The Roads Unseen

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

In the wake of their grandfather’s death, the Aufrey twins discovered that magic was real. They did what any college freshman would do and took a risk.

Of course, they didn’t know how high the stakes were. In the Faerie Woods, there are worse fates than failure and death. Their bloodline is the only thing that saves them when things go wrong.

One stays there, captive in a world she used to dream about. The other goes home, to a world they never really knew, desperate to save her sister’s soul before it’s too late.

What to Expect: Mistakes. Consequences. Fae, of the vindictive sort. Sphinxes, party cults, and tragically broken characters.

Information

Status: Hiatus
Year: 2023
Author: AdAstridPerAspera

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.8/ 5.0
Followers: 267
Views: 46,277

Reviews

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Community Reviews(10)

ActionKermitRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I never know what to write in book reviews even though I read a ton of books >_>
This story is good story. The protagonists, the Aufrey twins get tossed into the deep end very fast and struggle to beat the odds. They end up with big problems but there's also potential to solve those problems in the legacy left behind by their grandfather... but there's no one to teach them the ins and outs of that legacy, so they need to find their feet quickly before their problems build up and spiral completely out of control. I like how the setting is complex and overwhelming at first but also clearly organized according to rules that aren't obvious, which leaves lots of room for growth and development for mage-style characters.
AliasedRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Solid writing, good pacing so far. I appreciate the sense of mystery and forshadowing that's coming at us from several angles. The two main characters do not feel very distinct to me yet but I've only read chapter one and expect that to change as I keep going, hard to differentiate them in just a few thousand words.
Look forward to seeing where this goes.
Chaos JesterRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm not the biggest fan of fae stories, as a lot of them tend in the same general direction, but this one was truly a fun one.
Though twins, Tammy and Teresa are unique in their own personalities from the jump which is incredibly relieving. Even this early on, their characters are their own and actually mean something. I'm excited to continue with this story to see how they grow throughout it.
Dediles -Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Roads Unseen brings a stunningly realized urban fantasy to life with memerable characters and a plot of mystery And intruige that explores the heart of magic.
the perspective shifts may not be everyone's cup of tea, but with such deep and complicated world building It's hard to imagine other ways that to explore the world while keeping the sister's quests on track. It's a hard line to walk, and while there may be some stumbling it's ultimately worth it. Few stories on Royal Road have the sheer passion evident in their craft like this one. Highly recommend giving this a chance, and if it's not your cup of tea then you can move on to something else. But it's worth it for those the story does resonate with.
DorrinRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I have been waiting for this story to start being posted for a long time now. Worth. The. Wait. This has all the things you'd want in a good story: humor, conflict, drama, mystery, magic, questions, characters, change. Way too many stories exist where the MCs don't really ever change even the slightest, nothing is ever learned or lost. I can promise you that is not the case with this one. Absolutely top shelf. Very shiny. Now for the obligatory addressing each individual advanced catagory.
Style, having two MCs is a great choice for how the two plots have started to entwine, far more engaging than a simpler story style. Speaking of story.
Story, the setting and magic has barely been revealed but is proving engaging, interesting, and mysterious. Hold onto your mage hat folks.
Grammar, the most borring and pointless section because why would I be reviewing this with so many dang stars if it had issues there. It does not have any issues with grammar. Have a little pun for the trouble of bothering to even read this paragrlaugh. Moving on.
Character, we don't have many of those *yet* but based on the previous versions of the story I have seen I have nothing but anticipation. CHANGE. Gotta love it.
HelpfulPlaceRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It’ll make all the difference, I promise!
Style: The perspective bounces, by chapter, between Teresa and Tammy, the two main characters. Their two very different stories have enough difference in tone and the way the two characters’ narration works that it’s easy to see who’s doing the talking. It’s written to be a slower, more thought-out story, and the author nails that part for sure.
Story: Teresa and Tammy, the Aufrey twins, are cleaning out their grandfather’s mansion when they discover a hidden room. They start reading his books, which turn out to be spellbooks, and from there, everything falls apart. Hard. The story is well-planned, as I’d expect from a solid rewrite of a different story. I have a ton of questions about what’s happening, but a lot of confidence in the author that answers are coming–especially after Tammy goes hunting for the answers. Teresa, sadly, doesn’t look like she’s going to have much time to do a lot of learning.
