The Alwaarian Cycle [Dark Fantasy Progression]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

⭐Volume 1 Finished⭐Unassuming high-schooler Maxwell Balton is forced to grow up fast when he is mysteriously whisked away from his comfortable life to a broken, war-torn world where the inhabitants rely upon skeletal lanterns constructed from the bones of a dead god to keep terrifying monsters at bay. Set adrift in this unknown reality, Maxwell must employ all of his wits and courage in order to survive, whilst working to figure out who (or what) sent him to this place – a task made all the more difficult due to the presence of an enigmatic sigil burned into his back upon arrival, which seems to bear terrible purpose with the locals. Simultaneously, legendary swordsman Cliff Fargo suffers a chance encounter with an old friend and rival, setting in motion a chain of events that threaten to unravel the life he has worked so hard to build. Set on a collision course by forces outside their comprehension, these two will ultimately help guide the future of Alwaar - a world abandoned by its creator, where false gods now vie for dominion over its carcass. This story is the culmination of 6 years of work, from the initial worldbuilding phase, to the plotting phase, to the actual writing. The entirety of the first Volume (book 1) is now available to read here on RR. There are currently5 Volumesplanned. It is an adult Dark Fantasy Isekai Progression novel containing graphic descriptions of violence, profanity, and other sensitive content. Reader discretion is advised. ⩺Feel free to drop a comment! I answer each and every one of them! ⩺You can support me onPatreonfor advance chapters! ⩺Discord server:Link here! 🕰Schedule:Wednesday| Saturday

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Twisted_

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 5.0/ 5.0
Followers: 287
Views: 17,908

Chapters(50 total)

What readers say about The Alwaarian Cycle [Dark Fantasy Progression]

“Honestly, the conversation seems pretty realistic. Obviously it isn't completely like how me and my friends talk, but I can see some us talking in the same way some of these characters do sometimes. The premise is interesting too, so I'm going to keep readi…”
ChunkyBoiRoyal Road5.0 / 5
“For all the people out there craving some damn well written dark fantasy, this novel is for you. Those 35th chapters are a hell of a ride from understanding nothing to understand less. Characters are complex, their backgrounds and relationships too. We basi…”
JeysterRoyal Road5.0 / 5

Reviews

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

Community Reviews(4)

ChunkyBoiRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Honestly, the conversation seems pretty realistic. Obviously it isn't completely like how me and my friends talk, but I can see some us talking in the same way some of these characters do sometimes. The premise is interesting too, so I'm going to keep reading and see whether it delivers. Good start for now.
JeysterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
For all the people out there craving some damn well written dark fantasy, this novel is for you.
Those 35th chapters are a hell of a ride from understanding nothing to understand less.
Characters are complex, their backgrounds and relationships too.
We basically follow a random 17-18 years old dude trying to survive in a magical/medieval world he knows nothing about and with, literally, a target on his back.
Fate will made him crosspath with a middle aged swordsman who have seen too much but has little left to loose.
The world is not friendly to say the least and the cryptic way the author gives information about how it works make it even less so.
You should definitely give this story a try.
UbiquitousReaderRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
TL;DR - If you're looking for some absolutely top tier dark fantasy then you need to read this story ASAP.
I honestly don't understand how this story isn't getting more attention. I stumbled across it by accident when I was looking for something to scratch my dark fantasy itch and man, did this deliver.
First off, the world-building is just insane. The author doesn’t hold your hand and spoon-feed you lore dumps, you just get dropped right into the world. You then gradually learn more and more about it throughout the story, and it's clear the author must have spent a very long time crafting the lore and history, because it honestly feels like a real place.
The magic system is also interesting, and comes with a cost. Casting spells can literally ruin your whole body if you don't know what you're doing, and not even the main characters are immune to this. If you're tired of reading stories about characters that never take damage or feel at risk, then you're gonna love this.
Speaking of the characters, the dynamic between all of them is top notch. The main protag starts out as your typical isekai protagonist, a terrified kid who just wants to go home, but the danger and horror he goes through forces him to step up. He’s also not instantly overpowered, which is very refreshing. He has to struggle for every "power-up" and often ends up paying the price in blood. The side characters are all very fleshed out as well and feel like actual people, not just NPCs for the main protag to interact with. And Cliff... my guy Cliff. He's easily my favorite.
The pacing is great too. Every chapter basically ends on a cliffhanger so I kept wanting to read more every time I reached the end. You'll understand what I mean if you decide to pick up the story.
So yeah, stop sleeping on this and give it a chance. If you like dark fantasy, an original story that really stands out from the crowd, deep worldbuilding and characters who actually suffer consequences for their actions, you need to rea
ilikewaffles037Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you like dark fantasy, with a bit of romance, and a lot of weird monsters and such then you'll like this.
To preface this review, as a beta reader I have read the whole book. However, this review will not contain spoilers for the plot. Purely my commentary as a fan of Twisted's work.
Now, onto the mean and potatoes. I love the characters. Too often in large fantasy stories do I find myself getting bored or annoyed when it's time for a certain character to take the spotlight. But here I find myself just drawn into the world and enjoying every bit of it. They're no perfect saints by any stretch, but the character dynamics and relationships just leave me wanting more.
Which leads me into my main complaint, but I think it's actually rather paltry in the grand scheme of things. I wish there was more. More moments, more conversations, more... stuff. Guess that'll have to wait for book 2.
On the topic of grammar, I got no complaints here. It reads like a book I would pick up off the shelf at a bookstore, in a good way.
Style, well you've got that in droves with your love for things grimdark. You excel in painting a vivid picture for the reader, whether that be of a glittering cityscape or some foul beast. It gets my imagination running each time.
And finally, for the story as a whole it's a strong start to what should by all accounts be a great book series. You've got setups and satisfying payoffs, mystery and intrigue, and it just keeps me coming back for more.
So to anyone still reading this review, give it a shot. I promise it's not some cringeworthy isekai story. It's got plenty of meat on its bones.