Son of a Witch

By: Gregory Maguire

Narrated by: Gregory Maguire

Length: 14 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Ten years after the publication of Wicked, beloved novelist Gregory Maguire returns at last to the land of Oz. There he introduces us to Liir, an adolescent boy last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. But he is tended at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by the silent novice called Candle, who wills him back to life with her musical gifts.

What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape, but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison, Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?

For the countless fans who have been dazzled and entranced by Maguire's Oz, Son of a Witch is the rich reward they have awaited so long.

Listen to an interview with author Gregory Maguire.

©2005 Gregory Maguire (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Masterfully imaginative....Ten years after Wicked (which is still on Broadway), fans will once again be clicking their heels with wonderment." (Publishers Weekly)
"A tale that adroitly mixes drama, humor, and political satire into a well-knit examination of good and evil." (Library Journal)

Writers shouldn’t narrate

Great story. The narration was in a voice of that of screeching, like that of fingernails on a black board. The writer should just stick to writing.

Great book; terrible narration

Author is great at writing. Lousy at narration. Sounds like a robot reading voices, changes the character’s voices through the book, and all “accents” sound the same. Gregory should keep writing and let the pros do the reading.

good story but. .

I am enjoying the storyline. however, I do not like the narration. there needs to be more definition between characters.

good story, but...

The book is enjoyable. Unfortunately, I had previously listened to "Wicked" read by a different reader who was great. Mr. Maguire's reading lacks depth and in many cases he belabors the pronunciation of words -- not for effect as far as I can tell-- I think it's just the way he reads. I enjoy this book quite a bit less because of his lack of depth of character voices and strange emphasis on words.

A long journey with a challenging delivery.

While I often enjoy an author reading their own work, it is not the case with Son of a Witch. Gregory Maguire’s reading is difficult to the point of distraction (sorry Gregory). The story is enjoyable, but not as entrancing as Wicked and goes on a little longer than I appreciated in both the book or audio book form. Not sure I will continue on to the next book.

Narrator preference

I love the book itself but did not enjoy Mr. Maguire as the narrator (yes, I am quite aware that he wrote the book). I nearly stopped listening at a point. John McDonough narrates the other books in this series and his voice is wonderful, easy to listen to. I wish he had narrated this one too. Perhaps that's just personal preference.

Great follow up to his first book Wicked.

All I can say is I wish these books would never end. The author also has an interesting voice.

love. the Son of a witch

loved it, a new way of the emerald city. it makes all of the people more human

....and just to even it up.

I liked it.

I really liked the story of it. When I am caught up in a story, the narration takes a backseat for me. I loved Wicked, and although not as good, this book continues the story well. I still have an unanswered question though. hmm, on to book 3.

I agree that the narration could have been better, but at no point was I ripping out my earphones. This is a story that should be listened to while you are not doing anything else. I found if I was engaged in an activity, I would lose track because the story is quite involved and intricate. If you have read Wicked, this book is a must.

Story 👍🏻 narration 👎🏼👍🏻

I definitely liked the story though not as much as the 1st book, and I wasn't fond of the inconsistencies the narrator's character voices. At times it was okay sometimes it was a little distracting. For the story I think the main character is still trying to find his purpose, like his mother, but from a different journey that is never really ending. I mean aren't we all on that endless path?