Omniboz: Tales from the Land of Oz
Edited by Jendia Gammon and Ernie Chiara
Stars and Sabers Publishing (May 15, 2026)
Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy
Omniboz is an adult’s wonderland. You get to revisit Oz and all the characters you loved so much from the L. Frank Baum world, but the characters have grown up with you. It feels like you haven’t lost any time in this magical place and you’ve never left. The words are effortless, playful, and happy, just as I remember as a child growing up reading the stories for the first time. If you’re looking for some books of a similar flavor I would suggest Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, or Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth. All of these books share the unique characteristic that they still have the power to entertain us into our adulthood.
I had three favorite tales in Omniboz. The first two stories were from the section of the book allotted to youngsters. The first tale was “The Field Mouse Queen Takes Flight” by Jendia Gammon, in which the Field Mouse Queen took an evening off with the help of the Eagle for the night and had splendid travels throughout the kingdom. I enjoyed sailing with her as she saw the sights. The second story I enjoyed was “Master Craftsman” by Dennis K. Crosby. This story is about a master craftsman who builds the most beautiful wardrobe for the queen, which she does not appreciate. Craftsmen in Oz are only allowed to wear the color blue, but he longs to wear the color purple. His mother has bought him a pair of purple shoes for his birthday and after the queen rejects his well-made wardrobe, he runs home to put them on and start living his dreams. The third story is Oz after Dark for adults or, as they describe it in the book: Darker Oz: Only For Those With Courage. Well, I had plenty of courage and I adored Vincent V. Cava’s spicy story “Through Emerald-Colored Glasses,” which kind of reminded me of 1984 where the government is controlling your everyday life. After the emerald glasses are removed from the artist and his visitor to the gallery, they realize there is an entire world of color out there besides green, and they will never be the same now that they have this forbidden knowledge. I’m kind of wishing there will be another story written on this theme. I want to see rebellion break out in Oz amongst its citizens, Vincent V. Cava! You have me hooked!
Overall, I really enjoyed the youthfulness of this book and how it took me back to my childhood. My only complaint is that the darker side of Oz was only two stories. I wish there could have been more stories on the darker side. I feel that maybe there could be an entire anthology dedicated to the darker side of Oz. It would sell well. But if you’re looking for some new Oz stories to bring you back to your youth or a few to explore your rebellious side with, this is definitely the book for you. And I liked that it was a quick read. I read it in a few hours and was sad there wasn’t more to read. I definitely recommend this collection.
