Paradox in Oz

Rating:
Summary: Fun and intellectually challenging
Review: "Paradox in Oz" is a wonderfully entertaining and intellectually challenging book for Oz fans and those who enjoy paradox. Something has gone wrong with the enchantment that keeps the people of Oz from aging. To find its source, Ozma, carried by a Parrot-Ox named Tempus, travels back through time and alternate Lands of Oz (the Ozziverse) in search of The Man Who Lives Backwards. She meets alternate versions of several of her friends: The Wizard is an evil, tyrannical ruler; Nick Chopper is a menacing, heartless soldier who wields an ax; Omby Amby becomes Wantowin Battles. She even meets alternate Ozmas. The book is lavishly and delightfully illustrated by Eric Shanower, with drawings that turn intriguingly Escheresque in the Absurd City chapters (and in the endpapers). All in all, it's a beautifully produced volume that will give Oz aficionados great pleasure. Don't worry if you don't understand all the twisting logic (I don't think I did); it's still great fun. And if you like this book, don't miss Martin Gardner's "Visitors From Oz," another intelligent and humorous addition to the Oz canon.

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Summary: Oz Roars Into The 21st Century
Review: A hundred years of after the publication of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz, the Oz chronicle is alive, healthy, and better than ever. Edward Einhorn's Paradox In Oz (1999) is an intricate, fun, and respectful tribute to previous Royal Historians Baum, Ruth Plumly Thompson, and author / artist John R. Neill. Einhorn and illustrator Eric Shanower, who is also an editor, author, and the publisher of Hungry Tiger Press, have created the most intellectual of Oz books, though the story, which is a puzzle, can be readily understood by readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Appropriately, Paradox In Oz is concerned with time and time travel; the novel addresses the physical laws of Baum's fairyland, which alter slightly from book to book and author to author. Longtime fans of the series know the inhabitants of Oz do not age, and time, while it does not stand still, seems to exist in only in terms of infinity, making the fairy kingdom not unlike the Christian concept of heaven. Paradox In Oz tackles these concepts head on: as the book opens, Munchkin, Winkie, Quadling, and Gillikin citizens of all walks of life, including several members of the Emerald City's royal family, have discovered that they have suddenly begun to age. Perceptive readers will be delighted to find that, unlike in most of the previous titles in the series in which the physics of Oz lay comfortably and unquestioningly in the background, Einhorn reveals that fairy ruler Ozma and sorceress supreme Glinda the Good have little if any idea of how the spell of timelessness originated. Forced into immediate action, Ozma, who is no longer a preening little girl, discovers the existence of a strange, magical animal named Tempus, who is, of course, a hybrid of a parrot and an ox. Tempus, though a living creature, is also the manifestation of a time - bending mathematical equation realized after endless difficulty by the anxious, continually harried Dr. Majestico.

In classic science - fiction fashion, Ozma mounts Tempus and naively sets off into the past in search of The Man Who Lives Backwards, thus precipitating a series of chronal disasters and finding herself lost in a cosmos of alternate Oz fairylands, one of which is a grim, hellish Oz ruled by evil doppelgangers of the Oz royal family. Throughout, the plot is incredibly crisp, bright, and stimulating, making Paradox In Oz perhaps the greatest page - turner of all the novels in the series. The narrative moves backward, down, sidewise, up, and forward, but never loses its thread, and there are absolutely no superfluous chapters or incidental characters. Ozma's complications never become the reader's, for Einhorn's Ozma is a cautious, reflective, intelligent, and emotionally mature young lady who continually practices common sense (often to her detriment here) and independence of spirit.

Longtime readers devoted to Oz' witch population will be happy to find classic villain and crone Mombi, in both good and evil forms, an essential part of the narrative.

Throughout, Shanower's excellent illustrations suit the mood and tone of text perfectly, and are so satisfying that readers will not find themselves longing for, or even thinking of, the late, great John R. Neill. Paradox In Oz belongs with the other great Oz classics... Highly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Paradox in OZ
Review: Einhorn and Shanower's book certainly captures the flavor and fun of Oz. Despite the synopsis above, the plot is not nearly as confusing as it seems. There is a certain science fiction aspect to the story which makes it more interesting than the usual Oz books of late. I hope that Einhorn and Shanower collaborate annually on future Oz books. The illustrations by Shanower are as always, terrific. He has topped his work on The Wicked Witch of Oz. Just a top-drawer, professional effort and not soon to be forgotten. Possibly the best Oz pastiche since Ruth Plumly Thompson!

