The main problem I had with this book is that the narration wasn't the best, especially that there's one voice that she did that was high-pitched and annoyed me to no end. Aside from that, it's a decent book, although the ending was very abrupt.

This is about a fantasy world where teenage girls bond with unicorns to become warriors who can wield magic (although only when touching the unicorn or a weapon they've stored some magic in). The unicorns come across as intelligent war horses who can communicate feelings/images to their riders.

It's centred around two outcasts, one a unicorn who has lost his first rider, but survived (when all others have died) and a girl he bonds with that is 3 years older than when they normally bond. On top of this, we have an officer in charge of their training that basically hates them, along with one of the girls from her town that's constantly belittling her. It's kind of a bit much, since it come across as almost everybody (aside from a few people) is against them. Since they're supposed to be fighting together at some point in the future, shouldn't someone in charge be putting a stop to it?

All that said, it's not a bad book, it just could have used more editing and more thought put into the narration since it came across as somewhat flat when she wasn't doing a character voice. ( )

My thoughts: Incredible! This is a story like no other I have read. Truly inspiring in the telling. Jim Bernheimer has created a world in which the most feared and admired warriors are women who ride unicorns, they are called Battle Maidens. These women are chosen by the unicorns and are trained on an enchanted island to become said warriors. The characters that he has created to live in his world are amazing. They are filled with courage and a sense of purpose. He has developed in them all the makings of greatness tempered with the frailties of being human. The unicorns, who are just as important, if not more so, than the human characters are magnificent. They each have individual personalities and as many positives and negatives as their human counterparts. The leaders are wise and attempt to be just, with the exception of one who is bitter and vengeful while still doing her best to train and carry on.
This story begs the questions of right and wrong, betrayal, loyalty, honor and belief. It is a story of self-discovery. Kayleigh is the main character and her journey is long and filled with challenges. Her unicorn, Majherri, has lost his first rider and is an outcast among both humans and unicorns. Kayleigh too is an outcast, chosen at 16 instead of 13 with a control problem with magic she doesn't understand. The bond they form on the beach when they find each other is strong and both look to each other for salvation - from so much, their status, the battle, and even themselves.
The emotions of the characters envelope the reader. On the edge of the seat as Kayleigh is challenged as lead rider, as she and Majherri charge into battle untrained, as the portal opens and they are thrust into the unknown. I found myself caught in the whirlwind of those emotions as I read, laughing and crying, cheering and berating as the story gallops on.
Breathtaking in completion, this story is fantastic! A must read for the adventure lover and the fantasy reader alike. This story of self-discovery should be shared with readers young and old. I eagerly await the sequel! ( )

I accepted Rider for review because it's about unicorns and magic What's not to love? But what surprised me was how original this unicorn story really was.

The first few pages were a bit confusing, but after I got past them the story flowed smooth and steadily. Bernheimer did a great job at setting up this world. He added details where they were needed to make the story pop out at you, but he never threw too much at you that you felt like you were drowning in this new world (like some fantasies do for me). The unicorns were incredible in Rider! It wasn't the girly-girl cliche of frolicking horses. The unicorns have their own culture; They were very human-like in the way they thought. Unicorns are not just on the sidelines, they play a really big role in the story. We even get a point of view from a unicorn.

Majherri was my favorite character. I loved to see how he interacted with humans and other unicorns. Kayleigh was also very likable. These two were a fantastic duo of misfits. Anyone who ever felt like the outcast will easily empathize with them. I enjoyed reading from both of their point of views.

Most of the story is about these two characters trying to fit in to the maiden academy and getting adjusted to their new-found magic. The ending of the story is where you see there is a whole lot more going on in this world. I loved the added element of evil. As much as I enjoyed the entire duration of this story, I would have liked it if we got more of the ending a bit sooner. But it definitely looks like we will be getting that in the sequel, so I am very excited to read it.

With the easy to follow writing style, I found myself engrossed in the story where I lost track of time while reading. Rider brings a new light to the unicorn tale. It has an exciting and colorful setting with enjoyable characters that fantasy fans will love. ( )

This is the first book in Bernheimer's new series Spirals of Destiny. Previously he has written Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman and a collection of short stories called Horror, Humor, and Heroes. I really enjoyed both of these books and looked forward to reading this one. I got a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I am excited to say I really enjoyed this book; it is a creative take on unicorns and female warriors. Write now the Spirals of Destiny series is planned to be 3-5 books in length.

