are more books in this series, and yes I am totally going to read them!
This review is based on an eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are mine and mine alone.
Find more of my reviews here:
https://readingwithcupcakes.blogspot.com
July 14, 2017
The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin has always held such a mysterious hold over me. I was so excited to find a series that will explore the depth of this fairy tale, and deliver insights into the reasons why the Pied Piper abducted, the children of Hamelin.
And this story certainly doesn't disappoint! True it is a little slow in the beginning as the setup of the two main characters takes quite a while.
But once the children are taken to New Hamlin the story takes off. It turns out to be a series of quests for the different characters.
For Max, it is all about taking care of her brother Carter and getting them back to the world where they belong.
For Carter it is finding the hero in himself; to be able to stand up for what he believes in, and help his sister, and all the children abducted from by the Pied Piper, find the way back home to their families.
For Lucas, the quest is to protect Carter and Max; to finally find the Black Tower and the way home - after 700 years of being imprisoned on the Summer Isle.
Some of the best parts of the story is when the group finally encounters the Pied Piper himself. He has been imprisoned in the Black Tower for hundreds of years; yet his cruelty and lust for vengeance has not dissipated over the eons of time.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!!
And this story certainly doesn't disappoint! True it is a little slow in the beginning as the setup of the two main characters takes quite a while.
But once the children are taken to New Hamlin the story takes off. It turns out to be a series of quests for the different characters.
For Max, it is all about taking care of her brother Carter and getting them back to the world where they belong.
For Carter it is finding the hero in himself; to be able to stand up for what he believes in, and help his sister, and all the children abducted from by the Pied Piper, find the way back home to their families.
For Lucas, the quest is to protect Carter and Max; to finally find the Black Tower and the way home - after 700 years of being imprisoned on the Summer Isle.
Some of the best parts of the story is when the group finally encounters the Pied Piper himself. He has been imprisoned in the Black Tower for hundreds of years; yet his cruelty and lust for vengeance has not dissipated over the eons of time.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series!!
December 29, 2022
The concept of the book was intriguing, but the writing style made me lose interest, so I found myself skimming through some chapters. I feel like if I read this in middle school, I would love it.
October 7, 2015
The Peddler’s Road is a middle grade novel by Matthew Cody. This will be the first book in his new Secrets of the Pied Piper series, and is scheduled for release on October 27 2015. It is said that in the thirteenth century, in a village called Hamelin, a piper lured all but one of the town’s children away with his magical flute. Today tough, pink-haired Max and her little brother, Carter, are stuck in modern-day Hamelin with their father until they are also led away by the Piper to a place called the Summer Isle. There they meet the original stolen children, who haven’t aged a day and who have formed their own village, vigilantly guarded from the many nightmarish beings that roam the land. Their appearance may be the key to returning the lost children of Hamelin, and to going home themselves. However, in order to discover the secrets of the Piper, Max and Carter will have to set out on a mysterious quest down the dangerous Peddler’s Road.
The Peddler’s Road is the start to another great middle grade series from Matthew Cody. I really enjoyed the characters, Max is a spunky girl with a strong mind but growing through a period of many changes. Carter has always had challenges, and has faced them with intelligence and grace. Getting stolen away to the Summer Isle is no exception. The framework of folklore and magic woven through the story is wonderfully done, with each character getting enough detail and personality to bring them to life. My only complaint with the story is that when it ended I needed more. The story leaves so many loose ends, definitely a cliff hanger that need the sequels to complete the story in my opinion. I love series that give at least some resolution, while still urging readers to keep reading. I dis not feel that I got quite enough of that resolution to keep me happy, instead I got another layer of plot and complication that needs resolution in the future installments.
The Peddler’s Road is as well written and engaging as I expect from Cody. I really liked the main characters, especially Max, and felt like they all had significant growth in the story. I was not happy with the inconclusive ending, but am likely to read the sequels because I need to know how they solve the huge problems they are facing.
