Gold Unicorn

Unicorn #2

by Tanith Lee

The exciting sequel to the acclaimed Black Unicorn ...
"A madly colorful and exuberantly fantastic tale."-Locus
"Fast paced and action packed... It is sure to be a hit."-Booklist
"Lee's language is wonderfully descriptive and lyrical; and as usual, her female characters are real and compelling." -Voice of Youth Advocates
Journeying across different lands, the young member Tanaquil and her familiar, a quarrelsome talking peeve, learn of the empress Veriam, who wishes to conquer from one sea to the next. Tanaquil is shocked to learn that the woman called "Conqueror" and "Child-Eater" is in fact her half sister, Lizra.
Remembering the powerful effect the black unicorn had on her people, Lizra has constructed a tremendous mechanical unicorn of gold as a symbol of her conquest.
The only problem is that it doesn't work-and Lizra commands Tanaquil to make the steam-powered unicorn move. Now Tanaquil must choose between assisting in brutal conquest or risking the ire of her powerful sister.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Unicorns, Romance, Magic, Science Fiction Fantasy

162 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

About the author

Tanith Lee was a British writer of science fiction, horror, and fantasy. She was the author of 77 novels, 14 collections, and almost 300 short stories. She also wrote four radio plays broadcast by the BBC and two scripts for the UK, science fiction, cult television series "Blake's 7."
Before becoming a full time writer, Lee worked as a file clerk, an assistant librarian, a shop assistant, and a waitress.

Her first short story, "Eustace," was published in 1968, and her first novel (for children) The Dragon Hoard was published in 1971.

Her career took off in 1975 with the acceptance by Daw Books USA of her adult fantasy epic The Birthgrave for publication as a mass-market paperback, and Lee has since maintained a prolific output in popular genre writing.

Lee twice won the World Fantasy Award: once in 1983 for best short fiction for “The Gorgon” and again in 1984 for best short fiction for “Elle Est Trois (La Mort).” She has been a Guest of Honour at numerous science fiction and fantasy conventions including the Boskone XVIII in Boston, USA in 1981, the 1984 World Fantasy Convention in Ottawa, Canada, and Orbital 2008 the British National Science Fiction convention (Eastercon) held in London, England in March 2008. In 2009 she was awarded the prestigious title of Grand Master of Horror.

Lee was the daughter of two ballroom dancers, Bernard and Hylda Lee. Despite a persistent rumour, she was not the daughter of the actor Bernard Lee who played "M" in the James Bond series of films of the 1960s.

Tanith Lee married author and artist John Kaiine in 1992.

Reviews

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Who was she? She had no idea. Why did she cry? For herself or for her world?"

I found myself enjoying Gold Unicorn a good deal more than it's predecessor Black Unicorn. Is it a better book? No, I don't actually think so. I'd rather think that this Unicorn trilogy only shows its full potential when read as a whole - Black Unicorn was a little underwhelming and I would have likely felt the same about Gold Unicorn. But together, they deliver a solid plot - of course, I will still need to finish the third and final book before I can comment on the series as a whole.

In Black Unicorn, Tanaquil has had a glimpse of a perfect world - now she travels her own world and mostly just sees the wrong in it. Eventually, she is tied up in a war and forced to bring life to a mechanical unicorn which stands in stark contrast to the previous volume's black unicorn. The war itself seems to confirm all the negative things that Tanaquil sees in her world, yet as a result, she also gets to see a world of hell which in return allows her to appreciate her own world again.

I've grown fond of Tanaquil in this book. I like her character, her sarcasm and most importantly, her growth. She still doesn't seem to understand her mending powers fully, and yet she has confidence in herself and travels the world boldly. The peeve is as likeable as before and there's a new creature introduced - the Mousp - a cross between a mouse and a wasp. It's definitely a very cute new companion. Other new characters are also pretty likeable - the mercenary Honj and his companions, the magician Worabex - all of whom I think and hope will make a reappearance in the final volume.

Although it is a fantasy novel and the titles suggest unicorns being at the centre of it, like the first book, Gold Unicorn seems to have its focus on character development and relationships. Worbarex points out early that Tanaquil seems contemptuous of men - something that often shows throughout both volumes - is this due to her odd or almost non-existent relationship with her father? The difficult relationship with her mother is also often picked up on and even the relationship to her sister Lizra takes a turn for the complicated. As she grows, Tanaquil begins to realise that she cares deeply for the peeve and that she can even love a man.

