Into the Land of the Unicorns

The Unicorn Chronicles #1

by Bruce Coville

One unicorn dwells on Earth.
Hundreds fight in Luster.
Their legends are recorded in
THE UNICORN CHRONICLES

Into the Land of the Unicorns
As each chime sounds, Cara climbs faster up the steep bell tower. Eleven! She must be on the roof when the next bell tolls. Twelve! With a deep breath, and only half believing she will survive, Cara jumps off the church roof and into Luster, land of the unicorns.

In Luster, Cara meets many wonderful creatures, but the most magnificent of all is Lightfoot, a rebellious young unicorn. Cara's band of friends comes to include a hairy creature named the Dimblethum and the monekey-like Squijim. Together, they set out to reach the Unicorn Queen before the mysterious man who is following them does - to prevent the destruction of all unicorns forever.

"Coville weaves traditional unicorn myths into his accessible fantasy...[with] an ending that hints at the next adventure." Booklist

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Unicorns, Childrens, Adventure

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Miranda Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

"Grandma, is that man following us?"

Cara, raised by her grandmother, always knew things were a little off...

Her grandma was always insisted that unicorns were real - and Cara used to believe too - until kids from school tease her.

But then...they get followed by a mysterious man and her grandmother forces Cara to take the "special" - an amulet that her grandmother always claimed contained great magic.

Reluctantly, Cara climbs to the top of the bell tower and much to her stride escapes into another world.

“Luster, bring me home.”

And...much to Cara's surprise, her grandmother was right.

Luster, the world of unicorns, is so much different from the "real" world - it's everything Cara imagined and more.

Cara has a mission - get the amulet to the unicorn queen and save her grandmother. But the road is treacherous and there are creatures all around trying to stop her.

Will she be able to save her grandmother? Will she even be able to save herself?

Almost instant, as if by reflex, her fingers flew to her throat.
The amulet was gone!

I am a huge unicorn fan and this book was one of my absolute childhood favorites.

There's just something about this book that takes me on a journey.

I have read it over....and over...and over...each time enjoying something new.

Whether it be the wild, whimsical world or the quirky side characters or the beautiful glory of unicorns.

I love Cara's childlike sense of wonder and her strong determination to right what's wrong.

The twist at the end was a bit...well..transparent now that I'm adult but I totally didn't see it coming when I was younger!

This round I went for the audiobook and the full-cast was awesome...though a little much. It almost felt like there were too many voices and I would've preferred to just have one, really good narrator.

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[Ilana Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. My. God.

Sorry for the fan-girl squealing you hear in the background. That's just me trying to explain, in actual words, how much I love this book and why. I'll try my best . . . here goes:

First of all, this story reminded me of Narnia, The Never-Ending Story, the movie Labyrinth (the main character, Cara, brings to mind Labyrinth's "Sara," and not just because the name rhymes), and for some reason, The World of David the Gnome (television cartoon). Did I mention the book pairs perfectly with The Last Unicorn?

It's an incredibly well-rounded tale. The pacing is fast. The dialogue is witty. It alternates between moments of aching tenderness, death-defying action, and laugh-out-loudness. The secondary characters are so lively and inventive, I'm surprised they didn't pop out from between the pages.

But I think what I loved most about Into the Land of the Unicorns was the sense of enchantment, awe, and just plain wonderment so often missing from children's literature today. I only wish I'd read this book years ago when it was first published, and I was a wee thing.

But if you'll excuse me, I can't be dilly-dallying all day writing this review. I have to run out and get the next book in the series! I suggest you save yourself the hassle and just procure all four at once. :-)

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure I could say anything bad about this book even if I wanted to. It's certainly not perfect, but saying anything negative about this book seems wrong to me. I can remember being eight years old and desperately waiting through class to get to the silent reading part of the day, where I would eagerly grab Into the Land of the Unicorns and disappear from my classroom entirely. I devoured it and loved it immensely. I reread it multiple times that year and loved it more each time. I can say that without a doubt this is the book that sparked my passion for fantasy. After reading this I took my mom's copy of The Hobbit into my room and barely left until I had finished it.

