Books read: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, Vanquishers

[conuly]

Vanquishers: I would've liked this book better if we'd had an actual story. Instead, it was all an extended prologue to what I assume will be the real story starting book 2.

Skandar: Serious Harry Potter vibes over those first few chapters. Well, if Harry Potter had to hide that he was secretly sorted into the super forbidden fifth house, aka "all the houses", and Draco Malfoy had reluctantly joined the trio to help him keep that secret. Because their unicorns are best friends.

There is an extremely high percentage of shitty parents in this book among named characters. We've got emotionally distant parents, emotionally abusive parents, parents suffering from crippling depression which probably isn't their fault but which nevertheless has caused their children to take care of them from a young age, and, oh yes, parents who are the big bad. Whoops, spoilers.

Comments

[robby]

I tend to avoid books that are or will become part of a series. The authors deliberately draw things out. I did read one that was meant to be the first book in a series, and was pleased that the story actually had a conclusive ending.

[conuly]

There is a difference between "drawing things out" and "not bothering to actually write a story".

Trust me. This was very much the latter.

[chez_jae]

I like the thought of unicorn besties.

:D

[conuly]

Yes, it's all very adorable, despite the first several chapters being, well, just a shade derivative.