Across the Mirror's Edge [Book 1 Complete]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

Everything has a reflection, even the world itself.

For Lucas Wells, life felt like it was one big loop. Wake up, go to work, read some comics, sleep, and repeat. Day after day he wished that his life could be more interesting and begged the universe to give him some sort of excitement. He never actually expected that fate would be listening to him.

On his eighteenth birthday, everything changes for Lucas and he manages to stumble his way in a world full of magic. The world isn’t the perfect fantasy like he might have dreamed of, though. It’s a dangerous place, but Lucas has magic of his own to help him balance the scales in his favor. Now, he has to use his creativity and wits to grow stronger so he can survive in a world full of mages, magic, and deadly creatures. Thankfully, he’s found some friends who can lend a hand and help him stay alive.

But while part of him wants to go back home, deep down, Lucas can’t deny the feeling that he belongs here. And when he learns that events in the magical world can impact things back home, Lucas finds himself even more invested than before.

What to expect:

-Lots of world building

-A heavily imagination based magic system

-Normal to strong MC

-A slow-burn fantasy with plenty of adventure and some romance sprinkled in

-A lovable little fox companion

-Chapters posted every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Alex Frost

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.6/ 5.0
Followers: 391
Views: 42,536

What readers say about Across the Mirror's Edge [Book 1 Complete]

“Style: Writing style has good tempo, I don't find myself skimming paragraphs just to get to the 'good' parts. Even the small things feel purposeful. I do find myself occasionally looking up a word to know the definition instead of just relying on context cl…”
CorhaziRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“It's very well thought out and I just couldn't stop flipping from page to page! The story is actually good, some other stories I read don't fully flesh some things out, but this one really feels thought out and well done! The characters and story feel like…”
CosmowrldRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

CorhaziRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: Writing style has good tempo, I don't find myself skimming paragraphs just to get to the 'good' parts. Even the small things feel purposeful. I do find myself occasionally looking up a word to know the definition instead of just relying on context clues, something I enjoy.
Story: Pace of story is fast enough that I feel like every chapter advances the plot, but not so fast that I'm wondering how we got where we are. It's not so slow that I'm bored from chapter to chapter, or feel like the scene is dragging on.
Grammar: Few, if any, typos or grammatical errors. Sentence structure is solid, paragraphs are long enough to convey the story.
Characters: They seem well fleshed out, and thought processes are character-age appropriate. I'm already wondering about characters that were just introduced and what put them where they are and their relation to the side characters next to the main character.
Generally, I'm enjoying this story and find myself looking forward to seeing this in my follow list with the little red dot. I find the characters pleasant to read, the writing doesn't feel stilted or jarring, and the setting is feeling pretty open. The ideas in the magic system interest me, and I'm looking forward to finding out the 'rules' of the system, and see where the path of the main character goes. Especially once we learned what we did in 14, finding out details in 15.
CosmowrldRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It's very well thought out and I just couldn't stop flipping from page to page! The story is actually good, some other stories I read don't fully flesh some things out, but this one really feels thought out and well done! The characters and story feel like they have depth to them, more than what we see even. Great read for anyone interested! I can't wait for more chapters to come out!
D.W.Sutton (Your Favorite Bug)Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Well-written and easy to binge, with a good small-town-to-magic hook.
If you want classic portal fantasy comfort food, this delivers.
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The opening couple of chapters feel lived in. With the work shift, family talk, and a kid named Lucas, who is staring down adulthood with zero clue what he wants.
The fantasy arrives early, and the danger follows right behind it. And once things kick off for real, the action continues to remain as clear and easy to track as the rest of the writing.
The world stuff also has some good bones. The “Mirrors” angle feels like an actual setting choice instead of a random portal. And the fox, Dusk, has enough attitude to feel like a character rather than a mascot.
The story leans heavily into the recognizable. Mark on the wrist, cute familiar, wolves as the first big threat, a capable tutorial girl, long conversation on how this world works. Together, it can be a bit predictable, but depending on who you are, that may be a selling point.
So if you’re looking for a classic portal fantasy with clear rules, early explanations, and a quick on-ramp into the magic side, you’ll have a great time.
DeepBlueRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Lucas Wells starts as an ordinary 18-year-old trapped in a dull routine, desperately wishing for something more, until his birthday brings him face-to-face with a mirror that opens into a dangerous, magical parallel world. What follows is a captivating slow-burn adventure that feels both familiar and wonderfully unique.
The standout elements are the, heavily imagination-based magic system, which rewards creativity and clever thinking rather than raw power dumps, and the adorable fox companion, Dusk, who quickly steals hearts with his charm and loyalty. Lucas is a relatable protagonist—starting normal, resourceful, and genuinely likable as he grows through trial, error, and wonder. The constant mirror/reflection motif adds a subtle layer of unease and psychological depth, making quieter moments feel alive with tension.
World-building is rich without overwhelming, blending classic isekai excitement with real stakes: events in the magical realm can bleed back home, raising the personal investment. The pacing is deliberate and rewarding, perfect for readers who enjoy thoughtful progression, budding friendships, a touch of romance, and high-stakes action against mages and deadly creatures.
This story delivers binge-worthy comfort food for portal fantasy fans while carving its own identity. If you love creative magic, endearing companions, and a protagonist who earns his strength, and is an absolute must-read. Highly recommended, easily one of the most promising ongoing series out there.
JaxxnRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Caught up to Chapter 20 for this updated review!
I must say, the build up prior to these chapters were so natural and such adventurous, I can't help but want more.
Your pacing is just right when it comes to introducing new things and progress the story and that is very commendable.
Grammar is impeccable and your vocabulary is easy on the eyes.
I am definitely shipping these two main characters, but I won't be surprised if you write another character so well that I am obliged to switch.
The Female Lead's father reminds me of a certain overprotective husband in a certain anime and that for sure is welcome!
I've caught up to the type of magic the MC has and I cannot wait to see the different type of applications you have in store for him. It requires a heavy set of creativity to implement this flexible of a magic system and it shows! We definitely cannot wait to see more action and perhaps a lil bit of more romance with the MC and female lead. Keep it up for sure and I will do the same with my reading!
You can count on my support and shoutouts any time!
LycanStormRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It is a great story that has a very cool magic system. The ability to manipulate magic based upon creativity is really interesting to read about and the story itself is very fun to read. The familiars are also very interesting and help flesh out the world in a way that helps build upon the story.
StrayDog ADRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I've read before that some of the best stories start out within the sea of numerous titles and just need a small push to get noticed. This in my humble opinion is one of those. This story hooked me from the start and overall I am truly enjoying the story.
The style of the story and the prose are easy to follow. Every scene is set and pulls you in throough each of the senses. Never once did I struggle to see where Lucas was within the story. The writing is enjoyable and the author had friends beta read every chapter. The amount of care is evident.
The story so far is really interesting. It follows Lucas and a cool fox companion, Dusk through the mirror and into another world. I have yet to see this idea done and it's certainly unique.
So far we have Lucas, a young man and by a certain set of circumstances becomes acquainted with a fox companion. From the start you can see the bond building between the two. A few new characters are introduced and the dialouge between them is not only believable, but enjoyable.
Grammar was well done. I didn't have to wonder who was speaking or encounter any jarring issues that ruined my immersion.
TheSystemlessOneRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you enjoy dark, psychological fantasy with a mysterious twist and strong character themes, this story might be for you :)
This story is really starting to settle into its identity. What stands out most to me is the atmosphere— there’s a constant sense of unease, like something is slightly off even during quieter moments. The mirror imagery and shifting perceptions: they actively shape how the story feels.
The protagonist’s internal state is handled particularly well. Instead of dumping trauma or fear outright, the story lets it leak through thoughts, reactions, and dreams.
I appreciated that the chapter wasn’t just about shock value but about psychological pressure.
Pacing-wise, it’s a slow burn but an intentional one. I also like that the story trusts the reader a bit—there are unanswered questions, but they feel intriguing rather than frustrating.
If I had one small critique, it would be there are moments where I’d like a few more tangible details of the surroundings during intense internal scenes, to help keep the imagery sharp.
That said, the writing style is consistent and the grammar is strong.
Overall, this feels like the kind of story that crawl under your skin and make you wonder what’s real and what’s not, this one’s worth a read.
katjiaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
With the end of the first arc of the story having just landed on RR, I can say I've had a great time reading this story so far and I'm very much looking forward to where it goes next.
The writing style flows well and is enjoyable to read - while the modern-day magical 'parallel realm' setting, colourful characters and the rather free-form 'personal-element' based magic system are engaging and entertaining.
Would definitely recommend giving it a try if you like the sound of the premise.
wathmanRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The story is on the simple side, but it flows smoothly and allows the magic system and world building to develop in interesting ways. MC starts out rather bland, but comes alive quickly when magic is introduced. Looking forward to learning how the magical world developed over the centuries and how politics actually work on the other side. While the MC has been experiencing mostly great things you would wish for in a magical world, there are hints of issues and societal problems beneath the surface that will allow for more interesting plot to appear when the MC gets himself established. Hope there are going to be adventures on both sides of the portals.