"Lucky Bucky in Oz" is the thirty-sixth book in the Oz series, which was originally created by L. Frank Baum. It was written by John R. Neill and published in 1942. This is not the last Oz book written by Neill, however it was the last of his to be canonized into the series.
You know, Neil's Oz stories shouldn't work. They are manic and crazy from beginning to end, but somehow it just works. This story has the same thing happening with it. It just can't decide what it wants to do, but either way, we're all having fun watching it all happen.
The story follows Bucky Jones who enters Oz in a boating accident. He ends up with a talking, wooden whale named Davy Jones and they become fast friends. Interesting thing about Davy is that he is not only a living whale, but also a boat. He has a cabin inside his head, and there is a little deck with a railing connected to his chin. He is extremely charming.
This may be a first, but Bucky was not happy to find himself in Oz. To him, it was a terrible thing because he worried that he would never be able to get back home. This never happens. Everyone who makes it into Oz tends to really enjoy the fact that they found it. His friendship with the whale ultimately was what gave him the comfort he needed.
Bucky and Davy's entire mission is simply to make it to the Emerald City, which is reminiscent of the first book. There is no real reason to go there but just to see it. That's all. But the idea of a whale going to the Emerald City is an amusing idea. That coupled with the fact that there is not enough water to really take them to it presented a fun challenge.
Another surprise was the reintroduction of Mombi the witch. She had been executed in a former book, but she has now been brought back to life in a magical painting. She causes some trouble in this story, but ultimately it was not half as big of a deal as it looked like it was going to be. The main driving force of the story are the strange adventures encountered by Bucky and Davy as they attempt to get to the Emerald City.
Once again, everything is a cartoon and uses cartoon physics for things to work. There is even an entire river that is tied up with a rubber band that can be thrown out across the ground to make a swimming path. These are things that make more sense in a cartoon than in reality, but in R. Neill's Oz, anything is possible.
I do hate to say this, but I think this book is his weakest of the three. It's not bad though, and it does feel like it completes the trilogy. That was an odd thing about his writing: it all felt like a trilogy. He kept bringing back characters that he had invented in the original, and to be fair, it did feel like a nice ending to it all. The only thing is that there is no real plot to this one. It's just a simple journey to see a nice city, and even though there were some problems along the way, it was mostly just there to add to the amusement.
I still recommend the book, especially if you read his first two. It's very entertaining, and there were multiple times I could not help but laugh. I am honestly sorry to see him go. He died one year later. Too soon.
This blog was written on July 18, 2022.
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Davy as a boat is like Edi as the ship in MASS EFFECT: It makes the transportation a character in its own right. This is especially endearing since Davy becomes the best friend of Bucky. The main character is homesick but not alone, so we can enjoy his adventure with him, rather than languish all the while. Sad that the author died only a year after this book was published. I do appreciate him translating cartoon physics into the physics of a literary universe. It could work even for stories meant to be taken seriously, even horror stories.
ReplyDeleteI think Davy was the best thing about the book. It was a clever idea that made your imagination work in overdrive.
DeleteFascinating, two friends on a road trip to The Emerald City. But it just so happens that one is a living boat / whale haha. Cartoon physics works well with this concept, otherwise it would be too much.
ReplyDeleteI mean... everything just sort of works because of that. I really liked it!
DeleteFinding yourself in a magical place means no longer being in the world you know. Your whole life has changed, and now you must learn to adapt to the present situation. While some things might be better, one would still long for what was lost.
ReplyDeleteIt might have been a realistic reaction to some. I imagine even I would have been a little frightened, but it could also be the adventure of a lifetime.
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