Acorna by Anne McCaffrey

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Submitted by Fiona Morgan-Lloyd 
(Dec 18, 2002)

I read the first book in the Acorna series several years ago, but just read it again, followed by the other 4 in the series. I had trouble putting the books down, and in fact read all 5 books in 5 days. was a great series, with only a few flaws evident.
The first flaw I noticed was between the beautifully illustraliated covers and the actual description of the Linyaari - Acorna's hands have 5 digits on the cover while her species are described as having only 3 fingers.

The biggest disappointment of course was at the very end - discovering there should be a sixth book, but that Anne McCaffrey hasn't yet written/published it *ggrrr*. Well, I guess that gives myself, and my fellow readers, something to look forward to.

More on a positive note, I continue to enjoy Anne's constant inclusion of both our modern and ancient history in her futuristic books. I also loved the wide array of characters - you just have to fall in love with all of them!

Keep up the good work Anne - you truly are a master!

I've read the entire Acorna series, and I absolutely loved it, just like I loved the Dragonriders of Pern series. There were so many fabulous new ideas in just one book! This is the first series I've read that ever called unicorns sentient beings, not to mention the powers in their horns! But on the last book, I discovered the only thing I didn't like about the series. The book doesn't seem to finish the series. It's like it just got cut off. I do hope Anne writes another book!

I would just like to say that the Acorna series was a wonderful series (the best I've read in years). My older brother read Acorna when I was younger and not interested in science fiction but then recently I found the book again in the library and decided to read it. What I found was a truly magnificent set of books. I just couldn't put them down once I started to read them. I was disappointed when I reached the end of Acorna's Search. I truly hope that's not the end of the series. (I know it can't be). But I am definitely going to find the next book in the series if one is written. Thank you for your imagination, Anne, it's truly a relief to see that authors still have some.

Okay, I'll bite.. I am a fan of unicorns, so when I first picked up the original book in this series, I was, indeed, captivated. More so in the next three books that followed. However, there was much lacking still, and I wanted to know more about them.. which has come about in book five, Acorna's Search. Truly it has captivated me. I'm hardly past page 150, and I'm itching to find out what happens next, what is supposed to be the ending.. these two women are extremely capable, and each book has gotten better as they delve deeper and deeper into this world. My favorite concept is that of the Friends, who supposedly took the Linyaari's Ancestors(unicorns) from Old Terra (Earth). But all these happenings surrounding them are very intriging, leaving me wanting to know what's next. Another favorite bit is the book covers. The artist has captured the essence of Acorna and her world as I've imagined it, her own beauty, etc. Lovely work.

The Acorna series (Acorna - The Unicorn Girl; Acorna's Quest; Acorna's People and Acorna's World) is likely to be considered another set of feathers in the cap of Anne McCaffery. Any lover of her books will in most likelihood rush out and buy this set of books, but be warned, if you are over the age of 16 you might have a hard time with these. Let me get the complaints out of the way first. My major problem with this series is the lack of depth in the writing. Yes the idea is interesting, yes new planets are interesting, then why oh why(!) not write it that way? I am sure that there are people that will not agree with me, but since leaving my teenage years behind me I prefer to read books with a little bit of substance in the actual prose. Problem number two: the aliens, or rather non-humans. There seem to be only three types of aliens used in sci/fan at the moment - good cuddly aliens, bad evil aliens, and the ones who are humans with blue skin, yellow eyes, horn on their foreheads, etc. As the Linyaari, Acorna's people, are based on unicorns, why not incorporate more of the folklore surrounding them? Getting to the good points, and yes there are some, Anne McCaffery knows what her audience wants, and she delivers. Yes the writing might be a little juvenile, and the characters under-developed, but if you want a good story and something to read on those rainy days then pick up Acorna. Four books and counting can't be all bad.....