So, what can I say? If it weren't for this book I don't know if I would have become such a hardcore fan of the fantasy genre. I think it's cute, clever, and a great first time fantasy novel. I will definitely read it again as an adult.

Update: I’ve read it again as an adult (or well into my second childhood, as the lovely commenter said). It holds up beautifully, and I’ve already ordered the second book.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ths is a really lovely story, creating the imaginary world of Luster peopled or should that be beinged by recognizably imaginary creatures such as Unicorns, Dragons, Dwarves and then assorted creations from the imagination of Bruce Coville. These include sinister large eyed nightmares called Delvers, large gorilla/men called Dimblethum and then a monkey-like creature called a Squijim. This latter animal is a bit annoying. He strikes me as the 'amusing ' character that the modern Walt Disney films have a tendency to insert into the action or children's cartoons are festooned with. They are unnecesary and serve no real purpose other than to be 'cutesy poo' (thanks MM)and simply get in the way of the story telling.

That having been said, the main thrust of the story is of Cara, a human girl, who is sent into the land to warn the Unicorns that they are in great danger from the return of the Beloved and her hunters. These are the sworn enemies of the Unicorns as a result of historical interactions. Coville introduces the character of the 'baddie', Beloved, and explains how she came to be so hateful and loathing of the Unicorns. It is a clever and itself logical progression through fear to hate showing how received positions, unsupported by evidence, can still become accepted and entrenched. Cara, possessing one of the five amulets of the Queen of the Unicorns, is given the role of returning this amulet to the Monarch which can act as a gateway into Luster and therefore is a dangerous tool for her enemies. This journey accounts for the story.

The descriptions of the places she visits and the creatures with whom she visits are imaginative and original. The incorporation of myth and legend are weaved beautifully into the story to the extent that i am not totally certain where ancient myth and Coville imagination begin and end. The Dragon, perfectly named as Lady Firethroat, protects herself by the enchantment of her heart kept safe in a golden casket, Three drops of her hot blood dropped in a jewelled chalice shares her gift of 'the gift of tongues, of knowledge of the languages of all creatures', the unicorn's horn heals physical ills and wounds and involves the unicorn giving of him/herself in the act. He/She can heal physical wounds but not spiritual ones. These, Coville is saying, are deeper and involve more than just patching or tending, they need to be uncovered, faced and understood.

There is a wisdom in these stories because they speak of heroism and sacrifice, alliance and friendship, fear and predjudice. Once again i could see how an interested teacher or even parent could use these stories in reflection or discussion about what we are called to be ourselves.

He describes simply but emotively

'She was small and slender, as luminous as a rainbow, as fragile as a promise. You could see through her, as if you were seeing tomorrow'

'His huge paw rested against her cheek, it lay as delicately as a butterfly'

'That piece of horn was now lodged in her heart, which was doomed to be forever wounded, forever healing, both in the same instant'.

Lovely first volume of an enthralling series. Had i known about this when my first nephews and nieces were children I would definitely have given them this story. As it is the younger ones and my great nephews may well get them in a few years.

[Josiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I think of the many juvenile series Bruce Coville wrote, I'm impressed by the sheer variety. My Teacher Is an Alien and Space Brat are both science fiction series; Goblins in the Castle and Moongobble and Me are high fantasy; The Enchanted Files is comedy, Nina Tanleven and Chamber of Horrors are both paranormal, and "Bruce Coville's Book Of..." series are anthologies of short horror stories by other authors, edited together by Coville. Those are just a sampling of his numerous series. Bruce Coville knows how to write many genres, but Into the Land of the Unicorns, book one of the Unicorn Chronicles, is the kind of fantasy he loved in his own childhood. The saga begins as young Cara and her grandmother, Ivy Morris, are exiting the library. When Grandmother Morris sees a man following, she hurries Cara away and they duck into St. Christopher's Church. With fear in her eyes, Grandmother Morris removes her special amulet and hands it to Cara, instructing her to go to the church's highest point, repeat an incantation, and leap from the parapet. It sounds like suicide, but Grandmother Morris wouldn't direct Cara to harm herself, right? Cara dashes off while her grandmother stays to distract the man chasing them. By an act of pure faith Cara takes the rooftop leap...and is translated into a dazzling fantasy world.

