Bad Unicorn

Bad Unicorn #1

by Platte F. Clark

In this start to a hilarious middle-grade fantasy trilogy, Max Spencer discovers that a killer unicorn is hunting him. It wasn’t Max Spencer’s idea to fight robots, lead an army, or save the world—it just so happens that he’s the only living person who can read the most fantastical book ever The Codex of Infinite Knowability. The Codex is no ordinary book, and among other things, it describes a unicorn named Princess the Destroyer. Princess the Destroyer is no ordinary unicorn. She loves nothing more than hunting down, killing, and eating other creatures. After all, what’s the point of having a sharp horn on your forehead if you don’t use it for destructive purposes? And right now Princess has a very definite Find Max and retrieve the lost Codex for an evil sorcerer and his mysterious master. If she can do that, she’s been promised an all-the-humans-you-can-eat buffet in Texas. Stuck in another world and with a carnivorous unicorn on his trail, Max must find the courage to save himself, his friends, and, oh yeah…the entire human race.

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Humor, Fiction, Adventure, Childrens

434 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 16, 2013

About the author

Platte F. Clark shares his first name with the midwestern Platte River, which he's been told means "wide and shallow." Despite that he was able to find a woman to marry and produce seven offspring with.

Platte graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Philosophy and an MS in English, and currently lives with his family in Utah.

Reviews

[E.J. Patten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book so much, I blurbed it. It's seriously funny, which is a contradiction in terms, but true all the same. If you like books, especially the kind with words in them, I highly, highly recommend this one.

[Melissa Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazingly cute, creative and funny middle grade. I absolutely loved it. This book took me a little over a month to read because I only read a chapter or so a day. I am rating this book 4 stars. It had a wonderful villain, a great cast of side characters and a realistic main character. I loved the world Bad Unicorn took place in and I'm excited to see where it will go next.

Bad Unicorn is about two main characters if you will, the protagonist Max Spencer and the antagonist Princess the Destroyer (bad unicorn). Max Spencer is an average kid in middle school. He is not the popular kid nor the outcast. He is somewhere lost in the middle. Max hates sports and would rather play video games. He has a best friend named Dirk with a big mouth. Dirk has learned the art of fast running so that when his big mouth can not be contained he can then run from his enemies.

Princess the Destroyer is a unicorn from the Magrus. She is an actual princess and the most powerful magical creature in the Magrus.

The Magrus is one of 3 realms the "Mad Sunderer" created. There is the Magrus where the "fairy tale" creatures live and the home of magic. There is the Techrus where humans originated from and then there is the Mesoshire the in between. This is where fairy tale creatures and humans end up when trying to cross to the different realms and get stuck.

So what is the book about you ask? Princess the Destroyer is set on a quest with her ever begrudged companion Magar. He is kind of her slave in a way. Anyways, the duo set out for the Techrus in order to find a boy who is the decedent of Maximilian Sporazo the Arch-Sorcerer and Regent of the Wizard's Tower (basically the most powerful wizard). They also need to locate the 'Codex of Infinite Knowability'. Then there is Max Spencer who actually owns the Codex and doesn't know anything about magic. He doesn't even realize what the book is. Everytime he opens the book it tells him about the magical world and its inhabitants. He believes it's just some weird fantasy that he has always owned from as far back as he can remember.

The book is written in present and future, in both the Magrus and the Techrus. There is a few chapters in the Mesoshire as well. I loved that there were many fantasy words that are like a play on words. The Magrus for example Mag is Magical and Techrus or Tech is for technology. I also liked the future names. They made me giggle a bit because I knew what they were supposed to be from pop culture. You'll see when you get there. Anyways, I found this middle grade fantasy fantastic. I already bought the trilogy teehee. Max grew a bit in the book and so did his friends. The book kind of was left on a cliff hanger and I can't wait to dive in to the next book "Fluff Dragon" hahahahahah!!!

