A Lion Among Men: Volume Three in The Wicked Years

I picked up my daughter's copy of "Wicked" a couple of months ago and was enthralled. Read it twice to catch some of the details I missed in my first reading (I'm going to have to replace her copy because I've paged through it so much!). Maguire's portrayal of Elphaba's death is quite simply a masterpiece.

I immediately bought "Son of a Witch," which I found less satisfying but still an important part of the story. Naturally I bought "A Lion Among Men" in hopes that we would get glimpses of what became of the most important characters. Although the story of Yackle is more complete, a glimpse is mostly what we get.

"Son of a Witch" left many threads to tie into a future narrative, and with "Lion" these threads still remain pretty much intact and untied. "A Lion Among Men" ends with the implied promise that at least one of them will be followed, perhaps in the next book (please, Mr. Maguire, keep writing!).

But to this point, Maguire has not resolved many of the intriguing ambiguities of "Wicked." Elphaba sees in Dorothy, "the Goddess of Gifts," a maddening distortion of herself ("`You're my soul come scavenging for me, I can feel it...'"), and is informed by the dwarf that she is "`...neither this nor that... Both of Oz and of the other world....You are a half breed, you are a new breed, you are a grafted limb, you are a dangerous anomaly.'"

Is Elphaba actually a witch? There is much evidence in the story that she accepts the designation only half-heartedly, and with some bitterness. She is not even a particularly competent sorceress. And if she is not truly a witch, what are the implications, for her, in the putative fate of witches after they die?

What happens when Elphaba, who is only partly of Oz, dies? And what of Fiyero, whose body has never been found? Do they live on only through Liir, or do they exist in some other time and place, still separated but seeking each other?

These books are not for the casual reader-- this is a "hard read"-- there's too much there, and important details are too easy to miss. Maguire's writing almost requires a dictionary at times. The Wicked series is a long dark morality play, a disturbing social and political commentary, an extended meditation on existential themes, a series of memorable character studies, a Greek or Shakespearean tragedy, an improbable but affecting love story. Although it's easy to dismiss these books as inappropriate for teenagers, I think there are many kids who can read and be enriched by them.

Maguire has left himself so many strands to follow, he may never get them all tied up. What he gives us though, is the chance, as readers, to await new and satisfying endings for this masterpiece.

I would personally love to see this series made into a movie. If it is kept true to the books, it will upset many fans of the musical. I think they could co-exist alongside each other, just as the musical "Wicked" and the literary "Wicked" have done.

I'm starting to think that Wicked is a once in a career masterpiece for Gregory Maguire...not that his latest book is bad by any means, it's just not Wicked. I will say it's tons better then the rather disappointing Son of a Witch. In both sequels, the brilliant social, political, and religious commentary that made Wicked so good are sorely missed. There's some, just not as much or as good. Lion Among Men is at least a pretty good story, even if , thinking about it, very little actually happens.
This time in the revisioned land of Oz (a place I'm still very glad I don't live), the story follows the Lion that comes to be known as the Cowardly Lion, Brr. Brr was first seen very briefly in Wicked, having his life saved by as a cub and ultimately having a hand in the death of the witch Elphaba. The matter of Dorothy, as it comes to be known in Oz, only takes up about a chapter, and is almost a footnote in Brr's life. It was complete chance that his life becomes entangled with Elphaba's, which it seems is more significant then it originally seemed. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Brr is a character that you both simultaneously pity and loathe, in the beginning being naive, oblivious, and a bit thick and then turning bitter and jaded. He has a real talent for continuously being at the wrong place at the wrong time and becomes a victim of both prejudice and bad press. He has several rises and falls from grace in both human and Animal society all across Oz. There's some kind of weird sex along the way that I think I would have been better off not knowing about. Yackle, the dwarf, and the Clock of the Time Dragon are all more or less de-mystified, and I actually think I preferred being in the dark about them. In their explanation though, even more and bigger questions end up being raised. The ending more or less guarantees another book to follow, with a big wrench being thrown into the story at end, and since nothing is followed up from the ending of Son of a Witch and it becomes obvious that Brr's destiny is bound to Liir's (whether that's chance or destiny and a promise to Dorothy finally coming true...well...).

Until now, the Cowardly Lion's name has gone unknown; now, thanks to Mr. Maguire, we know him to be Brr. Was he truly a coward, or did he simply not like to fight, preferring more academic pursuits? How did he feel about the Wicked Witch of the West, aka, Elphiba, who helped free him from captivity? In the days following the Wizard's departure, how did he, indeed, how did all of Oz fare and what role did this purported "king of the beasts" play in the shaping of the new order? Was he ever brave enough to fall in love? These questions and more are answered in this chronicle of Oz centered around Brrr, the formerly cowardly Lion, who found his vocation in helping smooth relations between the Animals, not to be confused with mere animals, and Men.

*** Once again, we get a new perspective on the Merry Old Land of Oz, one that is far more political and conflict ridden than the earliest incarnations would have one think, though it is in keeping with the darker versions such as Lost in Oz or Tin Man. Though the reader will be challenged to keep pace of when each scene takes place in the chronology, it is safe to say that if you enjoyed Son of a Witch, you will adore Lion Among Men. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

A question I often get asked is "Have you read Maguire before." Yes, I have and for the most part of enjoyed his work. But, I think it takes dedication because his stories are offbeat and woven in an interesting way. I loved Wicked and was thrilled to hear he had written a sequel. I read Son of Witch and thought it was ok, but felt the story and gone on in a different way. I didn't think it was the Oz I remembered.

