My review, as published in Tintin Books:

There's no denying the feat that was "The Secret of the Unicorn" and "Red Rackham's Treasure". Gone is the padding of [b:The Crab with the Golden Claws|165555|The Crab with the Golden Claws (The Adventures of Tintin)|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172341877s/165555.jpg|185664], and there are no wasted characters or moments, which follows logically on from the well-characterised [b:The Shooting Star|146107|The Shooting Star (The Adventures of Tintin)|Hergé|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172178127s/146107.jpg|173095]. The album opens with two mysteries - that of the model ship, and the Thom(p)sons' investigation into a spate of wallet thefts - and weaves them together in a tale which involves historical fiction, kidnap, and an adventure that intimately involves both Tintin and Captain Haddock.

Certainly the most captivating sequence is Haddock's retelling of his ancestor's tale: a pirate story which is vividly retold for us by Herge, who never lags even in the frames which feature Haddock retelling the story to an amazed Tintin. And it's great stuff - fast-paced, fantastical yet never implausible - but it's equalled by the rest of the tale. The mystery involving Tintin's model ship is truly intriguing, and full of characters who may or may not be involved in the plot. And the finale, as we race toward revelation amidst the kidnapping of Tintin and the introduction of Marlinspike Hall, is constantly engaging.

Hergé considered this his greatest success to date when the 1942 serial was published in colour in 1943. Indeed, Tintin's 11th adventure would loom large in the memories of fans as a truly timeless tale. (Also, it's worth pointing out that this s the first Tintin album where the contemporary scenes at least take place entirely in Belgium).

On its own, "The Secret of the Unicorn" merits five stars. Within the context of Herge's albums - where we know he has the insight to incorporate political satire into his fiction - it probably gets pushed down to four-and-a-half. Either way, this is definitely a peak that Herge had not yet reached, and it seems to have heralded a new era in his storytelling. ( )

Great adventure comic. I'm not sure when I really read it. ( )

Tintín compra en el mercado viejo la maqueta de un galeón antiguo. Resulta ser una réplica del navío que gobernaba el antepasado del capitán Haddock, el caballero de Hadoque, que luchó contra el pirata Rackham el Rojo, que transportaba en su barco un gran tesoro que permanece escondido desde hace siglos. Esta historia empezó a publicarse en Le Soir el 11 de junio de 1942, en plena época de ocupación de Bélgica y fue uno de los álbumes preferidos de Hergé. Para realizar el diseño del Unicornio, Hergé se basó en una precisa documentación de navíos del siglo XVII, en el museo de la Marina de París.

A favorite read, this one - and lacking a lot of the racist overtones of some of the earlier books. ( )

Classic Tintin adventures with a small batch of characters



Spoiler
Meet Nestor!!! ( )