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A review by fae
The Last Unicorn: The Lost Version by Peter S. Beagle
4.0
I'd probably only recommend reading this if you already have a deep appreciation for [b:The Last Unicorn|29127|The Last Unicorn (The Last Unicorn, #1)|Peter S. Beagle|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1358147318s/29127.jpg|902304]. I found it fascinating to read about the writing process that Beagle went through and it's almost a little bizarre to read how different this original version is from how the final story ended up. I have the ebook version of the Subterranean Press publication.
It's necessary to note that because this was only a first draft, that this isn't a complete story. There's no beginning-middle-end structure; because it was an initial draft, it just leaves off. If this is something that would bother you, I'd avoid it. It's meandering (which the author himself admits) and still has some typos. However, the writing itself is still often very beautiful and the first few paragraphs of this version ended up in the final version nearly verbatim.
Some spoilers:
I think this is a great supplement for fans of the original work, though it's not required reading in order to enjoy the original. I honestly have no idea how much someone would enjoy this if they're not already familiar with the original story, but who knows! I personally found a lot of value in it because of how much I love the original and how fascinating I find it to hear about other people's writing process.
It's necessary to note that because this was only a first draft, that this isn't a complete story. There's no beginning-middle-end structure; because it was an initial draft, it just leaves off. If this is something that would bother you, I'd avoid it. It's meandering (which the author himself admits) and still has some typos. However, the writing itself is still often very beautiful and the first few paragraphs of this version ended up in the final version nearly verbatim.
Some spoilers:
Spoiler
Webster/Azazel were very amusing and had something almost Pratchett-esque about them to me. I can see why he eliminated them from the final version though. Their journey would've only distracted from the unicorn's and they didn't feel like they fit in the story he was trying to tell. The despairing dragon also had something of a tragic humor about it. I was utterly shocked to read that the original version was set in the 20th century. I hadn't expected that at all. I find myself curious about what a book about Webster/Azazel's journey would be like.I think this is a great supplement for fans of the original work, though it's not required reading in order to enjoy the original. I honestly have no idea how much someone would enjoy this if they're not already familiar with the original story, but who knows! I personally found a lot of value in it because of how much I love the original and how fascinating I find it to hear about other people's writing process.