I feel the same way about this one. Only Maguire has strayed even further from the path. At times I found it extremely bland and wondered what this particular event had to do with the present story. But, then something would click and I would be into the story again. The Lion was nothing like what I imagined him to be and he seemed to hold a grudge against Dorothy (which is not how I pictured it in my head). I wasn't entirely sure if he was really working for the government or had his own hidden agenda.

I'm not sure I would even call Son of a Witch and A Lion Among Men a continuation of the story started in Wicked. Except there seems to be some small thread of prophecy that connects them all. I haven't found it yet because when this story ended, I was extremely frustrated to realize there is probably going to be another one. It's not done yet and I don't know if I feel dedicated enough to finish what I've started.

I am a fan of Maguire's work but did not enjoy this entry in the "Wicked" canon. The Lion is a painfully uninteresting character, less cowardly than laconic in both word and action, who is followed through isolated non-events that unravel very slowly over the course of the book's 300 pages.

Maguire is entering shallow waters with the Oz series. His books after Wicked are not inventive enough for the fantasy genre nor do they have the character development, compelling plot or insight to engage the reader of more serious fare. Maguire disposed of the Witch early on and has abandoned focus on the Wizard and other primary figures. We are left with an exploration of secondary characters such as the lion. As a result, the land of Oz becomes the most compelling feature of the books. Unfortunately, Baum's creation, as revised by MGM and Maguire, has neither the breadth of Middle Earth, the texture of Gormenghast nor the menace of newer fantasy worlds such as those of China Meiville and Jeff Vandermeer.

Maguire's strength is in giving the reader a fresh and contrasting look at alternate worlds that had become overly familiar. I'm not sure there is much else to enliven in the land of Oz. I would much rather see the author present an oblique look at another icon such as Pinnochio or go a different route entirely as was tried, not quite successfully, in Lost.

L. Frank Baum's books came to be redefined for the general public by the MGM movie. Similarly, Maguire's initial novel was reinterpreted by the Broadway musical. He is writing now with reference to both versions. Rather than providing unique revisionist fantasy, Maguire is now constrained by his own inventions. His previous writing was fresh and inventive while his last Oz effort is forced and derivative.

There are better Maguire books to read than A Lion Among Men. As a fan of his work, I am hopeful that this represents his last return to Oz.

I have read the rest of the series and absolutely loved Wicked and Son of the Witch. This book seems absolutely useless and does not advance the story at all. I am hoping that further installments of this series will have cause for wasting the hours I spent reading this book. I am in no way a prude and read avante garde and erotica books all the time but the cursing was contrived and unnecessary added for shock value only. The plot was undefined, the characters were all annoying, in fact the only character I didn't want the army to kill was the glass cat. The only reason I gave it two stars is because the ending wasn't horrible. If you plan to read the rest of the series you will have to read this book but I suggest the audible version so you can do something else while getting the information.

*minor spoilers*
The first thing I have to say is that I loved "Wicked" and was very fond of "Son of a Witch", and I really wanted to like this book, too. After so enjoying the first two books - and the last in the series - it almost hurts to have to give the third one a negative review.

Unlike the protagonists of the previous novels in the Wicked series, I found Brrr the Lion to be a bland and unsympathetic protagonist. He is frequently pathetic, his actions demonstrate a certain degree of absolute stupidity above mere cowardliness(allowing his one friend to die), and there is little that he does to warm him to the reader. Yackle - the crone who frequently appeared in Elphaba's life in "Wicked" - is a considerably better protagonist; she at least has some life and interest to her.

The minor characters are considerably more interesting than the protagonists and I wish I could have seen more of them (Fiyero's daughter Nor, now calling herself Ilianora and trying to erase her past; I was also pleased to see that Sisters Doctor and Apothecaire from "Son of a Witch" were back to help relieve the tedium of a story that was mostly backstory and very little action). I was most disappointed however to see that Liir, the protagonist in "Son of a Witch" only made a minor appearance, we learned nothing more of his daughter, and - with the exception of a couple of little mentions - there was no Glinda whatsoever.

"A Lion Among Men" gets one star because there is some information about Liir and Elphaba, it is generally nice to have a full series, and Maguire still display's his obvious intelligence even though the story is, in my opinion, well below the bar he has set with his other offerings in the series. The other star is because of an intriguing line from Yackle (*spoiler* "she's coming back, you know"), which got me scratching my head, because the meaning is very vague - it could have been any one of several characters and was enough to send me hurrying out for the next installment.

This is the third of the Wicked series, Maguire's personal vision of what really happened in the land of Oz, and it tells the story of the Cowardly Lion before and after his famous encounter with Dorothy.

Now, I have a disclaimer to make. I have not read the previous two books in the series. (Though I did see and enjoy the musical version of Wicked.) So, I don't feel entirely qualified to rate the story-telling aspect of this novel. There are obviously many intricate and subtle tie-ins with the previous novels, many of which allusions I did not fully understand, and many more of which I may have missed altogether.

That having been said, I feel that I can competently review at least two aspects of the work, namely the writing style that Maguire employs and his ability to build believable characters.

While the book focuses primarily upon the Lion, whose name is Brrr, it also explores the life of an ancient maunt (nun) who calls herself Yackle. The novel begins with Brrr, now an employee of the emperor of Oz, interviewing Yackle about her history, and specifically her involvement with Elphaba, the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. But Yackle is not content to simply give answers; she wants some answers of her own, and thus strikes a deal with the Lion: she will share her own history if he will, in turn, share his.

