Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

by A.F Steadman

★★★★★

Review

I had heard brilliant things about Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and its potential to be the "next best seller" and couldn't wait to get my hands on it! I was immediately captivated by the magic and adventure of Skandar and his journey to the Eyrie, and couldn't wait for the release of the second in the series, Skandar and the Phantom Rider.

Skandar himself is a very simple character who, besides his desire the become a unicorn rider, has a pretty plain personality and didn't exactly grip me into reading on. It was actually his new friends, Bobby, Flo and (eventually) Mitchell who tempted me into following their adventures, as they are such a mismatched group of friends with their own, strong and unique personalities. I love a story about friendships and raising others up, and I could see that this is exactly what the book was going to provide!

Another reason that I loved this book was because of the unicorns. Now, I am by no means usually a unicorn fan (the fluffy, sparkly kind) and was therefore a little hesitant when I realised that the entire book was based upon these mythical creatures. HOWEVER, Skandar's unicorns are by no means cute and fluffy. They are carnivorous, blood-thirsty and slightly (very) feral unicorns that can only be controlled through their bond to their destined owner. I appreciated how each unicorn had their own personality and were able to bring some humour into the storyline.

I have seen lots of mixed review about Skandar and the Unicorn Thief and I appreciate everyone's point of view, however for me, this was a thrilling, action-packed read that got me reading outside my comfort zone!

Dive Deeper

Key Information

Author: A.F Steadman

Illustrator: Two Dots Illustration

Release Date: 2nd February 2023

Book type: Chapter, 384 pages, paperback

Reader level: Confident reader/ Content (8+)

Series: 1 of 3 (4th due October 2024)

Overview

Skandar Smith is a young boy who has always dreamed of leaving the Mainland to become a unicorn rider. Alongside his sister Kenna and his Dad, Skandar has devoted his young life to watching the battles between famous unicorn riders which is televised every year. On the day of his 13th birthday, Skandar is beyond excited to take his Hatchery exam and is confident that he is destined to bond with his very own unicorn in the Eyrie.

However on the day of the exam, things go take a devastating turn and Skandar's dreams fall apart right in front of him. Is he too destined to remain on the Mainland to live an ordinary life like his sister? With his future in pieces, Skandar returns home to find a mysterious figure waiting for him with an important message. Skandar must travel to their Eyrie immediately, but nobody must know who he is or how he arrived on the island.

After arriving on the island, Skandar finds himself in his dream world, full of elemental training, sky battles and his very own bonded unicorn. But something's wrong... Skandar isn't like the others on the island. In fact, he really shouldn't be there at all and could be putting both himself and his family at risk if his secret is uncovered. Alongside his new friends, Skandar must keep his secret hidden while battling against the darkness that continues to grow across the island.

Content Warning

As mentioned above, the unicorns are bloody thirsty and love to munch on other animals. Some scenes may be a bit scary for younger children as riders use their elemental powers to battle.