This whole thing about Ozma's magic picture . . . does this strike anyone else as Orwellian? "Big Sister is Watching You . . ."

You think that's bad, how about Glinda's book that was introduced in The Emerald City of Oz? BTW, wasn't there a movie based on this book called Return to Oz?

Those insatiably voyeuristic Oz women!

Yeah, does anyone else find Ozma just a slight bit despotic and arrogant? Sure, everybody in Oz speaks her praises unceasingly, but are they speaking out of love or fear? (I have the same problem with Aslan of the Narnia books.)

Maybe this quality of Ozma stems from her deep-rooted sexual-identity confusiuon. Remember, she was a male before being transformed into a female!

Well, Baum assures us that in Ozma's case, absolute power does not corrupt absolutely. Still, I've read most of Baum's Oz books, and I don't recall anyone ever complaining that the Magic Picture invades ones' privacy.

The Magic Picture is most often used for 'deus ex machina' purposes. Ozma will see that her friends are in trouble, and rush to the rescue. Or she'll find out about the Nomes' invasion plans. Still, it does fall into the wrong hands occasionally (see 'The Lost Princess of Oz' for an example).

Ozma is described as a fair and just ruler, despite all the magic at her disposal. This may be a bit hard to believe, due to the old 'power corrupts' saying. As for her sexual identity confusion, she seems to be pretty good at keeping it to herself (she seems to adjust awfully fast).

I'm sure if we look hard enough we can find an instance of the Magic Belt working on wood at a later point in the series.

The whole story on Nomes and eggs varies from book to book. Here, Roquat of the Rocks (later known as Ruggedo) declares that eggs are poison to Nomes, but lists no symptoms, and after being smashed in the eyes by two of them, shows no ill effects (why not...?). Later on (Book 8, I think) Ruggedo says that any contact with an egg will make a Nome mortal. If so, what's he so jumpy about in Books 8 and 13 where people successfully threaten him with eggs? He's already been slimed ! He's mortal already! There's nothing more they can do to him with an egg except a good shampoo.

Where did Evring get into the habit of picking up little fancies in other people's palaces and pocketing them? Shouldn't he be seeing an analyst for kleptomania?

Don't tell me that the richest monarch of the underworld has no emerald, jade, malachite, or amethyst ornaments until our friends come along. And don't tell me that he has nothing made of solid gold either!

Not a nit, just amusing: check out this book and book 13 to see a change in Baum's attitudes about college. Also not that in this book, the college is not co-ed.

Hmm...I think one of the later books states that if a Nome is hit by an egg, said Nome must use some sort of magic word immediately, or else they might disintegrate. That said, did anyone catch the Nome King uttering any sort of protective magic word in this book?

I'm quite sure he doesn't. He howls in rage and that's about it.

I'm with T.Pence on the Ozma question. Despite Baum's best descriptive efforts, when the Ruler's actually onstage she really isn't all that likeable a character!
Sure, she looks wonderful on a throne or at the head of a procession...but she also seems to be more than a little spoiled and arrogant. And - while she's quick to Ev's defense here - when her own country is threatened (in Emerald City of Oz) she makes a very poor showing as a leader.
Wonder where all that cleverness and practicality she demonstrated as Tip have got to? (I hate to suggest it, but did Baum assume her brainpower decreased when her gender changed?)

Actually, wasn't the whole 'luring the armies to the Forbidden Fountain' strategy Ozma's idea? If I recall correctly, this was a clever strategy Ozma came up with to save Oz in a non-violent manner (she expresses her opposition to fighting earlier). If I recall correctly, Ozma at the very least comes up with the ideas to make the army thirsty on her own -- but this is all in another book.

Ozma serves as 'deus ex machina' in at least two books that I can think of, 'Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz', and 'The Tin Woodman of Oz' (though she does have some minor difficulties undoing Mrs. Yoop's spells in an attempt to balance things out). Overall, I don't think Ozma's brainpower decreased at all, but I will admit that there ARE times when it seems the power has gone to her head (i.e. insisting on teleporting Aunt Em and Uncle Henry from their farm to her throne room in 'Emerald City of Oz').

No, the Forbidden Fountain strategy was entirely the Scarecrow's idea, to wit: by pure coincidence, the Nomes have tunnelled thru to just under the fountain; Dorothy asks why it's forbidden, Ozma explains, and the Scarecrow puts it all together.
(Up 'till then Ozma's contribution has been mainly to express wonderment as to why everyone's so upset!)

Sorry for sticking all this under the wrong book, though...I've had it in mind since age 13 or so and needed to vent it somehow.

Between The Wizard of Oz and this book, Dorothy seems to have picked up the habbit of aposthrophetic speech. She didn't do that in the first volume.

Having been raised a BOY, Ozma now seems an expert on the whole dresses and jewellery and perfume thing...