I received this book in exchange for an honest review - for a full review check out my YouTube or Goodreads account

By way of introductory remarks, let me state I was really rather hyped to get an ARC for the republishing of Peter Beagle’s The Last Unicorn. If you’re another excavator of the genre’s foundations, you’ve probably heard of this book. I’d say it has minor classic status.

Therefore it hurts me to say that my emotions in response to the read are mixed at best and downright negative at worst.

I think the easiest way to do this review is to talk about the two qualities this book possesses that put it on thin ice with me.

The first is I am easily bored by books that are vague about what the characters will be doing next. I like to have that anticipation of what’s coming next. Fool me about what it is – please, fool me, mislead me – but give me something. You can’t fool me or excite me if I’ve no expectations at all. That was the case here. It starts with clarity but for a lot of The Last Unicorn, their path is uncertain and meandering. It is only really in the last third that this changes, which is by some uncanny coincidence when I started thinking I might like the book again.

The second is I dislike settings and stories that give a strong sense of being a certain thing, then undercut it by small degrees here and there. Perhaps ninety per cent of this book gave the air of being a traditional fairy tale setting. There’s just enough magazines and bottle caps and what now to prevent it from being all fairy tale all the time. To me, it is not only distracting but, worse, it smacks of a lack of sincerity. An attempt to provide an ironic detachment to ensure that nobody thinks you’re really serious about what you’ve just done. I have a marked antipathy to that sort of thing. Is that fair to Peter Beagle? I don’t know, but that’s my immediate gut reaction.

As such, The Last Unicorn would have had to be a near perfect book to win me over. It wasn’t. It possessed smooth, polished prose and a good dose of wit and imagination. The conceit of a unicorn wending its way across a semi-enchanted land seeking the truth behind the disappearance of the rest of its kind is a fine one. Some scenes, some reveals, were excellent, particularly in regards to the Red Bull. It has heart too, albeit in a weary and cynical way. I wish it had been stronger in those outlooks, truth told. I think an out and out black comedy would have suited me more than the creeping realisation that Schmendrick is incapable of going ten pages without trotting out some self-aggrandisement and that the unicorn herself is rather self-absorbed.

Which rather tips my hand on the penultimate point of failure. It was a struggle to like the characters. Molly Grue grew on me but the others lacked a certain something.

The ultimate point where it not gelling with my likes was the ultimate part of the book. I could have liked this with a different ending.

Perhaps you’ll like it. The Last Unicorn needs patience and an appreciation of these hurt souls the way they are, and has a lot of fine storytelling for those who do. That wasn’t me though.

Peter S. Beagles The Last Unicorn is a cornerstone of modern fantasy, and as such it is a much imitated book that has rarely been equalled, but never surpassed. Beagle does something with The Last Unicorn which is unique, he creates a fantastical world that is - in its way - as stale and used up as our own, with the Unicorn herself as the only bright spark.
This is what makes The Last Unicorn, for me, a tale that rouse’s far more emotion than most - if not all - tales of its kind. The human characters are just so relatable. They are not the wish fulfilment fantasies of most stories in this genre, in fact they would probably envy your life far more than you might their, if - that was - you had the good fortune to meet The Last Unicorn in their stead.
If you’ve never read this book, then you should. Buy one for yourself, one to read to you child, and then another to five to someone in your life who requires a touch of magic.

Quite simply one of the best fantasy novels ever written. A quest for identity and self-knowledge created more than 40yrs before such things became the social media shouting match they now are. Quirky yet beautifully poetic prose, married to a philosophical and compassionate outlook with plenty of dry humour and heart. And yet it manages to be utterly unsentimental. If there is a list of fantasy novels everyone should read, this must surely figure high upon it. A gorgeous book that is still perfect after all this time.

DNF at 20%.

I've heard so many authors I love raving about their memories of this book, so I was really excited to finally get to read it, but sadly I really couldn't get on with the writing style. I really struggled to stay interested in it and decided not to finish it.

This is a classic I learned and I'm happy I learned about this book because I didn't read it before nor I knew about it (even if I've been reading fantasy for decades.
It's lovely, it's a great story that made me smile and moved. I loved it because it's poetic and entertaining, well plotted and well written.
I'm happy I read it because it's an excellent book.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I have been waiting years - YEARS - to read The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. This 1968 children's story has inspired readers and writers for years - for many it is the reason they fell in love with fantasy books in the first place. Now that it is finally available in the UK, I've read it. And let me tell you, it was worth the wait.

The Last Unicorn is, for me, one of those rare children's books that I know I would have adored as a kid, but still really enjoyed as an adult. Like all good children's books, it is dark and bittersweet, but also gentle and uplifting. The relationship that the unicorn forms with Schmedrick and Molly, and the journey they go on, had so much depth and there is so much lovely subtext, yet still feels like a suitable children's story. And the introduction by Patrick Rothfuss is so incredibly charming and sets the book up really well!

