My Personal Fables

"They climbed with great difficulty and yet would not give up trying to help their friends as much as they could."

Long ago when the Greek gods ruled, Pegasus founded the equine race, giving rise to both flying horses, like himself, and unicorns. This story begins when he sends three pairs of mated unicorns to earth from Mount Olympus to look after Zeus' creatures. He appoints them as Day or Night Unicorns. Jecco and Moonbeam—Night Unicorns and the love of each other's life—are about to become parents. But Hades, god of the underworld, is determined to prevent the birth. He succeeds halfway when his pet sabertooth tiger kills Jecco in a fight. Heavily pregnant, alone, and determined to save her offspring, Moonbeam escapes to bear Seequest, king of all unicorns. In a century of life, Seequest never stops learning how to be an effective ruler, earns universal love and respect through his admirable character, and, by immaculate conception, eventually founds the species known today as the modern horse.

As the title suggests, this book tells Chapman's own fable of the Pegasus legend. Part of that is an account of how the unicorn Moonbeam surrendered her horn to the sea god Neptune in return for his help to give birth. In a fashion reminiscent of present-day seahorses, the stallion Seequest carries and gives birth to twin foals who then are born as creatures most people today would recognize as horses. A reduction in lifespan from one hundred years down to approximately thirty is mentioned as a significant difference between the species. At the end of the book, the author helpfully summarizes the ancestry of various horse breeds. Horse and unicorn enthusiasts and lovers of Greek mythology may enjoy this fantasy offering.

- The US Review of Books

Upon a challenge from Zeus, Pegasus choose six of his prized winged horses (3 stallions and 3 mares) to live on Earth with the mission to improve, help and protect the planet. They become a new species no one has ever seen before, not even the gods themselves. The three pairs become Earth unicorns, the Day Unicorns and the Night unicorns. They work together with their magic to heal the planet after the dinosaurs reigned. Then the story shifts focus from all three to a special unicorn as she becomes more than she ever dreamed. Through this miraculous change, she creates miracles of her own. Then when you think the novel has ended, there are a few more chapters which discuss the reign of unicorns and the beginning of horses today!

Author Sadie Chapman crafted a fantastical story in which readers will long to keep reading, and will continue to return to with fondness. Readers will find this novel easy to follow; it flows with simplicity and ease, making it a great novel to read around bedtime or curled up on the couch on a rainy day. It is easy to get lost in the journey as Seequest learns his place in the world.

Sadie Chapman has a magical writing style to tell her story and help keep the magic of unicorns and Pegasus real and alive. Unicorns are such fun creatures to read about, and the author provides a tale which reminds readers of the magic they bring - no matter your age. She creates a history for the creatures explaining how the species went from unicorns to the horses we see today. It’s an interesting idea to bridge mythology with reality.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who enjoys a good Greek myth retelling. While it may not focus completely on the familiar characters from mythology, it expands on the ideas and mythical creatures. It is also a great book for anyone who loves horses, unicorns, and a Pegasus. It is easy to fall in love with this story and anticipate when Sadie Chapman would come out with the second book. This is a great beginning to a wonderful series. Readers will be eager to continue the story of these amazing creatures and be open for new and exciting events to come.

- Pacific Book Review