The Peddler’s Road is the start to another great middle grade series from Matthew Cody. I really enjoyed the characters, Max is a spunky girl with a strong mind but growing through a period of many changes. Carter has always had challenges, and has faced them with intelligence and grace. Getting stolen away to the Summer Isle is no exception. The framework of folklore and magic woven through the story is wonderfully done, with each character getting enough detail and personality to bring them to life. My only complaint with the story is that when it ended I needed more. The story leaves so many loose ends, definitely a cliff hanger that need the sequels to complete the story in my opinion. I love series that give at least some resolution, while still urging readers to keep reading. I dis not feel that I got quite enough of that resolution to keep me happy, instead I got another layer of plot and complication that needs resolution in the future installments.
The Peddler’s Road is as well written and engaging as I expect from Cody. I really liked the main characters, especially Max, and felt like they all had significant growth in the story. I was not happy with the inconclusive ending, but am likely to read the sequels because I need to know how they solve the huge problems they are facing.
March 9, 2018
Wow. Just wow. This book was INCREDIBLE. Overall: 4.5/5
Here are the stats:
-Romance: little to none in this area.. definitely a brother/sister bond between Max (Maxine) and her brother Carter. No kissing or anything like that. There is a mention of a female character liking a male character/talk of boyfriends, but nothing more!
-Language: a few ugly words, but nothing bad.
-Violence: definitely some of this! Mentions of ghosts, scary monsters, etc. I’m not easily terrified when reading a book with scary stuff in it, and this didn’t bother me too much. A few instances of blood and fighting the rats.. and I did think the Piper was a little freaky. He is a villain after all...
This book was GREAT!!! I found myself enjoying a break from romance filled books, and this one did not disappoint me.
Max and her pink hair really caught my eye. (oh look! She’s on the front cover!)
I found myself liking 10-year-old Carter a whole lot.. he’s treated as special. He was born with a lame leg.. and he wears a brace, which is cool and actually protects him at one part of the story!!
My most favorite part of the book (believe it or not) was the prologue. I found myself LOVING Timm Weaver, who was also lame and was left behind when the other children left to follow the Pipers song.
My least favorite part was the ENDING. Not because the story was over but because it just didn’t end well! *SPOILER* Max is literally shoved through a mirror back home and finds her father is missing and her brother didn’t come back too. Carter is still separated from her! *END SPOILER*
Which, the ending is understandable because there are two other books in the trilogy!
Did I mention there are two more books in the trilogy? I’ve got to read them!
To sum it up, you simply MUST read this book. ;) You will NOT be disappointed.
Here are the stats:
-Romance: little to none in this area.. definitely a brother/sister bond between Max (Maxine) and her brother Carter. No kissing or anything like that. There is a mention of a female character liking a male character/talk of boyfriends, but nothing more!
-Language: a few ugly words, but nothing bad.
-Violence: definitely some of this! Mentions of ghosts, scary monsters, etc. I’m not easily terrified when reading a book with scary stuff in it, and this didn’t bother me too much. A few instances of blood and fighting the rats.. and I did think the Piper was a little freaky. He is a villain after all...
This book was GREAT!!! I found myself enjoying a break from romance filled books, and this one did not disappoint me.
Max and her pink hair really caught my eye. (oh look! She’s on the front cover!)
I found myself liking 10-year-old Carter a whole lot.. he’s treated as special. He was born with a lame leg.. and he wears a brace, which is cool and actually protects him at one part of the story!!
My most favorite part of the book (believe it or not) was the prologue. I found myself LOVING Timm Weaver, who was also lame and was left behind when the other children left to follow the Pipers song.
My least favorite part was the ENDING. Not because the story was over but because it just didn’t end well! *SPOILER* Max is literally shoved through a mirror back home and finds her father is missing and her brother didn’t come back too. Carter is still separated from her! *END SPOILER*
Which, the ending is understandable because there are two other books in the trilogy!
Did I mention there are two more books in the trilogy? I’ve got to read them!
To sum it up, you simply MUST read this book. ;) You will NOT be disappointed.
March 20, 2018
This book was really good!!! I give it 4 stars only because I found it to be slow in some parts and I skimmed paragraphs that had a ton of detail- but nothing to keep it from being a great read!!!
