I am not unhappy with Gregory Maguire

Earlier this week, I wrote how unhappy I was with Megan McCafferty for writing sub-par books using the same characters from extremely awesome books.

After reading A Lion Among Men, the third book in the Wicked Cycle by Gregory Maguire, I can honestly say I am not unhappy. I still found the reading pleasurable, still felt that I was learning more; not just the hidden history of the character of the original Wizard of Oz, but now I am learning more about the hidden history of the characters in Wicked. And I am still interested, very interested.

I can't remember when I read Wicked for the first time. Probably five or six years ago. But I've read it at least ten times since then, Son of a Witch three times. The second focused on characters entirely seperate from The Wizard of Oz, but A Lion Among Men gives the backstory of the Cowardly Lion, partially given in Wicked but fleshed out here.

And I wasn't disappointed. I didn't feel cheated, the way I felt cheated when I read Charmed Thirds by Megan McCafferty. I enjoyed myself, I felt like I was given answers, and that's really all you can ask for in a third book in a series.