The bulk of the novel takes place in the series of memories that these two characters share with one another. But we, as readers, do not hear what they say to one another. Rather, we see the memory as they see it. We are inside their heads, reliving their pasts with them. This allows Maguire to infuse their stories with an introspective tone. We experience all the self-doubt and self-recrimination that the characters feel. We know the depths of their shame and confusion. We see the events of their lives through the filter of the thoughts and emotions that accompanied those events. It makes for very interesting reading, and very realistic characters. (Well, as realistic as a gentrified lion and an unwittingly immortal crone can be.)

Often in their reminiscings, Brrr and Yackle tend toward the philosophical. With no recollection of family or origins, they both try desperately to make their lives fit into some pattern, something greater than themselves. This leads them to questions about existence and the workings of fate. Often these questions are worded so beautifully, so poignantly, as to make the reader stop, breathtaken. Through his poetic prose, Maguire opens to the reader brand new avenues of thought, just beckoning for exploration.

There were at least a dozen instances in my reading of this novel when I wanted to stop and read a line or a paragraph over and over again, soaking in it, letting my mind expand with it. This is, to me, the mark of a true poet. Maguire chooses words so precisely and turns phrases with such skill that it makes the reader re-imagine parts of their reality in an entirely new light. This alone makes A Lion Among Men worth reading.

The character development is complete; the plot is compelling; the writing is both creative and provocative. In short, read this book. Though (having failed to do so myself) I would recommend beginning at the beginning.

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After "Wicked" and "Son of a Witch," I had high hopes for this story. I was horribly disappointed. The characterization of the Lion was way off base and didn't fit the original story at all. The whole story was incredibly slow moving. I felt as if I were going through some very tedious school assignment, aching for any bits of story that were actually interesting, and found precious little.

I would recommend that you borrow this book from a friend or a library, read the last 80-100 pages, and skip the rest. Not worth buying at all.

I hope "Out of Oz" is better.

It has been three long years since we last traveled to OZ. And much has changed.

The land, once joined together, is now separated into two parties: those that support the current Wizard of OZ and the Munchkinlanders who long to be free and their own people.

It is not the OZ we've come to know. It is an OZ on the brink of war and on the cusp of social change. Whether it is change for the better remains to be seen.

Heedless of the turmoil of OZ that surrounds him, Brr, The Cowardly Lion, is on a mission. He must find Yackle, Oracle and Seer, and find out why her name was mentioned in the papers of the deceased Miss Morrible. Miss Morrible used to teach Elphaba, The Wicked Witch of the West.

He has other questions too: what really happened to Elphaba? Where is Liir, Elphaba's son? And, though he is loathe to admit it, The Cowardly Lion has questions about himself too. Does Yackle know where he came from? Was he really freed by Elphaba from a cage?

Brr will get the answers he seeks. But first, Yackle wants to know where his life has taken him, what paths have brought him to her. Yackle asks him to tell her of his life before she goes to the life beyond death.

Brr concedes, thinking to tell her a few details to please her so that she will answer his questions. But Brr does not count on the power of the past. Once it is glanced at, it cries out to be examined, to be searched for clues, to be experienced all over again.

Memories, after all, are a powerful magic all their own....

A Lion Among Men is the third book in Maguire's Wicked Years series and it's the best one by far. Where Wicked was good, Son of a Witch was great, A Lion Among Men is amazing!

Wicked suffered from being too long and Son of a Witch suffered from not having enough to do with the characters we know and love from The Wizard of Oz, A Lion Among Men has us once again following the yellow brick road. And boy what a trip.

They say that the third time is a charm and that is certainly the case with Maguire's A Lion Among Men. He's clearly found his stride and it's the best book in the series. What's lovely about the novel is getting to know The Cowardly Lion from a different perspective. We only briefly glimpsed him in Wicked and Son of a Witch.

Now we get to know him intimately. This is his book after all.

And, much like Elphaba who had wickedness thrust upon her, I wonder if Brrr The Cowardly Lion is really cowardly after all.

A Lion Among Men is a very intimate book. As well as getting to know Brrr, we get to know Yackle and how she came to know the two women who would become the Wicked Witches of Oz. Some of the answers we learn in A Lion Among Men were from questions or mysteries first posed in Wicked, so the book should please fans of the series.

But even better than that, A Lion Among men is a wonderful parable and parallel of one lion among men who, though surrounded by people, is incredibly alone.

A Lion Among Men is one portrait of a lonely lion haunted by a need to belong. It's at once funny, charming, harrowing, bleak and incredibly beautiful. If you haven't read A Lion Among Men yet, do yourself a favour and visit OZ again.

We're not in Kansas anymore.

Gregory Maguire is a rare author indeed. He manages to take classic somewhat worn fairy tales and give them a completely new interpretation and perspective that is stunning and thoughtful. And this is his work for adults! I have long been one of his fans, to the point where I have even read a fair number of his books for younger folk to my children. They have loved his originality and genius as well (I think; maybe they just know a good story when they hear one!).

What began for me with "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" continued through the first book in the "Wicked" series. I am alternately amazed, bemused, and thrilled by the wonderful plots and beautifully descriptive writing. "Wicked" itself is certainly a masterpiece in my eyes. Not only is it engaging on an almost visceral level, it left me with questions and thoughts for a very long time. It was no surprise to me that it has become practically an icon of pop culture (a Broadway play no less, that of course did not come close to doing this fine work justice). I was not as impressed with "Son of a Witch" which I felt lacked the enduring originality of some of Maguire's other writing. It was nevertheless a great tale in its own right.

