Dorothy Gale is swept off a ship during a storm at sea and washes ashore in the Land of Ev with a talking hen named Billina. She soon discovers a mechanical copper man named Tik-Tok and reunites with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. The group joins Princess Ozma to rescue the royal family of Ev from the Nome King, a subterranean monarch who has transformed the prisoners into ornaments in his cavernous museum. Dorothy must navigate a high-stakes guessing game to liberate the captives and prevent herself from being turned into bric-a-brac.
Young readers and fans of early American fantasy read this installment to see how mechanical life and magical logic function outside the borders of Oz. The story provides a detailed look at the geography of the surrounding fairy countries and the temperament of the Nome King, who remains a recurring antagonist in the series. Readers finish the book with a clear understanding of the protocols for magical transformations and the importance of lateral thinking when facing a villain who relies on trickery rather than physical force.
Practical, outward-looking, clear-cut and escapist; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Curious Generalist. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1907
- Language
- EN