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: In celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Frank L. Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" which launched the highly successful Oz books which would entertaining generation of young readers and be adapted to radio, film, and television, Hungry Tiger Press is published the newest contribution to the Oz legacy, Edward Einhorn's Paradox In Oz. Suddenly, in the Land of Oz where no one grows older, everyone begins to age. Ozma (the lovely ruler of Oz) must save her people and restore the enchantment that keeps them young and vibrant. Ozma travels backward in time to meet the fabled Wizard of Oz. Logic puzzles and paradoxes abound. Before Ozma can unravel the perplexing complexities, she visits a marvelous city in the clouds. Such beloved characters as the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, and Glinda the Good Witch make appearances throughout the story. Paradox In Oz does full justice to the legacy of the Oz series and will be read and re-read by children (and their parents!).

Rating:
Summary: Smart Books Are Good Books
Review: One of the joys of Paradox in Oz is that, unlike so many books that revisit childhood realms, this one doesn't embarrass you or make you feel "dumbed down." No, Einhorn's Oz is one that retains all the wonder and magic I remember while simultaneously finding a way to entrance and amaze my adult mind. The central conceit of the book, a time-travel paradox, is impeccably structured and cunningly revealed layer by layer so that everyone experiences the wonderful "Aha!" moment when the solution (and the problem too!) finally become clear. Like any good fantasy, it interweaves wonder and drama in perfect proportion. Is it too dark? Of course not. Any child knows that a fantasy with no edge isn't captivating. Even Baum's Oz books had a sense of danger to them. Einhorn's book actually does a very fine job of capturing the walking-the-line quality of my favorite parts of Baum's tales. Shanower's illustrations add dimensions to this experience as well. I highly recommend this to any Oz fan, and especially those who haven't revisited that old friend, because Paradox in Oz shows us that the best memories don't have to remain simply in our childhood.

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Summary: For Fans Only
Review: Paradox in Oz is a delightful and beautifully illustrated new addition to the World of Oz. Having been an Oz fan since the early 1970's it was for me a wonderful journey to places I have often wondered about. Taking loose ends, and seeming contradictions and weaving them into a magical, whimsical, and, OK sometimes dark, adventure. I do not know if readers unfamilar with the Oz books by L.Frank Baum, would enjoy the tongue in cheek glimpses into the world of Ozma, Dorothy and the rest, but for me it was a sheer delight! While it is at times confusing, it is never-the-less a journey worth taking. Mr. Einhorn has picked up so many loose threads in the writings of the Oz books that it might seem impossible to use them all and still have a cohesive and entertaining story, but he does it. And he does it very well! Eric Shanower's illustrations blend with the writing so well, its hard to imagine the book without his detailed insiteful images. One double page illustration in particular made me stop for almost 30 minutes while I delved into the details and whimsy. I might not recomment the book to someone who has never read an Oz book, but I would (and have) recommended it to many people who had read the Oz books, and had not had the pleasure of seeing this book.

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Summary: From an Oz Newcomer's Perspective
Review: Prior to this one, I'd never read any of the Oz books. I've seen the movie, of course, and I have seen some of illustrator Eric Shanower's work (very good here).

The concept seemed a tough one to pull off; I know enough to know that Oz is a fantasy-based universe, while Einhorn's plot uses time travel, alternate universes --- the stuff of science fiction. The two styles don't always mix well. [Example: Star Wars takes sci-fi stuff like spaceships, galactic empires etc and mixes it with the mystical jedi knights; this is good. The Phantom Menace tells us that the jedis' abilities with the force are based on microbes in their blood; this is lame.]

For the most part, it works in Paradox in Oz. In a world with such famous absurdist characters as a cowardly lion, Einhorn's additions such as the Parrot-Ox and the Man Who Lives Backwards fit right in. The logical conundrums are often quite cleverly done, and the plot ties together nicely (pay attention and you may see it coming; I didn't til the very end.)