Lizra was a bit of a disappointment in this instalment. She has quite an extreme change of character that is never explained nor justified. She causes a lot of harm in this book and I didn't feel as though it was resolved or that she learned much from it. It was rather sad because I thought her relationship with Tanaquil was particularly nice in the previous book - on one hand, there was a lovely growing sisterly bond, but on the other, there was always a certain distance between them. In this volume, I felt as though the distance between them had taken over.

I enjoyed Gold Unicorn and think it rather unique. I liked the new characters and it didn't hurt that there was a sprinkle of romance. It's not going down as one of my favourite fantasies, but I certainly liked it well enough to have me looking forward to the next instalment.

[Ry Herman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read twenty-ish of her book, I have only scratched the surface of Tanith Lee's astonishing output, and I can still list several of them -- such as The Silver Metal Lover, Don't Bite The Sun, and Black Unicorn -- as being among my favorites of all time. I know that she's well-known, but it baffles me that she isn't listed more frequently among the all-time greats.

Anyway, this was a delight. The peeve was a delight. Tanaquil's grumpy realization of her own emotions was a delight. The subtle inversion of common fantasy tropes during the trip to the other world was a delight.

I want more, and there's a third book, so I can have it.

[Milli · Rating 5 out of 5]

The peeve just keeps on getting more and more amusing! I think I like him better than the main character! The storyline was also interesting. Good quick read with a few chuckles thrown in, mostly because of the peeve.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

[spoilers for [book:Black Unicorn|834687], the first book in the series, will abound]

After returning from the Perfect World and destroying the gate that led there (and, in the process, breaking her father Zoroander's brain and leaving her revealed-to-be half sister Lizra in charge), Tanaquil, together with her talking peeve, has set out to see the world. But all is not well -- she hears of an empress who is setting out to conquer the aforementioned world and that empress turns out to be, in fact, her half sister who thinks the world would be better if people just got along and how better to have people get along than to take control and make them?

And, since Tanaquil is a bit of a sorceress herself, at least when it comes to mending mechanical constructs, her sister thinks it would be really nice if Tanaquil could help her get the mechanical golden unicorn her artificers have been building up and running. Because that could never turn out to be an actually horrible idea with dire consequences ...

Again, an engaging story told as only Tanith Lee could have told it.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Black Unicorn is an enduring childhood favorite, the only reason I know I've read this sequel before is I remember being massively disappointed by it in comparison. The reread today proved why.

Although the description of the mechanical gold unicorn/war machine in motion is simultaneously beautiful and terrifying, especially in the way its own heat consumes, scars and deforms it with every use, you can't just chuck me from a fantastical world of sorcery and a real unicorn into some war campaign and expect me to maintain the same enthusiasm. Half the reason I tend to avoid fantasy is that WAR IS SO BORING (and the side trip to Hell World? not better).

That said, it's still worth a read, despite being unmemorable, because besides the unicorn it's always nice to see more of Tanaquil and Lizra (even if the latter's being a power-mad strumpet, laboring under a delusion of This Time, We're Really Gonna Get The Benevolent Dictatorship Right), not to mention the peeve. Also, what a delight to be introduced to mousps. I'm gonna pretend they're all stingless, though, to preserve their cuteness.

P.S. You know Chocolate Guy, of Tumblr and now Netflix fame? I need an Artisan Cheese Guy, specifically to make me one of these 2-foot tall cheese unicorns.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the events of the first novel, our hero goes on a long journey to see the world in all its pedestrian glory and finally decides to pack it in for home to see her weird mom again. On the way home, she meets her sister and discovers she's gone koo-koo bananas. On the one hand, she's taken a scruffy, ruffian-style individual to be her daddy-issue addressing lover, and on the other she's decided to take over the world.

I know this is supposed to be a fantasy novel, but I found all this to a bit improbable.

Anyway, we still have a redeemable story because one of her crazy schemes to affect World Domination is that she has built a giant gilt robo-unicorn with which to terrorize the people of all nations into peaceful (eventually) submission. Cool, cool. Only it won't work until she makes our hero, the magical mechanic, do a service call. At which point, I don't have to pay attention to the character development any more because they fall into a truly delightful hell-world that made having read the book worth it.

And then our hero falls in love for no reason??? Oh well, these books about how a plucky young woman can make it in this world without some dumb man pushing her around couldn't possibly use this tacked on plot point about star-crossed lovers be the entire driving force behind the whole-ass concluding volume, right? RIGHT????? HA HAAAA.