I love all the characters (minus the Piper and rats😂) I love Carter and Max and Lukas and Mrs. Amsel (her identity is soo cool!!!) and Emilee (I love her character so much)!!!
My favorite parts are the prologue and ending!!! The way the book was ended was so striking and wonderful!!!! I NEED TO READ THE OTHER TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES!!! It left on SUCH a cliffhanger!!!!!! 😂😂😂
I love all the characters (minus the Piper and rats😂) I love Carter and Max and Lukas and Mrs. Amsel (her identity is soo cool!!!) and Emilee (I love her character so much)!!!
My favorite parts are the prologue and ending!!! The way the book was ended was so striking and wonderful!!!! I NEED TO READ THE OTHER TWO BOOKS IN THE SERIES!!! It left on SUCH a cliffhanger!!!!!! 😂😂😂
September 1, 2016
**An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
2.5 stars. Review to come closer to publication.
For now, I'll say that I enjoyed this one - to a point. I didn't ever get sucked into the story and I thought the pacing wasn't very good, but I loved the sibling dynamic and reading a retelling of the Pied Piper, however confusing that aspect of the story was to me, especially for the first half.
2.5 stars. Review to come closer to publication.
For now, I'll say that I enjoyed this one - to a point. I didn't ever get sucked into the story and I thought the pacing wasn't very good, but I loved the sibling dynamic and reading a retelling of the Pied Piper, however confusing that aspect of the story was to me, especially for the first half.
October 25, 2015
What a delightful book! I love the combination of a pied piper retelling with other fairytales sprinkled in. I especially love seeing a hero with a disability and his experiences addressed but not "fixed". I can't wait for book two!
June 5, 2016
When I started taking book recs from my nephew...
Part fantasy and part..it's like lit-lit for kids. Based on the fairy tale of the Pied Piper.
Part fantasy and part..it's like lit-lit for kids. Based on the fairy tale of the Pied Piper.
August 21, 2019
2.5. The execution here just fell a little flat.
May 25, 2017
"We Gotta Get Out of This Place...", (The Animals 1964)
Putting aside the magical apprentice, prophesied-one, and object quest fantasies, tales built around being taken away and having to get back home may be among the most durable of all story arcs. From The Odyssey to Wizard of Oz, people just want to go home.
The Pied Piper tale may resonate because it's one of the few tales with no traditional resolution. The children of Hamelin are taken away - but to where and to what ultimate purpose? This book starts at that point and spins out a continuing tale that's part Neverland and part folktale survey mashup.
The opening of the book is gripping and dark. Cody nicely captures the Piper's sinister and hypnotic call. We then switch to modern times and meet the two kids we know immediately will be drawn into the Piper story. Again, this is set up well, with portents, and dark figures, and a "rat extermination professional" instead of a piper. And our heroes, Max and Carter are fine. Having a mildly wild-child older sister and a thoughtful, shy younger brother doesn't exactly break new ground, but both characters are built for the long haul and have reader appeal.
But then we get to "New Hamelin". We start with loads and loads of exposition and explaining in order to get all of the characters and the reader on the same page storywise. I can see that as a real benefit to younger readers who aren't familiar with how these sorts of books work. NO SPOILERS, except to say that this then becomes a quest along a road in search of a way home. The book sticks with the Piper angle, but we get many more characters, more borrowings from other tales, (Baba Yaga?), and pretty much an anything goes fantasy and magical creature walk-about. I was O.K. with that, but be warned. While this could have been a tidy and entertaining stand-alone book, it is actually the first in a three book series, and is loaded with cliffhangers. I'm undecided whether this has was it takes to draw me through a trilogy, so be forewarned.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
Putting aside the magical apprentice, prophesied-one, and object quest fantasies, tales built around being taken away and having to get back home may be among the most durable of all story arcs. From The Odyssey to Wizard of Oz, people just want to go home.
The Pied Piper tale may resonate because it's one of the few tales with no traditional resolution. The children of Hamelin are taken away - but to where and to what ultimate purpose? This book starts at that point and spins out a continuing tale that's part Neverland and part folktale survey mashup.
