In L. Frank Baum’s original Oz books, we read about those pesky Gnomes as perpetual and relentless adversaries of the Land of Oz. They first appear in the third Oz book, “Ozma of Oz” (1907) in which they are described as small, powerfully built immortals, hoarding jewels and precious metals in their underground caverns. In a subsequent book, “The Emerald City of Oz (1910),” they attempt to conquer Oz by tunneling under the poisonous desert and into the Emerald City, itself.

In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” my sequel to the classic “Wizard of Oz,” the Gnomes are once again digging their way to Oz. This time, however, they are working for the vile Queen of the Dark Heart. She is pushing them to hurry, but they run into an ancient and powerful creature beneath the desert who does not appreciate their trespassing on his turf.

What do Gnomes do for a Living?

The Gnomes of “The Lost Wizard of Oz” are not just greedy little thieves. Rather, they are highly skilled miners and engineers. Their abilities are well known and are for sale for the right price. The Dark Queen buys their services as part of her nefarious plan to invade the Land of Oz through an underground passage.

Gnomes are consumed by insatiable greed for wealth, particularly emeralds which are common in the Land of Oz. Their deep-rooted obsession with these precious gems has led to a long-standing conflict with the inhabitants of Oz over control of the emerald mines situated beneath the Emerald City.

A Closer Look at Gnomes

These diminutive beings are described as having long powerful arms, short legs, and an angry disposition; always looking for a fight.

Gnomes are cunning and self-serving by nature. “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” expands upon the Gnomes’ internal politics, introducing King Roquat, who harbors plans to betray the Dark Queen and claim the emeralds of Oz for himself. However, there may be those among his own people with plans to betray not only the Dark Queen, but King Roquat, himself.

Glinda, forever alone and lonely.

Everybody needs somebody. Consider Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. She has served and protected Oz for 500 years. She is powerful, intelligent, beautiful, and compassionate. Loved by everybody (except the bad ones). Nevertheless, in the “Lost Wizard of Oz,” we find Glinda alone and lonely. Her solitary life weighs on her, causing her to doubt the value of her commitment.

Who doesn’t love a good love story?

Glinda hires a bounty hunter (Strigand Nightflyer) to find the missing Wizard of Oz. He is dark and brooding, awkward with human interactions. Completely focused on the job, he speaks to her sparingly, only talking to her when he must. Though he shows himself committed to finding the Wizard and keeping her safe, he holds himself aloof from the beautiful Queen of the Quadlings.

For her part, Glinda finds his sullenness irritating. She wants more information than he is willing to share and finds it difficult to trust him. And who can blame her?

Nevertheless, sharing a dangerous quest with someone often fosters a deeper connection than we intend. To survive, Glinda and Strigand are forced to depend on one another, risking their lives, and perhaps the mission, to keep each other safe. Their shared adventures create intimate moments for which neither of them is prepared. This becomes fertile ground for romance to blossom. The trouble is, they might not live long enough to enjoy it.

A parable about marriage.

As much as anything, the relationship between Glinda and Strigand serves as a parable of marriage as it ought to be: Two people devoting themselves to a higher cause while devoting themselves to one another. But relationships are tough and don’t always survive. Their adventure becomes a metaphor for the journey of love, with each destination and obstacle strengthening or weakening the connection between them.

Mombi is a second-tier wicked witch with ambitions to rule all the Land of Oz. She first appears in L. Frank Baum’s second Oz book, The Marvelous Land of Oz” (1904) where we see her as a harsh, disagreeable old hag living in the northern kingdom of Oz, the Land of the Gillikins. In my book, “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” we see her again as a minor witch with important connections throughout the Land. She is an influence peddler and seller of information and magical items.

Sometimes you need a Mombi.

In “The Lost Wizard of Oz,” Glinda needs something only Mombi can get for her: The bounty hunter, Strigand Nightflyer, who can help her find the missing Wizard. Mombi strikes a hard bargain, but delivers the bounty hunter, as promised.

Connection with Tip.

When Glinda first arrives at Mombi’s miserable little hovel in the woods, she is greeted by a delicate looking little boy named Tip, who is living with the old crone. Mombi chases the boy away, leaving Glinda puzzled as to the relationship between them. Despite living under the same roof, there doesn’t seem to be any warmth or affection between them. Very puzzling. Glinda will learn more about him in another book.

Gayelette: Good Witch of the North.

After Glinda leaves on her quest with Strigand, Gayelette, the Good Witch of the North and Glinda’s younger sister pays a visit to Mombi to find out what her sister is up to. She is worried about her. Mombi doesn’t want to share what she knows, but reluctantly submits to her queen. Gayelette is surprisingly kind to Mombi and offers to have a wagonload of firewood delivered to her to guard against the coming winter.

Why is Gayelette so kind to Mombi? There is more to the old hag than meets the eye.