Product Description

Three space prospectors haul some space debris aboard their mining ship and open it up. Inside is an alien youngling, with silver hair and a small horn on her forehead. Many people on many planets want her and her mysterious powers, but Acorna has her own ideas of the tasks she is to accomplish.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #269207 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 414 pages

From the Publisher
Three old space prospectors rear a small, alien unicorn child.

From the Back Cover
It had started as a pleasure-cruise spaceship, but as the Khlevii moved close to them it threatened to turn into a death chamber. They knew there was no hope for them, the adults, but they took a chance on their youngling, nestled her into a pod and ejected her into space before exploding themselves and the hated Khlevii with them.

It was three young space prospectors in an asteroid mining ship, the Khedive, who hauled the piece of 'space debris' aboard and opened it up. It contained an alien youngling, though of which sex was at first debatable. Silvery hair curled down over the shoulder-blades and, in the centre of the forehead was the beginning of a small horn. The feet ended in tiny cleft hooves. The little alien was frightened, affectionate, and she was to become their mascot, their miracle girl. Many people on many planets wanted her and the mysterious powers she possessed, but Acorna had her own ideas of the tasks she was to accomplish in the worlds of space.

About the Author
Anne McAffrey is one of the world’s leading science-fiction writers, and has won both the Hugo and Nebula awards. Born and raised in the US, although of Irish extraction, she now lives permanently in Ireland, in the heart of the Wicklow Mountains, where, as well as writing, she breeds horses. She has recently been awarded the Margaret A. Edwards' Lifetime Achievement Literary Award. She is the creator of the Dragons of Pern series.
Margaret Ball is the creator of the Dragons of Pern and a winner of both the Nebula and Hugo prizes. She has been a name on both sides of the Atlantic for over thirty years.

Customer Reviews

One of McCaffrey's best
I've found that Anne McCaffrey can be very hit-and-miss author. I found this book ver good.

The basic story line is that a unicorn is floating in space in an escape pod. Some miners find the pod and adopt the girl as their own.

The first part is heartwarming as it deals with bringing up a child (although having 3 fathers is a little unusual).

The second part deals with Accorna's, the name they give her, attempts to right wrongs. Accorna and the miners work to put an end to that industry and to liberate those children.

I loved this book because it has good charactisation and plot. It has a heart and deals with real issues in a compelling way.

Slightly disappointing writing
The plot seemed a little cute to me as I read the back of the book, I didn't expect it to be quite so sickeningly sweet. The concept of three deep-space miners raising a bayby-alien-unicorn-girl in it self is quite cool, but it's so unrealistic! It's very smooth, trying to be dark and depressing , failing at it. The plot is very thin and there are really no obsticals before the entire ting is sorted out and the book ends. Too happy ending for my taste as well and I'm not impressed with the writing-style at all.

Interesting, more space opera than classic McCaffrey
This book reminds me strongly of the early Hienlein books, almost childlike in its approach.

It is not a good read, certainly not in the same league as Pern or the Talents series'

The content, howver, is certainly not for children - at best a confused and not terribly easy to read book.

Very disapointed, which is a first for me with Anne McCaffrey.