The opening of the book is gripping and dark. Cody nicely captures the Piper's sinister and hypnotic call. We then switch to modern times and meet the two kids we know immediately will be drawn into the Piper story. Again, this is set up well, with portents, and dark figures, and a "rat extermination professional" instead of a piper. And our heroes, Max and Carter are fine. Having a mildly wild-child older sister and a thoughtful, shy younger brother doesn't exactly break new ground, but both characters are built for the long haul and have reader appeal.
But then we get to "New Hamelin". We start with loads and loads of exposition and explaining in order to get all of the characters and the reader on the same page storywise. I can see that as a real benefit to younger readers who aren't familiar with how these sorts of books work. NO SPOILERS, except to say that this then becomes a quest along a road in search of a way home. The book sticks with the Piper angle, but we get many more characters, more borrowings from other tales, (Baba Yaga?), and pretty much an anything goes fantasy and magical creature walk-about. I was O.K. with that, but be warned. While this could have been a tidy and entertaining stand-alone book, it is actually the first in a three book series, and is loaded with cliffhangers. I'm undecided whether this has was it takes to draw me through a trilogy, so be forewarned.
(Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)
December 14, 2017
The book, The Peddler’s Road, by Matthew Cody, is about the pink-haired girl named Max and her little brother Carter. They are living with their father in a small home in modern-day Hamelin, where a strange myth has been passing around that an assumed Piper takes children away in the night to another place, the old Hamelin. They do not believe this at first, but they start getting slightly more suspicious as they see a play dedicated to the baffling myth.
Their thoughts are totally turned around when they themselves get sucked into the old Hamelin, by their assumed rat catcher after a terrible rodent issue with the vermin spilling in from the vents of their home. There, they find themselves in a small town built entirely from the hands of the old children. But, the kids haven’t aged a day in appearance. There they find Emilie and Lukas, the two in-charge and who keep the balance in Hamelin. Max and Carter are suspicious of most others, as they haven’t had a new visitor in who knows how long. More rumors swirl around until one night when the rats from the Piper intrude on the sibling’s sleep, and there they seem monstrous, higher in height than any belief. Now they make it their mission to find the pursuer and why they are attempting to hurt the poor children of Hamelin. But at what cost?
I think that anyone around ten to fourteen years old who has the slightest interest in fantasy or mystery novels would love this book. It’s very thrilling, and in itself has an emotional rollercoaster that changes the characters with it on its journey. Or, if you’ve ever read the other books by Matthew Cody, this will be another long-time favorite. I think that anyone should pick this book up because it’s very interesting and opens an eye to all of the wonderful worlds outside your own, even if their just a figment of someone else’s imagination.I would rate this book five stars out of five because it’s so different from a lot of fantasy novels I have read before.
Their thoughts are totally turned around when they themselves get sucked into the old Hamelin, by their assumed rat catcher after a terrible rodent issue with the vermin spilling in from the vents of their home. There, they find themselves in a small town built entirely from the hands of the old children. But, the kids haven’t aged a day in appearance. There they find Emilie and Lukas, the two in-charge and who keep the balance in Hamelin. Max and Carter are suspicious of most others, as they haven’t had a new visitor in who knows how long. More rumors swirl around until one night when the rats from the Piper intrude on the sibling’s sleep, and there they seem monstrous, higher in height than any belief. Now they make it their mission to find the pursuer and why they are attempting to hurt the poor children of Hamelin. But at what cost?
I think that anyone around ten to fourteen years old who has the slightest interest in fantasy or mystery novels would love this book. It’s very thrilling, and in itself has an emotional rollercoaster that changes the characters with it on its journey. Or, if you’ve ever read the other books by Matthew Cody, this will be another long-time favorite. I think that anyone should pick this book up because it’s very interesting and opens an eye to all of the wonderful worlds outside your own, even if their just a figment of someone else’s imagination.I would rate this book five stars out of five because it’s so different from a lot of fantasy novels I have read before.