"A Lion Among Men" is the latest in this series, and for me it signals a return to Maguire's strongest point as a writer: his ability to create deep empathy for a fictional character by making him as real and lovable/hatable as your next door neighboor. I loved the Cowardly Lion of this tale; his struggles were so utterly human that at times I forgot he was an animal. His search for a place in the human world; his struggle to forget or perhaps understand the past; his attempted sexual conquest; his love for his transparent cat: all of these and so much more made this character one worth getting to know. The Lion's tale was set for the most part amidst great turmoil and political strife in Oz, which was a wonderful counterbalance to the introspection of our protagonist. I was sad when the book ended, for I feel there could be a great deal more to this story. Maybe this character will appear in later books in the series! In short, this was a great, fun and thoughtful read and I cannot wait for Maguire's next book.

I was in love with Wicked and Son of a Witch so when I heard that A Lion Among Men was coming out I was so excited. I impatiently waited for it to arrive in the mail and then started reading it as soon as it arrived. I found that I couldn't get through 20 or 30 pages without being bored. I just never was able to get into the book. I made it through maybe half of it before I gave up and it has been sitting on the book shelf collecting dust since. The lion was not one of my favorite characters in any of the books so maybe I should have seen my dissapointment coming. My advice is that the book is lame and you shouldn't waste your money on it.

This book was a convoluted tromp through the Wicked universe. There is a very small story to be told, and it is told and retold many many times throughout the novel. This makes the book tedious and stodgy. Each retelling might dole out another small nugget of wisdom, but it's hard to just reading 50 pages that were just like the last just to get it. In the end, the reader is bound to feel cheated. This book is clearly a linker between Son of a Witch and whatever is next up for Maguire, and could easily have been handled as the first chapter in that book. Unfortunately, Maguire chose to "flesh out" this miserable thing. He may have gained some money, but he's lost my respect.

On top of the shoddy storytelling and painful repetition, the book doesn't believe in its own story. Vignettes that should be touching were obviously set up just to serve a pun (and I love puns) that falls flat. Misogynistic through and though, I'm forced to wonder if Maguire went through a tough breakup and is just taking it out on his female characters. Regardless, I really don't need to read about female bits being ravaged. Ever. Again.

I can't imagine this book being central to the mythos. I'd like to forget it ever happened. Hopefully, Maguire will too.

I have been all over the board about this book. The first 20 or so pages were great, then it was boring and then the last 50 pages have left me wanting more.

It didn't occur to me that this book would be mostly about the Cowardly Lion. Frankly, I hadn't thought too much about it. This book is a lot about the Cowardly Lion.

Reading this was like watching an episode from this season of Lost. It traveled back and forth between the past and present, it focused and gave back story on a minor character who I didn't have a lot of interest in (and still don't by the way) and it didn't really move the overall Wicked years story forward. In fact, most of the book was the Lion's history and his part in events which we already know about from previous books. Also, like Jasper Fforde, sometimes Maguire is a little too entralled with his own cleverness, and certain passages are nothing more than self-indulgence.

I almost didn't finish it, and I was convinced it would be my last Wicked years book. And then we came to the end ...

Now I can't wait for more.

My guess is it will be the story of the dwarf who runs the psychic clock. And it will annoy me if it's another rehash and backstory LOST type book, but it certainly seems as though there could be some exciting things to come. Darn you, Maguire.

I'm assuming that Gregory Maguire will continue writing Wicked books as long as they remain profitable, but I felt "Lion" fell short of his previous successes. While he develops an interesting background for the Cowardly Lion, some of his history seemed irrelevant to the overall plot and I never felt very sympathetic towards him. Sure, it clearly defines how he earned his moniker, but there didn't seem to be much dimension to his character. The interviews with Yackle were interesting enough, revealing a life steeped in mystery. There are a few familiar characters who reenter the scene and add depth to the story. Thankfully, the conclusion offers some answers and some relief that Maguire finally revealed some pertinent information on the overall plot of his (so far) three-book narrative.

The story of the cowardly lion is a very interesting one. The third book walks us through his childhood, how he met Dorothy, and the part he is to play in the future of Oz.

The lion, Brrr, has quite an eventful past, and the way he received the name "cowardly" is very entertaining, and yet very sad. Brrr's entire life has been trying to fit in, somewhere, anywhere, and the fear that he never truly will haunts him.

We are introduced once again to the strange character of Yackle, the old woman who has followed the story of Oz through all three books so far. We also get a glimpse into her history and why she seems to be so eternal. We meet the Clock of the Time Dragan and it helps us to tie many of the loose ends together. Although the series still seems to lack a true conclusion, most of what has been on my mind was cleared up throughout this book.

4/5

while this book was entertaining it wasnt my favorite. the lion is a character to be ashamed of, everything he does he fails at. he strives to achieve this one last thing and is lucky to do so. yes we discover the whereabouts of nor but what of liir?? thats what i want to know thats the closure i need. looking forward to the next.

