The Last Hunt (The Unicorn Chronicles, Book 4) [Hardcover]

Bruce Coville (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

In the center if Luster stands an enormous tree called the Axis Mundi, the Heart of the World. But now that tree is wounded, pierced through by magic. And through that wound marches an army of Hunters, led by the sinister and vengeful Beloved. And they are all determined to destroy each and every unicorn. As the unicorns gather to defend their lives, the human girl, Cara, is sent on a mission to meet a ferocious and mysterious dragon. Faced with perilous danger, Cara must make a desperate decision that will change her life forever.
With a deft hand and keen imagination, master storyteller Bruce Coville brings this riveting epic fantasy series to a rousing conclusion as the secrets of Luster are finally and satisfyingly unveiled.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8 This final volume satisfyingly concludes an exciting and intricately plotted series that began with Into the Land of Unicorns (Scholastic) 16 years ago. In the parallel world of Luster, inhabited by a large cast of familiar creatures such as unicorns and dragons, along with unfamiliar beings such as Squijum, a squirrel/monkeylike creature, and Dimblethum, a half human, half bearlike creature, Coville creates an epic story of the fight for good versus evil with all of its inherent ambiguities. Beloved's centuries-old vow to hunt down and kill all of Luster's unicorns because one killed her father is finally about to come true. Only teenaged Cara, with her mixed unicorn and human blood, granddaughter of the Queen of the Unicorns, and of Beloved herself, can save them. Powerful beings older than the land itself aid Cara in her quest to heal the rift and defeat Beloved. Despite this volume's length, the pace is brisk, with one cliff-hanging adventure following another right up to the climactic conclusion. Events from previous books are mentioned in the narrative, making it not absolutely necessary to have read the other books in order, although that would be ideal. Fans of the series will be delighted. Sharon Rawlins, New Jersey State Library, Trenton
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

[Readers] will be swept along to the grand, hard-fought resolution.
--Kirkus

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 624 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Press; 1 edition (June 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0545128072
• ISBN-13: 978-0545128070
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,202 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bruce Coville was born in Syracuse, New York, in 1950. His family lived in farm territory, about twenty miles north of Syracuse. Bruce grew up around the corner from his grandparents' dairy farm, where he spent a great deal of time as a child, dodging cows and chores to the best of his ability. As a young reader he loved Mary Poppins and Dr. Dolittle, and still has fond memories of rising ahead of the rest of his family so he could huddle in a chair and read THE VOYAGES OF DR. DOLITTLE. He also read lots of things that people consider junk (Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and zillions of comic books). His only real regret is the time he spent watching television, when he could have been reading instead. (A mind is a terrible thing to waste!)

His first book, THE FOOLISH GIANT, was published in 1978. It was illustrated by his wife, Katherine, whom he had married in 1969. This was followed in 1979 by SARAH'S UNICORN, also illustrated by Katherine. After a long period of working separately, the Covilles began collaborating again with SPACE BRAT and GOBLINS IN THE CASTLE, both published in 1992.

Before getting published Bruce earned his living as a toymaker, a gravedigger, a cookware salesman, an assembly line worker, and finally as an elementary school teacher (second and fourth grades). He left teaching in 1981 to devote himself to becoming a full time writer - though it took another five years to achieve that goal!)

Bruce has published nearly 100 books, which have appeared in over a dozen countries around the world and sold more than sixteen million copies. Among his most popular titles are MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN, INTO THE LAND OF THE UNICORNS, and THE MONSTER'S RING. In 2001 he founded Full Cast Audio, an audiobook company dedicated to creating unabridged, full cast recordings of the best in children's and young adult literature.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, July 6, 2010

By 

Laura L. Graham (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Last Hunt (The Unicorn Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

I have read the other reviews and they are good about describing this book. But you have to remeber that this is a Childrens book. I started reading this when I was in Middle school and from that day that I finished it I have waited for this last book to be Written. (sometimes more impatient than others)

I still think of this book like I was that 14 year old girl. I Love this book. Things are differnt now than when I was that young but I read this and take myself to Luster, where things are different and you fight for whats right. As an adult there are questions to be answered about why they put this character in here or why did he write this it was pointless. For me everything ment something simply because its a world that doesnt have to have its people be self centered.