October 21, 2016
In all honesty, I requested this book on Netgalley right after seeing the cover. I’m a sucker for covers really and this one just screamed “READ ME!!”. Well, to me at least. I didn’t know much about the story in advance, apart from it being a retelling of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. I’ve always been fond of that story, because it’s a tat bit darker and more mysterious than the other stories I used to read as a child. It might be the main themes of revenge and greed, but it also might have something to do with the fact that there are several versions of the story, one slightly darker than the other:
"One hundred and thirty children followed him out of town where they were lured into a cave and never seen again. Depending on the version, at most three children remained behind: One was lame and could not follow quickly enough, the second was deaf and therefore could not hear the music, and the last was blind and unable to see where he was going. These three informed the villagers of what had happened when they came out from church.
Another version relates that the Pied Piper led the children into following him to the top of Koppelberg Hill, where he took them to a beautiful land and had his wicked way, or a place called Koppenberg Mountain, or that he made them walk into the Weser like he did with the rats, and they all drowned. Some versions state that the Piper returned the children after payment, or that he returned the children after the villagers paid several times the original amount of gold."(Source: Wikipedia)
Of course, I first read the one where they all drowned, giving me nightmares galore when I was little.
In The Peddler’s Road, the author went with the version of taking 130 children up a mountain into a cave, which leads to a beautiful land called the Summer Isle, where it’s always summer and darkness never really falls. One child remains behind: a lame boy called Timm Weaver.
After the prologue, which describes the background story mentioned above, we meet Max and Carter Weber. Max is a (nearly)13 year old girl in the midst of puberty, drinking coffee and dying her hair pink. Carter’s her little brother who is 10 years old, and has to walk with a brace on his leg, because surgery couldn’t fix his club-foot. Their folkorist father has taken them with him on a trip to Hamelin, Germany, leaving their mother behind in New York.
It soon becomes apparent that something strange is going on in Hamelin and Max and Carter are being lured (IT’S A TWAP!) into the Summer Isle themselves, where they find the missing children of Hamelin still alive and kicking in a village (New Hamelin) they have built for themselves. There has to be a catch to a beautiful island where everything is perfect, right? Of course there is. Occasionally (more often each year) the children encounter a Winter’s Moon. The summer warmth of the island is chased away by it and true night descends, a dark winter that lasts one night only. " But one night was enough, because things crept out of the dark on nights like that, things that shunned the light. Dangerous things."
As the first Winter’s Moon fell in the story, I was pooping my PJ pants a little, thinking “Is this really a middle grade book?”. I thought it was downright scary! And I intend to watch Evil Dead on my Halloween movie night, so I wonder how that’ll go…
The group of Hamelin children have formed a fully functioning community. Their defenses are being led by the Eldest Boy, Lukas. The Eldest Girl, Emilie, reminded me a lot of Peter Pan’s Wendy: " For all these years Emilie had been the one person who’d kept the village together, who’d held them when they had nightmares and told them stories when they couldn’t sleep."…"she’d been New Hamelin’s mother." The children from Hamelin also never age.
After encountering human-sized evil rats on the first Winter’s Moon (yes, there will be more), it appears that most things outside of New Hamelin are wicked and fodder for nightmares (or vice versa when it comes to this book). The only safe place is the Peddler’s Road where the Peddler, an old magician, walks back and forth in search of good trades. The Peddler also happens to be the person who locked away the evil Piper right after he kidnapped the 130 Hamelin children. The Piper’s still imprisoned, but dangerous nonetheless!
Lukas once made a trade with the Peddler, who then gave him a map which seems to be of utmost importance now that Max and Carter have arrived on the Summer Isle. The map came with a prophecy: "Only when the last son of Hamelin appears and the Black Tower found, will the Piper’s prison open and the children return safe and sound."
Without giving away all TOO much, this is where the quest begins for Max and Carter. They encounter more evil creatures of which Grannie Yaga was one who made me poop myself again. Especially with her two sets of artificial teeth: wooden ones for talking, rusty iron ones for… *shudders*.
