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The Unicorn Crisis (2000)

by Jon Rosenberg(Favorite Author)

3.96 of 5 Votes: 5

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

series

The Hidden Academy

review 1: Rosenberg is a hell of a storyteller, and this is a strong first novel. He's created a good magic system, even if some elements are unclear and possibly contradictory: humans can't do magic; all they can do is summon things and beings from our dimension or elsewhere. There's an organization dating back to Plato's time, the Hidden Academy, which is more Border Patrol than Ministry of Magic: its job is to keep Earth for humans and not extradimensional gods or monsters, and to keep summoners from ruling over all. One troubling aspect is that the whole thing works as a metaphor for anti-immigration:SPOILERS FOLLOWThe story is basically about a nefarious plot by a magical European Union to subvert English sovereignty, with the Big Bad a for-real Brussels bureaucrat. END SPOILER... moreSRosenberg is no racist: there are several sympathetic POC characters, and the setting is a well-realized multicultural Manchester. But the metaphor does call for a bit of side-eyeing. The book's biggest drawback is its lack of professional editing: a good editor could at least have introduced the author to the semicolon and cleared up some of the plural/possessive mess. These problems might well have doomed another book, but Rosenberg tells his story with such verve, enthusiasm, and control that none of it matters: it's definitely a can't-put-down pageturner. I immediately bought and devoured the second book in the series on finishing this one.
review 2: Really enjoyed this book. There are a few issues with syntax and punctuation, I think a good proof reader should be able to help fix that. The story rollicks along pretty fast, with teasing insights into a world that exists alongside our own. Loved all the little bits of fae and mythology that crept in. I liked the way it didn't loose momentum, no back tracking required - although when you first start reading it's almost like an assumed knowledge of a prior story, gaps which are filled at a later date. Not a masterpiece, but hugely enjoyable and hard to put down. less

Download links for: The Unicorn Crisis

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