Silvery trees and wide, whispering rivers enchant Cara's senses from the moment she softly lands. Worried sick for Grandmother Morris, other concerns soon demand Cara's attention as she discovers that not everything in this fantasy realm is benevolent. A stubby humanoid animal attempts to steal the amulet that brought Cara here, and tries to drown her in a river when she resists, but Cara is rescued by a bearlike creature called the Dimblethum. Scruffy in appearance and gruff in personality, the Dimblethum cannot speak to Cara in her language, but before long someone arrives who can: Lightfoot, a unicorn of almost impossible beauty. In early childhood Cara once believed she encountered a unicorn while seriously ill, but the years faded the impression and she grew to accept that unicorns were mythological. By resting her hand on Lightfoot Cara can communicate with him telepathically, and the horned animal informs her that her passage into the world of Luster heralds grave danger for the realm. To escape human Hunters, unicorns crossed over to Luster countless generations ago, but the seal between Earth and Luster is now breached. Cara must accompany Lightfoot on a journey to Summerhaven to consult the Unicorn Queen, Arabella Skydancer, so a plan can be formed to address the crisis. Making it through the Forest of the Queen, however, will not be easy.

"But lies have a life of their own and are harder to kill than either men or unicorns."

—Grimwold, Into the Land of the Unicorns, P. 110

Accompanied by the scowling Dimblethum and a hyper, squirrel-like animal known as the Squijum, Cara and Lightfoot embark on the quest. Lightfoot has no proof that Hunters have penetrated Luster yet, but violent animals called delvers stalk our heroes every step of the way, obsessed with stealing Grandmother Morris's amulet. Their motive gradually becomes apparent, but Lightfoot and the Dimblethum are strong enough to fend off the delvers as long as they attack in small groups. When evidence emerges that Hunters are in Luster, Lightfoot increases the pace of the journey to Summerhaven, risking the wrath of Firethroat the dragon by traveling through her territory. If they reach Arabella Skydancer before Hunters overrun Luster, there may be a way to separate the worlds again, but Cara senses before that happens there will be a showdown with one particular Hunter, the man from St. Christopher's Church. He is key to completing the journey to see the Queen, and may be the crucial piece in the puzzle of Cara's own identity.

"There's lots of kinds of chains...You can't see most of them, the ones that bind folks together. But people build them, link by link. Sometimes the links are weak...That's another funny thing, now that I think of it. Sometimes when you mend a chain, the place where you fix it is strongest of all."

—Thomas the Tinker, Into the Land of the Unicorns, P. 90

"Chains...They bind us, whether we want them to or not. But a heart without chains would have nothing to hold it, might simply blow away."

—Thomas, P. 158

Bruce Coville writes with easy flow and and command of character. The fantasy is gentle as gossamer, but there needed to be more for Into the Land of the Unicorns to qualify as excellent: more adventure, peril, surprises, wisdom, conflict, adversity, and emotion. The book feels like an introduction piece for the series rather than a satisfying story in its own right; as a result, I'm docking it part of a rating star. I'd still consider giving two and a half stars, and I'm intrigued to see where the odyssey goes from here. Bruce Coville is a skilled designer of narrative—I always liked his My Teacher Is an Alien series—and I don't doubt his ability to improve on the Unicorn Chronicles in episode two, Song of the Wanderer. I have high hopes.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let's step in to the Wayback Machine for this one. 1994! Bruce Coville was very in at the time, at least in my circles. You know, the ones featuring nine-year olds. We all coveted those books that implied our teachers were aliens, or whatever. But Coville didn't just do wacky, humorous sff, he could also do straight epic fantasy. Enter this book, which I read approximately ten thousand times (though I settled on marking that as 10 in Goodreads). Twelve year old Cara is pulled into a magical world called Luster after she and her grandmother are pursued by a man into an old church. Her grandmother frantically hands her an amulet and tells her to protect it at all costs. She also tells Cara to find "The Old One" and tell her "The Wanderer is weary." She then makes Cara jump out of the window, where she falls into the other world.