Majherri is a unicorn who has survived the death of his rider, this never happens at least not until it happened with Majherri. He is lost and unsure what his survival means and is an outcast in the herd. Kayleigh Reese is an outcast in her community; her mother is an artist and her father is unknown and they lead a somewhat nomadic life living in each town a couple years before moving on. When Kayleigh and Majherri meet they form a bond of unicorn and Battle Maiden. The only problem is Kayleigh is sixteen, three years older than Battle Maidens are normally taken in. As a result both Kayleigh and Majherri are as much outcasts at the Battle Maiden Academy as they were before they bonded. As they struggle through training unrest is growing in the west. The things happening in the west are bigger than anyone realizes and Kayleigh and Majherri will be sucked into the center of the problems.

This was a very good book. The viewpoint switches between that of Majherri and Kayleigh. Bernheimer was dead on in how he wrote the scenes from Majherri's point of view. Kayleigh is a character you can sympathize with and she is easy to relate too. The style that each characters tells their portion of the story from is very well defined and easy to read. The plot moves along at a good pace. The majority of this book deals with Kayleigh and Majherri journeying to the keep and with them undergoing Battle Maiden training. Towards the end of the book things get more urgent and the world is broadened quite a bit. This book is appropriate for a young adult or adult crowd, I think either would enjoy it.

Bernheimer has done a great job with characterization in this book and an even better job in writing great action scenes. There is a touch of humor throughout so that things don't get too serious. His writing style is easy to read and follow. I enjoyed the fact that the unicorns had their own sub culture outside of the humans they bond with. The book was nicely balanced in dealing both with the unicorn culture and the human culture. I am always impressed with how much story Bernheimer can get in a novel. The bond between Kayleigh and Majherri is reminiscent of the bond between the Companion horses and Heralds in Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar world. Outside of the bond similarity there isn't much else that is similar; magic is dealt with in a very different way (that I found intriguing), the unicorns can only communicated in images and emotions with their riders, and the unicorns have a society that is all their own.

There were a couple small things that I would have changed. I really would have liked Majherri and Kayleigh to get through the training part of the book faster and get involved in the bigger threat to the world sooner. I was also a little disappointed that at the end of the book you have more questions than answers. But, this is the first book in a series so I guess I will just have to eagerly await the next book to see what happens. That being said the ending did hold a lot of interesting twists and turns which really kept things interesting.

Overall this was an excellent start to a great new young adult fantasy series. I think both adults and young adults will enjoy this series. It has a creative take on unicorn-human interaction, a nifty magic system, and some great action scenes. There is just a tad of romance as well. This book sets things up wonderfully and I am hoping for some excellent adventures for Kayleigh and Majherri in the next book. ( )

The High-King’s elite fighting force is the unicorn cavalry and the battle maidens that ride them. Majherri is the only unicorn to have ever survived the death of his rider. Kayleigh is the sixteen year-old girl he meets when forced out on a recruiting drive to find qualified riders for the unbound unicorns. Her touch generates the Bondspark, indicating she is to be his rider, making it a problem because she’s three years older than the others who will begin their training. Her new found magic is both powerful and uncontrolled.

Majherri, a seasoned warrior, is an outcast in the Greater Herd due to his experience and attitude. No one is willing to listen when it becomes obvious to him that problems are stirring up in the western portion of the kingdom and war is brewing.

The two outsiders make a great pair as he once again has a purpose with a new rider and Kayleigh struggles to accept, without complaint, everything thrown at her as she learns to become a warrior.

Just try and put this book down. Jim Bernheimer weaves a tale that grabs you and leads you on an adventure that has just begun.

The story is told in third person from the perspective of Kayleigh and Majherri, giving us a balanced picture of what’s going on and why. The characters are believable; the story is interesing and moves along at a good clip. My only complaint is that the first few pages are a little confusing with bouncing back and forth in time. The story is appropriate for an adult or young adult. ( )