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Unicorn
Halim, a Shakti warrior initiate, lives with his family in Harappa, a fortified city in the Indus River Valley in 4518 BCE. His father is injured, so the task falls to Halim to find a cure for his mother, who has fallen prey to a mysterious, debilitating disease.
Sanjit, a seasoned Shakti, agrees to accompany Halim to the Kunlun Mountains in search of a sacred medicine from an ancient monastery. Halim’s impulsive sister, Taja, insists on joining them too.
When the three travellers confront the Ignogai, a barbaric tribe with a bloodthirsty shaman, they must flee across hazardous and unfamiliar terrain to avoid being captured and persecuted for their Shakti Prana.
With a little bit of magic, determination, and some help from unicorns and a few extraordinary people, the trio must fight for their lives to make it back home in time to save Halim's mother from certain demise.
Sanjit, a seasoned Shakti, agrees to accompany Halim to the Kunlun Mountains in search of a sacred medicine from an ancient monastery. Halim’s impulsive sister, Taja, insists on joining them too.
When the three travellers confront the Ignogai, a barbaric tribe with a bloodthirsty shaman, they must flee across hazardous and unfamiliar terrain to avoid being captured and persecuted for their Shakti Prana.
With a little bit of magic, determination, and some help from unicorns and a few extraordinary people, the trio must fight for their lives to make it back home in time to save Halim's mother from certain demise.
Kindle Edition
Published August 18, 2016
9 people want to read
About the author
Richard Gradner
5 books37 followersRichard Gradner is a Director at Mustard, a Creative and Digital agency based in Cape Town. He was the first Red Bull Marketing Director in South Africa and has a passion for brands and branding.
Richard trained and taught Kung Fu and Tai Chi for over 12 years, is a qualified Yoga teacher and currently runs his own massage therapy practice called GLVTE. He has a deep connection to all things spiritual and maintains a healthy mind and body through the daily practice of Power Yoga.
He is also an international, bestselling author of fantasy novels, Return to Lemuria, Unicorn, Servant of Memory, Acoustic Alchemy and Richard Gradner's Omnibus, all available on Amazon.com.
Richard trained and taught Kung Fu and Tai Chi for over 12 years, is a qualified Yoga teacher and currently runs his own massage therapy practice called GLVTE. He has a deep connection to all things spiritual and maintains a healthy mind and body through the daily practice of Power Yoga.
He is also an international, bestselling author of fantasy novels, Return to Lemuria, Unicorn, Servant of Memory, Acoustic Alchemy and Richard Gradner's Omnibus, all available on Amazon.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 17, 2016
“Unicorn” took me back to the days of a classic fantasy that is driven by a young man seeking the near-impossible. But Gradner has taken this classical premise, turned it upside down, and made it into a genre all of his own. By creating a background rooted in Eastern Philosophy, the world of “Unicorn” is both strange and familiar - strange because the names and terms are as alien as any in Feist, Eddings or Furey; familiar because all of us know some of the concepts, even if we don’t know what they are called.
Gradner’s protagonist, Halim, has to take responsibility for obtaining a cure for his mother’s illness and it is this that forces him to embark on a journey filled with danger, but also growth and learning. He is accompanied by his sister and a warrior and together they must confront an unforgiving environment and vicious enemies.
But ‘Unicorn’ does not provide simple “wave a magic wand” solutions to the problems faced by the group. And it is this that makes the book stand alone. In Gardener’s book, magic is the outcome of positive meditation, strength can be found by being at one with the environment and even mandalas can be a source of mystical strength.
Against this backdrop of a Mystical Quest for a Mystical Medicine, Gradner weaves a story that is fast-moving even as it is thorough in its explanation of philosophical precepts. Partly this is because Gradner knows exactly how to write a fast-paced narrative, full of excitement and adventure, and partly this is because he includes elements such as romance and “coming-of-age” to ensure that ‘Unicorn’ is never merely heroic fantasy.
Gradner’s protagonist, Halim, has to take responsibility for obtaining a cure for his mother’s illness and it is this that forces him to embark on a journey filled with danger, but also growth and learning. He is accompanied by his sister and a warrior and together they must confront an unforgiving environment and vicious enemies.
But ‘Unicorn’ does not provide simple “wave a magic wand” solutions to the problems faced by the group. And it is this that makes the book stand alone. In Gardener’s book, magic is the outcome of positive meditation, strength can be found by being at one with the environment and even mandalas can be a source of mystical strength.
Against this backdrop of a Mystical Quest for a Mystical Medicine, Gradner weaves a story that is fast-moving even as it is thorough in its explanation of philosophical precepts. Partly this is because Gradner knows exactly how to write a fast-paced narrative, full of excitement and adventure, and partly this is because he includes elements such as romance and “coming-of-age” to ensure that ‘Unicorn’ is never merely heroic fantasy.