I’m glad the cover lived up to my expectations; I really liked this book! Again, it might be a bit too scary for a middle grade novel if you ask me, but then again, I still would’ve loved it as a child as well! The characters are likeable (except for Max, yet another female protagonist who is too whiny and hormonal for my taste), the scenery is a treat for the imagination and the storyline’s creative (sometimes a bit predictable, but who cares when the rest is good).
I’m giving this four stars. Why not give 5 if I liked it so much? Because it wasn’t perfect. I made some notes which would be huge spoilers, so I can’t put those in my post, but let’s just say things don’t always add up. I also don’t dig the fact that this, like so many other Fantasy books out there, is a trilogy. I think it would’ve been nicer with a hundred extra pages and then closing up the story. Then again, I’ll probably read part 2 when it comes out anyways, because now I’m all curious about what’s going to happen next. Damn you Matthew Cody!
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
"One hundred and thirty children followed him out of town where they were lured into a cave and never seen again. Depending on the version, at most three children remained behind: One was lame and could not follow quickly enough, the second was deaf and therefore could not hear the music, and the last was blind and unable to see where he was going. These three informed the villagers of what had happened when they came out from church.
Another version relates that the Pied Piper led the children into following him to the top of Koppelberg Hill, where he took them to a beautiful land and had his wicked way, or a place called Koppenberg Mountain, or that he made them walk into the Weser like he did with the rats, and they all drowned. Some versions state that the Piper returned the children after payment, or that he returned the children after the villagers paid several times the original amount of gold."(Source: Wikipedia)
Of course, I first read the one where they all drowned, giving me nightmares galore when I was little.
In The Peddler’s Road, the author went with the version of taking 130 children up a mountain into a cave, which leads to a beautiful land called the Summer Isle, where it’s always summer and darkness never really falls. One child remains behind: a lame boy called Timm Weaver.
After the prologue, which describes the background story mentioned above, we meet Max and Carter Weber. Max is a (nearly)13 year old girl in the midst of puberty, drinking coffee and dying her hair pink. Carter’s her little brother who is 10 years old, and has to walk with a brace on his leg, because surgery couldn’t fix his club-foot. Their folkorist father has taken them with him on a trip to Hamelin, Germany, leaving their mother behind in New York.
It soon becomes apparent that something strange is going on in Hamelin and Max and Carter are being lured (IT’S A TWAP!) into the Summer Isle themselves, where they find the missing children of Hamelin still alive and kicking in a village (New Hamelin) they have built for themselves. There has to be a catch to a beautiful island where everything is perfect, right? Of course there is. Occasionally (more often each year) the children encounter a Winter’s Moon. The summer warmth of the island is chased away by it and true night descends, a dark winter that lasts one night only. " But one night was enough, because things crept out of the dark on nights like that, things that shunned the light. Dangerous things."
As the first Winter’s Moon fell in the story, I was pooping my PJ pants a little, thinking “Is this really a middle grade book?”. I thought it was downright scary! And I intend to watch Evil Dead on my Halloween movie night, so I wonder how that’ll go…
The group of Hamelin children have formed a fully functioning community. Their defenses are being led by the Eldest Boy, Lukas. The Eldest Girl, Emilie, reminded me a lot of Peter Pan’s Wendy: " For all these years Emilie had been the one person who’d kept the village together, who’d held them when they had nightmares and told them stories when they couldn’t sleep."…"she’d been New Hamelin’s mother." The children from Hamelin also never age.
After encountering human-sized evil rats on the first Winter’s Moon (yes, there will be more), it appears that most things outside of New Hamelin are wicked and fodder for nightmares (or vice versa when it comes to this book). The only safe place is the Peddler’s Road where the Peddler, an old magician, walks back and forth in search of good trades. The Peddler also happens to be the person who locked away the evil Piper right after he kidnapped the 130 Hamelin children. The Piper’s still imprisoned, but dangerous nonetheless!
Lukas once made a trade with the Peddler, who then gave him a map which seems to be of utmost importance now that Max and Carter have arrived on the Summer Isle. The map came with a prophecy: "Only when the last son of Hamelin appears and the Black Tower found, will the Piper’s prison open and the children return safe and sound."
