The Shadow of the North: The Redemption of Mombi (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798247063902)

"The North is shivering... and Mombi is walking again."

For over a hundred years, the fate of the Wicked Witch of the North was settled. After the Great Discovery of Princess Ozma, the cruel sorceress Mombi was forced to drink the Water of Oblivion, her dark magic and bitter memories washed away forever. She became a simple, nameless old woman on a quiet Gillikin farm.

But magic that old never truly sleeps.

In this enchanting new addition to the Oz canon-penned by a direct descendant of the Royal Historian himself, L. Frank Baum's 8th Cousin-the purple-hued mists of the North are beginning to stir. When a forgotten jar of Dr. Pipt's "Liquid of Petrifaction" is unearthed, a spark of the old power flickers back to life. But this time, it has a mind of its own.

Join a cast of beloved Oz icons on a journey across the Deadly Desert and into the heart of the Gillikin Country:

• The Scarecrow, whose "Excellent Brains" must solve the paradox of a Witch without a past.
• The Tin Woodman, seeking to find a heart for a woman the world has always hated.
• Tik-Tok, the clockwork man, whose copper logic is tested by the mysteries of the soul.
• Jack Pumpkinhead, who must face the "Mother" who first gave him life.

As a dark Shadow-Mombi rises to turn all of Oz into marble, the woman once known as "Wicked" must choose: Will she reclaim her crown of shadows, or will she find a new kind of magic in the heart of the girl she once tried to hide?

Return to the Emerald City. Revisit the Land of Ev. Face the Deadly Desert. Written with the warmth, wit, and whimsical philosophy of the original 14 books, The Shadow of the North is more than a sequel-it is a family legacy brought to life.

"Everything is possible in the Land of Oz... especially a second chance."

Drew Wohlford is an author and historian of the fantastic, but their connection to the Land of Oz is more than just a passion-it is a matter of blood. As the 8th cousin, three times removed, of L. Frank Baum (through the maternal line of the family), Drew Wohlford grew up in the long, whimsical shadow of the world's most famous fairyland.

This genealogical link traces back through the storied branches of the Baum and Stanton families, a heritage that has always cherished the power of imagination and the belief that the most ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. By following the breadcrumbs of family history-verified through the meticulous records of the Relative Finder and FamilySearch archives-Drew Wohlford has spent years studying the nuances of Baum's original voice and the deep lore of the Gillikin, Munchkin, and Quadling countries.

With The Shadow of the North, Drew Wohlford honors this family legacy by returning to the original source material. By exploring the untold redemption of Mombi, they seek to bridge the gap between the Oz of the past and the readers of today, ensuring that the magic of the Emerald City remains as bright and enduring as ever.

When not traveling the Yellow Brick Road, Drew Wohlford lives in Osceola, Indiana, where they continue to believe that there is no place like home-and no story quite like a return to Oz.