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Realms Unreel
Realms Unreel is a young adult cyberpunk fantasy that readers call "the perfect escape!"Emmie Bridges, the youngest child in a family of inventors, is a talented creator of virtual worlds and a prodigy in the field of augmented reality. When Tomo Yoshimoto, the world's pre-eminent virtual reality designer, invites her to become his apprentice, Emmie cannot believe her good fortune.But Emmie's charmed life begins to unravel after Tomo's sudden death, and she finds herself adrift in the real and virtual worlds she once loved. When a strange man reaches out to her, offering his help, Emmie discovers that the worlds she thought she knew are not quite what they seem.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
316 people want to read
About the author
Audrey Auden
8 books32 followersIn all my fiction writing, I aim to explore humankind’s pressing social and sustainability challenges through engaging, thought-provoking, optimistic stories for young adult readers.
Fantasy fiction was one of my earliest passions as a child, and as an adult I’m a lover of all forms of speculative fiction. I became an engineer because that seemed the next best thing to magic, and I’ve spent over twenty years building useful products, leading mission-driven teams, and growing technology startups.
But as satisfying as it is to build things in the “real” world, there’s nothing quite as fun as building my own worlds from scratch. I’m pleased to share the result in the form of The Artifex and the Muse fantasy series, set in the world of my debut novel Realms Unreel.
To learn more about my books, please visit my author website at audreyauden.com, where I share everything from story soundtracks and illustrations to publishing updates and reflections on the writing journey.
Fantasy fiction was one of my earliest passions as a child, and as an adult I’m a lover of all forms of speculative fiction. I became an engineer because that seemed the next best thing to magic, and I’ve spent over twenty years building useful products, leading mission-driven teams, and growing technology startups.
But as satisfying as it is to build things in the “real” world, there’s nothing quite as fun as building my own worlds from scratch. I’m pleased to share the result in the form of The Artifex and the Muse fantasy series, set in the world of my debut novel Realms Unreel.
To learn more about my books, please visit my author website at audreyauden.com, where I share everything from story soundtracks and illustrations to publishing updates and reflections on the writing journey.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
May 12, 2012
Let's get something straight: This is a low 3 star rating from me. It's a pleasant enough waiting room e-book, but "mostly harmless" is about the best thing I can say.
There's nothing offensive or crazy making about it, but that's part of the problem. The author seems to have taken a half-decent story and tailored it for a YA audience by thoroughly purging it of anything than might have potentially evoked any kind of parental outrage...... leaving nothing to prompt even the mildest emotional response. Most conspicuously absent was the element of surprise. Nothing happened in the last 90% of the book that wasn't pretty well flagged in the first 10%. The protagonist was apparently the only one who didn't know any of this for 90% of the book.
I came across a lot of reviews praising the "unique concept" behind this novel. Again, let me be absolutely clear - this is not new territory. It's near future sci-fi plus the concept of reincarnation, which has surely been done before. Neither set of concepts was explored with any kind of depth, nothing was raised to be thought-provoking. The author mentions Anonymous, which is such a rich subject, ripe with moral and ethical debate..... and then walks quietly away, whistling.
I enjoy near-future sci-fi, particularly exploring the potential applications of current technology. This is what kept me reading. Just.
There's nothing offensive or crazy making about it, but that's part of the problem. The author seems to have taken a half-decent story and tailored it for a YA audience by thoroughly purging it of anything than might have potentially evoked any kind of parental outrage...... leaving nothing to prompt even the mildest emotional response. Most conspicuously absent was the element of surprise. Nothing happened in the last 90% of the book that wasn't pretty well flagged in the first 10%. The protagonist was apparently the only one who didn't know any of this for 90% of the book.
I came across a lot of reviews praising the "unique concept" behind this novel. Again, let me be absolutely clear - this is not new territory. It's near future sci-fi plus the concept of reincarnation, which has surely been done before. Neither set of concepts was explored with any kind of depth, nothing was raised to be thought-provoking. The author mentions Anonymous, which is such a rich subject, ripe with moral and ethical debate..... and then walks quietly away, whistling.
I enjoy near-future sci-fi, particularly exploring the potential applications of current technology. This is what kept me reading. Just.