"Wiked" was fascinating. "Son of a Witch" frustrating because it was difficult to like any of the characters. But "A Lion Among Men" suffers badly from the "trilogy sickness." This book has no plot, again no characters you can relate to or like, goes over old ground, and creates a history for the Cowardly Lion that is far less interesting than it could have been. Really, you only need to read the last chapter to get what you came for. The rest of it is drudgery. There's a bit of humor here and there, and some appreciated irony. But not nearly enough to make this worth the time I took to read it. I kept hoping it would get better but it didn't. Don't waste your time.

Wicked was flat out awesome, with Son of a Witch a sore and lackluster attempt, but at least Maguire has come back with Brr, the Cowardly Lion. I found Brr to be a likable, sympathetic character who vaguely resembles what Wizard of Oz fans know as the Cowardly Lion. This story could easily stand on its own, so those who want to read about the Lion but not the others could do so without being too lost. However, it also ties up some lose ends from Wicked. Overall it was a smooth and entertaining read.

There were numerous parts in this book that I would imagine were left open for the possibility of more installments in the Wicked Years series.

Wicked was wonderful. And Ugly Stepsister was also good (proving Maguire is not a one-shot wonder). Not to belabor the point, but Son Of A Witch and A Lion... don't really make it. I can't thank Maguire enough for bringing life to Elphaba - a magical, sympathetic, tragic heroine in a strikingly imagined foreign place. But these Oz sequels feel bloated and ungainly, like an indulgent director's cut. Every possible idea is included and the thing doesn't sing. Maguire is a huge fan of the English language and his puns and clever constructions litter the landscape of these books, but to no real purpose. I rather wish he would move on.

It was satisfying to finish the series begun by Wicked, but although A Lion Among Men promises to fill in the blanks in the life of the Cowardly Lion, it went too far afield for my taste. The usual pleasure I find in Gregory Maguire's books is in how they are anchored to the known story, and this one didn't leave enough of those touchstones. Like a baked potato, you don't really mind eating it, but you don't savor every bite and feel a little lost when it's gone.

So I wasn't sure if I would like this book as much as the other two. But it definitely exceeded my expectations. While the Cowardly Lion isn't all that likeable throughout the book, the book is still readable and enjoyable. This book is told from several viewpoints, and each has its own importance to the tale. The book also takes place over several different time periods. Occasionally I would have to remind myself - is this pre- or post-Dorothy? - but this wasn't really an issue. Overall I found this story to answer so many things that were left hanging, whilst still leaving scope for new questions. As I said before, I never really like the Cowardly Lion before, but now I have a new respect for him as a pivotal character in the tale.

I found that it was hard to concentrate on this book. The story line bounced around too much in time and between characters. The lion's back story too long to unfold and was not that interesting. In the previous books the story line was interesting enough to pull me through when the language and geography of the land of Oz would seem confusing but in this one I found I didn't care to even try to figure things out.

The only positive for me was the ending. The ending definitely left a place for another book to start off, I just hope if he writes that book it is more in the nature of the first two. This book to me was just a long entailed way to get to the short end.

Since this was the 3rd in a series, I was excited to pick this one up. I loved the two previous books.
Unfortunately the story is only told all over again, this time by the cowardly lion who is recounting his story to the now familiar Yackle.

We get to see again all of the events that happened in the previous two books but this time more quickly, as though one were trying to sum up the other two books for a person who hadn't read them before.

It was a chore to read. The only reason I finished was because I wanted to finish the series. I really hope the next one will live up to the hype.

My opinion of A Lion Among Men is that it is still below the fantastic Wicked, but much, much higher than Son of a Witch. Son of a Witch was iffy, but this is very, very strong. Saying that this is a strong book however, does not mean you can skip Son of a Witch, because a lot of the plot in this is rooted in Son of a Witch, especially character-wise.

Some of the scenes were moving, such as when the Cowardly Lion reveals his past, and others recognizably Maguire with its cynicism. What it also has, which Wicked did not, is sheer intensity. The very end of the novel comes to a climax that is the literally, the best I have ever read. Not only is it a roller coaster ride of twists, but also provides plenty of answers to questions that began being asked as soon as the Clock of the Time Dragon showed up in Wicked. Mother Yackle, the maunt who lived on the border of Elphaba's life, is the second main character, besides of course, the Cowardly Lion.

The Lion's story did not satisfy me as much as Yackle's story. The Lion's is very human-based (character wise), while Yackle is much more mystical-based. The dialogue between the two is very well-written. The mention of little Ozma is still constant throughout the book, as with the others, but if you are looking for some answers about her, don't expect any in this book.

Overall, I have nothing bad to say about this book except that there are questions still left to be answered, but I think some of them never will be.

To those who are wondering how long this series will go on, Maguire stated at a reading I attended that there is one more Oz book to come, and that will be the end of the Wicked Years. I don't know anything about it, because he hasn't started writing it, but we can anticipate greatness.

I felt committed to finish this book once I had started but I wish I would have cut my losses and moved on. The book rambles with one philosophical statement after another pretending to be a story. I am a writer and feel it is well to make observations on the human condition or how twisted the human mind can become with adversity or power but this was less a view into the heart of the beast than a rambling of thoughts. In the end I simply must reminded myself that the cost of a book is no reason to continue reading it hoping a point will be made or a story will somehow magical appear.

While Gregory Maguire's third volume in the land of Oz is certainly more cohesive and urgent than his woefully meandering and pointless second entry, Son of a Witch, his prowess in employing written language still feels wasted in yet another pointless exercise of wandering plotlines and resolutions without import.

