Out of Oz

The Wicked Years, Volume 4

By: Gregory Maguire

Narrated by: John McDonough

Length: 28 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

The stunning conclusion to the smash New York Times best-selling series the Wicked Years

Gregory Maguire's Wicked Years series became national best sellers and the basis for a hit Tony-winning Broadway musical. Now, Maguire returns with the final installment in his transformative work, a thrilling and compulsively readable saga in which the fate of Oz is decided at last.

Once peaceful and prosperous, the spectacular Land of Oz is knotted with social unrest: The Emerald City is mounting an invasion of Munchkinland, Glinda is under house arrest, and the Cowardly Lion is on the run from the law. And look who's knocking at the door. It’s none other than Dorothy. Yes. That Dorothy.

Yet amid all this chaos, Elphaba’s granddaughter, the tiny green baby born at the close of Son of a Witch, has come of age. Now it is up to Rain to take up her broom - and her legacy - in an Oz wracked by war.

The stirring, long-awaited conclusion to the best-selling series that began with Wicked, Out of Oz is a magical journey rife with revelations and reversals, reprisals and surprises - the hallmarks of the unique imagination of Gregory Maguire.

Return to Oz: listen to another title in the Wicked Years series.; Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2011 Gregory Maguire (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Not Sure It's Over

Finished? it seems to be an actual cliff hanger. still found the use of profanity distracting from what could have been a better version. If there's more to come, I won't be investing.

I finally finished it...

I first read “Wicked” something like 10 years ago and devoured it, then “Son of a Witch” not long after. I was then given “A Lion Among Men” and “Out if Oz” as a Christmas gift from my daughter and they sat on my nightstand for years with my intention to pick them up looming over me. I eventually started back at the beginning with Audible and again fell in love with the story and a renewed inspiration to get through the whole series. The narrator, John McDonough is brilliant and beautifully read each character. It was the author who just about kept me from finishing it all as he himself narrated “Son of a Witch” and was positively dreadful! If he had also narrated the last two volumes, I would never have finished but thankfully, Mr. McDonough returned for them and was again flawless in resuming the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it all although was somewhat disappointed in the ending. A fun listen, I just wish I had been able to see “Wicked” on Broadway!

It all ends here or does it

What did you love best about Out of Oz?

They keep you guessing all the way to the end if Elphaba is alive or dead. The one person who knows the truth won't tell you until the last page.

What other book might you compare Out of Oz to and why?

The Tin Man where it's a similar story line in that the leaders are removed and decades later they come back.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I would liked to have seen Rain trained by the time we saw her instead of where she was. I thought they would have her ready to war with Uncle, not just beginning to learn. I would liked to have had the story with Liir leading a resistance instead of doing what he did.

Any additional comments?

If you've read all the rest of the series then you need to read this one. Not a bad closure to the series.

wonderful

loved all of the books the author did a great job on them all thank you

Brilliantly written and spectacularly read!

Gregory McGuire is a captivating author: he pulls you in deeper with each connecting plot. The series is also an entertaining way for aspiring college students to prep for the verbal ACT & SAT.

**Amazing, facinating, extremely detailed**

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Gregory Maguire has created the world within the original story of Oz. Wonderfully detailed descriptions which creates a very long story. Although some of the unnecessary details could have been cut and still have the same outcome to be shorter version.

Would you recommend Out of Oz to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no it is way too long to listen to in one sittnig.

Loved it!!

So well done!! Great attention to detail. Kind of confusing when around a little in the beginning but all comes together wonderfully.

great close to the series

despite the terrible storyline of book 3. I ventured onto the final book. Out of Oz. It did a very nice job of closing the stories of most of the characters throughout the series. Although I was very disappointed in the way the author finished a few of the characters.

one of the worst things and a book is when you have a main character with zero closure. It leaves the book feeling like it is undone.

despite that it had some very touching moments and was a great addition to the Land of Oz.

again, just be prepared to want to throw it across the room when you close the book. The lack of closure makes you want to rip your hair out.

A must to compete the series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Out of Oz?

I missed Trism, I missed the relationship between Lir and Trism, it to me, seemed like the only relationship that seemed true. Thus to have him back and to meet up with Lir was wonderful.

What does John McDonough bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Oz gives me a sense of pretentious regal-ness, McDonugh's accent really helps me to illustrate this.

Any additional comments?

The ending was jaw dropping. I was left with... "That's it?" If this is truly the last book of the dark years, then there should be another, beginning with the light years or something. It ended just as it began; depressing, cold, melodramatic cliff-hanger.

The Long Trip Through OZ

Would you consider the audio edition of Out of Oz to be better than the print version?

If you have limited time to read, listening can be done in the car, on breaks, or at home.

Would you recommend Out of Oz to your friends? Why or why not?

No. This is not the way I would have ended the Wicked Series. It was a let down. Not up to McQuires work.

What about John McDonough’s performance did you like?

I liked how he captured the lion.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My reactions were limited. I did laugh at times. Funny one liners.

Any additional comments?

This book is a must for series listeners. It is also a big let down to series fans. Too bad. Perhaps the next time, the author will consider where he will end, when he begins.