[N.T. Embeast · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was not horrible, but it was not what the first book was to me. Mind you, I get it. I get it. I understand everything the story did. And I didn't hate the characters either. In fact, I think the characters are still the strongest part of this book. What you had to go through was a bunch of bollocks, but I understand entirely why we went through it all. It made sense. And I have definitely not been put off from this book even though it was not spectacular. There is a love in my heart even for this book, because it took the path that no one else wanted to travel. And I am glad I walked that path with Tanaquil. I truly am.

[Katy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second adventure for our not quite sorceress.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This seems to be one of those books that you either really like or think is really boring. I really liked it. Tanith Lee's books are just like that, I think--they're smart and thoughtful and quiet and there's rarely a ton of action. Things that stood out to me in this one:

I like that Tanaquil's relationships with Lizra and Honj are complicated, and how self aware Tanaquil is about her motivations for staying with them, even though she doesn't agree with what they're doing. I love her relationship with the peeve. And then, yeah, just...how strange and dark this world is, and how strange and dark the unicorns are--they're not sweet, innocent pretty princess ponies, they're kind of terrifying at times!

Anyway, yes, the ending is sort of abrupt and anticlimactic, but I still find myself really looking forward to the third and final book in this series. I'm trying to work my way through Lee's stuff, but it's hard to find, and I think it's a shame that such a talented, prolific writer seems not to be widely known these days. Boo. But I have the next book at least, whew!

[Haley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Any hardcore unicorn fans like myself - take note: this is not about unicorns. Read the black unicorn and skip this one. This is like a crappy movie sequel that makes you regret spending money (or time, in this case) on something not worth the trouble whatsoever. The only revealing quality was the peeve. I'm hoping the last one will be better..

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Peeve 😍😍😍

[Caomhghain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ambled along and eventually went to hell. That said I'm not sure where the story was coming from or going to.

[Nighteye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, a interesting followup of the first volume.

[Tante · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first book was already a bit meh for me. A young woman is bored and annoyed, one day things happen to her and she gets dragged off. And then things just... keep happening to her. Even in this book, where she allegedly traveled the realm for a while, she has no idea how to deal with bandits other than be a nice little prisoner.
I was sorely missing at least -some- agency... as well as insight into the actual main character. Sometimes the reader is told some of her emotions, but other times I was just left wondering and bewildered. And even if emotions are described, they seem off or don't quite fit.

Some non-spoilery examples:
"Then there was a wide lane between the tents, and battle standards stoof at intervals. Tanaquil was so disgusted, she did not look at them."
Why is she disgusted by battle standards or men around a fire (mentioned earlier), of all things? Tanaquil witnesses many scenes worse than this one and disgust is a pretty intense word, I think. Explain! *taps foot*

"She had to see. Why? Tanaquil did not know."
Very frequently this is what happens. The MC does things because that's just what she has to do, somehow, for some reason. It's the same issue I had with the first book where Tanaquil barely felt like she had any desires of her own whatsoever.

"Black landscape passed. No trees, no washerwomen. Instead, far off [...]"
See, this seems like a normal sentence. The write is referring to the scene or area being more idyllic or peaceful before, right? Nope. There were no washerwomen to begin with (in fact, the area they are in is very much very dead when they enter), so why would make a reference to washerwomen of all things?

I think I just don't mesh well with the writing style.

And then there is the bloody romance in this, second book, which of course completely put me off because of course it had to be a Instant-Love + Lovable-Rogue + Love-Triangle combo. Tanaquil literally commits war atrocities because she doesn't want to leave this person.
Fuck that. I'm not cheering for a 'good' (or even neutral!) protagonist who is fine with essentially comitting mass murder for 'but he is so handsome and teases me about everything!'

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm rereading this series that I read in high school because I remembered liking them, but I couldn't remember what they were about, exactly. A fresh read-through brings to mind why this is - the first book was okay, but this one is kind of boring, unfortunately. There's too much buildup and not enough action, and the characters don't find a lot of internal development through the story; new characters are introduced, but that's about the extent of the excitement. I'm hopeful for the third book in this set because I remember that being my favorite, but so far the series has been disappointing.

[Kaila · Rating 2 out of 5]

After loving Black Unicorn, I rushed to the library to pick up this sequel. It was not nearly as good. Still really easy to read and I think it only took me two nights, but I had this vaguely uncomfortable feeling that the author kept suffering from writer's block and just put words down on a page to see how they looked. With lots of periods. Then didn't want to rewrite it when she accidentally got to the end. I think I'll still get Red Unicorn - the third and final book in this series - because if nothing else these are really easy to read.

