posted
A mile above Oz, the Witch balanced on the wind's forward edge, as if she were a green fleck of the land itself, flung up and sent wheeling away by the turbulent air. White and purple summer thunderheads mounded around her. Below, the Yellow Brick Road looped back on itself, like a relaxed noose. Though winter storms and the crowbars of agitators had torn up the road, still it led, relentlessly, to the Emerald City. The Witch could see the companions trudging along, maneuvering around the buckled sections, skirting trenches, skipping when the way was clear. They seemed oblivious of their fate. But it was not up to the Witch to enlighten them. She used the broom as a sort of balustrade, stepping down from the sky like one of her flying monkeys.
[This message has been edited by TL 601 (edited November 22, 2005).]
posted
I really enjoyed it. And the prologue was masterfully done, I was almost instantly immersed in the characters.
My only nit is that he didn't wrap up everything I thought should have been wrapped up. He stopped the story where LF Baum stopped his--but the new tale needed to go further.
I'm glad the sequel is out. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy.
posted
Y'know, I've seen several attempts to use the Oz background and characters to tell new (or revisionist) stories. I liked the Oz books by L. Frank Baum (and the few I've seen by Ruth Plumly Thompson), but I haven't liked more recent things set in Oz (the one that comes to mind is by Philip Jose Farmer).
That being said, I can also say that I have occasionally wondered if maybe the Wicked Witch was getting a raw deal from the others in Oz, and wondered what she would say if she were telling the story. Maybe this is all right.
Ah, well. I suppose if Sauron were the on-stage hero of "The Lord of the Rings," it would all be different than it was.
Printer-friendly view of this topic
