Planet Oz: Gales of Chaos

by Rodney Blanc

Fans of Snowglobe, Dry, and The Hunger Games will love this high-stakes adventure where survival means breaking every rule!“In a world ruled by twisters, the greatest danger is the secrets untold.”

At sixteen, Dorothy has mostly known life underground in the ArcCity of Emeraldia. A skilled young emerald miner with a restless curiosity, she has always hungered for answers the Archons would rather keep buried. They insist the domed cities are Ozian’s last refuge from the storm-ruined topside—a wasteland of endless twisters where stepping outside means certain death. So, they forbid anyone from trying.

But when disaster strikes, Dorothy does the unthinkable. She escapes.

Armed with nothing but a compass and her late parents’ forbidden research, she must brave the storm-ravaged surface, face hidden enemies, and uncover Oz’s darkest secrets. Every step brings her closer to the truth about the twisters—and if she finds it, nothing in Oz will ever be the same.

546 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 27, 2025

Reviews

[Dragonlady Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever concept for world building, with connections from Baum's original story which add an interesting layer to it. Action driven, with a strong team, and sci-fi elements. I identified some of the archetypes from the orginial story but not sure which one is Toto!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntaily.

The 3 stars is becase the promie if not comletely fulfilled - there are moments when the fluency of the writing jolts; and the action focus and pace is at the cost of character development. I'm also unclear what the italics represent the narrator's inner thoughts? That is unconvincing as the first person narrative makes the italics irrelevant - part of the Unknown Archons? Maybe, although that too is a little unconvincing. A few editing errors have escaped - although a toe of this dimension - that is unsurprising!

If you enjoy YA stories that are action driven, with a flavour for sci-fi, or enjoy The Wizard of Oz canon this is a book to give a chance.

[Chandaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Planet Oz is a very interesting sci-fi rewriting of The wizard of OZ. It is set in an entirely different world that has been destroyed by rampant twisters, forcing the people to seek refuge underground. Dorothy then embarks on a quest to find the truth of this natural phenomenon. What I liked particularly was the rewriting of the scarecrow, the tin man and the cowardly lion. I felt that it was all cleverly done and brought about. The worldbuilding is also quite rich. I can't rate it higher than three stars though because I just liked the novel and wasn't that entranced by it. Personally, I thought that Dorothy was a bit of an overpowered main character too fast and it led to an unbalanced pace to the story. But that of course is just my own opinion. I would still recommend this to young adults because it was well-written and a really different take from the original novel.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.

This was such a cool and fresh take on Oz. Sci fi reimagining are far less common than fantasy ones and I love when they pop up. This one has such a cool premise—cities underground because the surface is riddled with tornados and no one knows why they suddenly appeared but it was definitely a profitable opportunity for a choice few.

You’re immediately intrigued by the mystery and the more you learn (and realize how much is hidden/misconstrued) the more convinced you are of how twisted this world is.

And Dorothy is such a fun protagonist. She’s smart, clever but has a lot more self preservation than I usually see which is a breath of fresh air. I also am in love with her narrative voice.

Will absolutely be reading more

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this as a Oz retelling and how it uses the scifi adventure to create something unique in this world. I enjoyed getting into the world and how it use the Oz concept and have characters that I was hoping for and enjoyed about Oz. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and enjoyed the overall feel of this in this world. It was a strong start to the Gales of Chaos series and I wanted to read the next entry of the series. It worked well in the fairy tale retelling and loved the post apocalyptic concept in this world. Rodney Blanc wrote this well and left me wanting to read more from him.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Brooklyn L. Wolves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this unique retelling of The Wizard of Oz. I enjoyed every minute with this book. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow as they faced obstacles throughout the story.

[Nikkiya Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐️ Not Your Grandma’s Oz

If you like the book or movie Ready Player One, this reimagined Wizard of Oz world is for you. It feels nostalgic and new with dystopian, fantasy, and sci-fi elements. It was fun, fast paced, and action packed. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.