Without giving away all TOO much, this is where the quest begins for Max and Carter. They encounter more evil creatures of which Grannie Yaga was one who made me poop myself again. Especially with her two sets of artificial teeth: wooden ones for talking, rusty iron ones for… *shudders*.
I’m glad the cover lived up to my expectations; I really liked this book! Again, it might be a bit too scary for a middle grade novel if you ask me, but then again, I still would’ve loved it as a child as well! The characters are likeable (except for Max, yet another female protagonist who is too whiny and hormonal for my taste), the scenery is a treat for the imagination and the storyline’s creative (sometimes a bit predictable, but who cares when the rest is good).
I’m giving this four stars. Why not give 5 if I liked it so much? Because it wasn’t perfect. I made some notes which would be huge spoilers, so I can’t put those in my post, but let’s just say things don’t always add up. I also don’t dig the fact that this, like so many other Fantasy books out there, is a trilogy. I think it would’ve been nicer with a hundred extra pages and then closing up the story. Then again, I’ll probably read part 2 when it comes out anyways, because now I’m all curious about what’s going to happen next. Damn you Matthew Cody!
An ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
January 2, 2020
I first fell in love with Matthew Cody's storytelling when I read Will in Scarlet several years ago. I hate that it took me so long to get to another one of his books but then again, books have a way of finding us at just the right time.
That being said, I've already got The Magician's Key (the 2nd book in The Secrets of the Pied Piper trilogy) on order and cant wait to see how this epic fantasy adventure continues!
The Peddler's Road captivated me. Just like the children who couldn't resist the Piper's tune, I too was led away to a timeless land, teeming with magic and marked by an eternal summer.
One of the things that is really noteworthy about this book, is the author's ability to seamlessly tie up a chapter. I've not seen anything like it. He doesn't miss a thing and cleverly weaves each detail together, leaving the reader fully satisfied.
Also, I cant tell you how many times I caught myself smirking because the dialog was so spot-on 😏
I feel like this entire book honors stories. This is fairytale retelling at it's finest and would be an indulgence for any young-hearted person. Enjoy!
That being said, I've already got The Magician's Key (the 2nd book in The Secrets of the Pied Piper trilogy) on order and cant wait to see how this epic fantasy adventure continues!
The Peddler's Road captivated me. Just like the children who couldn't resist the Piper's tune, I too was led away to a timeless land, teeming with magic and marked by an eternal summer.
One of the things that is really noteworthy about this book, is the author's ability to seamlessly tie up a chapter. I've not seen anything like it. He doesn't miss a thing and cleverly weaves each detail together, leaving the reader fully satisfied.
Also, I cant tell you how many times I caught myself smirking because the dialog was so spot-on 😏
I feel like this entire book honors stories. This is fairytale retelling at it's finest and would be an indulgence for any young-hearted person. Enjoy!
May 29, 2017
I'm of two minds about this book. On the one hand, I liked it for several reasons. First, there aren't many stories about the Pied Piper, so it was original, as was his motivation for being what he was. Second, the children on Summer Isle were, in my view, well portrayed as being from the early 1200's. Their language, behavior and mannerisms were well drawn. On the flip side, this was a very malevolent story, dark, creepy (unnecessarily so in my view) and, at times, very cruel. It seemed as if shock value was, at times, more important than story. In addition, there seemed to be so many loose threads of fairy and folk tale elements that didn't really seem to fit together well. A lot of younger readers may overlook all these nitpickings, they are just my own problems with the book, to find a rousing adventure story. As long as the reader is happy, that is what counts.
January 6, 2019
Once upon a long time ago, a piper piped music to remove the influx of rats from a German town called Hamelin. When the town fathers refused to pay the agreed upon fee, the piper played again and removed the children too, all except a lame boy who couldn't keep up.
That is where this story picks up - what did happen to the rats, the children, and the Piper? Did the rats drown in the river as some versions suggest, and if they did, what about the children? Where did the Piper come from and why did he take the children?
This book series promises to deliver at least some of the answers, and it does, but in a way that at times is exciting, and the rest dull and pedantic. It balances out to a nice little story.
That is where this story picks up - what did happen to the rats, the children, and the Piper? Did the rats drown in the river as some versions suggest, and if they did, what about the children? Where did the Piper come from and why did he take the children?
This book series promises to deliver at least some of the answers, and it does, but in a way that at times is exciting, and the rest dull and pedantic. It balances out to a nice little story.
January 27, 2018
This book is the fabulous first in the trilogy. If you loved Cody's writing in Powerless and that series, or in any of his other wonderful books, you'll love this one. It's filled with magic, family, and courage. It's about being selfless and struggling to overcome handicaps. It's really beautiful. Read the full review at: The Peddler's Road
October 17, 2017
Always pay your debts....The villagers of Hamelin tried to stiff the rat catcher so he used his magic flute to steal away their children 700 years ago. Now, history may be repeating itselef. Creepy, imaginative, and oh, so fun!
October 22, 2018
I would give this a 3.5. If you like fantasy and fractured fairytales with a splash of adventure, this is the book for you.
May 11, 2020
Great book!
May 12, 2020
Amazing and wonderful read!!!
November 10, 2020
Very good. 4.5 stars. Good plot, and good charaters. Read the trilogy.
August 2, 2022
Really good story
October 28, 2022
Such an exciting and and a little bit scary story! It’s truly unique and at times kind of creepy! I really enjoyed this very much! It's great for any reader!
February 16, 2023
This was the first explored version of the Pied Piper that I have been able to find outside of the original tale. It was a little bit of a slow start at the beginning but really picked up after that. I really enjoyed this take on the Pied Piper and will have to read the other books to find out how it ends.
March 1, 2017
Cody, Matthew The Peddler’s Road (Secrets of the Pied Piper 1), 355 pgs. Alfred A. Knopf, 2015. $17.99. Language G; Mature Content G; Violence G.
Carter, and his older sister, Max, are staying in the legendary village of Hamelin, Germany, where the pied piper was said to have taken all the village children hundreds of years ago. When rats mysteriously appear, the children are transported to the Summer Isle, where they meet up with those lost children. In an effort to get home, they set off on the Peddler’s Road to get to a black tower that has mysteriously appeared on an enchanted map since their arrival. Max and Carter may be part of a prophecy that will allow the lost children of Hamelin to return home, but there are a lot of dangers along the Peddler’s Road.
Warning: since this book is the first in a trilogy, the ending is quite abrupt. There are some interesting characters and twists. The most fleshed out character is Carter, who has a club foot and wears a leg brace, which allows for some insight on how he feels about being different from others as well as how others treat him. What Max and Carter find in along their journey and at their destination leads directly into the 2nd book, and manages to hold the reader’s attention throughout. This is a likeable book that adds new dimensions to the Pied Piper tale.
EL/MS: ADVISABLE. Michelle in the Middle
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
Carter, and his older sister, Max, are staying in the legendary village of Hamelin, Germany, where the pied piper was said to have taken all the village children hundreds of years ago. When rats mysteriously appear, the children are transported to the Summer Isle, where they meet up with those lost children. In an effort to get home, they set off on the Peddler’s Road to get to a black tower that has mysteriously appeared on an enchanted map since their arrival. Max and Carter may be part of a prophecy that will allow the lost children of Hamelin to return home, but there are a lot of dangers along the Peddler’s Road.
Warning: since this book is the first in a trilogy, the ending is quite abrupt. There are some interesting characters and twists. The most fleshed out character is Carter, who has a club foot and wears a leg brace, which allows for some insight on how he feels about being different from others as well as how others treat him. What Max and Carter find in along their journey and at their destination leads directly into the 2nd book, and manages to hold the reader’s attention throughout. This is a likeable book that adds new dimensions to the Pied Piper tale.
EL/MS: ADVISABLE. Michelle in the Middle
http://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2017/...
March 9, 2017
Loved it! Matthew Cody is one of my favorite children's book writers!
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