December 08 BotM Thread - THE LAST UNICORN

[Ribbons]

So anyway, post your thoughts and comments below, keeping in mind the ground rules:

1) Spoilers. Assume spoilers before setting foot in this thread. However, we'll do our best to keep that to a minimum for the first three weeks of the month. After that, anything goes. Until then, all spoilery material will be tiny-texted.

2) Courtesy. Don't get carried away. This is a discussion, not a debate or an argument. Anyone who gets out of line, Maui will make stand in the corner (but the trick is that it'll be in a cornerless circular room which will send you into an endless recursive loop until madness sets in).

As mentioned, free discussion will begin in the third week of the month, or when most participants have finished (whichever comes first). And at the end of the month there will be a poll to see how the Zone rates this book.


DISCUSS!!!!!!!

[Ribbons]

Also quoting this post of The Todd's in the Nominees thread...

Well, since the only two books that The Todd hasn't read are Brave New World and Last Unicorn, The Todd is voting UNICORN-FIVE!!!!!

And seeing that The Last Unicorn is winning, I would like to throw this out to fellow reading Zoners:

I don't know how many of you buy online as opposed to getting it in the store, BUT if you are planning to participate and purchase The Last Unicorn online, I would like to suggest you buy it from Conlan Press (http://www.conlanpress.com/). Due to problems/legal issues with royalties and the original publisher, Peter Beagle (the author) only gets his cut if the book is purchased from Conlan Press.

Just a suggestion...

[Tyrone_Shoelaces]

I read this a couple years ago and loved it. I lent my copy to my cousins - who moved shortly thereafter - so Lord only knows where it is. I think you are all going to have really good time with this book.

[Ribbons]

That's cool, Tyrone. I wasn't sure about this one, but people of all ages seem to genuinely dig it.

[Lord Voldemoo]

Excellent, i just finished my current book. I'll swing by the Book store tonight and pick it up.

[The Todd]

Cool-FIVE!!!!!

The Todd is in and excited. I will be ordering from Conlan Press tonight!

[TK-421]

Got my copy from the library where I work, I'm reading it whenever I've got a couple of spare minutes.

[Lord Voldemoo]

I'm running a few days behind, but I finished my current book last night so I'll probably be swinging by the book store to get this this evening...

[TK-421]

So... is everyone stressed out over Christmas, or are you just too damn lazy to post your thoughts?

or am I looking in the wrong place?

[Ribbons]

A little bit of both

If you've read any of it so far TK, are you digging it or is it not your cup o' tea?

[The Todd]

The Todd finally got his copy and will try to get it done by January.

Speed Read-FIVE!!!!!

[TK-421]

A little bit of both

If you've read any of it so far TK, are you digging it or is it not your cup o' tea?

I finished it a few weeks ago, and quite liked it. I used to read more fantasy, and I liked how this didn't conform to the usual stereotype - dwarves, elves and whatnot - but instead was more of a satirical look at the genre. Prince Lir's fighting ogres and rescuing princesses in a rather nonchalant fashion comes to mind as an example; Peter Beagle establishes that these things do, indeed, happen in his universe, but they aren't allowed more than a footnote. They never become part of the story at hand, which I suppose is a statement on the relevance of traditional fairy tales.

One sequence I really loved was Captain Cully in the woods, concerned with his own image for the generations while his mean chase after Robin Hood, the classic image of a romantisised outlaw. As one of the men points out as they walk disappointed back to camp, he knew Hood wasn't real, but would gladly chase the ideal.

anyway, I'm just pointing out rather obvious stuff, I suppose. I'll try again later, when you've all read the book and I'm more sober.

[Ribbons]

Also quoting this post of The Todd's in the Nominees thread...

Well, since the only two books that The Todd hasn't read are Brave New World and Last Unicorn, The Todd is voting UNICORN-FIVE!!!!!

And seeing that The Last Unicorn is winning, I would like to throw this out to fellow reading Zoners:

I don't know how many of you buy online as opposed to getting it in the store, BUT if you are planning to participate and purchase The Last Unicorn online, I would like to suggest you buy it from Conlan Press (http://www.conlanpress.com/). Due to problems/legal issues with royalties and the original publisher, Peter Beagle (the author) only gets his cut if the book is purchased from Conlan Press.

Just a suggestion...

Did anybody else go this route, or had they in the past? Because I ordered a copy from this jive-ass Conlan Press over a week ago and it still hasn't turned up yet. They don't do e-mail confirmations, but there was a screen on their website that said my order had been successfully processed, so there's nothing much left to do except wait a couple more weeks, and then RE-order or something

[Ribbons]

False alarm: I just got my book in the mail from jive-ass Conlan Press today. So... may take 3-4 weeks.

[Ribbons]

So... I actually got around to reading this and finished it a couple weeks ago. But I haven't written down any of my thoughts yet because, well, I'm not sure what I think about it. I was definitely expecting something more whimsical and less biting; blame that on the illustrations or fantasy stereotypes in general. It was well-written but I had a hard time getting into it, for some reason. But a lot of people love The Last Unicorn so I'll chalk this one up to crossed wires. If anybody else has read it since or has any thoughts on the book, I'd love to hear them just to get a different perspective.

One sequence I really loved was Captain Cully in the woods, concerned with his own image for the generations while his mean chase after Robin Hood, the classic image of a romantisised outlaw. As one of the men points out as they walk disappointed back to camp, he knew Hood wasn't real, but would gladly chase the ideal.

This was my favorite part of the book as well, by far. The way you put it is very insightful, and looking back on it I think that's what the story is about in some ways, the futile pursuit of ideals.

[BuckyO'harre]

A big part of the story to me is truth versus perception, and depth against facade. The illusion (Robin Hood, fairy tales, whatever) is important because it inspires, but it's also hollow. Take Schmendrick's telling of his curse of immortality and how he ends with "Whatever can die is beautiful-- more beautiful than a unicorn, who lives forever, and who is the most beautiful creature in the world." This is reiterated in the way the men-at-arms regard Amalthea. The futility as I see it, is in trying to control and hold on to what you love. Meaning and real happiness can only come through change and loss. Haggard's soul is stagnant, unwilling to let go of his past joy and is doomed by his obsession and inability to care for anything else around him.


Have you ever watched the film? It might help clarify your thoughts.

[Ribbons]

I have not watched the film, but it's something that I'm now looking into.

Those are all good points. Speaking of Schmendrick, the quote about real and fake beauty makes me think of "real" and "fake" magic as it pertains to his mortality. I don't know, I'm thinking I should try reading this again when I'm in a different frame of mind. This stuff you guys mention went over my head at the time, but it makes the book sound a lot better.

I'm still not a fan of Lir though.

[BuckyO'harre]

If you do watch it, make sure it's the anniversary edition. The original DVD release cut out the "Damn"s, which means you lose what is, to me, the best scene in the film and one of the most powerful moments of the book-- Molly's angry rebuke of the unicorn.