UPDATE: I re-read Bad Unicorn to my children and I loved the story even more the second go around. My 12 year old thought it was seriously the best and that just warms my heart when he is engaged and interested in a book. He is super excited for the next book and so am I. What will happen to Max, Sara, Dirk and Dwight. Will Max be able to wield the Codex in the sequel? What crazy adventures will they go on next time? YAY!

[Michael Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where on earth does Platte Clark come up with his wit and off the wall humor? As I began reading the book, from the first warning about copyright infringement and being licked by fire kittens and hung up on the tree of Woe,I knew this was going to be a very interesting read. At some points I felt like I was reading a fantasy version of "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" mixed with some unsuspecting twists and turns, and an abundance of dry wit.

Mr. Clark has very cleverly created one of the most interesting fictional worlds in recent years. With all of the fantasy novels being written in recent years, it has been a pleasant surprise to move away from the overly serious story lines to an irreverent, unpredictable, and truly engaging telling of a boy with unruly magical book and a free-spirited unicorn who defies all stereotypes.

This book has been passed around my whole family, ages 9-43. We have quite enjoyed this reading.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this. It had all sorts of humor potential and it was recommended by a bookstore buyer I respect. But I couldn't love it. I barely tolerated it and ended up mostly skimming it. The premise was fine, but it was full of way too much adult humor. It was sort of like a kids movie with a few adult jokes in it to keep the adults from going insane. There were political jokes, for heaven's sake. My personal favorite was that a frobit died in the Great Gore Fest which turned out to be readings by Al Gore. What kid would find that funny? And Max and crew meet an old fashioned arcade game of Centipede. I'm barely old enough to get that reference.
I have to say that the appeal for this one is pretty small. It's written fine, but that's about all. Maybe some really old-fashioned young boys will love it.

[D.J. Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is awesome. D&D nerd inherits the world's most powerful book of magic, and must master it to be able to fight an evil carnivorous unicorn.

I plant my flag as the first person to have written a filk song about Bad Unicorn. Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfwru...

[Becky B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Princess the unicorn is bad. You know, she's a unicorn. They go around zapping creatures to dust with their horns or eating them raw for breakfast. And Princess is the most conniving, evil, sinister...and hungriest unicorn around. She's had orc, and goblin, and frobbit, but she wants something new and tastier. Something like those unmagical, sure to be scrumptious humans on Techrus (aka Earth). The trouble is, getting to Techrus from the Magrus isn't all that easily. Happily for Princess, though, there's an evil wizard looking for someone to go to Techrus and retrieve a certain long-lost book for him his research has divined is on Techrus, the Codex of Infinite Knowability (which will only make him the most powerful being in the three realms and allow him to rule supremely but shhh, don't tell anyone his plan).
Meanwhile on Techrus...I mean Earth. Max Spencer's full time job is hanging out with his best friend Dirk and trying to avoid the notice of the worst bully in school, Ricky aka the Kraken. One day the unthinkable happens and the Kraken gets laid on his back...by a girl no less. Dirk and Max whoop a little too loudy for Sarah and end up in the principal's office with her after the event. As their reward punishment they are all sent home early, so they stop by a game shop run by a dwarf named Dwight. It just happens to be the same day that Max brought an old weird book as a last minute resort for his book report. Max has had the Codex for as long as he can remember, but it's such a weird book he's never paid much attention to it. Until the time he opens it up at Dwight's and sees a description of dwarves with Dwight's picture included. That's weird, but the way the book then zaps Sarah, Dirk, and Max into the future right after that is even weirder.
Techrus Future is run by machines. Robo-Princess has eaten all the humans. But when she smells a fresh one after several centuries, she decides to milk this entertainment opportunity for all it's worth and plans the most epic of her reality tv hunting games yet, planning to truly savor eating the very last of the humans. Especially one who has evaded her for so long. Of course things may not go quite like a robo-meglamaniac unicorn has planned now...