If you've been eager to get your paws on this book, the wait was worth it. This would be a perfect read for a quiet autumn night.

In a magical forest, there lived a unicorn... When she realised she might be the last of her kind, she set off on a challenging quest to find the remaining unicorns.⁠
⁠
The Last Unicorn is a beautiful classic fantasy novel. It has elements of high fantasy and a fairy tale. It might seem a bit old-fashioned, but that should be expected from a book originally published in 1968. It is a fascinating story about a magician, a wicked king, a cursed city, a mysterious monster and a unicorn determined to find the others of its kind. What not to love?

“The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone. She was very old, though she did not know it, and she was no longer the careless color of sea foam, but rather the color of snow falling on a moonlit night. But her eyes were still clear and unwearied, and she still moved like a shadow on the sea.”

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz for a review copy of ‘The Last Unicorn’ by Peter S. Beagle.

I first read ‘The Last Unicorn’ in my late teens and fell in love with it. Since then it has become a modern classic within the fantasy genre. While it has been some years since my last reading, it was wonderful to return. I felt that it retained a sense of wonder and timelessness.

In the story the Unicorn overhears hunters discussing the mystery of the missing unicorns. So she leaves her peaceful wood in order to discover their fate. Yet the outside world is unknown to her and proves dangerous. Along the way she meets various characters including two humans that become her companions, each playing an important role in the quest.

This new edition has an excellent Introduction by Patrick Rothfuss. He opens with a simple statement: “I love this book”. That pretty much sums up my feeling too.

This beautifully written fantasy will undoubtedly be treasured by those readers who likewise love ‘The Last Unicorn’ as well as introduce new readers to this classic tale of magic and wonder.

Highly recommended.

For those who don’t know The Last Unicorn is a much-loved Fantasy story first published in 1968. For lots of legal reasons, it has not been in print here in the UK for decades.

There are lots and lots of people out there who love it. Patrick Rothfuss does, for one. In the new Introduction to this edition, Pat says, “The Last Unicorn is the best book I have ever read. You need to read it. If you’ve already read it, read it again.” In 1987, Locus ranked The Last Unicorn number five among the 33 "All-Time Best Fantasy Novels".

So… I tried. Being a “Child of the 60’s” myself, I thought that this would be right up my street, especially as Pat is SO enthusiastic about it. And Neil Gaiman… and lots of others.

But… no.

The Last Unicorn is one of those books that if you read in the 60’s with additional support of perhaps other recreational assistance, you might like. It’s the sort’ve fantasy that tells of a Fantasy land that is innocent and other-worldly, that made me think of that song about Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul and Mary (and yes, I still love that one.)

But that was it. I could admire the skill, the word-smithery, the point…. But for me it is dated in a book that should be timeless but clearly isn’t.

I know there are fans out there, but as much as I wanted to like it, I couldn’t. I struggled to finish it.
I did try to approach this one with no expectations. I wasn’t expecting a gritty, no-holds barred action adventure, to be fair, but what I got was some twee, weak, limply-told, soggy fantasy with minimal characterisation and cliched actions that seemed to be full of meaning and yet meaningless. Whilst I can see that there are some who will appreciate the ethereal melancholy and innocence that permeates the book, generally I think that this is a product of the 60’s that has not dated well. Clearly, I am an old grump who has lost that sense of childlike innocence.

I think that most of the sales here will be by older readers wanting to know what the fuss is about, or those who have read it and liked it years ago and are wanting to revisit (as Pat suggests.) It may work for them. Whilst I’m always in favour of old books being rediscovered, to show where our genre has been, it doesn’t always mean that they work for everyone.*

Unfortunately, I have a horrible feeling that this will be bought, with the best of intentions, as a gift for someone just starting to read Fantasy, by someone thinking it is a well-liked and respected book. And I’m sure that there will be some who love it. Regrettably, in my opinion a modern young reader will hate it, and never risk Fantasy again, thinking all Fantasy books are like this one.

My advice would be to try it, but be prepared for not liking this one. If you are looking for books that show why fans like Fantasy today, this isn’t it. In my opinion, there are books better. And if you’re a young reader who wants to try ‘old stuff’, don’t try this one first – go to Tolkien’s The Hobbit, or Ursula K LeGuin’s Earthsea books.
Like Pat says, though, perhaps I need to read it again… it just won’t be for a long time. A disappointment.



*I’m reminded here of an old story. When Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick were looking for inspiration for 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kubrick asked Clarke to suggest movies to look at. Clarke suggested one of his favourites, Things to Come (1936), based on an H. G. Wells book. Kubrick’s response after watching it was “Arthur, remind me never to watch one of your recommendations again.”

This is a book that I often heard mentioned, and chose this new edition to read. There is a very enthusiastic introduction from Patrick Rothfuss, and I know it is book that is admired by many fantasy writers.

