Skandar and the Unicorn Thief

A.F. Steadman

May 2022 · Skandar Book 1 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

A New York Times bestseller!

Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and unicorns as you’ve never seen them before in this “unexpected, suspenseful, and heartwarming” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson and Eragon series!

Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where wild unicorns roam free. He’s spent years studying for his Hatchery exam, the annual test that selects a handful of Mainlander thirteen-year-olds to train to become unicorn riders. But on the day of Skandar’s exam, things go horribly wrong, and his hopes are shattered…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a message: the Island is in peril and Skandar must answer its call.

Skandar is thrust into a world of epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with wild unicorns, and rumors of a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army. And the closer Skandar grows to his newfound friends and community of riders, the harder it becomes to keep his secrets—especially when he discovers their lives may all be in graver danger than he ever imagined.

Ratings and reviews

After reading it, i have to say I didn't like it, but I LOVED it!!! And will definitely be continuing the series. Maybe even found me a new favorite author! This book is sort of a mix of Harry Potter/Percy Jackson but for some reason I was thinking of Pokemon as well. Definitely a whole new spin on unicorns and how awesome they are. The protagonist is a misfit and half-orphaned boy who attends a magical boarding school where riders are sorted into a quadrant aligned with an element. He has several friends, including a Black girl, as well as a bully rival. There is a mysterious villain who has a secret connection to the protagonist. A bit of some twists and turns. They all have little quirks; Skandar is unusually fond of mayonnaise and one of the girls regularly eats weird sandwiches. They have traits that align to their elements, for example fire allied riders have fiery tempers, and water allied riders are adaptable. There is a supporting character who is a Black girl, as well as side characters who are POC. My favorite characters I think are Flo, Joby and (Mitchell by the end) Of course the characters still have more developing to go through and the world building will expand as its book 1 but I'm super excited to see where it goes!!!

I love this book!! Can't wait to see more! Hope you'll continue making more!!

Love this book

About the author

A.F. Steadman grew up in the Kent countryside, getting lost in fantasy worlds and scribbling stories in notebooks. Before focusing on writing, she worked in law, until she realized that there wasn’t nearly enough magic involved. She is the author of the New York Times bestselling Skandar series.