Bad Unicorn is a stroke of genius such has not been seen in the children's fiction realm since Alcatraz Smedry came on the scene. Clark is a kids-safe pinch of Douglas Adams, dash of Terry Pratchett, hint of Monty Python, and sprinkling of those satirical cartoons that say they're for kids but are really for adults. In other words, though this is marketed to the kids and will likely be enjoyed by kids, adults should have no shame whatsoever in picking this up for their daily/weekly/monthly dosage of humor and will probably get even more laughs out of it than the youngsters. My only complaint is that I picked this up fairly fresh off the presses, which means I have to wait an eternity for books 2 and 3. Torture. I am dying to hear more about these squirrel armies hinted at (they're even on the cover, but hardly get more than a few scattered teasers), I look forward to more excerpts from the Codex, and of course I could use some more zombie duck scenes. (Yes, a zombie duck. He's awesome. Even moreso because he was the result of cooking with what was left in the cupboard.) There were so many witty quips and quotes, but too many to include here. I'd end up copying half the book and it'd be better for my hands and your eyes (and copyright issues) if you just go get the book and read them for yourself. Besides, I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you.

Notes on content: No language issues that I remember. No sexual content. Princess usually makes such fast work of her victims there's not much violence described, though she does wrack up a body count (usually by vaporization of devouring). Most of the violence described is machine vs machine, or accidental burnings by friendlies. Oh, and a stabbing of a dragon. Sarah uses judo on the Kraken in self defense too.

[Ali Lassús · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. It sounded epic! But it was bad. Oh boy, was it bad. Plot holes, crummy characterization, and an ending that #1. was confusing and stupid, and #2. rendered half the book entirely pointless. Even the nerdy references, which I normally love, did nothing for me. I would not recommended it.

[Sarah B]

The unicorn in this book is nothing like what I had expected (even though I was expecting a nasty, dangerous meat-eating one) and that did throw me for a loop for awhile but in the end I actually ended up enjoying this story. In fact I just placed an order for the sequel with my library. So what was it that turned the story around? It was the fact the main characters were all willing to risk their own lives to save others like the ice faeries and the little frobbits (I think they are similar to hobbits but smaller). The odds were incredibly high they would lose as they were going up against an experienced enemy but they were willing to try. For freedom. And these are kids...who took inspiration from their favorite movies and video games (because they are geeks).

This is a fantasy adventure story with a nasty unicorn, tiny faeries, a dwarf, wizards, magic, trolls, robots and all sorts of creatures like the frobbits. It takes elements from popular movies like Lord of the Rings & Harry Potter then adds a few ideas from video games. And it certainly has a quest element too. And Max has no idea he is a wizard so he has to learn as he goes - not an east thing to do when someone is trying to kill you!

And can I say the most awesome creature made an appearance at the very end? Very cool!

I did not like Princess the unicorn at all! As a character she was very rude and downright annoying. But she is the villain so we are supposed to dislike her. She was just too snobby. And later in the story I disliked her even more due to some plot elements (which I will not say what). It just rubbed me the wrong way. And it did make it harder for me to read this as well it was not what I was expecting at all. I don't expect a unicorn to be fluffy or good but I do expect them to be an equine and to stay that way. And proper equines should have hair and hooves and a few other features.

The book contains a very complicated world building system. Nicely done. And a multiverse too.

I do love the cover art! Both on the front and back covers, as the back cover has a nice little scene.

Hmmm...I just had the most insane idea! What would happen if someone tried putting a cinch on Princess? Hmmm... Well she does have magic so I guess it wouldn't work...unless one had a magic cinch! Ah, the ideas...

Hopefully the sequel will be interesting.

[Book Concierge · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am clearly NOT the target audience for this sci-fi fantasy adventure knock-off of Harry Potter.

There are two main domains: The Magrus (i.e. the place of magic) and the Techrus (the “technological” world … i.e. reality). In between these two worlds is the Mesoshire. At least I think that’s right. I frankly lost interest in keeping everything straight.

