Time Beyond the Trees: The Cult of Anick: Book Three

by L.E. Brooks, Rebecca Frank (Cover Designer) (illustrator)

The Dragon returns to the past in order to save the future . . . or burn it all to the ground.
Aaron Atticus has lost his memories and isn't sure he wants them back. In other timelines, his life went completely off the rails and he turned into a monster—the infamous Dragon—but he can't remember why. If he wants to keep the love of his life, his precious Lee, he has to face what he did so that he can prevent it from happening again. But will he still love her when he finds out what she did to make him seek revenge?

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

L. E. Brooks (Lauren) has been writing songs, poetry, and short stories since the days when she still looked like her profile picture (apparently way back when the “Rachel” was in style). She is the author of two romantasy novels published under the name L. E. Brooks, with another contemporary fiction novel (nonfantasy) forthcoming under the name Lauren Brooks. She lives in the Midwest with her husband, two kids, and a ferocious pack of hellhounds.

Reviews

[Heather Birt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you like to escape to a world where magic sings in your blood, portals transport you to new planets and dimensions fraught with danger, and love transcends the complexities of a world where time is neither linear, nor fixed?

In Time Beyond the Trees by L.E. Brooks, the third installment in The Cult of Anick series, we begin to fully understand how lives intertwine and time bends with the characters' multiple fates. The fiery Aaron becomes our narrator, and we learn of his true power and heart’s undying loyalty to Avelina throughout their lifetimes. Just when you think you know who’s who, the story deepens. Everyone in this world holds secrets.

Brooks delivers her signature sharp wit, wise commentary, rich characters, and meticulously developed lore, including dragons, dimensional time travel and a dash of spice, making this series one of my all-time fantasy favorites.

The internal and interpersonal dialogue make this impossible world absolutely believable. Each character becomes a familiar friend or a fascinatingly complex foe, even antagonists are hard to dislike. Every voice feels distinct and, regardless of their motives, they feel relatable.

You’re going to love meeting the dragon, Indigo! The bond between the dragon and one born with the power of Evocation is palpable. It's a union of kindred beings that gives life a purpose beyond oneself, a mirror showing each creature who they truly are.

My throat burned with some vague emotion, ambiguous loss and deep gratitude for their acceptance, like I had become a part of their shock. Together, our presence was a stark contrast to the void above and below—stars aflame in a cold universe that felt both endless and suffocating.

There’s nothing like being accepted by a creature who is both mysterious and particular.

Brooks explores emotion as both a subtle language and a vast power source:

Epiphany struck me as I realized what I had misunderstood for years. Evocation didn’t cause me to lose control of my emotions. Evocation was emotion. It was the physical manifestation of what I felt. No wonder I was angry all the time. No wonder I was miserable, restless, frustrated, aching to either smash something or run away. All this time I had tried to reject my own emotions instead of working through them like an adult.

The Cult of Anick series offers emotional wisdom wrapped in fantasy that lingers long after you close the book.

As always, the author's worldbuilding is exquisite:

Neesee had an almost cartoonish, futuristic vibe blended with the strangest greenspace planning I’d ever seen. The city itself reminded me vaguely of Prague, with its eclectic combination of dingy, gothic architecture and newer, cleaner buildings, but they were all capped with solar panels and rainwater catchment systems. The roads were impeccably maintained, with a smooth, almost polished concrete—likely the work of Transformation.

Small, quirky details prove this world is vividly alive inside Brooks's imagination:

Negative emotions are like those evil gnomes from Feldákin—the lavender ones with the striped feet. If you pay too much attention to them, they multiply, then strike you down in the middle of the night.

The use of poetry and epigraphs deepen our immersion in the story, offering insights into both the history and cultures and provide glimpses of what's to come:

Revenge is the war that you
wage on your grief.
It knocks down the pillars beneath
your own feet.
And when you awaken to learn
what you’ve reaped,
you find only nightmares where
dreams used to sleep.

Brooks keeps me planted in my cozy reading chair with gripping foreshadowing and tension, and their ability to create characters you’d gladly fight beside and fall in love with. This series combines all the elements that make fantasy one of my favorite genres - powerful magics, fascinating mystical worlds, and mythical creatures. Everything is tied together by humor, genuine human emotion, thrilling action, and the sense that something is always waiting just beyond what we can see.

I can't wait for The Cult of Anick series to become a series of movies or TV! Brooks has created something truly captivating. I'm so happy to have discovered this series through Reedsy!