So Cara finds herself in Luster, with unicorns, dragons, dwarfs, the occasional stray human who is allowed to stay, goblin-like creatures called delvers, and two beings who call themselves The Dimblethum and The Squijum, who very may well be the only members of their species, and Cara wants to know how that would work, but she doesn't think about it too hard because she is soon pursued by many who want her grandmother's amulet for themselves. Her adventures in Luster make it clear that her family history, and the history of the Earth (not to mention Luster) is very different than she thought, and that there is magic in the world, and those who want nothing more than to enact centuries long vengeance on unicorns, and wipe them from existence.

I'm genuinely surprised that 2008 Ashley rated this book only four stars, with how much it featured in my reading life as a kid, and how much I loved it and re-read it over and over. I came here intending to uphold my five-star rating out of sheer nostalgia, but found only four. I will let that stand! But I will also have you know, nine-year old Ashley would have rated this six stars.

I had that weird experience reading this that only happens with books you read and loved as a child and haven't revisited in decades, where I was able to view the events through my childhood self's perception and remember why and how much I loved it, and at the same time, I was able to read it with my adult knowledge of the fantasy genre, which wasn't as impressed with the book and its tropes. I could see A LOT of things in here that, while used to great effect and with good execution, I've now read in many other fantasy books, and understand they are not as original and mindblowing as my childhood self thought them. Also, with this young of middle-grade, there's always that problem that the book just isn't long enough. My childhood brain was able to extrapolate a lot of things and fill in the blanks, whereas my adult self just wanted more.

Luckily, there are three more books! Which I somehow never read, ever, despite this being one of my favorite books. I guess I just never ran across them in the library, and the Scholastic Book Fair didn't carry them? Otherwise I would have been all over it. In retrospect, I am even more mind-boggled that I never continued, because this book more than anything acts as a prologue to the other books, all three of which are much bigger than this one and its 159 pages, and cliffhanger ending.

I think I'm going to hold off on forming judgments of the bad guys—the Hunters, and their leader, whose name is Beloved (creepy)—until I see how they're developed in the rest of the series. My younger self didn't need any more development than what's here, and which I thought was incredibly dark and cool, but adult Ashley needs to see how it all turns out.

Reading book two tomorrow. I have book three (took me several years to track down used copies of books two and three) but I still need book four, so I'll probably pair up three and four and read them later this year.

EVERYBODY CROSS YOUR FINGERS FOR A GOOD ENDING. I'm using all caps to mollify my nine-year old self, who still can't believe I only rated this book four stars.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I think I enjoyed it more the further into it I got because I began to realize the scope of the book. Also, because it’s a series, I wasn’t sure how much of the book would be self-contained vs. continuous.
I adored the way the “fantasy world” and how Coville described the various landscapes. Ditto for the creatures of the fantasy world! From both known fantastical creatures (like unicorns) to some new (at least, I’ve never heard of them before), delightful creatures! I felt as though each character had a distinct personality – even if it took me a little bit to figure them out. And I felt invested in them all, which is a good feat for the book being only 150 pages.
That’s really my only reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. There’s really nothing wrong with the book that I can find to warrant only 4 stars – but for me, I’m used to more in-depth books with great detail to the plots. This was the only thing I wanted more of; I felt there was enough plot and character back-story that the book could have been expanded and delved into further. Though, perhaps that wasn’t the author’s intent – or it wasn’t the intent of this book since it’s a series.
However, I would think this a great book to start out for younger readers. And it’s a delightful treat for those of us who adore fantasy books to read between tomes!

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars for grown-ups, but four stars if you're 12 or younger.

I got this book from the library to read with my six-year-old because I was a huge unicorn fan when I was a kid. I would have adored this book at her age; at the ripe old age of 30-something, though, it was a tough slog.