August 25, 2016
Unicorn by Richard Gradner
When I saw the striking cover of this novel, I was immediately intrigued. I love stories about myth and fantasy and had never read one about unicorns before.
The story begins about 6,000 years ago in a place called Harappa in the Indus River Valley. Google told me that it was a town from the Bronze Age in what is today Pakistan and North West India. The story tells of a boy Halim, his sister and another Shakti Warrior who must embark on a perilous journey to find a rare medicine for their ailing mother.
I was drawn to the protagonist, Halim, right away. He reminded me of myself when I was a boy - full of questions about the world and eager to learn from his father and those around him. I believe that a good portrayal of characters makes a story and the characters depicted in Unicorn are no exception.
The author's easy flowing writing style, filled with amazing descriptions of the landscape and the areas surrounding Harappa are superb. I was particularly excited about getting into the magical part of the story and the author does not disappoint, including everything from spiritual mandalas and powerful mantras to potent shamans and of course unicorns.
The story flows well and increases in tempo with some incredible fight scenes toward the end. I flew through this book, waiting for the end but hoping it would never come so that I could remain in the world of the Unicorn and the Shakti Warriors.
When I saw the striking cover of this novel, I was immediately intrigued. I love stories about myth and fantasy and had never read one about unicorns before.
The story begins about 6,000 years ago in a place called Harappa in the Indus River Valley. Google told me that it was a town from the Bronze Age in what is today Pakistan and North West India. The story tells of a boy Halim, his sister and another Shakti Warrior who must embark on a perilous journey to find a rare medicine for their ailing mother.
I was drawn to the protagonist, Halim, right away. He reminded me of myself when I was a boy - full of questions about the world and eager to learn from his father and those around him. I believe that a good portrayal of characters makes a story and the characters depicted in Unicorn are no exception.
The author's easy flowing writing style, filled with amazing descriptions of the landscape and the areas surrounding Harappa are superb. I was particularly excited about getting into the magical part of the story and the author does not disappoint, including everything from spiritual mandalas and powerful mantras to potent shamans and of course unicorns.
The story flows well and increases in tempo with some incredible fight scenes toward the end. I flew through this book, waiting for the end but hoping it would never come so that I could remain in the world of the Unicorn and the Shakti Warriors.
August 21, 2016
I have never naturally gravitated towards the fantasy genre but decided to read 'UNICORN' after a friend recommended it to me.
The plot started right out with fast moving action and it instantaneously transported me to a beautiful compelling world beyond reality, a place that might even have been, a place where Unicorns existed, a place of magic, heroes, strange creatures and adventure. In that magical world the story seemed more than plausible. There is a cast of sympathetic male and female characters as well as a few colourful secondary characters that grasped my attention. Despite the availability of magic, the struggle of the characters to find a cure for their mother, seems authentic and failure an option.
The writing is crisp and polished, the magic good and the action supreme. I thought the 'UNICORN' could be targeted towards audiences of all ages and although I am not well-versed in fantasy I was easily immersed into the story.
While I might have finished the 'UNICORN' in a few days, it took me much longer to finish it as I found myself lingering on the beautiful thought provoking philosophical parts in the novel. This moved my soul to a better place.
There is something for everyone: danger, fighting, magic and a smidgen of romance. So much happens and yet nothing felt rushed. I would recommend the 'UNICORN' to anyone looking for a great read and although this is the first novel I have read by this author, it would not be my last.
The plot started right out with fast moving action and it instantaneously transported me to a beautiful compelling world beyond reality, a place that might even have been, a place where Unicorns existed, a place of magic, heroes, strange creatures and adventure. In that magical world the story seemed more than plausible. There is a cast of sympathetic male and female characters as well as a few colourful secondary characters that grasped my attention. Despite the availability of magic, the struggle of the characters to find a cure for their mother, seems authentic and failure an option.
The writing is crisp and polished, the magic good and the action supreme. I thought the 'UNICORN' could be targeted towards audiences of all ages and although I am not well-versed in fantasy I was easily immersed into the story.
While I might have finished the 'UNICORN' in a few days, it took me much longer to finish it as I found myself lingering on the beautiful thought provoking philosophical parts in the novel. This moved my soul to a better place.
There is something for everyone: danger, fighting, magic and a smidgen of romance. So much happens and yet nothing felt rushed. I would recommend the 'UNICORN' to anyone looking for a great read and although this is the first novel I have read by this author, it would not be my last.
September 7, 2016
Unicorn is well worth a read for fans of more mystical fantasies.