The book itself is awesome. It ends without any loose ends. Yes there is the questions that start going like what happens now but your heart is at peace with how it ends. You cry, you laugh and you breath a sigh of relief when its over. The series is great and I look forward to reading it to my future kids for them to enjoy it. (even if they dont have to wait as long as I did)

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Last Hunt, June 10, 2010

By 

Sarah Ashleigh Walter "SAW" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Last Hunt (The Unicorn Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

Coville brings us the long-awaited conclusion of his beloved epic, the Unicorn Chronicles.

This story picks up right where its predecessor left off, so if you haven't read the rest of the series, start there. (The upside of this that little time is wasted on giving a background for those who haven't read the others.) The unicorns of Luster are in grave danger: the final Hunt has begun and they are being picked off one by one. Cara Diana is sent to recruit help from the strange, mysterious dragon Graumag. She herself is in no small danger: as a child born to unicorns and descended from Beloved, a prophecy claims her as being the only end to the Hunt. Meanwhile, Cara's beloved Lightfoot teams up with Cara's father, Ian, Ian's newly rescued wife, Martha, and Rajiv, the street urchin to make it back to the heart of Luster and find Cara as Fallon, their mysterious and gorgeous companion, departs on his own to search for his long-lost friend Elihu. As tension mounts and threads weave seemingly effortlessly into one whole, Coville brings to a close the journey so many have taken with him. (His fans sigh in relief.)

This book is not perfect. I understand that Coville was under a lot of pressure to finish this book, but so many things were not fleshed out to the extent they might have been. The entire ending felt rushed and I'm convinced that the book could have been about one hundred pages longer. On the whole, though, I think it's well worth your time. The ending was ultimately satisfying. The book is chock-full of the little details Coville is famous for. (The Squijum has a backstory! We have at last the seeds of romance between Cara and Lightfoot!) And like the end of all great epics, you walk away bittersweet; grieving for what was lost and satisfied by the seeds of hope and redemption that are revealed. Highly recommended.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-paced, jam-packed, and deeply rewarding., June 11, 2010

By 

Kannika - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Hunt (The Unicorn Chronicles, Book 4) (Hardcover)

This book represents the conclusion to The Unicorn Chronicles, a story which began with "Into the Land of the Unicorns" during the mid-1990s. Though the wait has been substantial, so has the payoff. Every addition to the series has expanded greatly on the world of Luster and its inhabitants. In this particular piece, the creation (and potential destruction) of Luster is explored and a great number of forces come together to finish a war begun centuries prior. Though the world remains open for future stories, the series is indeed complete: Every answer which was promised is delivered. Thankfully, not every inch of Luster has been expounded upon in excessive detail; the world did not "end" with the conclusion, though the finale was satisfyingly complete. In that way, this concluding volume feels more realistic than most. As in life, there is more to be told, but there were no cheap, nagging cliffhangers.

Cara remains the main character of the series, but thankfully, she feels like a component of a world as opposed to its very axis. This allows other major and minor characters the opportunity to shine independently of her presence--something which is startlingly rare in fiction. Considering the wealth of unicorns, dragons, centaurs, humans, and other species evident, it is refreshing to see that one individual was not gifted the sole limelight. The entire cast deserved the opportunity to grow, and each character was granted the appropriate span of time for such development. Even new characters, such as Graumag the dragon (who had been mentioned but never previously seen), were given sufficient time to resonate with the audience as sovereign entities, not just "friends of Cara." Unfortunately, the number of characters become rather daunting, considering that every character mentioned previously in the series contributed even if it didn't feel necessary to the narrative.

As main character, Cara is sensible, intelligent, and compassionate. She retains her believability as a young person (something Coville has always done superbly well) while simultaneously rising to the occasion and becoming an exceptional female role model. Other strong women also feature prominently, such as Arianna the centaur, M'Gama the geomancer (who appears to originally be of African background), Graumag the dragon, Belle the unicorn, and Feng Yuan. These characters certainly have distinct flaws, but they are not defined by their being female. Strong male characters, such as Thomas the Tinker and Moonheart the unicorn, are also evident, of course. (It is worth mentioning that this book should not be seen as "too girly" for boys, as is interesting and appropriate for all readers. If one's son loves fantasy, this book is still a splendid selection.)

This book brings forth many interesting ideas about duty, empathy, redemption, and identity. The book has a bittersweet tone, but it emphasizes the importance of these principles; no one is allowed an escape from responsibility or from need by virtue of being a protagonist. At the same time, a few of the decisions on the part of the author feel to have been made somewhat arbitrarily, but that doesn't break reader immersion. Fully recommended for new readers and for those who have been waiting since the first novel's publication. Great for families who would like to tackle an enjoyable, thoughtful book together.