Shy, misunderstood Cara has lived most of her life with her mysterious, somewhat distant grandmother, Ivy Morris. When she senses that they are in danger, Ivy whisks them away to a church for safety and gives Cara a magic amulet. When Cara uses it, she is transported to Luster, the land of the unicorns.

Coville's writing, as well as his mythology, are mediocre at best and eye-rolling at worst. It was difficult for me to say names like Arabella Skydancer with a straight face, and don't get me started on the hugely annoying "comic relief" character, the Squijum, Coville's version of Jar-Jar Binks. (My daughter loved him, though.)

Cara is an okay heroine, but she spends a lot of the story in fear, wonder, or tears (and sometimes all three).

There are plenty of wonderful children's novels out there. For the amount of time it takes to read a book of this length aloud, I wish we had chosen something different.

[Brigid ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the book of my childhood! I was absolutely obsessed with it in third grade. Looking back at it, I realize that it was probably a pretty corny book, but I can't let go of my fondness for it. Preteen kids who enjoy fantasy should definitely read this one.

[Leah Rachel von Essen · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 Reread:

The last time I read Into the Land of the Unicorns was likely some time in elementary school. This book sparked my first novel, a scattering of notebook pages in 2nd grade that loosely stole elements from Coville's world, and that would evolve into an often-rewritten novel that I still plan to return to someday.

So I was nervous, truly, about rereading it, but I shouldn't have been. It's just a gorgeous classic fantasy middle-grade, in which a young girl is transported by her grandmother's amulet into a world of unicorns, pursued by a man who means the world of Luster harm. This book is the earliest I remember that I fell in love with, that made me fall in love with fantasy and all its charms. I loved revisiting it and remembering what I'd forgotten—the Dimblethum, the dragon, the Chronicles, and all of the small tropes and songs that I've carried with me in all my reading and writing that I forgot had their origins here.

.

Old review:

This is one of those books that helped form my concept of classic fantasy and of magical worlds. I now remember very little about it, but this book is why I loved unicorns so much, and why my first-ever novel (written and rewritten from 2nd to 8th grade and still in the back of my head, just waiting for something to restart and electrify it) starred unicorns.

[Hann Palstring (Farmer)]

I READ THIS LIKE A SUPER LONG TIME AGO WHEN I WAS 10 AND I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING EXCEPT I LOVED IT

[Rachel Bea · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't 100% into the audiobook style and found it a bit jarring to go from the narrator (Coville) to the dialogue voices. I think once Cara crossed over into the Luster though, the style smoothed out and it was pleasant to listen to. The story was a bit darker than I was expecting, but I think the message that family is not always your blood relatives is an important one. My favorite part might have been when we learned why unicorns had to escape to another world. Overall this had a charm to it and I'd like to read the next in the series.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allow me to reminisce on the topic of Skydancers for a moment. On a beautiful spring day, anywhere from 10 to 15 years ago, my sister and I were playing outside on the terrace. We were delighted because we had recently been given a Sky Dancer each as a present (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETCLxx...). After playing with them inside, where they could only fly so high before crashing into the ceiling or a wall, we took them outside. My sister and I couldn't get them to work quite right but we were having fun trying to figure it out. My dad, mightily confident in his own Sky Dancer flying abilities, stepped onto the terrace, took my Sky Dancer from me and declared "This is how you do it right." He balanced the Sky Dancer on her pedestal, grasped the pull ring, and launched the Sky Dancer several feet in the air. The Dancer hovered... and on her way gracefully to the ground, landed unceremoniously into the leaf- and muck-filled gutter on the roof. My sister and I were stunned into an angry silence, which was broken by my dad's laughter and effusive apologies. To this day, any mention of Sky Dancers sends everyone in the family into peals of hysterical laughter.