The main characters - Halim, Sanjit and Taja - are very likeable, if a little over polite. The baddies are somewhat stereotyped but - all the same - detestable, and the action can be gory at times (not a bad thing!)
Gradner's strengths are in the descriptive passages of transcendental meditation. He clearly has a deep understanding and empathy with this aspect of the novel which raises it above just a 'quest based' tale.
The main characters - Halim, Sanjit and Taja - are very likeable, if a little over polite. The baddies are somewhat stereotyped but - all the same - detestable, and the action can be gory at times (not a bad thing!)
Gradner's strengths are in the descriptive passages of transcendental meditation. He clearly has a deep understanding and empathy with this aspect of the novel which raises it above just a 'quest based' tale.
November 1, 2016
I loved this tale of daring and adventure, of growing up, of a young warrior becoming a man, falling in love, vanquishing his foes and safely returning to his family with the medicine that would save his mother's life. I am not Hindu and many of the Hindu terms and the philosophic thoughts were very new to me. That made the book a little more difficult for me but certainly did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the story.
Normally I start reading a book which I am going to review with a five star review in mind from the outset. I don't have a list of dos and don'ts and I don't have a list of necessities which much be shown. This book gave me no reason to reduce my outlook from the outset. There are no major editing problems of any kind which I saw. There are no usage problems, no grammatical no nos evident. The characters are strongly built and the plot is clear from the outset. There are no twisting surprises used as devices to keep interest, only the story itself draws the interest of the reader. I hope to read more from this author and appreciated this opportunity to become acquainted with his work.
Normally I start reading a book which I am going to review with a five star review in mind from the outset. I don't have a list of dos and don'ts and I don't have a list of necessities which much be shown. This book gave me no reason to reduce my outlook from the outset. There are no major editing problems of any kind which I saw. There are no usage problems, no grammatical no nos evident. The characters are strongly built and the plot is clear from the outset. There are no twisting surprises used as devices to keep interest, only the story itself draws the interest of the reader. I hope to read more from this author and appreciated this opportunity to become acquainted with his work.
October 13, 2016
UNICORN is an action packed adventure fantasy that includes themes of friendship and loyalty and, in a very unique way, explores eastern thought and spirituality. After reading the first few pages I was a goner—lost in an imaginative world of struggle and redemption.
Three protagonists set out on a perilous journey to find a cure for debilitating disease. The task at hand is a noble one, to save Sanjit's mother. Sanjit, Halim, and Taja encounter many hazards including treacherous mountains and barbaric tribesmen.
The characters are well-developed and will have you routing for them early on. I particularly liked the philosophical undertone of this story. It's nice to read a story that replenishes the soul, and this one did that fore me. Overall, a great fantasy novel worthy of a place on anyone's bookshelf.
Three protagonists set out on a perilous journey to find a cure for debilitating disease. The task at hand is a noble one, to save Sanjit's mother. Sanjit, Halim, and Taja encounter many hazards including treacherous mountains and barbaric tribesmen.
The characters are well-developed and will have you routing for them early on. I particularly liked the philosophical undertone of this story. It's nice to read a story that replenishes the soul, and this one did that fore me. Overall, a great fantasy novel worthy of a place on anyone's bookshelf.
October 11, 2016
This is a face paced action filled adventure that gets you attention right away and keeps it until the end. There are several themes at work in the book with hints of a mysterious past. I look forward to another book sent in this universe.
October 23, 2016
Full disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the author.
"Unicorn" is a valiant attempt to take the reader on a trip back into the past, a fantasy that incorporates Hindu philosophy. Unfortunately, the very elements that could have made this story unique at times cause it to collapse under its own weight.
The overall plot is okay. Halim's mother needs medicine to live, and he and his sister, along with another warrior, set off on a journey to find the healer who has the knowledge to create this potion. The story incorporates magical and mystical elements together in a world where the characters understand and expect these things to happen. Magic enables many of the events to take place and is a major part of most of the skirmishes and battles. The author creates a believable world, and throughout the story interjects elements of the Hindu religion, which aid greatly in world building. Mr. Gradner's best writing is during these interludes.
Using elements of Hindu to create a fantasy world 7,000 years ago is a wonderful idea. However, whenever an author begins this type of endeavor, it is important to remain true to your task. Mr. Gradner definitely has knowledge of the Hindu world, but when he slips, it is glaring and can be disturbing to a reader. For example, one of the main characters (who later in the book seriously considers becoming a monk) tells how he won a map while gambling. This character is a religious warrior, and should know that Hindu scriptures prohibit gambling. When an error this huge is discovered, it can cause readers to question what else in the book might not be correct.