The story is a fairy tale, but with strange twists. An immortal unicorn lives happily by herself, since unicorns are solitary creatures. But overhearing two hunters she begins to wonder if she is really the last remaining unicorn and she can no longer be content in her enchanted forest. So she sets out on a journey to find the other unicorns, along the way she encounters a wicked witch, a hopeless magician, an outlaw gang living in the woods, a prince with an evil father. But not the stock characters you would expect, and although the unicorn appears to be the protagonist the story is really about how the other characters change because of her.

Initially I did not find the book as remarkable as previous reports have made it, but then I looked at how many passages I had highlighted and how even now I go back and read some of the scenes and I realise it′s a more profound book than appears at first acquaintance.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

“You have all the power you need, if you dare to look for it.”

I feel like I’ve personally failed this book. Hailed as one of the best fantasy books of all time and the unicorn book, this was a highly anticipated read for me.

I spent the first half of the book trying to figure out what I was missing because my mindset was very much one of ‘are we there yet?‘ I put it down for a couple of weeks before trying again. I don’t know whether it was a case of me putting the book down about two pages too early or I wasn’t in the right frame of mind the first time I picked it up but I began to see what all the fuss was about from the moment I met the Red Bull.

While it never made it into the hallowed realm of favourite reads for me, I can see why it has for so many others. There are memorable characters, a quest, heroism, some very quotable moments and, of course, a unicorn, possibly the very last one.

I expect this is the kind of book that embeds itself deeper into your heart the more times you revisit it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gollancz, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

In a magical forest, there lived a unicorn... When she realised she might be the last of her kind, she set off on a challenging quest to find the remaining unicorns.⁠
⁠
The Last Unicorn is a beautiful classic fantasy novel. It has elements of high fantasy and a fairy tale. It might seem a bit old-fashioned, but that should be expected from a book originally published in 1968. It is a fascinating story about a magician, a wicked king, a cursed city, a mysterious monster and a unicorn determined to find the others of its kind. What not to love?

I first read this book as a child and recall just how much I loved it then. Then, upon trying to find a copy a few years ago, I discovered it was out of print here in the UK. Imagine my delight in hearing about this reissue.

The Last Unicorn was first published in 1968. Approaching the book as an adult, I think that Peter S. Beagle’s writing style is very much of its time. That will either appeal to each reader or not. This is not the place to find a detailed plot or vivid characters. Instead, the writing has a fairy tale quality to it and much in common with authors such as TH White and Susan Cooper.

Not quite a book to suit my current reading tastes, but it’s wonderful to see The Last Unicorn back in print, nonetheless.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers, Gollancz, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is my childhood! I loved the film, but I remember it making me cry and terrifying me and feeling all the emotions and this book is like stepping through time and reliving it all! Simply beautiful and heartbreaking!

I so want to like this book, but I am half way through and struggling to finish. The writing feels heavy, pretentious, there's no zip. I will push on through, but right now, it's maybe not the right style for me.

This edition has a great introduction, which is well worth reading (I usually skip them, which is why I mentioned it!)

I first read this book many years ago, as a teenager. I absolutely loved it then, and I loved it even more this time around, with more life experience under my belt.

The writing is beautiful - the words conjure up pictures in the mind, feelings and atmosphere. I won't rehash the plot - you should simply read this book for yourself if you believe in magic (in spite of everything you've seen!)

Once again, like the first time I read the book - I was left wishing with all my heart that unicorns were real, but realising that if they did exist, they would have to hide away for their own safety.

My thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC. All opinions my own.

Upon hearing that she might be the last of her kind in the world, the last unicorn sets out to discover what has happened to her kind and if she is truly the last one.
This is an outstanding fantasy story and should be read by fans of the genre. The whole book has a dream like quality to it enhanced by the prose where almost every page has a quotable line.

I’ve never read The Last Unicorn by Peter S Thank you Orión Publishing Group l, Gollancz and NetGalley for the arc of The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

I’ve never read Beagle’s The Last Unicorn and I was delighted to get a chance to do so…albeit nervously, having read so many positive reviews. I can’t argue it’s an absolutely beautiful story, with enchanting and magical prose and poetry that just pull you in.

The story focuses on a unicorn alone in the world, who hopes to find others of her kind. She leaves her beautiful woodland home and along her quest has adventures including being captured by a witch who exhibits her in a carnival, and meeting others on the road.

This book sets the standard for fantasy that followed and us truly a benchmark for the genre, plus it’s simply a magical story that you need to read!

This one of my all time favourite movies since childhood, and even though I've been reading since I was young, I somehow had never gotten round to this.

So when I seen they were re-releasing I knew I had to get it!, and thank you to NetGalley for the early release copy of the ebook.

This story was so good, and the film was so true to the book. Whole parts and dialogue seemed to be lifted right out, but as always the book added a bit more depth and nuance.

I loved reading this and will likely be getting a physical copy (as just look at that cover) to treasure and read again!