Playing with Sky Dancers and reading this book (not at the same time) are two of my stronger childhood memories. I remember reading this book and wishing that there was a sequel (which there would be several years later). I must have read this book half a dozen times. And then I forgot about it completely, until a few months ago when my sister and I changed our topic of conversation from African warlords to unicorns and I vaguely remembered an amazing book with marvelous unicorn characters. After a bit of research, we found it. The book is just as wonderful as I remember it, but I did have to tell myself to slow down in reading it because I was so anxious to reconnect with the story. This time, I plan on reading the entire series!

[Jana Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

We picked up this book to read to my 7-year-old daughter and it was really adorable for her age.

The point of view character is a girl around 10-11 years old. Later in the series we're told she's 12, but this book starts earlier and I don't know if there's a birthday involved.

This is a short portal fantasy that tells the tale of Cara, a girl who has been raised by her grandmother. One night they are pursued by mysterious hunters and her grandmother gives her an amulet and a magical phrase and Cara finds herself leaving Earth and entering Luster the land of the Unicorns long driven from Earth.

There are some adorable characters in this book and a lot of set up for what's to come. While there is a complete story arc here, it kind of ends with a lot of questions and not all of the answers are satisfying. But it was a great read aloud book that appealed to our younger audience.

[Allie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book! From the beginning to the end. I wish I could go back in time and read this when I was younger. *Sigh*
Very much looking forward to the rest of these books!

[Lady Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.9 / 5

Lifeless. And quick.

Those are not the words any author wants to have applied to their book, I'm sure, and especially not if their book is intended for children--but alas, that is my verdict.

Going through my long to-read list, I'm trying to mix up genres a bit, and so I came across this book, which I shelved a few years ago. As it started off, I was quite engaged with what was happening, though I did get a sense that things were moving a little quickly. Meh, I figured we'd get more details and be allowed to slow down and savour the moment of things once we were in Luster instead of boring old Earth.

Unfortunately, tis not the case.

Much like Labyrinth (the movie, which I've seen other reviews compare this book to), what we get is a lot of different adventures and collecting a cast of characters as the main heroine goes through this strange world with a quest in mind, but the problem is that everything happens so quickly and we don't really linger over any of the details of what she goes through, what she sees, or how she feels as a result. It's just...flat. And where Labyrinth worked because we had the ever-gorgeous David Bowie as the Goblin King, Jareth, here we don't have a hot male lead, so...we're missing that.



I liked the cast of characters fine and I liked Cara fine, but that's the most I can say for them because I didn't really get to know any of them. Granted, maybe since this is a book intended for children the details aren't as important and I might have liked it more if I was younger, but...still, I don't know. Even as a child, I liked knowing everything and being able to visualize everything, so I'm really feeling the lack of that connection to the characters and, consequently, the story.

In terms of ideas, there's a lot of good stuff here, but it just isn't fleshed out and therefore lacks that essential "spark" of life to it. Hence, my term of "lifeless". My reaction upon reading everything, including the interesting exposition-backstory of the creation of Luster (which to me was the most interesting part of the book, actually), was pretty much as follows:







See how that's really not the right reaction that you want readers to go for?

I've checked and noticed that all of the rest of the books of this series have a greater word count and therefore presumably give more to this idea and this world, but in all honestly I think that maybe I'm past the age of having patience to discover it all. I'll stick with Narnia, please and thank you.

Overall, moderate at best. 3/5 stars of neutral.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was magical, comforting, and just what I needed. Thank you viva. I love the bear dude he’s so nice.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good children’s book, what else is there to say? I specifically remember liking it more as it went on, so we shall see.

3.3 🌟

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not a huge fan of dragons and unicorns, but my grandson's teacher was reading the book to the class, and I got tired of not knowing how it would end so I picked it up at my library and read it. I'd recommend it to fantasy fans, but it really wasn't my cup of tea.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember being enamored of this as a kid - well, I was 15 when it came out (and I'm 43 now, so that WAS almost 30 years ago). I am rereading it this year (2023) after a recommendation from my friend Mel Leigh. I believe I read the first two books originally, but with such a big gap in publishing I never read books 3 or 4; when I discovered they existed (in all their hugeness) a few years ago, I wanted to finish the series but never got around to it.