Anyway, there’s a book – the Codex of Infinite Knowability – that been lost to the ages, but middle-schooler Max Spencer finds it under his bed. He doesn’t know he has magical abilities, but he is a direct descendant of the author so is the only one who can read any of the material in the Codex.
Princess the Destroyer is a magic unicorn who is a spoiled brat intent on wreaking havoc everywhere. She’s got a toady wizard who helps her (or kowtows to her to avoid being destroyed). She wants the Codex so she can move freely between worlds.

Max and his friends Sarah and Dirk, along with Dwight (a dwarf), and Glenn (a talking dagger) find themselves transported through time to a far future Techrus, where all humans are dead and the world is run by machines with rudimentary AI capabilities.

Anyway …. It took me two months to slog through this and I completed it only because of a challenge and I just refused to give up. There were a couple of things that redeemed it. I loved Sarah. She rises to the challenge every time. She’s strong, intelligent, a born leader and will never give up. Max also, eventually, rises to the challenge of being the leader.
I do admit that the last couple of chapters were pretty interesting with Max going up against Princess and her giant killing machines.

So, I can understand why some kids would find this entertaining, but I still thought it was pretty terrible. Clark spent way too much time trying to prove how clever he is rather than crafting a compelling and entertaining story.

Oh, and it ends in a cliffhanger because Clark cannot trust that his audience will want to read more so he has to try to force them to read another book.

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Unicorn is well... weird. VERY weird, and a tad disturbing ( I mean, the main antagonist does literally eat humanity into extinction, single-hornedly ), but mostly really funny (often at the most disturbing points). My sister read this first and compared it to Brandon Sanderson's Alcatraz with its clever offbeat humor (the squirrels and zombie duck come to mind), but it mostly reminded me of Terry Pratchett or Douglas Adams in their more darkly (and deliciously) sarcastic moments. As you'd expect, the book is about a unicorn that is well... bad. But not just "naughty unicorn, you tore up my taters!" bad... OHH No... we're talking "OMG! That unicorn just ate my family and now it's EATING ME!" bad. Frankly, while everything is played for laughs, there were a few points where I was a bit surprised at how dark the book was willing to go. ANYWAY, this horrific unicorn from hell, with the ironic name of Princess, is sick of eating creatures tainted with magic, so she decides what she really needs are some nice magic-less humans from our world, as her own world is simply stiff with magic and nothing there will do at all. That being the case she agrees to help a megalomaniacal wizard recover an ancient magical Codex from Earth and any living descendents of the man who compiled that codex, in exchange for the rights to eat a small town in Texas. This puts her squarely on a collision course with Max (and his small cadre of friends) a middle school nerd and current proprietor of the Codex who has no idea about its value. From there the story follows its own course through a mad cap ride to the end of the world and back again, as Max desperately tries to unlock the secrets of the Codex with the help of his friends and hope they can avoid becoming Princess's next meal. If you can swallow some dark humor, Bad Unicorn is a real gem of YA/middle grade fantasy-comedy.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max Spencer is an ordinary nerd, hiding from bullies and trying to keep his grades up so he doesn't get grounded. Except for The Codex of Infinite Knowability, a book he's had with him all his life, that no one else can touch without being shocked. A book no one else can read.

It turns out an evil sorcerer wants that book--and Max. And he's set Princess the Destroyer, a unicorn who loves to hunt, kill, and eat other beings, and destroys with powerful spells anyone who gets in her way. She's from a magical world, not the same as ours--but she's coming looking for the Codex. She's been promised all the humans she can eat if she succeeds.

Max will have to figure out to use the Codex to save himself--and the rest of existence from Princess' unending appetite.

This book is hilarious, as anything built on a magic-wielding killer unicorn pretty much has to be. The Codex excerpts show a twisted version of recognizable magic worlds, with frobbits and squirrels bent on world domination. Max isn't the bravest hero, but he manages nonetheless, and I'm looking forward to his next adventure.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bad Unicorn is like a cross between Harry Potter, Scooby Doo and Monty Python. Definitely a kooky, "punny" adventure.

Max is the reluctant hero who discovers the Codex of Infinite Knowability under his bed. He shows it off at school and finds out that he is the only person who can actually read it. His best friend, Dirk, new friend and potential crush, Sarah and stereotypical dwarf, Dwight, get sucked into a time-traveling quest that none of them could have anticipated.

Meanwhile, across time and space, magical creatures are vying for power and discover that Max just might hold the key to ruling the universe. Little does he know that a power (and human) hungry, egotistical unicorn with her wimpy wizard sidekick are now on the hunt for him--and anything or anyone else that gets in their way.

Max could never imagine that he would have the guts or ability to stand up to such a foe, but believable or not, he is forced to do just that to save his friends and the entire human race. Grades 6 and up.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bad Unicorn successfully smashes any preconceived notions of the likability of Unicorns. There are no rainbows, no glitter, no granting of wishes. Only an insatiable appetite to eat . . . everyone, especially humans untouched by magic!

I seriously LOVED this book! So much so that my husband is probably tired of me talking about it, and lucky him . . . I just finished the sequel (I liked this book so much that I petitioned the library to buy the sequel)! The humor was my favorite part. It was clever and sometimes complex. Bad Unicorn made you work a bit, to keep up with all of the plot lines and to catch all the little funny bits thrown in for good measure.

A bit of a warning though, you have to be willing to just roll with some very bizarre plot twists that leave you shaking your head a bit, but if you can the ride is well worth it.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's rare to read a truly unique story. This book delivers a whole new idea, and it's funny. In Greek mythology Athena isn't born but falls fully formed from the head of Zeus. This book must have been born in a similar manner. The world the characters live in is too well-formed to be anything else. My 10-year-old is up next to read it, and I hope she likes it, too.

[Traci · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love, love, love the cover of this book. The story itself? Meh. It's not horrible, but it started off slowly. And I didn't realize when I picked it up that it's the first book in a series. Not sure I'll look for the other two installments.

[AquaMoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lol

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

The first in a fantasy series following a couple of points of views. Princess, the bad unicorn and her wizard companion on quest for an untainted meal, and Max, the descendent of a powerful wizard.

Max reads a book no one else can, he and his friends unwittingly get caught in a battle, they travel to different worlds and times, and meet magical creatures.

Interesting enough story, slightly humorous in sections, some likeable and unlikeable characters, a few pop culture references, and a pinch of action.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOODNESS!
This is the most clever, most creative book I've read in a LONG time!
Super hero's journey!
Magnificent characters and supporting characters! Smart vocab!
This would make a GREAT movie!
It's a bit much, rather exhausting but SUCH A GREAT READ!!!
I can't wait to read more!

[Joshua Hair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t had this much fun reading a book in a long while. I’ll have a proper review on my channel soon.

[mr boddy’s body rico · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hilarious. I remember when I was younger I was absolutely obsessed with it. It’s a good read

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Bad Unicorn, first time young adult novelist Platte F. Clark builds a fantasy world that’s wonderfully complete, yet has room for more enticing development. (It will probably get a second visit in a follow up book.) This is the story of middleschooler Max Spencer and his three friends as they search for a way home when the guileless Max accidentally sends them, plus Dwight the dwarf to an abysmal future using the Codex of Infinite Knowability.

If you think that’s complicated, you’re right, and there’s more. This book introduces its world-building fast and furiously, pulling in the reader and setting them spinning. Here’s what I could figure out. There are three basic realms: the Magrus, the Techrus and the Shadrus, plus a strange nebulous dark world that floats in between called the Umbraverse. There’s also the Mesoshire, and I’m not really sure what that world is about, even though as I read this book, I took notes. Fortunately, there are chapter headings that identify where the scene for that chapter is set.

Despite, or perhaps because of this, the book captures the reader’s complete attention. Once Max and his cohorts are in the “Techrus Future,” an earth that is ruled by machines, with “Roboprincess” as the de facto queen, they just want to find a way home, much like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz movie. They can’t do that because although Max shares a bloodline with the wizard Maximillian Sporazo, the original writer of the Codex of Infinite Knowability Max does not know how to use it. After floundering around a bit, the group gets involved with a tribe of frobbits, hobbit-like creatures that don’t stand a chance against the machines and are in fact used to provide entertainment for the machines in a TV show called, The Hunt, orchestrated by the evil Roboprincess. (Hunger Games is spoofed here, yay!)