February 24, 2012
They have made a travesty of a great mystery, and in so doing even they have forgotten the truth. All who live possess eternal life, and few would trade it for an immortal body, if they truly understood what it is to be alive.
I really loved this book. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I knew the premise sounded really cool. If I'd started out with a better understanding of what this book was about, I might not even have read it and I would have missed out big time. Techie sci-fi stuff isn't really for me. I picked up reading as a hobby after far too much television. Cheesy sci-fi movies have forever ruined me to any futuristic fiction. I even had to suppress my distaste for it while reading Dune, which I also grew to love. Whenever the genre is even mentioned I have this awful vision of all-purpose rubber suits with gratuitous muscle-shaped ridges. Barf. However, Realms Unreel is set in the near future where technological advances are tame enough to believe that they might really exist in a decade or two, yet strange enough that even in parts where the plot moves forward slowly, I have fun just admiring the quirks of Auden's fictional (prophetic?) world.
Realms Unreel is an ambitious work. Auden covers a profoundly wide range of themes from Buddhism, to internet censorship, to religious extremism, to soul mates, to Adam and Eve. And in only about 350 pages she does this with smooth storytelling and prose that make this book fun and bizarre while the plot builds up, then exciting and immersing when it begins to unravel.
At first I couldn't help but feel that Auden had some influence from various manga. Something about the feel of the world she created and the social nuances--particularly between romantic interests--reminded me of some of my old favorite Japanese comics in a way that I could not quite pin down. A bit later on I had almost no doubt about this (Ahem... Amaterasu Nagato) which only enhanced my pleasure in reading. Something about the way background information is withheld from the reader and protagonist until it is need-to-know is reminiscent of well-done manga as well. I was excited to see these general atmospheres and plot devices successfully translated to a medium which I enjoy considerably more.
October 24, 2015
It started off a little slow and hard to follow but it all became clear the further you read. Eventually is grabs you and won't let go. It was SUCH a good book. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
February 5, 2012
Unique concept, made for an interesting storyline involving two very different entities. That's the best way i can put it, as it's hard to describe exactly what this is. It's mythology, science fiction, fantasy, history and drama. I'd be hard pressed to put this in just one category, instead it's a blend of all of them.
The thing I liked most, and am particular about, is computers and technology in books. I liked that the author did her research or is familiar with computers enough to make the technological accomplishments believable and not cringe-inducing.
The story itself takes a bit to get started and once it does, it'll have your attention.
The protagonists were likeable and i particularly enjoyed falsens, then emmie. The antagonist felt a bit cliched but wasn't large enough to become an eyesore.
It's a good short read, I'd definitely recommend this.
The thing I liked most, and am particular about, is computers and technology in books. I liked that the author did her research or is familiar with computers enough to make the technological accomplishments believable and not cringe-inducing.
The story itself takes a bit to get started and once it does, it'll have your attention.
The protagonists were likeable and i particularly enjoyed falsens, then emmie. The antagonist felt a bit cliched but wasn't large enough to become an eyesore.
It's a good short read, I'd definitely recommend this.
November 20, 2012
Realms Unreel is an outstanding book that debuts for the first time a lot of things which we may take for granted in future literature. One thing is the integration of and immersion in augmented reality. Oh, a few books have addressed this, but probably not in as realistic or meaningful way. This stuff is changing our lives and Realms Unreel shows us ways it may continue to do so. For another, the relationship between the two main characters is hardly cookie cutter. It both troubles and inspires me. What would eternity do to a relationship like theirs? Maybe we are finding out. And then there are the connections with reincarnation or other realities that seem to evoke the best of Yukio Mishima's Sea of Fertility tetralogy. Is there a connection to our augmented realities? I'll be buying the sequel to find out and in the meantime recommending this book to my friends.
March 4, 2012
I don't remember how I came across this book; it was recommended to me from either this site or Amazon. Once I settled into the story, it captured my attention and I was eager to see where it led. The conclusion I thought wrapped up pretty quick, but it was noted a follow-up is coming. I look forward to the continuation of the story.
September 23, 2024
An ambitious and wonderfully weird story that blurs the lines between mythology, fantasy, and sci fi
I loved the first two books in Audrey Auden’s fantasy series The Artifex and the Muse, so I was excited to discover this series prequel. When I picked up Realms Unreel, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I think that’s a good way to begin the read. This is a genre-bending mix of metaphysical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy that kept surprising me at every turn. One minute you’re reading about the powerful priestesshood of a mystical ancient religion, and the next you’re dealing with near-future technology in a way that feels almost prophetic. It’s ambitious and weird, and I mean that in the best way.
The story centers on Dom and Ava, two characters with a metaphysical connection that spans centuries and possibly dimensions of the multiverse. The story is told through a dual point of view narrative by Dom and Ava’s latest reincarnation (Emmie Bridges). The other books of the series take place more in the ancient world of Dulai, but this book takes place more in the near-future Earth where Emmie lives. The story world of Realms Unreel is this beautiful merging of high-tech augmented reality with ancient religious themes—something I haven’t encountered often in speculative fiction, but Auden makes it work. The world-building is both vast and intimate, with moments that left me in awe of the scope. I loved how you’re thrown into this world that’s part sci-fi, part mythological realm, without everything being spelled out immediately. The story trusts you to figure things out, and I found that refreshing.
A huge highlight for me was the way technology was woven into the plot. I’ve read my fair share of tech-heavy sci-fi, and let’s be real—sometimes authors get it wrong. But here, the augmented reality, the sensory feedback gear, and all the futuristic bits felt grounded in reality. It was easy to believe that we might see these developments within a decade. The use of AR, especially in how characters like Emmie navigate her world, added an intriguing layer to the narrative. It felt incredibly relevant, especially with how fast tech is evolving in our own world.
That said, the pacing takes a bit to get into. The first chunk of the book moves slowly as Dom witnesses Ava’s latest reincarnation, Emmie Bridges, growing up on Earth, and there are sections some readers may consider a bit info-dumping as Emmie’s high-tech world is laid out. But once the stage is set for the story, you’re in for a ride. There are twists and turns, especially in the latter half, that caught me off guard (in a good way). Dom and Emmie’s journey becomes increasingly complex, especially when you factor in reincarnation and their connection across different realms. It’s a book that asks you to pay attention because there’s so much happening beneath the surface.
If there’s any downside, it’s that the story leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I knew a lot more about Dom and Ava’s backstory from the other books in the series, so for me this story was an interesting expansion of their adventure together, but readers who are entirely new to the series could find some plot points confusing. And even as someone who’s read other books in the series, there were points I wished had more resolution, especially with characters like Amos and the mysterious organization of the Stewards that controls so much of what’s going on in the Earth timeline. I expect some of this will get addressed in later books in the series, though.
Overall, I really enjoyed Realms Unreel. It’s rare to find a book that blends so many genres and pulls it off with this level of creativity. If you’re into speculative fiction that merges the spiritual with the technological, this is absolutely worth your time. I’m excited to continue reading the series, and I can’t wait to see where Audrey Auden takes the story next.
I loved the first two books in Audrey Auden’s fantasy series The Artifex and the Muse, so I was excited to discover this series prequel. When I picked up Realms Unreel, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but I think that’s a good way to begin the read. This is a genre-bending mix of metaphysical fiction, science fiction, and fantasy that kept surprising me at every turn. One minute you’re reading about the powerful priestesshood of a mystical ancient religion, and the next you’re dealing with near-future technology in a way that feels almost prophetic. It’s ambitious and weird, and I mean that in the best way.
The story centers on Dom and Ava, two characters with a metaphysical connection that spans centuries and possibly dimensions of the multiverse. The story is told through a dual point of view narrative by Dom and Ava’s latest reincarnation (Emmie Bridges). The other books of the series take place more in the ancient world of Dulai, but this book takes place more in the near-future Earth where Emmie lives. The story world of Realms Unreel is this beautiful merging of high-tech augmented reality with ancient religious themes—something I haven’t encountered often in speculative fiction, but Auden makes it work. The world-building is both vast and intimate, with moments that left me in awe of the scope. I loved how you’re thrown into this world that’s part sci-fi, part mythological realm, without everything being spelled out immediately. The story trusts you to figure things out, and I found that refreshing.
A huge highlight for me was the way technology was woven into the plot. I’ve read my fair share of tech-heavy sci-fi, and let’s be real—sometimes authors get it wrong. But here, the augmented reality, the sensory feedback gear, and all the futuristic bits felt grounded in reality. It was easy to believe that we might see these developments within a decade. The use of AR, especially in how characters like Emmie navigate her world, added an intriguing layer to the narrative. It felt incredibly relevant, especially with how fast tech is evolving in our own world.
That said, the pacing takes a bit to get into. The first chunk of the book moves slowly as Dom witnesses Ava’s latest reincarnation, Emmie Bridges, growing up on Earth, and there are sections some readers may consider a bit info-dumping as Emmie’s high-tech world is laid out. But once the stage is set for the story, you’re in for a ride. There are twists and turns, especially in the latter half, that caught me off guard (in a good way). Dom and Emmie’s journey becomes increasingly complex, especially when you factor in reincarnation and their connection across different realms. It’s a book that asks you to pay attention because there’s so much happening beneath the surface.
If there’s any downside, it’s that the story leaves a lot of unanswered questions. I knew a lot more about Dom and Ava’s backstory from the other books in the series, so for me this story was an interesting expansion of their adventure together, but readers who are entirely new to the series could find some plot points confusing. And even as someone who’s read other books in the series, there were points I wished had more resolution, especially with characters like Amos and the mysterious organization of the Stewards that controls so much of what’s going on in the Earth timeline. I expect some of this will get addressed in later books in the series, though.
Overall, I really enjoyed Realms Unreel. It’s rare to find a book that blends so many genres and pulls it off with this level of creativity. If you’re into speculative fiction that merges the spiritual with the technological, this is absolutely worth your time. I’m excited to continue reading the series, and I can’t wait to see where Audrey Auden takes the story next.
June 24, 2025
This was one of the most mind-bending, world stretching, imagination defying books I've EVER read!
It is an ambitious book. More than once I had to restart a chapter or leaf back to find a thread I had lost hold of, but I read it as an ebook.
I feel it would be a much easier read as a physical book - one that I can annotate and highlight - to keep hold of all the threads.
And I absolutely plan to do so once I get my hands on a copy!
This would be PERFECT for a book club! It is so multilayered and faceted that it screams for discussion in real time.
If you like your fantasy with a bit of scifi and mysticism, this is what you're looking for.
I feel like a better person for having read it. It certainly tickled my Vonnegut loving roots.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It is an ambitious book. More than once I had to restart a chapter or leaf back to find a thread I had lost hold of, but I read it as an ebook.
I feel it would be a much easier read as a physical book - one that I can annotate and highlight - to keep hold of all the threads.
And I absolutely plan to do so once I get my hands on a copy!
This would be PERFECT for a book club! It is so multilayered and faceted that it screams for discussion in real time.
If you like your fantasy with a bit of scifi and mysticism, this is what you're looking for.
I feel like a better person for having read it. It certainly tickled my Vonnegut loving roots.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 26, 2024
Had to put in DNF pile on kindle after attempting to understand the other book I read with the same characters more. I was left feeling disjointed by the writing style. Idk… something about the way the books are written by this author just doesn’t work for me :/
It was very hard to follow, plus it didn’t help that I don’t like cyberpunk or speculative sci-fi. It definitely cannot be helped that this didn’t feel like typical fantasy novels. I don’t love the technology element either :/
It was very hard to follow, plus it didn’t help that I don’t like cyberpunk or speculative sci-fi. It definitely cannot be helped that this didn’t feel like typical fantasy novels. I don’t love the technology element either :/
September 28, 2024
Captivating characters
"Realms Unreel" expertly interweaves science fiction, fantasy, and mythology to create an epic narrative of technological intrigue, love, and destiny. It is an essential read for those who appreciate intricate worlds and thought-provoking themes, as it features captivating characters and a narrative that transcends time and space.
"Realms Unreel" expertly interweaves science fiction, fantasy, and mythology to create an epic narrative of technological intrigue, love, and destiny. It is an essential read for those who appreciate intricate worlds and thought-provoking themes, as it features captivating characters and a narrative that transcends time and space.
July 19, 2018
I found this book to be highly entertaining. I definitely recommend it. I just wish the author would write the sequel... she seems to have run out of gas.
July 13, 2024
Unique story and approach. Engaging characters.
August 12, 2012
Overall Realms Unreel is an enjoyable read. In particular the characters are well-crafted and memorable and the world/universe is created with a blend of sci-fi and fantasy that while perhaps not completely unique is still certainly fun and well-executed.
That said, most of the criticisms I see people making in other reviews are valid. Specifically:
1. In a lot of ways, the characters/content seems somewhat juvenile and/or like the author was trying to avoid having anything that could possibly be considered offensive. Are we really supposed to believe that ? Or that And then there's also the way that some characters tend to exclaim "OMG" in spoken conversation. People don't really do that, do they?
2. The conclusion of the book feels rushed, and leaves a lot of open questions (and/or just plain plot holes). To take inventory of the most obvious ones:
However, virtually no book is perfect or without its fair share of unanswered questions, and Realms Unreel is an enjoyable read. I give it a solid 4 out of 5, and look forward to reading the sequel. Hopefully it will knock off at least some of those unanswered questions.
That said, most of the criticisms I see people making in other reviews are valid. Specifically:
1. In a lot of ways, the characters/content seems somewhat juvenile and/or like the author was trying to avoid having anything that could possibly be considered offensive. Are we really supposed to believe that ? Or that And then there's also the way that some characters tend to exclaim "OMG" in spoken conversation. People don't really do that, do they?
2. The conclusion of the book feels rushed, and leaves a lot of open questions (and/or just plain plot holes). To take inventory of the most obvious ones:
However, virtually no book is perfect or without its fair share of unanswered questions, and Realms Unreel is an enjoyable read. I give it a solid 4 out of 5, and look forward to reading the sequel. Hopefully it will knock off at least some of those unanswered questions.
March 2, 2016
Wow. This book is just awesome! I haven’t really ready any cyberpunk before, only watched some cyberpunk anime. I don’t really see how this fits into cyberpunk in that sense, but as I haven’t read cyberpunk, I will take the author’s word that this is. Needless to say, whatever you want to call it, this book was amazing! I loved the world-building both within the book, and the work that the author does. The blending of technology and old religions was refreshingly thrilling. The author’s descriptions of technology were phenomenal. I was surprised that this book was only 356 pages, because it seemed so much more than that. The meaty details, the three different storylines going at the same time, and the delicious development of the plots left me feeling like I had read several books in the series.
The only bad thing that I would mention, is that because of all the different elements and the way that the story progressed, I really felt that there were two different books here. And the story still isn’t finished yet. There will be a sequel. This book took me a month to read, which is very uncommon. There are a couple of major climactic points where I think she could have ended book 1, and then created book two. The second part of the book had a very different feel than the first, which also would have been easier to handle if she had made it two books.
But it was a great read. I will definitely read it again when the next book comes out. Yeah, the next book is going on my TBR as well.
The only bad thing that I would mention, is that because of all the different elements and the way that the story progressed, I really felt that there were two different books here. And the story still isn’t finished yet. There will be a sequel. This book took me a month to read, which is very uncommon. There are a couple of major climactic points where I think she could have ended book 1, and then created book two. The second part of the book had a very different feel than the first, which also would have been easier to handle if she had made it two books.
But it was a great read. I will definitely read it again when the next book comes out. Yeah, the next book is going on my TBR as well.
March 6, 2012
I tend to love storylines that blend what appear to be counter-intuitive or "contradictory" things; in this case, I really enjoyed the merging of high-tech virtual reality and technology of the near-distant future, with ancient mythology and the dreamy "immortal realm."
The author really does a good job of making you care about the characters and their progress. There were some twists near the end I definitely didn't expect (which was good).
There were so many intriguing concepts in this novel I honesty feel like it could have been longer, so they could have been delved into a bit more. For example; does Dom really come from a parallel universe, or is it the afterlife, or...? I think that while his world was fleshed out pretty well, the story might have left me a bit more satisfied if I could have ended the book with the understanding of why his people were immortal and why people on earth aren't...whether reincarnation (in the context of this story) happens to every human or whether it's only happened to people who come from Dom's world?
There were some unanswered questions, but overall I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! I will look for the sequel to this when it comes out.
The author really does a good job of making you care about the characters and their progress. There were some twists near the end I definitely didn't expect (which was good).
There were so many intriguing concepts in this novel I honesty feel like it could have been longer, so they could have been delved into a bit more. For example; does Dom really come from a parallel universe, or is it the afterlife, or...? I think that while his world was fleshed out pretty well, the story might have left me a bit more satisfied if I could have ended the book with the understanding of why his people were immortal and why people on earth aren't...whether reincarnation (in the context of this story) happens to every human or whether it's only happened to people who come from Dom's world?
There were some unanswered questions, but overall I very much enjoyed this book and highly recommend it! I will look for the sequel to this when it comes out.
June 21, 2012
Audrey does a fantastic job setting up a futuristic world where virtual reality is an everyday norm. She describes the technology so well that at no point are you confused with what she is talking about. With that said, the virtual reality barely had a point in the story, despite taking up a vast majority of the book. Things that truly needed to be explained went without explanation. This led to the conclusion of the story feeling very rushed. I understand that it is difficult to write a story that takes place in two seperate worlds, but the author could have done a bit better developing them both.
April 3, 2016
I was so confused at the beginning of the book that I almost gave up. The description of the technology was so far beyond my understanding that I couldn't grasp what was being described half the time. It wasn't until the very end where I could finally visualize this world. Frankly, how the whole reincarnation stuff tied to the modern tech-genius girl didn't make much sense. I just didn't get it. It wasn't until the last third of the book that things started to make sense to me and that's way too far into a book. This one ends with a cliff-hanger, but I won't be bothering with book 2.
October 24, 2012
I'm not sure what just happened to me. This book was not AT ALL what I was expecting. It was recommended to me by Goodreads,and as far as this website is concerned all I read is YA trashy/distopian/fantasy. Realms Unreel is not that. This book demands an intense imagination, because if you can't satisfactorily produce amazing images in your head a lot of this won't translate. Also, I'm sure WOW players and MMRPG players will grasp more of what happened in this book than I did. I won't say more than that.
Book was a trip!
Book was a trip!
March 20, 2013
This was okay. The blend of near-future and mythology is interesting in concept, but it didn't hang together well for me. It seemed like it took forever to get to the point, and then it was a downhill rush to the end. Which wasn't really an end, as, of course, it's part one in a series. (Is anything a stand-alone book, movie, et cetera, anymore?) The whole book left me feeling rather flat.
August 22, 2012
Interesting concept but not particularly well developed (or perhaps it was the lack of explanation of the universe?). I really did not find myself engaged by these characters or their plight. The characters all seemed flat. I really would not recommend this to anyone.
July 9, 2012
this book suuuuuucked. maybe it was okay for teen fiction, but i'm pretty sure it was trying to be a work of moderately high speculative scifi. at that, it didn't succeed really at all as it didn't introduce anything new or particularly interesting.
August 21, 2013
A beautiful, imaginative novel. It is the beginning of a long story really of the spiritual connection people have with each other and the ability for it to survive across any dimension. This novel told that story through a very... sci-fi? setting. I very much hope she publishes a sequel.
January 25, 2015
I don't remember when I bought this but it was fairly entertaining.
The beginning is a little confusing and slow but it does pick up in the end. I think if a second book was produced I would read it to see how the author's style progresses with time.
The beginning is a little confusing and slow but it does pick up in the end. I think if a second book was produced I would read it to see how the author's style progresses with time.
March 31, 2012
Very unique storyline/concept. I was thoroughly engrossed by it. Cannot wait until the second book comes out!
Want to read
December 21, 2012Kindle freebie, 12/21/12
May 6, 2012
Really interesting fantasy/sci-fi that doesn't rehash the same old stuff. Compelling characters, good pacing. Well worth picking up.
October 1, 2012
I'm sorry, but I just could not get into this book. I gave it many chapters, but it never came together for me.
December 18, 2012
Don't remember how I got this book; it was just on my Kindle. Read most of it. It's ok. Teen fantasy/scifi, really. Pretty vanilla.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews