Author continues Oz story
Sue Blechl, Special to The Gazette
Friday, August 14, 2009
“The Wizard of Oz” is a powerful and pervasive part of our culture. At the mention of Dorothy, Toto and the ruby slippers, our hearts melt.
We hear references from the book and the 1939 movie every day — “There’s no place like home.”, “Lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!” and “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more.” The song “Over the Rainbow” has been named the No. 1 movie song.
Any new offering with the Oz theme is bound to get attention, so I bring to you a novel for teens and adults with the premise that Oz is not a fantasy place, but a real one. Dorothy traveled through a portal to this alternative world and returned to earth by wearing the silver shoes described in the book (and replaced by the ruby slippers in the movie.)
According to this story, the shoes were lost when Dorothy returned, and the Wizard of Oz wants them. He sends Flying Monkeys to our world to retrieve them and forms a cult organization charged with finding the lost shoes and harnessing their power, allowing him to rule both our world and Oz.
Caught up in this intrigue is the Gardner family, who acquire a silver shoe. Eleven-year-old Donald takes the shoe to school for show and tell, and later tries the shoe on. He experiences a disturbing shift in our world. When Mrs. Gardner seeks an appraisal of the shoe on “Antiques Roadshow,” Oz cult members kidnap her. While one silver shoe has power, both shoes are required to obtain total supremacy over Oz and earth.
The lost second shoe and its owner are key elements of the story, with the action taking place in the Kansas City area and northeast Kansas (where Dorothy lived according to this novel).
Paul Miles Schneider has created a fun and imaginative continuation of the Oz story. Indeed, he has left the ending open for further fantastic adventures.
Although anything touching on Oz will have appeal, this story delivers a fresh version of a classic American story. For Oz fans of all ages.
For more on the author and the book, check out www.paulmilesschneider.com/.
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Oz got something to say Toto, wisdom does'nt always come with age, sometimes age just shows up all by itself. Concerning the article, it's kind of interesting that it says, a disturbing shift in our world and I wonder what shoe is going to drop next?
August 15, 2009 at 12:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
So now the Wizard of Oz has become evil? I thought the flying monkeys belonged to the wicked witch of the west.
Oh Toto, I'm cornfussed. I think writers should be original. Sounds like this one wants to capitalize on Harry and the gang.
August 15, 2009 at 7:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )