#skandar and the unicorn thief

[areskid101]

Skandar and the unicorn thief

Ok Guys

Most of you have probably never heard of this series before. 

So I’m going to tell you a little about it. 

In an alternate modern world, unicorns exist on the Island. (And they are ferocious monsters) Skandar Smith has always dreamed of being a unicorn rider, but when a mysterious villain by the name of the Weaver appears to steal the unicorns of bonded riders, it's up to Skandar to save the day.

There are different elements such as fire,water,air and earth.

The characters are really fun to read about and this is really a very fun book to spend your time on.

It’s really cool! So check it out. 

Me. 

[unicorn-names]

The Island - as represented in Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

[debleb]

‼️ATTENTION ALL 3 SKANDAR AND THE UNICORN THIEF GIRLIES‼️

i made a discord server for satuf :3 plz join plz plz join

[horsehoedownshowdown]

[thegirlwiththelantern]

[stilltheblob]

This is Michael “Milo”  and his unicorn Frizzy Menace. He’s an OC of mine from the universe of Skandar and the unicorn theif :) Feel free to ask me questions about them!

[jsalim-art]

So after reading Paolini's To Sleep on a Sea of Stars" which is a doorstopper of a book its time i do some "lighter" reading with a middle grade novel. I saw this book last year on the drugstore bookstore and I thought it looked interesting and it's been a long while since I read a middle grade novel.

[anaja-theratbird]

I never realized how hard it can be to find Black books that aren't about slavery or discrimination until I went looking for a birthday present for my friend.

I recommend Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief. I didn't read all of Tristan and know there are enemies that are shackles, but the story overall is about a boy falling into a fantasy world of African folklore.

The Black character isn't the protagonist in Unicorn, but she's among the best.

[wondereads]

Personal Review (07/10/22)

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A. F. Steadman

Why am I reviewing this book?

This book really piqued my interest. I've always loved children's books, but this one is a little special. Why? This author got a seven-figure deal for this one and was signed for a movie deal before it was released. I really wanted to see if it was that good. Also, the B&N exclusive had sprayed edges, so you know I snatched that up.

Plot 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

A little over a decade ago, an island between Wales and Ireland made itself known to the world. On that island, unicorns exist, but they aren't the cute characters we're familiar with. They're violent and bloodthirsty and can only be controlled by their destined riders or else they go wild. The Island needs more riders, so every year children from the Mainland take an exam to see if they could be a unicorn rider, and this year, it's finally Skandar's turn.

Was the plot fun and engaging? Yes. Was it original? Not really. I would never say I was bored during this book, but it was fairly predictable in almost everything. Each of the unicorns and their riders gets a special element, but Skandar has the ~special, secret fifth element~ that everyone thinks is evil. The emphasis on certain people and their history makes it pretty obvious who the Weaver truly is. Also, I know, I know this is a children's book, but it's hard to suspend my disbelief to the point that I could buy four thirteen-year-olds breaking into a high-security prison. There were a lot of things about the plot and the character's decisions that seemed way too convenient.

The worldbuilding itself was pretty interesting. I liked that, despite the target audience, the unicorns were pretty horrific. However, I do have one nitpicky complaint. They are not unicorns! They are alicorns! They have wings! Know your mythology! Anyways. The spirit element was intriguing, but I hope the later books introduce some limitations to it because right now it seems way too powerful.

The plot wasn't necessarily bad, but it reads very much like a typical, chosen-one, magical school story with really nothing new.

Characters 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

To be honest, the characters in this book were ridiculously flat. The lack of character development is shocking. However, on the other hand, the relationships were very strong, especially between Skandar and Scoundrel's Luck and Skandar and his sister, Kenna.

Let's start with Skandar. He's...nice, but he fits very neatly into the in-over-his-head, perpetually confused protagonist. There wasn't really anything new about him, and he felt more like someone for the audience to watch through rather than a character of his own. I did like his friend group, especially Mitchell. I always tend to enjoy a friendship between people who were originally antagonistic towards each other. However, the friend group's beginning made no sense. Within maybe an hour max of meeting each other, Bobby, Flo, and Mitchell (sort-of) decide to break the law and help Skandar sneak into the training program. Like, I get not wanting to be responsible for the potential imprisonment/death of another kid, but it's really convenient that Skandar just happened to encounter the three kids that will keep his secret.

