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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great follow-up to "The Scorpion", March 10, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: The Unicorn (Legend of the Five Rings: Clan War, Second Scroll) (Mass Market Paperback)
Although there aren't as many plot lines as in "The Scorpion", This book is just as good if not better. Better because the story doesn't have to deal with as many subjects and can spend more time developing fewer characters. "The Scorpion" had a lot to set up. "The Unicorn" is mostly about two characters, a Unicorn "Battle Maiden" and a Unicorn ambassador. A lot of characters from the previous novel are here. Most are very much different from what they started out as in "The Scorpion". After reading this one, I'm totally hooked on the series. I'm into the way the characters are changing and developing... specifically the hero from "Scorpion". It was also fun to watch the 'Battle Maiden' and her horse earn respect. This series is a HUGE soap opera... with a lot of beheadings during battle. That seems to be a common way to die when there are swords about. It resembles "Lord of the Rings" to the extent that there is a dark ominous bad guy whose power is growing (like Sauron). He uses goblins and ogres and other monsters as his minions (Like Sauron did). He has his own dark land (like Mordor). There are even Shadow Warriors that are basically clothing and armor draped over nothing more than shadows (like Ringwraiths). There is also a capitol city under siege (in "The Scorpions") that reminds me of Gondor. At least there aren't any Hobbits. One interesting note so far is that these first two books don't really seem to have a bad guy. Everybody (even the Scorpion clan) are working for the better of Rokugan. The only real bad guys are the monsters and the dark bad guy called Lo Feng or something like that. On to "Scroll 3"!!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unicorns do it Right!, September 13, 2000
This review is from: The Unicorn (Legend of the Five Rings: Clan War, Second Scroll) (Mass Market Paperback)
This book started out ok, and then got better, and towards the end I couldn't put it down. Following the dual story of Tetsuko's breathless life of battle and Tadaji's dreams and palace intrigue was a stark contrast at first, but once the threads between them become clearer, it all fell into place. The whole book is full of brilliant images and characters. The plot's foreshadowing had me guessing and flipping back to re-read and see if I had guessed right. At one point I even read ahead because I couldn't stand the suspense (and I never do that)! Like Jikkyo, "No matter what happens tomorrow, it will be with you always..."
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A Unicorn with Half a Horn, February 4, 2005
This review is from: The Unicorn (Legend of the Five Rings: Clan War, Second Scroll) (Mass Market Paperback)
I would like to give The Unicorn a higher rating because there is a very good short story going on within this messy novel. The tale of Ide Tadaji, Unicorn diplomat and courtier, is a very well crafted political drama holding some of the best moments of the entire Clan War series.
Unfortunately, there's this dishwater dull "Battle Maiden" who takes up the rest of the book with her run-of-the-mill coming of age story. By the end of the book you care even less about her than you did at the beginning and you're left wondering if the rest of series is going to slide into disasterous territory. Tadaji's political maneuverings and repartee with Kachiko are thankfully there to keep you engaged for the sake of the series if nothing else.
The biggest disappointment with The Unicorn, however, is that you never feel that you understand the clan's purpose or place in the overall scheme of things. With such wonderful secrets and an amazing cultural history the Unicorn clan contains ample material for a very engaging novel. The shame is that you won't find any of it here.
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