Although the Techrus Future is the story-line that could perhaps be identified as the main story-line, there are rich and arguably equal story-lines involving the magical realms. Roboprincess does not start out as a machine. In the beginning of the book, set in the Magrus, Princess, an evil royal unicorn (the book puts forth the premise that unicorns are a ruthless and powerfully magical race of beings) gets hired by Rezomoor Dreadbringer, an evil Tower wizard, to find the hapless Max and bring him alive, along with the Codex to Rezomoor so that Rezomoor can take over. Princess and her sarcastic wizard underling, Magar set off, assisted by a magical compass thingy called a “Gossamer Gimbal” to find Max. They must first go to a place that has a magical tree called The Tree of Attenuation that has the power to send people from the Magrus into the Techrus. It is tended to by a golf-playing order of monks who only send people there if there’s a good reason—in this case, the monks will be rewarded by being allowed to play 18 holes in the Shadrus, a place where the Maelshadow, big head honcho of the magical realm lives. Princess and Magar successfully bargain with the monks, who cut off a branch of the tree and attach it to Princess’s horn.

There is much much more details to this book; more than can be told in a summary. Readers will be rewarded by following the book to its complex and hilarious end, especially fans of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Universe, which this book will remind them of (but not in a copy-cat way.) Highly enjoyable read.

[Liz Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story: Max is a geeky kid, picked on by bullies. Who would ever have guessed that he's the descendant of the greatest sorcerer ever known in the Magrus? Princess the Destroyer is a bad unicorn, and one of two magical creatures who can cross between Magrus (the magical realm) and Techrus (the human realm). Evil magician Rezormoor wants to be able to cross in order to find the Codex of Infinite Knowability (a book containing the 13 Prime Spells that will enable him to control everything). Princess is good to go on this quest because she's already eaten every human being in the Magrus--and the only thing that stands between her, Rezormoor, and ultimate domination is the dorky kid with the glasses. But there may be more to Max than it seems! Stuck with the carnivorous unicorn on his trail, Max must find the courage to save himself, his friends, and the entire human race...

June Cleaver’s ratings: Language PG; Nudity G; Sexual Content G; Violence PG-13; Substance Abuse PG; Magic & the Occult PG-13; GLBT Content G; Adult Themes G; overall rating PG-13.

Liz's comments: There are some very funny moments in this book, which alternates between Max's story in the Techrus and Princess/Rezormoor's stories in the Magrus. The magical realm is a kind of mashup of 80s video games and Dungeons & Dragons...not a bad thing if you know what's up with those, but rather confusing if you don't. If a kid is willing to think about the magical part of things, he'll be fine--but if you're looking for self-explanatory, this is not the right book.

Annotation: not making one! Not going to follow this series--too much else to read in the world!

[Louise Bendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forget what you know about unicorns. They aren’t pink, sparkly creatures that love rainbows. They are vicious killers. As is apparent by the title, this book is about a particularly heinous unicorn that is set on the destruction of humankind.
Max is a seventh-grade guy, who just happens to be the only person able to read this strange book called “The Codex of Infinite Knowability.” This can only mean he must a powerful sorcerer – the only live descendent of the great Maximilian Sporazo. However, he does not feel anything like a powerful magician; he feels like a geeky middle schooler just trying to stay away from bullies like Ricky the Kraken. Princess is a unicorn who has grown bored with her usual rampaging and wants to travel from the magical world to ours in order to eat humans and other nonmagical creatures; specifically she is interested in an all-the-humans-you-can-eat buffet she has heard of called Texas. Through time travel to other dimensions, Max soon finds himself battling a carnivorous unicorn with the fate of the entire human race resting on his shoulders.
Bad Unicorn is an entertaining sci-fi/fantasy that involves time travel, magicians, robots, and of course an evil unicorn. It includes snappy and humorous dialogue like this:
“You’ve destroyed more living creatures than every war, famine, and plague put together. Where do you go from there?”
“Politics,” Robo-Princess announced.
It made me chuckle.

