Lyman Frank Baum was an American author best known for his children's fantasy books, particularly The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, part of a series. In addition to the 14 Oz books, Baum penned 41 other novels (not including four lost, unpublished novels), 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. He made numerous attempts to bring his works to the stage and screen; the 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema. Born and raised in Chittenango, New York, Baum moved west after an unsuccessful stint as a theater producer and playwright. He and his wife opened a store in South Dakota and he edited and published a newspaper. They then moved to Chicago, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and published children's literature, coming out with the first Oz book in 1900. While continuing his writing, among his final projects he sought to establish a film studio focused on children's films in Los Angeles, California. His works anticipated such later commonplaces as television, augmented reality, laptop computers (The Master Key), wireless telephones (Tik-Tok of Oz), women in high-risk and action-heavy occupations (Mary Louise in the Country), and the ubiquity of advertising on clothing (Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work).
I am addicted to Project Gutenberg. I check their latest titles section every day to see if I can add anything interesting to the various lists that I have every intention of reading Someday. But every so often I see something that demands attention NOW. The Last Egyptian was added to Gutenberg on July 1. I saw it, made a note, and promised myself to dive in as soon as I could.
I read my share of Oz books years ago, but I never knew Baum wrote such a book as this one. According to Wiki he published it anonymously in 1908. I went back to look closer at the cover illustration at PG and sure enough, there is no author's name on either the cover or the first pages. Also per wiki, Baum eventually acknowledged his authorship and made a movie of the book through the film company he had formed in 1914.
So what happens in this 'romance of the Nile'? Nearly everything! You want a secret tomb? It's here! Treasure beyond belief? Got it! An old woman plotting her entire life to get revenge on the man who 'done her wrong'? She's here! A loving grandson willing to do anything to avenge Family Honor? He's here too! Bandits? Check. A beautiful woman in danger? Check again. True love? Triple check!!! Oh, and don't forget that mummy's curse! Never ever forget that!
It was all very entertaining, even while being a bit predictable. I think it would make a pretty cool movie, but if it was filmed today the racial attitudes would have to be cleaned up. That attitude was not overwhelming, but it did lurk throughout, and a certain word was used twice in anger by the main target of the revenge plot. Not acceptable now and never should have been in the first place.
While many people may think of L. Frank Baum as just a children's writer of the Land of Oz series, this may come as a surprise for them. The book is beautifully written and the level of wit in the schemes are clearly laid out laid out. It one of those forgotten literary gems that is worthy of having a movie made out of it.
I read the digital version of the first edition from Google Books. This is by far the best adult fiction I have read from Baum. A tale of betrayal and revenge reaching across three generations and set in the Nile valley.