The Unicorn Chronicles
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The Unicorn Chronicles consists of two printed and two working young adult fantasy novels (as of 2007) created by Bruce Coville.
The first book, Into the Land of the Unicorns, introduces the main character, Cara Hunter, and her grandmother, Ivy Morris. Ivy sends Cara into the world of Luster, by way of an amulet, where she must find the Old One, Queen Arabella Skydancer, and give her a message sent by Ivy.
The second book, Song of the Wanderer, is about Cara's journey back to Earth to fetch her grandmother back to Luster. Upon arriving back on Earth, she encounters Beloved, who is determined to have Cara's amulet that transports her between the two worlds.
The third book, Dark Whispers, will be published in August 2008. A fourth book, The Last Hunt, is partially complete.
There is also a short story told from the perspective of Cara's grandmother during her childhood in Coville's anthology, A Glory of Unicorns.
Contents |
[edit] Characters
[edit] Into the land of the unicorns
- Cara Hunter: The young female main character. She is sent into Luster by way of her grandmother's amulet to tell the Queen of the Unicorns that "The Wanderer is weary."
- Ivy Morris: Cara's grandmother. She is the Wanderer that sends Cara to Luster.
- Lightfoot: The first unicorn that Cara meets once arriving in Luster. The two become great friends.
- Ian Hunter: Cara's father that serves Beloved in hunting the unicorns to extinction.
- Arabella Skydancer: Also known as the Queen and the Old One. She is the ancient unicorn queen to whom the message of "The Wanderer is weary" must be told.
- Beloved: Cara's many great-grandmother who is set against the unicorns because they killed her father. She is ancient and lives in an ever-healing, ever-pained existence caused by the tip of a unicorn's horn that broke off in her chest when she was young. She is also the main antagonist of the stories.
- Dimblethum: A part man, part bear that rescues Cara when she first lands in Luster.
- Squijum: The hyperactive "squirrel-like" animal that is more like a lovable pet.
- Firethroat: The dragon that was being controlled by Cara's father. She gives Cara the gift of tongues for helping Firethroat get her heart back.
- Thomas the Tinker: A tinker who teams up with Cara and helps fix small things and helps in other ways. He carries with him an array of pocket watches that serve a mysterious purpose.
- Grimwold: The Keeper of the Unicorn Chronicles. He writes down all the stories of Luster. He offers stories and help to the traveling group.
- Delvers: Little creatures that dig and are a nuisance to Cara and her companions. They are also after the amulet and may be working somehow with Beloved.
[edit] Song of the Wanderer
Many of the characters from the first book reappear in the second book.
- Ebillan: The fiery, surly dragon that lives in the cave that Cara and her party must pass through to get back to Earth.
- Moonheart: The Queen's grandson and Lightfoot's uncle. He is the leader of the small group that assists in taking Cara back to Earth to retrieve the Wanderer. He is the epitome of responsibility.
- Finder: One of the party taking Cara back home. He is the quieter one that knows a lot because he explores the landscape.
- Medafil: The gryphon that Cara rescues in the forest on her journey. He was promised a kiss by Ivy, so Cara pays the debt herself. He gives Cara a shell that has the "Song of the Wanderer" sung by Ivy and a spherical light that grows or shrinks depending which way you spin it.
- Flickerfoot: The Queen's favorite granddaughter.
- Belle: The third unicorn in charge of helping Cara back to Earth. She specializes in fighting tactics.
- Jaques: One of the Queen's Players who ends up joining the group heading back to Earth. He is possibly Cara's grandfather.
- The Queen's Players: A group of humans in Luster whose job it is to entertain by way of songs, plays, and general tomfoolery.
- M'Gama the Geomancer: A Geomancer (earth mage) who gives Cara an emerald ring and prepares her to travel back to Earth. She tells Cara where the gate to Earth is located.
- Flensa: A dwarf that is M'Gama's right hand woman.
- Bellenmore: The magician that created the world of Luster and perhaps other worlds. He made a way for the dragons and unicorns to get into Luster from Earth.
[edit] The World Of Luster
Luster, the Land of the Unicorns, is a world that is linked to Earth through seven portals, or Gates, that are very difficult to find. In Luster, the Queen of the Unicorns created five amulets, known as the Queen's Five, that are made of gold, crystal and unicorn hair. These amulets carry the bearer, once they utter the incantation of "Luster, bring me home," to the world of Luster. Once in Luster and the amulet wearer desires to go back, they must say, "Luster, let me go."
There are different main places in Luster, such as Summerhaven and Autumngrove, that are the mainstay of the unicorn court; these places change depending on the time of year.
Like Earth, Luster has constellations. The Ravager, the Queen, the Guardian, and the Snake are the only ones mentioned. The Ravager is somehow connected to Beloved, and she makes contact with Cara when Cara concentrates on the Ravager constellation.
There are few humans who live on Luster. There are about enough to "make a medium-sized town." The humans who reside in Luster have different jobs distributed by the Queen of the Unicorns.
There are seven dragons in Luster: Firethroat, Graumag, Fah-Leing, Redrage, Elliban, Master Bloodtongue, and Bronzeclaw. These were the last seven dragons on Earth before it became too dangerous for them to stay. They fled, with the help of Bellenmore the magician, to Luster.
