New York: The Viking Press, 1968
First edition, first printing. Hardcover.
The Last Unicorn
Beagle’s most enduring novel, The Last Unicorn follows a solitary unicorn who sets out to discover the fate of her vanished kind. What begins as a fairy tale quest gradually becomes a meditation on mortality, love, regret, and the cost of transformation. Beagle’s prose—lyrical but controlled—elevates the narrative beyond genre convention, placing it among the defining fantasy works of the late twentieth century.
Though initially modest in sales, the novel grew steadily in reputation, later adapted into the 1982 animated film and embraced by generations of readers. It occupies a central position in modern fantasy, bridging the mythic tone of earlier writers with the psychological nuance that would define later literary fantasy.
True first printings from Viking are increasingly difficult to locate in strong condition, particularly with intact jackets. The book’s cultural longevity has ensured steady collector demand.
Why This Book Matters
The Last Unicorn remains one of the most reprinted and reinterpreted fantasy novels of its era. It represents a turning point in American fantasy—proof that the genre could be introspective, bittersweet, and literary without sacrificing mythic scope. For collectors of modern fantasy first editions, it is foundational.
Book: Very good
Clean interior, no writing, no markings. Binding solid. Pages bright with light, even age toning only.
Dust jacket: Present. Moderate shelf wear and rubbing consistent with age; no major losses noted from the photo.
New York: The Viking Press, 1968
First edition, first printing. Hardcover.
The Last Unicorn
Beagle’s most enduring novel, The Last Unicorn follows a solitary unicorn who sets out to discover the fate of her vanished kind. What begins as a fairy tale quest gradually becomes a meditation on mortality, love, regret, and the cost of transformation. Beagle’s prose—lyrical but controlled—elevates the narrative beyond genre convention, placing it among the defining fantasy works of the late twentieth century.
Though initially modest in sales, the novel grew steadily in reputation, later adapted into the 1982 animated film and embraced by generations of readers. It occupies a central position in modern fantasy, bridging the mythic tone of earlier writers with the psychological nuance that would define later literary fantasy.
True first printings from Viking are increasingly difficult to locate in strong condition, particularly with intact jackets. The book’s cultural longevity has ensured steady collector demand.
Why This Book Matters
The Last Unicorn remains one of the most reprinted and reinterpreted fantasy novels of its era. It represents a turning point in American fantasy—proof that the genre could be introspective, bittersweet, and literary without sacrificing mythic scope. For collectors of modern fantasy first editions, it is foundational.
Book: Very good
Clean interior, no writing, no markings. Binding solid. Pages bright with light, even age toning only.
Dust jacket: Present. Moderate shelf wear and rubbing consistent with age; no major losses noted from the photo.