This story, like the two before it, is yet another "tale from the road" in which the characters are only dressing in their own stories, and though one could ascribe this to a Chandleresque sensibility, the revelations in Maguire's mysteries are hardly worth seeking out. Beginning at the cloister of St. Galinda (and staying just there for most of the duration), the Cowardly Lion and old Yackle from previous tales trade origin stories and revel in their own histories, taking up a goodly three-quarters of the volume (the lion's share? a poor pun, if intended) with their rather uneventful pasts and repartee. Though Maguire's never been one to inscribe impropriety of form to the page, and the chronicles of both Brrr and Yackle are moderately diverting, the tedium freely given up by this work is only worsened in comparison to the several far more engaging (and dangling) plot threads first emerged, and seemingly forgotten, from the previous two books. A good analogy to this particular type of unnerving and intentional aimlessness would be for an author to spend 1000 pages of work detailing the relationships between bedbugs during the Second World War.

Maguire wallows in his richly-detailed triviality to almost Proustian levels, so intent must be assumed in this, yet the world crumbles in the margins. A princess is missing (or murdered), the child of a witch is still unaccounted for (as are his mate and his own child), the political rule of the land has changed hands four times in three decades, war is on the brink of outbreak . . . . all this, and we dawdle within the figurative confines of personal histories and literal confines of an old church, none of which have much actual impact on the story at hand.

Of course, Maguire isn't leaving well enough alone with telling fruitless tales of old familiars, he must continue to insert his new toys into the sandbox. And this he does with the deftness of someone trying to add new pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. Between the Clock Dragon, its dwarven mechanic, the Grimmarie, the maunts, Liir, Nor, Yackle, the Ivory Tigers, and whichever other frivolity the author saw fit to include, this story is bursting at the seams with an onslaught of the completely inessential.

For those of you looking for a new spin on the classic Oz books, I cannot suggest this book to you; there is nothing of value to be had and no new directions taken. It is the literary equivalent of two strangers sharing a table for tea. For those of you looking to further the scope of Maguire's Oz and see the seeds of portent sown in previous novels arrive to fruition, I also cannot suggest this book to you, either, for much the same reason.

This is the 3rd book in the Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire. While I'm a huge Wicked fan, this book was just a little bit disappointing. The Cowardly Lion is the main character, and while that plot line is interesting, I found myself not caring about it so much. I was more interested in Liir and Candle and their little green daughter who was born at the end of the last book, Son of a Witch. It was upsetting that the reader does not find out about the little girl in this book.

Maybe you have to be an animal lover, or an Animal lover, but this one is the BEST YET! I love this Lion. Gregory Maguire has somehow brought alive the Cowardly Lion of the original Oz books, but there is so much more to THIS Lion. I found his lack of socialization and his awkward making his way through the world extremely touching. Of Maguire's three books in the Wicked series, this one risks the most in sentimentality and achieves the most emotionally. Brrr is blundering, funny, likable and ultimately heroic. I love this Lion. I longed for him to curl up at my feet so I could scratch him under the chin, just where he would have liked it.

This third installment of the Wicked series has been a tough item to finish. Wicked was an amazing story and I could not put it down once I started. Son of a Witch fell short of the first, and now the third has fallen even farther. While it clears up some of the loose ends left by SOAW, I found it was very difficult to get really "into" the story. The only character I actually enjoyed was Cubbins, and that didn't last very long. While reading Wicked, my imagination ran wild with images from the story. It was clever, unique, and very touching. This story fell flat of my expectations.

Now that I have finished reading the series, I can say that I think this book contains my favorite moment in the whole series. That moment is the kind of thing that a good book does as a minor climax about a quarter of the way through. For some reason, it took this author 3 books to get to one really interesting scene. This book has no satisfying resolution to most of the unresolved questions of the previous two books. My wife has a rule that she only reads books that have at least 4 stars on the store. At least in this case, I would strongly recommend adopting that practice. As with the others this book fails miserably in terms of being a good story. This is another example of junk literature that is a waste of time.

It was interesting to gain perspective from the lion's journey of self discovery, failure and confusion. The combined story of Yackel, the strange haunting character that has always been a pinpoint in the life of Elphaba and associated characters. Colorful and entertaining.

While falling short of the brilliance of Wicked, this is much better than the dross of Son of a Witch. Like others, I was eager to read the initial sequel to Wicked, but hated SOAW. Initially, I was reluctant to acquire Lion Among Men as I don't like wasting my time reading drivel, and I was concerned that the trend would continue. However, I did enjoy the other Maguire novels, even Lost, so I acquired Lion Among Men, and am glad I did. This is not the rambling mess of the former in the Oz series, and it avoids the glaring errors, like time sequence problems that are in SOAW. The plot of Wicked is advanced and many loose ends are resolved, along with creating several others - I smell a fourth book in his Oz series, and eagerly await. I do enjoy Maguire's writing style and ability to tell a story. I only wish he paid more attention to the small factual details he creates from one book (or chapter) to the next. A fun read!

This book by Mguire is not as good for me as the first two in the series. For some reason it did not grab we as well as the other two, especially the first. The concept of the series is really good, in building upon the book by Baum, and he has sketched in some interesting events. Sorry this book did not quite do for me what the other two did.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

Somewhat disjointed, which may be what the author intended, since the protagonist seems confused himself.

Still: Interesting answers to lingering questions in the last few chapters. Maybe a little too long in coming, though.

Wicked was a wonderful read, you really felt like you were looking "behind the scenes" of the Wizard of Oz.

Son of a Witch was just horrible. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I could hardly get through the book and am really sorry I purchased it.

