A Lion Among Men

A Lion Among Men by Gregory Malone

This is the third of four books in Malone’s decidedly different take on the back story to Baum’s ‘Wizard of Oz’ tales.  I got hooked through the audio book WICKED, and seeing the Broadway play. Then had to read the second in the series, Son of a Witch. I think this one, like his others, written in the same satirical, action oriented and often sexually risqué style, will be my last.

I was drawn to the fantastical way he supports many of the unknowns in Frank Baum’s books (they were kids books, after all. These are DECIDEDLY not for children!) Maguire weaves his backgrounds to and through the various original plot in ways that will astound the reader.  And this is true for LION as well.

But I’m actually not a fantasy fan. It’s just that I, like many of you, grew up on the MGM movie. So when Mr. Maguire has me believing that Dorothy was a whiney trouble maker who messed up a reasonably good universe called OZ, I just have to find out, chapter by chapter, where he’s going with this.

And where he’s going is simply more fun and fantasy. I find no profound political, Swiftian, statements being made between Gregory’s lines.  He’s simply enjoying the writing of good fantasy with a kick.

And now that I finally realize this, I, who does not like fantasy anyway, can sleep well without reading further.

But if you like fantasy, and if you loved the Baum Oz books and/or the Judy Garland movie, then by all means, if you also can take some occasional semi-pornographic images, read these books.  But read them in chronological order. Read  them any other way and I think the fantasy could become madness.

-*** KEN