The Secrets of the Pied Piper #2: The Magician's Key by Matthew Cody

My name is Max, and I hated leaving my little brother trapped in a world with witches, ogres, giant rats, and the Pied Piper. We had to break the only portal between our worlds to stop the Piper from kidnapping millions of children, but I hear a magician holds the key to another one. The Winter Children will do their best to protect Carter, but that still won't get him home. The Piper and two sister witches want to get their hands on him, and they'll do anything, even kill, to succeed. I must get back to save Carter. It's not until later that I discover Carter has disappeared, the rats are using children as slaves, and the rats and ogres have joined forces. They'll try their best, but there's no way the Winter Children can stop them.

This book is the second one in a trilogy, and you need to read book one first. The Magician's Key tells three different plots, a pet peeve of mine, but the stories are easy to follow. The Winter Children plot is more adventurous, Carter must deal with internal issues in his story, and Max's tale reads like an adventure mystery. The Piper captures Carter, but their relationship becomes complicated. Carter says he will help the Piper get his pipe back, but he also thinks he's leading the Piper into a trap. Along the way, the Piper offers to help Carter become a magician. This power begins to give him confidence and makes him question his thoughts about the Piper. Is the Piper evil? Why would the Piper help him overcome his fears? While the Piper still shows his evil qualities, the end of the book continues the doubt surrounding his past and his true motivations. I'm anxious to read the last book in the trilogy.