This is a good book for the young or young at heart. I wouldn't say it's too dark for kids (come on - think of ANY fairy tale and there's menacing stuff) but I suspect some children might get a bit confused by some of the paradoxes.

And, a bit of a paradox itself, I couldn't help but smile at the fact that all of the characters have no problem expositing frequently - including Glinda. If she'd been that forthcoming to Dorothy at the start of The Wizard of Oz ("Oh, just click the shoes to go home") the whole movie never would have happened. :)

Rating:
Summary: this book deserves **********10 stars**********
Review: This is a wonderful book! One of my favorite books of all time, and one of my top favorite Oz books. Einhorn does a great job of explaining some of the inconsistencies in the large, multi-authored Oz series. We get to see an evil Wizard, a good (!!!) Mombi, and fully human Woodman, along with wonderful new characters such as Tempus (the Parrot-Ox) and Dr. Majestico. Plus, Ozma goes on an adventure, which doesn't happen very often! Eric Shanower once again provides brilliant illustrations, making this a truly beautiful book. Of note are the running Dr. Majestico illos, the Escher-esque endpapers and Absurd City, Mombi "T'd" off at the Nome King, the gorgeous dust jacket, and the double-page spread of Ozma and the multiple Ozziverses.

One of the most beautiful and touching scenes in book (both words and picture) is the meeting of Ozma and Tip, which took my breath away.

Very highly recommended!

David Larson, Student

Rating:
Summary: One of the best recent Oz books
Review: This is an excellent book, which maintains the spirit of the earlier Oz books, while still showcasing the author's own style. Edward Einhorn gives Ozma a major role, and adds some amusing new characters, including Tempus the Parrot-Ox and the mad scientist Dr. Majestico. The book provides a clever explanation for why no one ages in Oz, and describes the fate of Ozma's long-lost grandfather. There is a visit to an alternate, dark Oz, which is cleverly done, presenting an evil Wizard of Oz, a Nick Chopper who really is heartless, and an Ozma who teams up with the Nome King to conquer Oz. In describing the sinister Obsidian City, Einhorn modifies the description of the Emerald City from THE WIZARD OF OZ. Ozma's trip to Absurd City references a lot of paradoxes and logic puzzles. I would love to see an annotated edition of this book, and an interview with the author seems to indicate that he would like that as well. Despite the fairly short length of the book, there is a lot there, making it good for rereading. Eric Shanower's pictures are excellent as usual, with the Escher-esque illustrations of Absurd City being some of the best. I would recommend this book to anyone who is familiar with, and enjoyed, the original Oz books.

Rating:
Summary: A Must-Read For Anyone Who Loves Oz
Review: This is the perfect book to end the first century of books written about the magical land of Oz. It is by far the best book written in the Oz genre since L. Frank Baum, the founder of the series, died in 1919. Paradox in Oz is Edward Einhorn's first novel and first book about Oz. It is wonderfully written and carefully plotted and does something that even L. Frank Baum had a hard time doing. It tells a wonderful story with Ozma, the fairy ruler of Oz, as the main character.

At the beginning of this work, the enchantment that keeps people from aging in this fairy land has ended and the people are starting to age again. Ozma must travel through time to find out what went wrong and restore the enchantment. A new character - the Parrot-Ox - who is half parrot and half ox and who is always around but only noticable when one is confronting a paradox, helps Ozma.

Eric Shanower is the best living illustrator of Oz books and this book contains his best black-and-white illustrations, a delightful color dust jacket, and Escher-like endpapers of interlocking parrot-oxes (parrot-oxen?). The book is produced by Shanower's own press, Hungry Tiger, and is an artistic triumph. It is easy to see who won out when the artist and the publisher disagreed. My favorite drawing is one of six Ozmas chasing each other through a forest.

Oz is an imaginary land that is full of paradoxes. Some exist because it is a magical land, and others were created, often unintentionally, by the authors. Einhorn explores and exploits these many contradictions to create a story that is amusing and entertaining. Readers who are familiar with the original Oz books will find the book covers a lot of Oz history. However, people who have only read aone or two Oz books will still find the story enjoyable. It is a rich story that stands up to many readings and a beautiful book that would be a lovely gift.