[Pygmy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this book is definitely one of those that can only be read by younger folk. Some of my favorite books that I read as a child fall into this category (Patricia C Wrede's Dragons series, stuff by Lloyd Alexander) where I can only treasure them in my memories, so this book may in fact be very good. I just can't tell anymore.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been many, many years since I've read Black Unicorn and I remembered almost nothing about it. I did remember the peeve, once I got into this book, and he remains my favorite part. It was an okay story but the end is pretty unsatisfying - apparently there is a sequel that takes care of all that, but I probably won't read it.

[Rain Misoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little story with frightening unicorns!

To read my full review, click here.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yeah, I don't know. Still a slog getting through traditional "high fantasy" titles. I did at least finish reading, unlike its prequel.

Things that were good:

+ The peeve, I guess? My initial impressions in the prior book, without an illustration to go by, were of a fuzzy Smeagol and that Tanaquil didn't like the thing, but clearly in the part I hadn't read, she grew fond of it (enough to accept its companionship, anyway). My current impressions are that of a sort of hairy pig, although that's failing anything more descriptive than "furry burrowing creature that now talks."

+ Actually has some action going on! (I guess I got tired of the prior volume spending so much time on her being shut in on account of her mom she was getting fed up with, plus that there was LITERALLY NOTHING outside for MILES.)

+ MECHA KAIJU UNICORN

+ The "Part" illustrations are decent.

Things I didn't like:

- The sporadic chapter illustrations are not scanned/printed well, as all of them have a dark tint to them that makes each such scene appear to be after dark/before sunrise, and it's difficult to make out much detail. I know the pictures are cleaner elsewhere, because I tried an internet search for images of the peeve, and I turned up one of the book illustrations, looking very clean and crisp.

- Their names are all a bit silly. I keep wanting to call her Tamarind, and... Honj...? Mukk? Spedbo?? Eugh.

- Tanaquil feels like she's never experienced joy in her life (except a few times around Honj). Might be the case, but it's a bit depressing reading a character who's always gloomy and who isn't Eeyore.

- How Tanaquil can't say no, even when she knows it's bad to say yes. I suppose there's no story if she doesn't agree to the thing, though. Doesn't make it less frustrating.

I don't have a good way to wrap this up. I guess I can see why others like it, but I'm still kind of burned out on high fantasy. The kaiju unicorn was a neat twist, though.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gold Unicorn by Tanith Lee is a mesmerizing tale that effortlessly weaves together the realms of sorcery, sibling rivalry, and personal dilemmas into an enchanting narrative. Set against a backdrop of a world on the brink of transformation, Lee's masterful storytelling takes readers on a captivating journey that leaves an indelible mark on the imagination.

The protagonist, Tanaquil, emerges as a young sorceress with a unique magical gift of mending. As she embarks on her homeward journey, fate thrusts her into an unexpected confrontation with her half-sister, the empress Lizra. Lee brilliantly portrays the complexities of their relationship, fueled by rivalry and shared abilities, which lends depth to the story's emotional resonance.

The heart of the narrative lies in Tanaquil's struggle between loyalty to her sister and her own moral compass. Lizra's grand ambitions, embodied in the form of a formidable mechanical gold unicorn, showcase Lee's flair for crafting intricate worlds where magic and technology intertwine. Tanaquil's inner turmoil is skillfully depicted as she grapples with the choice between using her powers for destruction or standing up against her sister's designs.

Lee's portrayal of the alternate world that Tanaquil encounters is haunting and evocative. The vivid descriptions pull readers into a realm where danger and uncertainty abound, creating a sense of tension that keeps one eagerly turning the pages. Tanaquil's encounters and the challenges she faces within this alternate reality add layers of intrigue to the story, culminating in a climax that is both heart-pounding and thought-provoking.

Amidst the tumultuous backdrop of conflicts and power struggles, Lee subtly introduces a delicate thread of romance involving Honj, Lizra's betrothed. This romantic subplot adds an extra layer of complexity to Tanaquil's character, showcasing her vulnerability and humanity as she navigates her emotions amidst the chaos.

Gold Unicorn stands as a testament to Tanith Lee's unparalleled storytelling prowess. Her exquisite prose effortlessly transports readers into a world where magic and machinery collide, while her characters' struggles and triumphs resonate on a deeply emotional level. With a spellbinding mix of adventure, moral dilemmas, and intricate relationships, this novel has all the elements necessary to captivate the hearts and minds of fantasy enthusiasts. Tanith Lee's Gold Unicorn is an exceptional journey that deserves its place on the shelves of every fantasy aficionado.