Now I'm making it a reading goal for 2023, and I've just finished book 1.

I have to say, I know I really liked this book but I had little recollection of the details, characters or plot. It's a great kid fantasy story with lots of interesting twists and turns, and I'm looking forward to book 2.

------------------------------
FIRST REVIEW:
Bruce Coville sucked me right in - I was a huge unicorn fan when I was a little girl, and even now I'm fairly likely to pick up a book with one on the cover! It's a cute book that most definitely will appeal to unicorn fans young or old. :)

[Lilly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read it when I was in elementary school. In 6th grade, I found it in the school library's recycling bin and promptly stole it (it was going to be thrown out anyway, and was still in good condition). I've read it at least 10 times. Loved it from the very first. I re-read it last year, expecting it to be boring and too young for my tastes (it followed a novel five times its size), but it still had me laughing 'til I cried. The characters are wonderful. I have to make my friend read it because he behaves very much like Lightfoot. I could almost hear him say the lines. I've always loved Coville. His collection The Unicorn Treasury is interesting as well. If I recall correctly, it includes an excerpt from this. Anyone know (specifically) what the other two books in the series are called? I've never quite been able to find them.

[Christie Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember being absolutely obsessed with this book (and the next!) when I was in elementary school. Growing up, I moved on to other books, but felt a desire to revisit the series. But I could only remember the words Unicorn Chronicles. I couldn’t remember the author or the titles of the books. I remember typing Unicorn Chronicles into those clunky old library computers and nothing coming up. I despaired of ever finding these books again. A few months ago I decided to try typing in Unicorn Chronicles into Goodreads.... and I found this series again!!! After 1.5 decades of searching!!! And to my delight, the author has written a total of 4 books in the series!

Reading the book, I found myself remembering little details that had made their indelible mark on my awed young mind. I remember the cart that folds into the size of a wallet, the door that blends in with the side of a grassy hill, and the dragon blood that gives the gift of tongues. I remember being creeped out by a woman forever alive and in pain, bent on revenge.

I can’t wait to read the next 3 books!

[Katrina O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the book that got me into reading. It was so good and I loved it so much. I still remember what it felt like to get so involved with the characters, and to feel as if I could go along on the journey with them. It's fantastic for young readers (and adult readers too, although it's more directed to a younger audience). It will always be special to me :)

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun adventure! If I had read this as a child, it likely would have my an instant favorite. Now in my 30s, I still thought it was engaging, exciting, and set in a fantastic world. I also loved the full cast audiobook!

[Nebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

this really just ends randomly as soon as they reach the queen but this is PEAK 11 year old unicorn book let's hecking GOOoOOoOOoOOOOO

[Carrie (brightbeautifulthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before there was Harry Potter, the cornerstones of my childhood fantasy worlds were Bruce Coville, Eva Ibbotson, and Diane Duane. I loved Coville’s Magic Shop books, but it’s possible I loved The Unicorn Chronicles even more. A book-loving, redheaded heroine who falls into a world of unicorns was almost guaranteed to find a place among my favorites. My library only ever had the first two books (despite how often I checked), and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized the series ended at four. Tracking them all down merits a reread from the beginning, and I’m so excited to finally see how this story ends.

When Cara and her grandmother are chased into a church by a dangerous stranger, Cara takes a leap of faith that lands her in Luster, the world of the unicorns. There, she meets Lightfoot, a young unicorn, and a handful of strange and wonderful friends that will help her find the Old One and deliver a message from her grandmother. However, they’re pursued by a number of foes, one in particular who would see the end of all unicorns forever.

My younger self didn’t always get it right (nor does the older version), but Into the Land of the Unicorns is an exquisite start to a very promising series. The first chapter takes off immediately with a threat, a chase scene, and a breathtaking jump, and it nicely balances action with character and world-building throughout the novel. Coville’s Luster is imaginative and beautifully described without being overwhelming, and it’s full of fairytale creatures that are at once familiar and unique. The unicorn lore is particularly well-developed and pulled from older mythology, which gives the story a timeless and realistic quality. While everything is magical, its limits are also clearly defined, and I’m excited to see more of this world as the series unfolds.

