BAD UNICORN

BAD UNICORN

- Platte Clarke -

It was the cover that drew my attention - a pretty looking unicorn with a scowl on its face crushing bones in its mouth with a squirrel skewered to its horn. So, yes, I judged a book by its cover...and glad I did in this case.

As the title suggests, there is a unicorn that is 'bad'. Princess is her name and destruction is her game. She is very magical and uses that magic for her own evil purposes, which mostly involve eating lesser beings. She has an insatiable appetite for flesh, and is also bent on world domination (what a combo eh?). She is also rude.

Come on, who wouldn't want to read a story like that?

I did find Bad Unicorn in the young adult section of the library, which was actually a good thing for me. I kind of felt like reading a YA book at the time. The thing I like about YA books, especially the fantasy type like this, is the stories tend to be more straightforward. 'Adult' fantasy seem to be over reaching stories about the political situations in made up worlds. Which can make for a richer read, but, at a cost...hundreds of pages, and the need to concentrate. YA fantasy on the other hand usually stick to the one plot. Therefore, hundreds of pages less and not as much concentration (and note taking) required - Bad Unicorn took this approach. Platte did a great job of sticking to the story and not letting his world building get the better of the book. He did create a strange and exciting fantasy world full of magic and dimension, but, gave just enough description for the reader to feel they had a good idea what things looked like (not what neighbour was at war with what neighbour five hundred years ago).

The main story was the classic nerdy kid who inherits a magic thing (in this case a book) and finds himself thrown into a wild adventure well outside his comfort zone. His destiny is to use this book to save the world...will he? I'll let you read the end to find out. And of course, remember that the journey is half the fun, especially when there are quirky characters and a killer unicorn.

RATING : READ