Gregory Maguire's Wicked Series

Gregory Maguire is the author of many books, but none so famous as his Wicked series, which is based on L. Frank Baum's Oz books. In this series, he focuses on minor characters from Baum's Oz world and writes their personal stories. The first novel, Wicked, is based on the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wonderful World of Oz and tells her story as though she were the wronged party. The second novel follows the life of Liir, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West)'s son. In the third installment, Maguire pens life as told by the Cowardly Lion -- known as Brrr in these books. Wicked was also made into a Broadway play of the same name.

• Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (1995)
• Son of a Witch (2005)*
• A Lion Among Men (2008)*

*Not yet read