A Lion Among Men was a better read, not as good as Wicked, but entertaining enough to keep your attention and make you turn the next page. I think the author should have used this book to tie up all the loose ends from the other two.

While I like what Gregory Maguire has written in the past - Wicked, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and Mirror Mirror, sadly enough I did not enjoy A Lion Among Men. The book did not strike a chord with me like his earlier works did. It was supposed to be a part of the Wicked Series and yet it did not have the magic of the story or the prose like that of Wicked and Son of a Witch. All I can say is that one knows about the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz (barely does he feature in Wicked though) and he is at the centre of all the action in this book, however all said and done there is not a growl left in this one. Not even for a good fairytale reading.

The third in the Wicked series, the Cowardly Lion retells the Oz story from his perspective and furthers the story of Yackle, the dwarf, Liir, the Clock of the Dragon, Candle, the Grimmerie, and the Sisters of the Cloister of Saint Glinda. Elphaba looms large, if in absence. This is up to Wicked's standards and the best of other Maguire. Brrr's adventures take us into new parts of Oz, meeting the Animals in exile after the Animal Adverse Laws as well as (lower case a) animals who never mixed with humans.

Gregory Maguire did an excellent job of pulling loose ends together and providing answers at the end of this story, while still leaving enough things open that it's conceivable there could be another story to follow. He really develops his characters well, and allows the reader to become acquainted with their thoughts, feelings and motivations. This book was another of his that I didn't want to put down once I started reading, because as with most of his others, the story sucks you in. I would definitely recommend it.

This is the 3rd book in the Wicked Years series by Gregory Maguire. While I'm a huge Wicked fan, this book was just a little bit disappointing. The Cowardly Lion is the main character, and while that plot line is interesting, I found myself not caring about it so much. I was more interested in Liir and Candle and their little green daughter who was born at the end of the last book, Son of a Witch. It was upsetting that the reader does not find out about the little girl in this book.

Maybe you have to be an animal lover, or an Animal lover, but this one is the BEST YET! I love this Lion. Gregory Maguire has somehow brought alive the Cowardly Lion of the original Oz books, but there is so much more to THIS Lion. I found his lack of socialization and his awkward making his way through the world extremely touching. Of Maguire's three books in the Wicked series, this one risks the most in sentimentality and achieves the most emotionally. Brrr is blundering, funny, likable and ultimately heroic. I love this Lion. I longed for him to curl up at my feet so I could scratch him under the chin, just where he would have liked it.

This third installment of the Wicked series has been a tough item to finish. Wicked was an amazing story and I could not put it down once I started. Son of a Witch fell short of the first, and now the third has fallen even farther. While it clears up some of the loose ends left by SOAW, I found it was very difficult to get really "into" the story. The only character I actually enjoyed was Cubbins, and that didn't last very long. While reading Wicked, my imagination ran wild with images from the story. It was clever, unique, and very touching. This story fell flat of my expectations.

Now that I have finished reading the series, I can say that I think this book contains my favorite moment in the whole series. That moment is the kind of thing that a good book does as a minor climax about a quarter of the way through. For some reason, it took this author 3 books to get to one really interesting scene. This book has no satisfying resolution to most of the unresolved questions of the previous two books. My wife has a rule that she only reads books that have at least 4 stars on the store. At least in this case, I would strongly recommend adopting that practice. As with the others this book fails miserably in terms of being a good story. This is another example of junk literature that is a waste of time.

It was interesting to gain perspective from the lion's journey of self discovery, failure and confusion. The combined story of Yackel, the strange haunting character that has always been a pinpoint in the life of Elphaba and associated characters. Colorful and entertaining.

While falling short of the brilliance of Wicked, this is much better than the dross of Son of a Witch. Like others, I was eager to read the initial sequel to Wicked, but hated SOAW. Initially, I was reluctant to acquire Lion Among Men as I don't like wasting my time reading drivel, and I was concerned that the trend would continue. However, I did enjoy the other Maguire novels, even Lost, so I acquired Lion Among Men, and am glad I did. This is not the rambling mess of the former in the Oz series, and it avoids the glaring errors, like time sequence problems that are in SOAW. The plot of Wicked is advanced and many loose ends are resolved, along with creating several others - I smell a fourth book in his Oz series, and eagerly await. I do enjoy Maguire's writing style and ability to tell a story. I only wish he paid more attention to the small factual details he creates from one book (or chapter) to the next. A fun read!

This book by Mguire is not as good for me as the first two in the series. For some reason it did not grab we as well as the other two, especially the first. The concept of the series is really good, in building upon the book by Baum, and he has sketched in some interesting events. Sorry this book did not quite do for me what the other two did.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"

Somewhat disjointed, which may be what the author intended, since the protagonist seems confused himself.

Still: Interesting answers to lingering questions in the last few chapters. Maybe a little too long in coming, though.

Wicked was a wonderful read, you really felt like you were looking "behind the scenes" of the Wizard of Oz.

Son of a Witch was just horrible. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I could hardly get through the book and am really sorry I purchased it.

A Lion Among Men was a better read, not as good as Wicked, but entertaining enough to keep your attention and make you turn the next page. I think the author should have used this book to tie up all the loose ends from the other two.

