The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle – A Timeless Tale of Magic and Self-Discovery

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle is a classic and beloved fantasy tale published in 1968. The plot involves a unicorn who, upon finding she is the last of her kind, sets out on a journey to discover what happened to the rest of her species.

Along the way, she meets an entertaining cast of characters, including Schemdrick – a wizard with potential, Molly Grue – a lady toughened by a hard life, the depressed King Haggard, his idealistic and heroic son Lir, a sub-par Robin Hood type, a witch, mythical creatures, a giant angry and unstoppable bull, and several others.

I had read the blurb and the ridiculously glowing reviews, but the version I bought also had a foreword by Patrick Rothfuss, which swayed me into giving it a go. This is possibly controversial, but while I think Rothfuss is a superb writer, I wasn’t all that bothered by his books. However, I highly respect his opinion.

The story is pretty fun, but what makes The Last Unicorn are the ideas, the characters, and the prose. The book is an easy read that appeals – apologies for the cliche – to all ages. For younger readers, it is a delightful adventure with a unicorn and her unlikely band of fellow adventurers on a quest. For older readers, it touches on various themes – loss, ambition, mortality, disillusionment, and more.

So, did I enjoy The Last Unicorn?

I did, but not quite as much as others seem to. As I mentioned, it touches on and explores various themes, which were interesting and well done. There is also a sense of adventure and some great characters and scenes. The writing is brilliant, in my humble opinion. And I have a degree in English Language and Literature, so can be a snobby pretentious type given the chance. Consequently, when I say The Last Unicorn is a superb book and a highly recommended read, I mean it.

However, there is a strange melancholy that seems to overlay the story. This is fantasy, but more like a fable or fairytale than something that say, Tolkien or Sanderson would write. And it’s totally at the other end of the fantasy spectrum from Howard or Abercrombie (both of whom I love). This isn’t a bad thing. It just depends on what you like in your fantasy. As I said, I really enjoyed it. Just not as much as Rothfuss and thousands of other five-star reviewers.

To conclude, I loved The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle and am pleased that I randomly came across it. It feels more like a story for kids with deeper themes for adults. Like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but with a better story and more interesting characters. Plus, the writing is great, which is always a bonus when it comes to a book. I enjoy these kinds of stories and my only real negatives are the fact that I prefer a bit more smiting, drinking, womanising, and moral greyness in my fantasy.

The Last Unicorn is great, and I highly recommend it. I also suggest that you check out reviews here through my shiny affiliate link. (This post has affiliate links that cost you nothing). Enjoy.