Grammar: No grammar issues. Certainly not anything that I caught.
Character: So far, we’ve been introduced to Teresa, a more reclusive, bookish young woman around 18-ish, and her twin sister Tammy. Tammy is everything Teresa isn’t; outgoing, gregarious, vulgar, and fun-loving. Both main characters are highly interesting and both different from and similar to each other like only twins can be.
The Roads Unseen is obviously a labor of serious love by the author. I look forward to seeing where the story goes next!
Kernoel77Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
The Roads may be Unseen, but they really should have more eyes on them, because this is a story you should read. I can confidently say the writing is some of the most polished stuff on RR.
Grammar:
Very good. There are like 0 typos anywhere. I read a little ahead and even the drafts are almost flawless. Very solid.
Style:
The style is amazing. It blends fantasy with the real world extremely well, and does an ever better job at making all the magic feel alien, hostile, and dangerous. Which fits the themes of the story really well, since the main characters are straight up not having agood time with it all.
Characters:
The characters serve their purposes in the story incredibly well. You will start loving or hating them within chapters of their introduction, and every line they say has a point. The interactions are incredibly real, and also make me incredibly sad most of the time. Which is good!
Story:
Best part here is definitely the story. Scarcely have I seen such good worldbuilding, lorecrafting, foreshadowing, and mystery. It's insanely good. The concept at heart isn't too crazy, but the execution and the world make it worth it every step of the way.
Conclusion:
This is a very good story, that does what it wants to very well. Which is make you sad. Which is why it's a tragedy! Seriously, if you like the genres the story advertises itself as even just the slightest bit, give it a read, it will be worth it!
KleggtRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: Normally I would not start with this subheading - however, the immediate standout in this novel is how beautifully everything is written. The prose and language used to paint a detailed (and sometimes bleak) world that our characters find themselves in without getting too bogged down by unnecessary words.
Story: The other thing that stood out to me with this story is that is prime actions-have-consequences material, which is one of my soft spots (coming from D&D) and something the two MCs learn in short order. While the story may begin in the mundane normality of sibling life, once the titular 'Roads' are introduced both the pace and tension ramp up - leaving you wondering what happens next and wanting to read more!
Characters: I almost feel at a disadvantage in writing about both Characters at this stage - as the story PoV changes between the two sisters and as of the end of Ch 7 it has been mostly Tammy post-hook. However, both MCs have been well developed so far, not only in terms of personality and quirks, but their progress in taking on this new world and secrets presented to them. As such I am looking forward to learning more about Teresa and how she has been faring with all they have taken on!
Grammar: Throughout what I've read so far, there have been no grammatical or structural issues with the writing. The formatting is consistent and easy to read.
Overall a really promising start that is both well thought out and expertly crafted; I do recommend!
MemzakRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Super excited that this story is finally getting posted!
As someone who has read ahead beyond what's been published thus far... y'all are in for a treat! Both the hook and plot are really strong from the get-go and the road ahead only gets weirder and wilder from there. Also, for you lorehounds, the worldbuiling of this is deep. I guarantee that for every tidbit of lore you discover while reading, there's at least ten tidbits at work behind the scenes.
Okay, now onto the obligatory review stuffs.
Style is not only cohesive but also very suited to the story itself and that which is being told. Story is spectacular especially given that [SPOILERS teehee]. Trust me, you are in for a wild ride. Grammar and overall wordsmithship is very solid effectively already at publishable tier. Characters have depth and personality and while some might dislike the whole dual-protagonist-pov, I think it the mood whiplash between the two is actually very effective at putting the reader in the same unsteady state that the characters themselves are experiencing.
Overall thoughts: Very high quality writing with an intriguing plot. Give it a read if you like magic, mystery, fae, and the consequences of all three.
QuirkyOwlRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I'm really enjoying this one so far. I'll keep reading more, but I wanted to leave a review before I forgot to! The first chapter captured me with the quality of writing, and the second chapter had me hooked. Really great start to what seems like it will be a really good serial.