While I like what Gregory Maguire has written in the past - Wicked, Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and Mirror Mirror, sadly enough I did not enjoy A Lion Among Men. The book did not strike a chord with me like his earlier works did. It was supposed to be a part of the Wicked Series and yet it did not have the magic of the story or the prose like that of Wicked and Son of a Witch. All I can say is that one knows about the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz (barely does he feature in Wicked though) and he is at the centre of all the action in this book, however all said and done there is not a growl left in this one. Not even for a good fairytale reading.

The third in the Wicked series, the Cowardly Lion retells the Oz story from his perspective and furthers the story of Yackle, the dwarf, Liir, the Clock of the Dragon, Candle, the Grimmerie, and the Sisters of the Cloister of Saint Glinda. Elphaba looms large, if in absence. This is up to Wicked's standards and the best of other Maguire. Brrr's adventures take us into new parts of Oz, meeting the Animals in exile after the Animal Adverse Laws as well as (lower case a) animals who never mixed with humans.

Gregory Maguire did an excellent job of pulling loose ends together and providing answers at the end of this story, while still leaving enough things open that it's conceivable there could be another story to follow. He really develops his characters well, and allows the reader to become acquainted with their thoughts, feelings and motivations. This book was another of his that I didn't want to put down once I started reading, because as with most of his others, the story sucks you in. I would definitely recommend it.

The second book ends with a sort of bittersweet cliffhanger, and I was disappointed when this book didn't pick up from there. This series is essentially the story of the Wicked Witch and her family, but only a small part of this book really deals with that.

Ultimately, this book feels like the author wanted to get one more paycheck before getting back to the conflict between Liir and his uncle and finishing the series.

Hopefully the next book will focus on Liir or possibly his child. If it's Nick Chopper: The Life and Times of the Tin Woodman, I'm probably going to pass.

A Lion Among Men presents us with a parallel history of events we've witnessed through previous characters' eyes and provides answers to some long standing mysteries. I was thrilled to find the book opened in the mauntery (it seems to bring out the best in Maguire) and the final scene with Yackle has to be read to be believed. A great expansion of Ozian lore, it whets one's appetite for the fourth installment. A side note for those so down on Son of a Witch: reread the opening portion of Part Two, The Service, to help discover the brilliance of that book (and this series in general).

The third book in the Wicked series is a little tough to get through as it drags on. The information in it is very important to understanding the full story line from start to finish. Out of all four books, it gives the most in terms of answers.

This book is very slow and there is not much of a story. The first two books both started very slow for me and were not interesting until approx 110 pages or so into the books. Once I started this one I thought it was the same however the story never took off and the entire book was actually pretty boring. Not a terrible read however not very enjoyable either.

Perhaps Maguire was so focused on setting up his next book...that he forgot to give this one a plot. I am amazed I finished it at all - I kept hoping for redemption that never came. Brr's story was not compelling and it's basically all this book had to deliver

You really have to love "Wicked" and the Oz books in order to get through this book. Nothing really happens, and all the information in it is extraneous. This is a book in desperate need of plot and characters.

I read some of the other reviews of this book and I'm beginning to wonder if I read the same book.... The book was well written but it was just a bit scattered. We learn about Brrr, Yackle and a little about Nor but it doesn't end. It just stops. I'm sure there will be more books to follow but I feel like I spent a lot of my time reading and I didn't get any bang for my buck. Wish I waited to buy the paperback version!

Really enjoyed the first book, the second one wasn't too bad, but this one goes on and on about nothing until almost the end, when a plot develops. The rest is meanderings about this and that and a lion named Brrr. I don't usually write book reviews, but wanted America to save some $$$ in this economy. Pass on this one.

While "A Lion Among Men" seems to try to explain the Lion's life, his story is told in such a disjointed fashion as to have no real hook to become engaged by. It reads less like a follow-on novel and more like a somewhat literary attempt to account for this primary character in the original story of Oz.

I only kind of liked the first book in this series, was out and out dissatisfied/ disgusted with #2 and this one was a waste - Hope spring eternal. I couldn't finish it; better things to do with my time. I'm not even sure the author knows what he's writing about. What's next for this lack now luster writer, a perverse re-telling of CS Lewis?

Perhaps if he had created his own world I wouldn't be so put out, but to take a great work of fantasy and social commentary (OZ) and to twist it like this. DON'T bother reading them.

Stick to re-tellings like those by Robin McKinley, Scot O'Dell, or Donna Jo Napoli if that's what you are looking for

For those who want to flame my opinion I did like OTHER works by him and I use a library to beside what to buy. I'm willing to give an author a second or third chance when they've shown they CAN write a good story, but he's slip.

Lion has no past and seeks to find it, even if those are not the questions he asks of Yackle when he enters the mauntery. she, too, seeks her past and together they find much more than they bargained for; they find they find their futures.

it is great to have an unknown character given life. greater still that this character is drawing together the strings which will bring the whole story together so well

I only kind of liked the first book in this series, was out and out dissatisfied/ disgusted with #2 and this one was a waste - Hope spring eternal. I couldn't finish it; better things to do with my time. I'm not even sure the author knows what he's writing about. What's next for this lack now luster writer, a perverse re-telling of CS Lewis?

Perhaps if he had created his own world I wouldn't be so put out, but to take a great work of fantasy and social commentary (OZ) and to twist it like this. DON'T bother reading them.

Stick to re-tellings like those by Robin McKinley, Scot O'Dell, or Donna Jo Napoli if that's what you are looking for

For those who want to flame my opinion I did like OTHER works by him and I use a library to beside what to buy. I'm willing to give an author a second or third chance when they've shown they CAN write a good story, but he's slip.