The Unicorn Chronicles


The Unicorn Chronicles consists of four young adult fantasy novels by Bruce Coville about the fantasy world of Luster that lies parallel to our own. Within this realm exist all sorts of fantastical and mythological beasts, from the familiar unicorn to the strange, squirrel-like creature known as the Squijum. Cara Hunter is sent to Luster via a magical amulet, given to her by her grandmother, Ivy Morris. She is asked to tell the Queen of the Unicorns that "The Wanderer is weary," and must set out in search of the Queen. Along her travels, she befriends the world's inhabitants, such as Lightfoot, a young unicorn prince, M'Gama, a Geomancer who draws magical power from the earth, and the Dimblethum, a bearlike creature, among many others.

Novels

The first book, Into the Land of the Unicorns, introduces Cara as the main character. Ivy sends Cara into the parallel universe 'Luster', where she must find the unicorns' Queen, Arabella Skydancer, and give her a message sent by Ivy.
The second book, Song of the Wanderer, is about Cara's return to Earth to fetch her grandmother; however, while searching for Ivy, she encounters Beloved, a diabolical ancestress of hers, who is determined to enter Luster and destroy the unicorns.
The third book, Dark Whispers, follows both Cara and her father as they embark on separate missions. Cara is on the hunt to uncover a story removed from the Chronicles, one that has the potential to shed light on the enmity between the unicorns and the vicious race of creatures known as the delvers. Meanwhile, Ian Hunter, Cara's father, seeks a way into the Rainbow Prison in order to free the spirit of his lost wife Martha, in the red shaft.
The fourth and final installation in the Unicorn Chronicles series, The Last Hunt, opens on Luster's hour of need. Beloved's plans to destroy Luster are coming to fruition, and it will require Cara, her entire family, her dearest friends, and all of Luster's inhabitants, to put an end to centuries-long war between Beloved and her descendants once and for all.
There are also a few short stories set in the mystical world of the Unicorn Chronicles. One is told from the perspective of Cara's grandmother during her childhood in Coville's anthology, A Glory of Unicorns.
Also available are The Boy With Silver Eyes, following the story of Nils, whose father was a Hunter and who forced Nils to do something terrible that changed his life thereafter, and Guardian of Memory, in which Grimwold, keeper of the Unicorn Chronicles, is summoned to tell an important tale as part of a ceremony that occurs once every 25 years. It is the story of Alma Leonetti, and her quest to discover why something sweet and precious has disappeared from old Earth.

Characters

Into the Land of the Unicorns

Most characters of the first book reappear in the subsequent books. Others are listed here:
The majority of characters reappear in the third book, and some new are introduced. All play a prominent part in the fourth.
Near the end of Dark Whispers her spirit is finally found by her husband and his traveling companions Rajiv and Fallan. At Rajiv's touch, she awakened and was frightened at her extraordinary predicament. Fortunately, her spirit was released from the Prison and returned to body by Lightfoot's healing abilities.

Luster

Luster, the Land of the Unicorns, is a parallel universe linked to Earth by seven portals, called Gates. According to the story's premise, the Gates are controlled by five amulets, known as the Queen's Five, made of gold, crystal, and unicorn hair. These amulets carry the bearer, upon utterance of necessary incantations, between worlds. Luster itself is said to have been created by the being called Elihu, against the will of those more divine than himself. At its center stands an immense tree, identified as its Axis Mundi, whose roots are believed to extend as far as does Luster itself. This Axis Mundi is damaged by Beloved's entry into Luster, and is later mended after the Hunters' defeat.
The unicorns' sociopolitical court meets at four distinct places located on the four corners of a continent. Each is inhabited during a particular season of the year; the four are called Springdale, Summerhaven, Autumngrove, and Winterkeep.
Like Earth, Luster has constellations. The Ravager, the Queen, the Guardian, and the Snake are the only ones mentioned. The Ravager constellation is connected to Beloved, who uses it as a means of influencing Cara.
Seven dragons live in Luster: Firethroat, Graumag, Fah-Leing, Redrage, Ebillan, Master Bloodtongue, and Bronzeclaw. These were the last seven dragons on Earth, who fled to Luster when they were unable to remain. Other members of their race live in yet another parallel universe, possibly the same universe glimpsed in Coville's novel Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, by the presence in both storylines of the wizard Bellenmore and his apprentice Aaron.
Between Luster and Earth, and presumably between other worlds, lies a realm of light in all the colors of the visible spectrum. Because this realm is sometimes used as a place of exiles, it is called the Rainbow Prison. It is accessible by means of certain jewels corresponding in color to individual 'shafts' of the Prison.