Audiobook · read by volunteers
Rinkitink in Oz
L. Frank Baum (1856–1919)
Read by Judy Bieber · 24 chapters · 5 h 01
About the book
Prince Inga of Pingaree and the jolly King Rinkitink, are the only ones who escape when raiders from Regos and Coregos sack their island and carry its people into slavery. Inga has three magic pearls, each with its own gift, and a grumpy goat called Bilbil who talks too much. Together they set out to rescue the captives, with help, trouble and plenty of strange encounters along the way. L. Frank Baum first imagined this adventure in 1905 as a fantasy of its own, then reshaped it as the tenth Oz book in 1916, so most of the action happens beyond the borders of Oz itself, far from the familiar Emerald City. Judy Bieber reads the twenty-four chapters with warmth and good humour. A charming tale of courage, loyalty and an unlikely pair of companions, it suits young listeners and grown-up Oz fans alike.
Introduction
Lyman Frank Baum, who wrote as L. Frank Baum, was born in 1856 and died in 1919. He was an American author whose best-known book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, appeared in 1900 and created one of the most famous fantasy worlds in English. He went on to write many sequels, as well as other fantasy stories, plays and verse.
Rinkitink in Oz is the tenth book in the Oz series, and it was first published in 1916. Baum first wrote the tale in 1905 as an independent fantasy and only later adapted it to the Oz series. For that reason, most of the action happens beyond Oz, in islands and lands whose names will be new even to those who know the earlier volumes. The connection to the wider series arrives late in the story.
Because it began as an independent tale, the book has a slightly different flavour from many of the Oz novels. It has a more traditional quest at its centre, with raiders, magical aids and a young hero who must grow into his responsibilities. The humorous characters, particularly the king and his goat, provide a counterpoint to the more serious plot.
This LibriVox recording has twenty-four chapters and lasts about five hours, read by volunteer Judy Bieber. It would suit a family listening session, a long car ride or anyone curious about the further reaches of Baum’s imagination. Newcomers can follow it without having read the earlier books in the series.
Public domain
L. Frank Baum died in 1919: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text