Son of a Witch Audiobook By Gregory Maguire cover art

Son of a Witch

Preview

Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Son of a Witch

By: Gregory Maguire
Narrated by: Gregory Maguire
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

Ten years after the publication of Wicked, beloved novelist Gregory Maguire returns at last to the land of Oz. There he introduces us to Liir, an adolescent boy last seen hiding in the shadows of the castle after Dorothy did in the Witch. Bruised, comatose, and left for dead in a gully, Liir is shattered in spirit as well as in form. But he is tended at the Cloister of Saint Glinda by the silent novice called Candle, who wills him back to life with her musical gifts.

What dark force left Liir in this condition? Is he really Elphaba's son? He has her broom and her cape, but what of her powers? Can he find his supposed half-sister, Nor, last seen in the forbidding prison, Southstairs? Can he fulfill the last wishes of a dying princess? In an Oz that, since the Wizard's departure, is under new and dangerous management, can Liir keep his head down long enough to grow up?

For the countless fans who have been dazzled and entranced by Maguire's Oz, Son of a Witch is the rich reward they have awaited so long.

Listen to an interview with author Gregory Maguire.©2005 Gregory Maguire (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers
Action & Adventure Epic Epic Fantasy Fairy Tales Fantasy Fiction Magic Users Wizardry

Critic reviews

"Masterfully imaginative....Ten years after Wicked (which is still on Broadway), fans will once again be clicking their heels with wonderment." (Publishers Weekly)
"A tale that adroitly mixes drama, humor, and political satire into a well-knit examination of good and evil." (Library Journal)

What listeners say about Son of a Witch

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    864
  • 4 Stars
    539
  • 3 Stars
    385
  • 2 Stars
    215
  • 1 Stars
    132
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    611
  • 4 Stars
    307
  • 3 Stars
    198
  • 2 Stars
    129
  • 1 Stars
    132
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    691
  • 4 Stars
    329
  • 3 Stars
    203
  • 2 Stars
    100
  • 1 Stars
    67

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not as bad as the reviews would lead you to believ

I read all the reviews about the writer being a poor narrator. I felt just the opposite. First off I had to read the sequel. I felt what better person to give life to his characters than the author himself. It was he that came up with the characters and he would know the way he intended the characters to sound. The story itself is not bad. I was thrilled to see a new outlook upon the Oz story. This time seen from the male point of view. I do recommend this book and the author as narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and Enthralling

I listend to Wicked and had to have Son of a Witch. Excellent narration, good story telling.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting interpretation

After thoroughly enjoying the narration of Wicked, I found myself puzzled by the new choice of narrator for Son Of A Witch. I did not figure out who it was until the question and answer section at the end. It was the author...oops. It would seem to make sense, to have the author read the words that he had in his head, to hear them as he did when he was writing them. Sadly, all the different voices and his way of phrasing did nothing to enhance the story for me, and often confused me. (I noticed that subsequent books went back to the capable narrator, John McDonough.)
The story was well executed and interesting. It is definitely an adult book, with adult themes.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Low sound quality and poor enunciation

Would you try another book from Gregory Maguire and/or Gregory Maguire?

The story was very good. The adventure and character development was the only thing that kept me listening. It's kind of like listening to a child learn to play a musical instrument. You can tell what they are going for, but it's not there yet.

What did you like best about this story?

Twists and turns

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Gregory Maguire?

John McDonough

Do you think Son of a Witch needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Love the idea of a follow-up book. High quality story execution.

Any additional comments?

Recommend ensuring that that sound quality is level without static or volumn changes. Also, bypass the jolting musical chapter divisions. The music pushed me right out of the story. I actually thought another one of my divices was trying to connect to my car's bluetooth. It did not seem consistent with the story at all.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome story! Great Sequel!

Gregory takes you on a journey so detailed that you really do feel like you're the main character, I recommend this to everyone!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ewe!!! To start better later....

Why does it sound so bad. This is not the way a book should be narrated. I love audio books and the start of this one really threw me backwards. The whole point is to whisk the listener away to another place or so I thought. It has gotten better by chapter and Continues to do so. I'm soooo glad :) I almost removed this book. Not finished yet but when I do I'll amend the rating and review

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I loved wicked and I loved the sequel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It helped me deal with not knowing what happened to Nor in the first book. I do agree with many other reviews in the sense that the author reading the book was not fantastic, but it didn't ruin the story for me. I felt it introduced new characters as well in addition to recalling old characters! I cannot wait to listen to the next two books!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

amazing book

ok in so many word this book is amazing I will always enjoy listening to it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

very disappointing

struggled to finish was not as good as wicked didn't like main character. There were good parts but ended up hating characters.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great story, but horrible oral reading!

The book was a great addition to the wicked series, but the gentleman who is reading this novel, sounds like William Shatner! He pauses and ends his words and sentences with a hard stop.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!