[Cori Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is going to be lengthy and a little roundabout up here I go...
When I first read this book I was in middle school ~12or so. I loved it and tried as hard as I could to find the prequel. The pet peeve was my favorite character (I -for some quark of the universe- find all of Thanith Lee’s series the second books before the first ones). It scared me and made me think. This was not my normal image of what a unicorn was and a female lead was quite new to me, especially one that saves herself. When I was 15 I read it again as I had found the third book. It had changed. I found Tanaquil self-centered and for all her travels short sighted. The relationship between the sisters was weird and not yet having read the first book I found Tanaquil being unfair toward her mom. I also found the interaction between her and the men interesting. I finally found the first book in my twenties so I reread the series. It had changed again. I realized how badly things could have turned out how lucky she was and yes still scared of some of the parts but was for different reasons. The interaction between the men and women were annoying anyone who wasn’t a main character was frivolous and silly. And having read the first book seeing Tanaquil not as self centered. I was also amazed that it was labeled a kids book. Now in my thirties, it has changed again. Mostly because of what is going on in the world. The best intentions of Tanaquil’s half sister which always unnerved me, I understand better. I as an adult realized this was the first (or one of the first) books I had ever read in which there is no clear cut villain. It is well written and worthy of being read over and over and I will lend it to my friends, nephews, and cousins to read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished Black Unicorn exactly a year ago, how about that? I was hesitant to read Gold Unicorn, thinking for some reason it wouldn't be as good, but I liked it almost as much as the first book. Of course, there is no "real" unicorn in this one, as the gold unicorn of the title is not a living creature but a machine of war, and this time Tanaquil unwillingly follows alongside an awful campaign of conquest. Tanaquil's sister Lizra appears once again (and I'm not sure how I feel about her in this book), as does my favorite, the Peeve (who I still love). There is a bit of romance with a new character, but it's fairly minor. Although the plot threads are decently sewn up at the end, this one more than Black Unicorn feels like it's leading into a sequel, so I suppose I'll be reading the third book too (next March, maybe?).

[Alyssa Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had hopes that this would be better than the first because the plot was so much more interesting. However, the characters and the relationships just aren't fleshed out nearly enough. If these books were longer and more detail and time was put into developing characters, relationship and events, I think I could enjoy this series a lot more. The characters are realistic and relatable, but you don't get the chance to get to know them well enough to be invested in them. And the way relationships develop in this series is totally outrageous. I don't understand where these random dynamics come from and I am not on board at all. I love the premise of the story but the execution just didn't work for me.

[Etola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was really impressed by Black Unicorn, the first book in this trilogy. I had completely forgotten that there were sequel books, until I looked it up again with plans to reread it. So of course I ran to the library and snatched this one up.

It has every bit the magic and color of the first book. I am usually pretty slow to get through books (on account of not having much time to read), but I blitzed through this in a weekend. I just could not put it down. I can't wait to read the final book!

[Kimberly Karalius · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s hard to really love this sequel when the first book was so solid. Still, this was such a melancholy journey for Tanaquil. She’s looses so much despite overcoming the trials she faces thanks to her half- sister. I can’t wait to read the third book because I hope she finds her own family and home. She deserves it. Even though I’m a chronic shipper, I just couldn’t get behind her and Honj. Although he had his moments, I thought he was insufferable. I didn’t find her falling for him that believable.

[living1000lives · Rating 3 out of 5]

some characters:
Tanaquil- mending sorceress just learning her powers
Lizra- Tanaquil’s half sister, power hungry
Honj- Lizra fiancé

notes to remember story:
after Tanaquil’s worldly travels she’s going home
Army led by Empress Lizra
Lizra makes Tanaquil use her power to bring a gold mechanical unicorn to life
with the unicorn Lizra destroys
Tanaquil has feelings for Honj
Tanaquil stays in this new world of destruction for the love of her sister and Honj

[Alice Dubois · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it was slow at first... it picked up a lot sooner than I was expecting. The twists of the story made me wonder about Tanaquil's sister a few times. I found myself more drawn towards the characters as the story progressed. I found myself thinking about the story even after it ended. Stories like that are well deserving of a 4-star rating.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like this book as much as the first one. It got pretty dark and sad. That being said, it brought up interesting ideas about what to do with a fundamentally flawed world and how to make peace with your place in it.

[Elizabeth O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Without giving it away, I think this book has the most eye-popping scene of the three. I don't even need to say where it is; you'll know it when you read it.

Not as whimsical as the first or heart-wrenching as the third, but still entertaining.