I did really enjoy the relationship between Skandar and Scoundrel, his unicorn, because it felt like they were genuinely close. Honestly, Scoundrel was the most interesting character for me which certainly says something. I also think the dynamic between Skandar and Kenna as close siblings where one achieves the other's dream, is very interesting with a lot of potential. However, not much was done with it this book.

As for the villain, the Weaver, the motivations were very weird. On one hand, the revenge plot was good and I liked it, but then it somehow turned into world domination which just felt over-dramatic and overplayed.

Writing Style 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

The writing was pretty average. There were good descriptions of the characters and setting. For example, I had a clear idea of what every character looked like within a chapter or two of their introduction. The way the Island and its various locations were described definitely made me want to see it in person. However, there wasn't really anything that particularly stood out to me. This is probably a result of being a college student and reading a middle-grade book, but it did feel a little simplistic at times.

Overall 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10

I think this book will do very well. However, I do not think it lives up to the hype. For a book being promoted as the next Harry Potter/Percy Jackson, I was expecting something pretty groundbreaking, but it feels just like any other middle-grade book. There are just a lot of very typical tropes crammed into this book like the author hoped they could use those to substitute a complex plot. Not that these tropes can't be done well (go read Keeper of the Lost Cities by Shannon Messenger), but it just doesn't do anything new and make the story fall flat in this case. I did enjoy reading this book, and it was definitely a fun, fantasy romp, but it just doesn't live up to the hype whatsoever.

The Author

A. F. Steadman: British, previously worked in law, Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is her debut novel

The Reviewer

My name is Wonderose; I try to post a review every week, and I do themed recommendations every once in a while. I take suggestions! Check out my about me post for more!

[rustandruin]

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

A. F. Steadman

June 20, 2022

Fucking awesome. An engrossing read that sucks you in straight from the beginning. The hype around this book is real and is one of my favourite things I’ve read this year. What an immersive world and a fantastic story. Cannot wait for the next book. It better come out next year.

[areskid101]

Skandar and the unicorn thief incorrect quotes

Flo : We all have our demons.  Mitchel , grabbing Skandar : This one’s mine!

Mitchel : DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT JOKE WAS FUNNY? IT WASNT. NOBODY IS LAUGHING.  Mitchel : *pulls up a graph* THIS IS WHEN YOU TOLD YOUR JOKE, YOU HAVE SONGLE HANDEDLY RUINED COMEDY! IVE ALSO ASKED MANY COMEDY SCHOLARS ON THEIR OPINION OF YOUR JOKE AND THIS IS WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY!  Bobby : I've been researching comedy for the past 20 years, and I have genuinely never seen a joke this bad. We have used quantum physics to look into alternate universes to see every joke made, and yours was still by far the worst.  Mitchel : CONGRATULATIONS! YOUVE SINGLE HANDEDLY CREATED THE WORST JOKE IN HUMAN HISTORY! HERES A MEDAL! *pulls up a horrible ms paint drawn star that says "you need help*

Skandar : Who's in charge here? Bobby, shrugging: Usually whoever yells the loudest.

Skandar : If you water water, it grows.  Mitchel : ...What.  Flo : They've got a point.

[unicorn-names]

Spirit Allied

Spirit wielders are secretive, strong-willed, soul-searchers. They have courage and recklessness running through their veins, just as light and darkness battles in their hearts.

[qualitymoonsuit]

I just finished reading Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, by A.F. Steadman.

[horsehoedownshowdown]

[thegirlwiththelantern]

Skandar has one of the best openings I've read in a long while. The repetition evokes a sense of imminent doom. The paragraphs are short and terse yet the descriptions so palpable.

[stilltheblob]

I finished two books in the past 15 days. A monster calls and Skandar and the unicorn theif :) I enjoyed both of them a lot

feeling quirky might make some fanart later