The characters are excellent, beginning with Cara. Book lovers will find it easy to identify with her, but she’s also brave and kind. If she starts off a little too eager to please (as many female characters are prone to), I feel like the novel sets that right by the end; she’s not as compliant as she first appears, and like all great heroes, she can be counted on to do the right thing. The rest of the characters are equally well-drawn. Making Lightfoot a teenager (in unicorn years) is a clever choice because he’s more willful and rebellious than wise or all-knowing, which makes him an effective complement to Cara. The Dimblethum is fierce and protective, the Squijim clever and comic, and Thomas capable and philosophical. Together, they make for a wonderful ensemble cast with their own distinct, original voices. I can hear them so clearly in my head that at times I wanted to read out loud, and I suspect it would make a very good book for that.

What really sets this book apart is that its villains are just as well-rounded as its heroes. I remember being terrified by Beloved, a character who stayed with me for well over a decade, and her origin story is still quite effective. Coville balances a number of themes–loyalty to family, freedom v. slavery, and the impending genocide of unicorns–without any trouble, but he also doesn’t delve too deeply into any of them in this first novel. Mostly, the issues are resolved because good characters are in place to make those choices and doing bad doesn’t even occur to them. The ending is tense and satisfying, though the epilogue-like chapter feels a little rushed. It’s wide-open for the next book, and I doubt I’ll be able to wait long before picking it up. Highly recommended for young and old readers alike.

I review regularly at brightbeautifulthings.tumblr.com.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bruce Coville is one of the best fantasy writers out there. Because he tends to write toward the younger market, many adults aren't familiar with him, which is a shame.

I first read this many years ago, when I was reading children's books at a tremendous rate. It's possible that this was one of the first Coville books I read. I immediately became enchanted by the book and by Coville's work, which I have sought out on a regular basis.

This book came off the shelf again the other day as I was looking for something to read aloud to my boys (ages 10 & 12) at bedtime. Although both will read on their own, they enjoy having me read to them. I chose this book because I knew they weren't likely to read it on their own (unicorns and a female protagonist made this seem a little too 'girly' for them). They absolutely loved it!

It was hard to stop at night, because both boys would want 'just one more chapter'.

Coville does a good job here by making the unicorns male, to balance the fact that the main human character is female. Throw in a creature that resembles a half man, half bear; a Disney-ish squirrel-like creature called a Squijum; a dwarf, a dragon, and a whole glory of unicorns, and you have one of the most unique fantasy stories around.

The book is a quick and easy read, and we're already well in to book #2.

[Jenni Sauer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only finished this book because it was chosen for a book club, otherwise I never would have made it past the first chapter; this is one of the worst books I have ever read...

The main character was so blindly trusting and the only reason was because the author knew that the characters she trusted were good. Inside the story there was no reason for her to trust any of them.

The grandmother, who Cara loves and trusts completely, was kind of crazy and not in the lovable way. In the dangerous way. Cara's relationship with her felt unhealthy and it frankly scared me a quite a bit.

The villain is never truly present and clear in the story, feeling more like an afterthought on the outskirts of the plot. And when he does show up at the end, while many of his motives were still unclear to me, they made more sense than the others and I found myself on his side. And I honestly don't understand why Cara didn't too.

The entire backstory with Beloved still makes no sense to me and is thin motive at best. I laughed my way through that whole part.

Honestly, the only redeeming part of the book was Thomas the Tinker (THOMAS

[b.andherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 10 years after the first time, and just as fun, magical, and slightly scary as I remembered. Coville doesn't write down for his audience, and as an adult I was so happy to see the expansive vocabulary and slightly scary (drinking DRAGON'S BLOOD!! Horns piercing chests!!) elements.

I don't remember if I read the other books in this series as a kid, but I will definitely try and find them now.

My BFF and I were just talking about this - and I TOTALLY OWN IT!!!! YASSSS!

[Emma's In Stock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still as good as I remember it