Review of By Ways Unseen

[Maggie Johnson 2]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "By Ways Unseen" by Daniel Dydek.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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Haydren has always had questions about his past. Despite being an orphan, he had hoped his skill with a sword might be enough to secure his future. Instead, it has made him a target, and one of his enemies is now powerful enough to destroy him. After being forced to flee, Haydren finds himself on a journey he never expected. The road ahead is a dangerous one, but luckily Haydren makes some friends along the way. But are they enough to help him defeat the most powerful mage in history?

By Ways Unseen is an exciting fantasy novel by Daniel Dydek. The story follows Haydren and his friends as they attempt to vanquish their enemies and hopefully learn more about themselves along the way.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the plot. When Haydren first left home, he had no idea where his journey would take him or who he would meet. There were events throughout the story that would set new plans into motion and cause the characters to change course entirely. I liked that I never knew what to expect. It kept me engaged throughout the story and made it difficult to put the book down. I also enjoyed the characters in this story. As with all great adventure stories, there were moments of peril that tested each character. There was also a lot of traveling and stretches of the journey that gave the characters time to think and reflect. All of these moments provided an opportunity to get to know the characters better. It became clear early on that each character was unique. They each had their own strengths, weaknesses, fears, beliefs, and secrets.

One of my favorite things about fantasy books is getting to explore the world that the author created, and it was clear that Dydek spent a lot of time creating the world in this book. However, these details didn’t always carry over onto the page. There were moments throughout the story when I felt like I was missing something. What are these creatures? What is this place I keep hearing so much about? Why are these people invading? The author included some maps and notes at the end of the book about the calendar system, but I would have liked to know more about the history and what was going on at the time of the story.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I appreciated the way the author balanced an interesting plot with well-developed characters. The book was well-written and professionally edited. If Dydek had incorporated more of the history and lore into the story or notes at the end, I would have given the book an additional star.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy and adventure stories. This book is suitable for teenagers as well as adults. It is the first in a series but can be read as a standalone.

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By Ways Unseen
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