First published in June 1977 by Del Rey Books, Anne McCaffrey's Get Off the Unicorn was met with rapturous critical acclaim. McCaffrey's biographer summed up the importance of the book nicely, writing that "the power and appeal of [her] reputation as an author . . . [and] the power of her name to sell books." The book was likewise a financial success. In its first year of publication, it required a total of three printings. Del Rey continued to re-print the collection of stories throughout the 1970's and 1980's (it still remains in print as of the time of writing --July, 2019). The book has also been turned into an audiobook in 1985; a hardcover edition was published in 1982. Clearly, both critics and the public loved the book. What is more remarkable perhaps is how its popularity has endured nearly 50 years after its publication.
Get Off the Unicorn is a collection of short stories in the science fiction and fantasy genres. These stories include: "Lady in the Tower," "A Meeting of Minds," "Daughter," "Dull Drums," and "Changeling" among many others. Although a number of the stories were not originally published in this collection, a few were original.
Interestingly, the title of the collection was a mistake. McCaffrey wanted the title to be "Get of the Unicorn," but the title was misprinted as "Get Off the Unicorn" in all of her contracts. Clearly, the name stuck.