[Angela Holtz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my 9 year old son. I don't think he understood all of the jokes, but I sure did. It was a very silly book that we all enjoyed. My favorite parts - "8 tickle points of doom!" and the zombie duck.

The story has a great flow that really keeps the excitement up. My son rarely took a break, and even if he wanted to read a picture book first, he always wanted this before going to sleep for the night. We are waiting our copy of the 2nd book in the series. Thank goodness for the sample from Amazon.

If you like fantasy and funny, this is the perfect book. Unicorns are evil? We are told, of course they kill, why else would they have that sharp horn perfect for skewering? Princess is out of control, and the only one who can stop her is Max. Max is a powerful wizard, right? Well he does have the most powerful magical book ever written, the Codex of Infinite Knowability.

I loved all the jokes, the new creatures and how the author continually includes excerpts from the Codex.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This farcical/fable/sci fi/adventure is hilarious. You have to wonder about Platte Clark. I mean, is he mentally stable?

A carnivorous, maniacal, magical unicorn who is out to take over the world, and not just hers, but ours as well. The survival of human species depends on the magical abilities of a boy who struggles to make a B in school and can barely walk a mile, much less run one, whose only claim to fame is being the direct descendent of the most powerful wizard of all time and the heir to the most powerful magical book of all time.

The humor is the snort and groan kind instead of the laugh out loud kind but there's lots of it. But even if you don't fancy Clark's sense of humor, the action and the plot is done well enough to make it a fast and fun read.

Highly recommend this to 4th graders and up, adults included, if you like your fantasy books funny.

[Andee · Rating 5 out of 5]

He had me at the threat of being tied to the Tree of Woe and being licked by flame kittens. The foreword to the mythical Codex of Infinite Knowability left me supremely intrigued and in two pages had me laugh hard enough that I immediately made my boyfriend sit down to listen to it.
This book has been a truly enjoyable ride and I've been recommending it to many of my friends and their children. The language is challenging enough to keep the reading interesting without being too complicated. The humor is so good that I've been tempted to read or post quotes fairly regularly. I checked this out from the library but I plan on purchasing a copy for my own personal library and re-reading it. So bummed I have to wait about another year until the next one comes out too!

[Kelli Panique · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first 400+ page book my 11 year old has read and he says, "It was amazing!" Any book can that hold this reluctant reader's attention for that long is a winner in my book. Much of the appeal of Bad Unicorn is in the video game like mythology of alternate worlds and a codex book that contains the ultimate power. Thank you, Platte F. Clark for writing a book that has engaged this young mind. He has been bouncing around and announcing the world that he finished a book. He is so proud of himself and his reading abilities. It has been a long road to get here and it is a wonderful sight to see.

[༺Kiki༻ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started with a hilarious bang, but didn't follow through; I found it overly long, repetitive, and lacking in characterization.

If you liked (or wanted to like) this book, you might also enjoy:

✱ The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root
✱ The Menagerie
✱ A Tale Dark & Grimm series

[Stephen Poltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever a book is compared to “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, I’m always a little cautious. So many books strive to have Douglas Adams’ quirky humor, but few achieve it. “Bad Unicorn” is the closest I’ve seen anyone get in a long time. It’s a YA novel about a magical robot princess unicorn that eats humans and the young boy that has to fight her to save the human race. It was simply delightful.

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[Naiya K]

The book "Bad Unicorn" is about a boy named Max Spencer and his two friends, Dirk and Sarah. In another world, there is a VERY BAD unicorn that is promised a human buffet, as long as Princess (The unicorn's name) gets back a very special book that contains ancient magic. The book is in the hands of Max Spencer.

I really liked how fantasized this book was, containing wizards, dragons, and unicorns. So I rate this book 9/10 because a few times I didn't even understand things because it was so magic related.