Throughout the book, Mr. Gradner uses many Hindu terms, which helps to enforce authenticity. It is jarring, therefore, to see the word "Mister" used as an honorific rather than the Hindi "Janab." Equally as bothersome are the continual use of modern terms. Characters use the word "wow" on a regular basis, tell each other to "lighten up," and even get folksy: "You take care now, you hear?" It was also confusing when told that the travelers are headed toward a destination regarded as a legend, only to have one of the characters later reveal he has been there. The romance aspects of the story seem to be forced, and probably could have been left out or perhaps only hinted at, as they didn't add much to this tale.
I found the pace of the novel to be slow in the first half of the book, and even towards the end when it began to speed up, there are times when the action is brought to a crawl in order to interject an event from the past.
Overall, the author has mixed imagination with Hindu culture to create something different that fans of YA or sword and sorcery might find enjoyable.
"Unicorn" is a valiant attempt to take the reader on a trip back into the past, a fantasy that incorporates Hindu philosophy. Unfortunately, the very elements that could have made this story unique at times cause it to collapse under its own weight.
The overall plot is okay. Halim's mother needs medicine to live, and he and his sister, along with another warrior, set off on a journey to find the healer who has the knowledge to create this potion. The story incorporates magical and mystical elements together in a world where the characters understand and expect these things to happen. Magic enables many of the events to take place and is a major part of most of the skirmishes and battles. The author creates a believable world, and throughout the story interjects elements of the Hindu religion, which aid greatly in world building. Mr. Gradner's best writing is during these interludes.
Using elements of Hindu to create a fantasy world 7,000 years ago is a wonderful idea. However, whenever an author begins this type of endeavor, it is important to remain true to your task. Mr. Gradner definitely has knowledge of the Hindu world, but when he slips, it is glaring and can be disturbing to a reader. For example, one of the main characters (who later in the book seriously considers becoming a monk) tells how he won a map while gambling. This character is a religious warrior, and should know that Hindu scriptures prohibit gambling. When an error this huge is discovered, it can cause readers to question what else in the book might not be correct.
Throughout the book, Mr. Gradner uses many Hindu terms, which helps to enforce authenticity. It is jarring, therefore, to see the word "Mister" used as an honorific rather than the Hindi "Janab." Equally as bothersome are the continual use of modern terms. Characters use the word "wow" on a regular basis, tell each other to "lighten up," and even get folksy: "You take care now, you hear?" It was also confusing when told that the travelers are headed toward a destination regarded as a legend, only to have one of the characters later reveal he has been there. The romance aspects of the story seem to be forced, and probably could have been left out or perhaps only hinted at, as they didn't add much to this tale.
I found the pace of the novel to be slow in the first half of the book, and even towards the end when it began to speed up, there are times when the action is brought to a crawl in order to interject an event from the past.
Overall, the author has mixed imagination with Hindu culture to create something different that fans of YA or sword and sorcery might find enjoyable.
February 13, 2018
Unicorn is a beautifully written book by Richard Gradner. He vividly depicts a land long before our time and made me almost feel like I was there. The pace of the book was perfect and it seems their journey to me took longer than it actually did. They covered a lot of ground but also a lot of experiences in a short amount of time! The author depicted spiritualistic rituals that seemed well researched and could very well be from tribes back when and probably are still passed on. It had some sort of realism that I enjoyed with a good dose of supernatural mixed in that in my eyes was just right. The plot was well developed and had the right amount of ups and downs.
The author leads you along the treacherous journey of Halim, his sister and Sanjit. You soon learn to love these three characters and can't help but cheer them on in their little "rat race' against time to save Halim's and Taja's mother.
This book is different from my usual read, more back to basic, more "real" in a way and it leaves you with a good about life kind of feeling. I definitely felt like I got a little bit of an insight into Hinduism / Buddhism which I believe was the basis for a lot of the spiritualistic aspects in this book. Definitely an interesting read.
The author leads you along the treacherous journey of Halim, his sister and Sanjit. You soon learn to love these three characters and can't help but cheer them on in their little "rat race' against time to save Halim's and Taja's mother.
This book is different from my usual read, more back to basic, more "real" in a way and it leaves you with a good about life kind of feeling. I definitely felt like I got a little bit of an insight into Hinduism / Buddhism which I believe was the basis for a lot of the spiritualistic aspects in this book. Definitely an interesting read.
September 25, 2016
Such magic and such a spiritual overture so deep and compiled yet so simply and magnificently written-being a lengthy read I feel it would be targeted at an enlightened adult and perhaps summarized in a film or short stories it could be wonderful too for the very young or teenage souls. the Shakti Warriors the Shaman and the sick mom the map the potions and the journey all beautifully explained and the Unicorns
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews