The Twilight Realm is a young adult fantasy novel by Christopher Evans. In this story, five teenagers, Paul, Justin, Willie, Teresa, and Kate, recently graduated from school, have met at Paul's house for their weekly role-playing game. This time, Paul's uncle starts acting oddly, gives the teens wooden figurines that represent characters they admire, and sends them through an old mirror that has become a portal to another world, Xhandarre. In the new world, the five teens, having become the characters depicted in the wooden figurines, fight to save Xhandarre from the evil tyrant Avron Kromar.
The five are aided by the old wizard Therion as they face such dangers as being arrested and sold into slavery, a village of hostile locals, and werewolves before they reach the capital, Madrimar, and take on Avron Kromar.
Provides Examples of:
- And I Must Scream: Jarmassad, true heir to the throne of Xhandarre, was put on public display, imprisoned in a crystal cone. The heroes release him.
- Aerith and Bob: Paul, Kate, Justin, Teresa, Willie, Ivor, Avron Kromar, Meldorion, Jarmassad, Aremktesh, Uzosiot, Kevaldol, Orial. Mostly justified in that a majority of the characters with unusual names come from Xhandarre.
- Bad Samaritan: The monks and nuns of the monastery will gladly prepare a lavish feast for all travelers passing through. Too bad the food is drugged with sleeping potion, and, once the travelers are asleep, the nuns and monks will eagerly suck out their brains and feast on their flesh.
- Be Careful What You Wish For: The figurines give their respective owners traits they desire most. Justin wants to be a big, strong warrior, and is turned into a Berserker whose tendencies get him and the others into trouble. Kate wants to be more cool, collected, and secure, and becomes an Ice Queen, who, in her cold-bloodedness, is willing to sacrifice Paul and the real world to Avron Kromar. Teresa desires to be beautiful and is chickified. Willie wants to be more agile and limber, and is turned into a thief, with a moral limberness and agility that leads him to act in less than admirable ways, such as his attempts to take advantage of Teresa.
- Big Bad: Avron Kromar, of course.
- The Big Guy: Willie in the real world, Justin in Xhandarre.
- Bittersweet Ending: The teens are able to defeat Avron Kromar, save Xhandarre, and return to their world. Unfortunately, once they get back, they realize that their basest secrets and desires, their "dirty linens" has been exposed, and their friendship is ruined.
- Black-and-Gray Morality: Avron Kromar is, of course, evil, but the five teens and their allies do some morally questionable things during their quest. Somewhat justified on the part of the teens in that the figurines that shape their identities in Xhandarre were given to them by Avron Kromar.
- Brain Food: The werewolves at the monastery especially enjoy sucking out their victims' brains.
- Character Development: In the end, Paul realizes that, even if a moment of cowardice did cost his cousin's life, he must not let it define him. Kate is able to gain self-confidence and break away from an unhealthy relationship with the manipulative Justin.
- Chickification: The effect going to Xhandarre has on Teresa.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: In the beginning, real-world Kate is this way.
- Crapsack World: Xhandarre under Avron Kromar
- Deconstruction: Ever fantasize about going on an adventure in a fantasy world? This story shows that adventure is not all it's cracked up to be.
- Dirty Coward: Paul sees himself this way. As a child, he saw his cousin drown, and he blames the cousin's death on a moment of hesitation.
- Driven to Suicide: Aremktesh after his son is killed.
- Face–Heel Turn: Orial, Jarmassad's betrothed, has defected to Avron Kromar in exchange for everlasting youth and powers.
- Five-Second Foreshadowing: Just before we learn that Therion is Avron Kromar, Paul notices that his psychic link with Therion is broken, and the narration indicates that "a familiar voice" invites them into the throne room.
- Four Is Death: Avron Kromar has four demon familiars.
- Gentle Giant: Willie in the real world.
- I Did What I Had to Do: Meldorion, court wizard to the deposed king, goes undercover in the village of Pholvenx, luring innocent travelers to the monastery where they are fed to the werewolves.
- Ice Queen: Kate turns into this in Xhandarre.
- Idiot Ball: Paul's plan has apparently succeeded and they are in the process of sneaking out of Sharalidor with Aremktesh and his son. At that moment, Justin decides he really wants a fight, and attacks the guards, leading to the deaths of Aremktesh and his son.
- It's All My Fault: Paul seems bent on taking the blame for many things. For instance, he blames the deaths of Aremktesh and his son on his own arrogance when, to the reader, it is apparent that Justin was to blame.
- Aremktesh blames himself for his son's death.
- Jackass Genie: As noted in Be Careful What You Wish For, above, the figurines that give the teens the traits they desire most tend to confer the worst possible interpretations of the traits. Justified as the figurines were made by Avron Kromar.
- Jerkass: Justin in the real world; Willie in Xhandarre.
- Love Triangle: At the start, Justin and Kate are dating, but Paul is secretly interested in her. In the end, Justin and Kate have broken up, and it is implied that she will end up with Paul.
- Made from Real Girl Scouts: As the teens flee Pholvenx, the townspeople call out what Paul thinks is just a colorful curse, "May the night fiends suck your skulls dry." Turns out that the night fiends are the werewolves at the monastery, who especially enjoy dining on human brains.
- Magic Is Evil: Ivor's possession by Avron Kromar results from performing séances to contact his dead wife.
- Mistaken for Cheating / Relative Error: Deconstructed. Kate finds a picture that has fallen out of Justin's pocket. It is of a pretty girl, and the note on the back says, "To Justin. Lots of love and kisses". Turns out it's Justin's long-lost sister. Except The Reveal isn’t enough to save their relationship, as Kate is furious that Justin’s been keeping secrets from her, and this is the last straw, prompting her to end what she realizes is an unhealthy relationship.
- Monastery with a Dark Secret: The monks and nuns of the monastery will gladly entertain all travelers passing through, having an extravagant feast. Too bad the food is drugged with sleeping potion, and, once the travelers are asleep, the nuns and monks will eagerly suck out their brains and feast on their flesh.
- Not Himself: Paul's Uncle Ivor in the prologue, who is actually possessed by Avron Kromar.
- Only One Name: Justin, Kate, Willie, Meldorion, Jarmassad, Aremktesh, Uzosiot, Kevaldol, Orial.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: In this story, there is no connection with the full moon and they have a preference for eating brains.
- The Reveal: Therion is Avron Kromar. His four cats are the demon familiars.
- Sdrawkcab Name: When Teresa, Kate, Justin, and Willie are sold into slavery, they are bought by a man named Yelsrennik. Turns out that the name is Kinnersley (Paul's last name) spelt backward.
- Sealed Good in a Can: Prince Jarmassad, imprisoned in a crystal cone in the capital Madrimar.
- Something They Would Never Say: Paul's clue that his uncle is Not Himself is that, for an uneducated man, he is suddenly using an elevated vocabulary, including words like "incorporeal" and "limber".
- Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Kate finds evidence to suggest that Justin is sneaking around on her, only to eventually learn that the girl in the incriminating photo is his sister. This is usually the part of the story where everything is immediately resolved and the couple can go back to being happy. However, here, Kate has had some time to agonize over what she thought was Justin's infidelity, she has come to realize that their relationship is unhealthy, and her anger at Justin for keeping such an important secret from her is the last straw that ends their relationship.
- Take Over the World: Avron Kromar has done this in Xhandarre and plans to do the same to Earth.
- Taken for Granite: Subverted with Meldorion.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: How Willie is transformed from the real world to Xhandarre.
- Trapped in Another World: The whole plot of the book, being that the five teens are trapped in the fantasy land of Xhandarre and need to defeat Avron Kromar to find a way home.
- True Companions: Ultimately subverted, as the adventure the five teens undergo ultimately costs them their friendship.
- Warrior Prince: Jarmassad.
- We Can Rule Together: After his familiars are defeated, Avron Kromar makes the teens an offer: Sacrifice Paul, whose body Avron Kromar will occupy in his conquest of Earth, and they can remain behind in Xhandarre as heroes.
- Wham Line: Sitting on a tall, twisted black throne was Therion.
- What You Are in the Dark: The quest has revealed some of the teens' basest desires and traits.
