Product Description

Cara must return to Earth to save her grandmother, the Wanderer, but she must first travel through the wilderness of Luster, land of the unicorns, full of unknown creatures and perilous adventure. Only at the back of the dragon Ebillan's cave will she find the gate that can bring her back to Earth. As Cara embarks on the journey of her life, there is one who still stands in her way: Beloved, Cara's infamous ancestor, who has dedicated a lifetime to ridding the earth of unicorns. Is Cara strong enough to resist Beloved's ruthless magic? Can she bear betraying her own blood?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #252546 in Books
• Published on: 2008-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 352 pages

Amazon.com Review
Prolific children's book author Bruce Coville has delivered a down-to-earth unicorn tale, if such a thing is possible. Song of the Wanderer, the second book in The Unicorn Chronicles, delivers a neat follow-up to Into the Land of the Unicorns, unraveling mysteries and handily reweaving new ones just as fast. The world of the unicorns, Luster, is carefully and cohesively imagined, with myths and rules and prejudices that seem logical and organic. Readers will thrill to the story of Cara, an earth girl who becomes both ward and savior of the unicorns. She must travel through Luster--a world replete with all manner of secret caves and rainbow prisons and talking seashells--back to earth to try to find her grandmother, the Wanderer. The episodic structure of the book is satisfying; Coville delivers all the de rigueur scenes, including a makeover, wherein a Geomancer provides Cara with clothing appropriate to her journey: "To finish the outfit, she strapped a short sword to Cara's side. 'May you never have to use it,' whispered the Geomancer." (The rest of us hope otherwise.) Coville hurries his heroine past some flat characterizations through clever, well-thought-out plot points. And he leaves his ending compellingly open, as befits a series: Luster resounds with rumors of "the possibility of a fierce, final battle that would decide the ancient struggle between the unicorns and the Hunters once and for all." Stay tuned, unicorn lovers. --Claire Dederer

From School Library Journal
Grade 3-6-The second book of The Unicorn Chronicles by Bruce Coville (Scholastic, 1999) finds Cara on an exciting quest. She must make her way through the magical world of Luster to the unicorn queen, who asks Cara to bring back her grandmother Ivy so that old wounds can be healed. Believing that her grandmother, known to the unicorns as "The Wanderer," is on Earth, Cara must find a way home with the help of her growing list of companions. Filled with peril, humor, and many surprising revelations, Cara's quest takes her back to Earth, only to find her grandmother trapped in a mysterious dimension by the evil Beloved, whose greatest desire is to destroy all unicorns. Although Cara's father is a Hunter, one of Beloved's loyal warriors, a touching reconciliation between father and daughter is affected when he realizes that all he previously believed is untrue. Coville leaves the ending open, but does give some closure by revealing the mystery of Ivy's past and her relationship to the unicorns. Those unfamiliar with the first book in the series, Into the Land of the Unicorns (Scholastic, 1994), will likely be confused by a number of plot points and the sparse characterization in Song of the Wanderer, and will have to rely on the voice characterizations of this talented cast in order to better identify the characters. As the 12-year-old Cara, Carmen Viviano-Crafts compellingly conveys the confusion and deep longings of this young heroine seeking to understand her purpose in life. Jackie Grace as M'Gama lends the role of the Geomancer the full gravitas and majesty required. A real highlight is the several versions of the poignant titular "Song of the Wanderer," beautifully rendered by the cast. Briskly paced, emotionally moving, and featuring compelling female characters, this traditional fantasy will leave listeners longing for the next book in the series.
B. Allison Gray, South Country Library, Bellport, NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Grade 5-8-Although Coville does summarize the main events in Into the Land of the Unicorns (Scholastic, 1994), this book will appeal most to those who have read the first volume. Characterization of reappearing characters is limited and an understanding of the core story (the evil Beloved's reason for hating and hunting unicorns) is assumed. Cara's story picks up only days after the events of the first book have concluded and moves at a rapid pace. It is filled with magical creatures, strange encounters, and dramatic confrontations. Charged by the queen with the task of rescuing her grandmother from this world and taking her back to Luster, Cara must again evade the relentless pursuit of Beloved and the Hunters. Many of the situations and characters may seem somewhat predictable to sophisticated readers of fantasy, but Coville does include a spectacular plot twist that will surprise even the most well read among them. While Cara's quest comes to a successful conclusion, Coville leaves plenty of threads dangling, ensuring that his fans will eagerly anticipate the conclusion of his trilogy. While waiting, they may want to check out books by Patricia Wrede, Gail Carson Levine, and Donna Jo Napoli, all of whom incorporate familiar fantasy and fairy-tale elements into imaginative, well-written novels.
Lisa Dennis, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

This book was awesome!
I was hesitant to buy this book, since I had never read book one and am more of a science fiction reader than a fantasy reader. To my surprise, I was delighted by SONG OF THE WANDERER. I thought Cara was a great character, who must deel with her heritage, and the choices her ancestors made and what side they were on, and how it affects her. The book was fast-paced and exciting, and never lagged. Mr. Coville has written a perfect book. Now I can't wait to read book one, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and hope that book three doesn't take too long to come out. But if it's as good as this one was, it will be worth the wait!

The Book that Meant so Much...

When a friend told me that a sequal to "Into the Land of the Unicorns" was coming out, I was lost for words. This book has meant so much to me, ever since I read it years ago. And once I did, I didn't stop. My copy of "Into the Land of the Unicorns" has become very bedragled and dogeared from my many readings, though luckily I am getting the hardback version soon. I have probably read it over 20 times, and every one is better than the last, because of the beautiful writing of Bruce Coville. "Then fear and hope and all attempts at calm were washed away in a tide of wonder, as a creature of such exquisite loveliness that the very sight of him brought tears to her eyes stepped into the moonlight." The words have touched my heart, and have remained there ever since I read that book.

As soon as I heard about the new book being released, I informed my sister, someone else who had read this book. And she responded with the indigent commment, "Well, it's about time!" which rather mystified me. Through the years after I read the book, I imagined new endings, each one different from the next, every time I read the book. So now that the sequal is coming out, it only makes the whole experience sweeter, for if I had been able to go out and buy the next book right away, it wouldn't have been nearly as wonderful or magical for me.

I would like nothing else better in the whole world than to be able to tell you, Mr. Coville, how much I have loved and cherished your book. I only hope that "the Song of the Wanderer" will be one of many Unicorn Chronicals to come, as I am certain I will share this book with my own children some day. I just wanted to let you know how much it means that you put so much into your books, a quality that I and other readers keep coming back to. I thank you with all my heart,

Corrie

Legendary
Mr. Coville has really outdone himself. I read it and was entranced. His writing style is great and fast-paced and really keeps the book moving. I finished it in one sitting...it was extraordinary! And doubly as long as the first one? Double the treat for all of his readers! I loved it! Just when you think it's over...guess what, it's not. And you finally get to meet Beloved face to face.

This book defies all other unicorn books with its originality [Well, except for the Firebringer Trilogy...heh :)], and the world Mr. Coville has created is legendary. Hope you've started the next one already, Mr. Coville! I'll be the first one to grab it!

Excellent writing, excellent characters, non-stop pace. You'll love it, guaranteed.