The Magic Belt

It's been awhile since we got an Oz-related book from Paul Miles Schneider, six years in fact since his second book The Powder of Life was released. And keeping in theme with that book and his first, Silver Shoes, the third one features an item from the third Oz book, Ozma of Oz, The Magic Belt.

Donald Gardner and his friends are having trouble going back to their day to day lives after the events of The Powder of Life as Halloween draws near. Not helping are the mysterious earthquakes happening nearby.

Donald actively wants to forget about Oz and just get back to a normal life, but it doesn't help when his classmate Katie gives him an old copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz that someone has scribbled in.

Finally, Halloween rolls around and Donald and his friends go trick or treating, when they spot a new home that seems to be open for trick or treaters. However, the host isn't just dressed as a witch, she is a witch! Namely, Mombi!

Joining with Katie, old family secrets are turned up as Donald and his friends discover that the Nome King and Princess Langwidere have joined forces to reclaim the Magic Belt, which has been hidden in Kansas, its magic greatly decreased by hiding three gems from it in some very Ozzy places.

There's a number of twists and turns along the way and plenty of magic in tow, and some visits to actual places of interest to Oz fans, Schneider giving a wink and nod to places that celebrate Oz that he's visited.

This one wasn't quite as exciting as the first two books and it felt more like this was written to wrap up the series. If Schneider continues with stories about Donald, they might be more self-contained. As such, if you haven't read Silver Shoes or The Powder of Life lately, you might want to re-read them before getting into this one for the best effect.

Although there's a pretty major conclusion to the story this time, as said, it's not a huge, action-packed one and when the enemies were dealt with, there were still a few more chapters as everything else was being addressed. There were so many pages left I thought for sure there had to be one last encounter with the Nome King, but there wasn't. The writing is still quite engaging, and I wasn't bored with the story.

But that's not really a problem. The Magic Belt is concluding a trilogy and in that matter, I think it succeeds at concluding the over-arcing story. Donald has grown older and wiser and learned new things. The slower ending really handles that well. As a standalone, I wouldn't recommend it as there's a lot of things referenced that are better explained in the first two books.

The Royal Podcast of Oz: Paul Miles Schneider

Jared chats with Paul Miles Schneider, author of Silver Shoes and The Powder of Life.

As always, you can listen and download at the podcast site, or use the player below.
       

   
   
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The Powder of Life

Okay, well, I got the sequel to Silver Shoes. I hadn't read (or bought) either of Paul Miles Schneider's Oz books before The Powder of Life was released. Of course, anyone familiar with the first few Oz books will see that the first book is named after an important item from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz while the second book is named after an important item from The Marvelous Land of Oz.

I reviewed the first book not too long ago in August, and much of my remarks about the author's style are again relevant. Paul writes with an exciting style, making the story fun to read (and considering I wasn't on a bus with nothing to do this time, the times I had to stop were awful because I wanted to know what happened next!), and though there's no pictures, the descriptions are vivid enough so you can use your imagination.

Now, as this is a sequel that picks up right after the first book, there are going to be some spoilers if you've yet to read Silver Shoes.

Donald Gardner and his parents are taken to see the FBI's collection of evidences of other worlds and fairy tales and folklore being true. To a virtual recreation of Oz, to Paul Bunyan's boot, to Cinderella's glass slipper, to the White Rabbit's pocket watch.

The White Rabbit himself has popped up and told Donald he needs the watch back, but Donny can't just take it. Right? And what about Donald's friends Chris and Jon who were among the few who knew about the Silver Shoes?

And in Germany, at an old tavern, an ancient sorcerer from Oz is busy at work making batches of the Powder of Life to create an army to conquer this world. Can his scheme be discovered and stopped in time?

And what about the fact that Oz is real? Are the people in Oz aware of what's been occurring in Donald's world? And if they are, is there any way they could help out?

There are many twists and new developments along the way. Since I already view this as a completely separate continuity from the original Oz books, I have no problem with seeing this story develop independent of Baum's books, but there are a number of chapters that are basically a long love letter to the Oz books, and those really made me practically beam out some smiles!

I said that this picks up right after the first book, so you won't really enjoy this book if you haven't read the first one. But I really recommend them both!

Buy your copy on Amazon.com.

Winkie Trip Reading, Part 1

So, if you go to an Oz convention by a Greyhound when you live in the middle of the country, here's something you should do: bring plenty of Oz books. I brought eight books I hadn't read before and picked up three more I hadn't read before at the convention. Grand total read: nine. So... how's about we split up this big review into three?

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First up: Silver Shoes by Paul Miles Schneider.

This is not a traditional Oz book. It runs with the idea that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz actually happened, but, despite Baum's introduction, was not written solely as a story to please children, but as a way to let people know about another world. Thus, the sequels didn't actually happen, at least, not as they were written.

Young Donald Gardner's mother buys a mysterious silver shoe, and one day, he brings it to show and tell at school, when someone notes that it reminds her of The Wizard of Oz. How correct she is! But the shoes aren't just a pair of metalcraft that do magic things when you click the heels. There is, in fact, so much more. And there are people who want those shoes, both in our world and in Oz who would do terrible things if they got their hands on them.

The story is very riveting and I finished it in the first few hours on my bus ride. Once it's clear that it's not a traditional story, I decided to enjoy it. Paul's text is enjoyable and very readable. While the book is not illustrated, the descriptions are vivid enough to give you an idea of the story's look.

I look forward to getting the sequel, Powder of Life, soon.

Buy Silver Shoes from Amazon.

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The Red Gorilla of Oz by Richard Capwell

Something is seriously wrong in Oz. The tribe of Red Gorillas has seen that their Eternal Flame has gone out. They send Prince Sebastian to seek Glinda's help in restoring it, and along the way, he is joined by Priscilla, a young Kalidah.

Everywhere else in Oz, something else has been happening. Jack Pumpkinhead, Scraps, and everyone else brought to life by the Powder of Life stops living, and even a few other manufactured people who we didn't think the Powder had ever touched, such as the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow, and Chopfyt! What caused these calamaties and how can it be fixed?

I liked the story, but it did wind up setting a few rules for Capwell's continuing Oz series (he's already published a follow up) that has made me kind of reject it as being in continuity with my own Oz series. Nothing too serious, but I am a nitpicker for details like that. Overall though, a strong first entry for a new Oz writer.

Buy The Red Gorilla of Oz on Amazon.

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Red Reera the Yookoohoo and the Enchanted Easter Eggs of Oz by Richard G. Quinn and illustrated by A. E. Mouse (Marcus Mebes)

Long title, really short book. Reera the Red wants to have a baby and hears how she can get one by finding the Enchanted Easter Eggs. She goes off on a search to find them, but finds something else entirely.

The story feels really short and wraps up rather quickly. There's an odd chapter that doesn't really have anything to do with the plot. Though, quite possibly, it is supposed to be how things appear in Glinda's Book of Records, which is kind of cool.

Overall, good story, but I kind of feel like it should have been part of a larger collection.

I rather like A. E. Mouse's pictures here. His adult humans are quite elegant, the ladies beautiful, the gentlement are handsome. Even his Rinkitink is charming!

Buy your copy from Tails of the Cowardly Lion and Friends.