The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth

by J.J. Hebert

🏅 MARIEL HEMINGWAY'S BOOK CLUB SELECTION:

"This novel is heartfelt, gripping, and memorable in all the best ways." —Mariel Hemingway, Bestselling Author & Oscar-Nominated Actress ★★★★★

One father's desperate choice fractures time and reality itself.

To everyone around him, Daniel Ward is a mild-mannered accountant, devoted husband and father in a quiet New England suburb. But when his ten-year-old son chases a runaway soccer ball into the street, straight into the path of a speeding truck, Daniel does the impossible. He freezes time.

That single act of defiance exposes the secret he's buried for decades. His magic awakens the ancient order he once betrayed, the Arvynth, a brotherhood of immortal sorcerers devoted to stillness and death, determined to silence the world.

As his carefully constructed life unravels, Daniel must protect his family while evading the brotherhood that hunts him. Every second he steals from time feeds the void that seeks to consume it, threatening not only the people he loves but reality itself.

Forced to choose between sacrifice and survival, Daniel discovers the truth: sometimes the loudest act of love is defiance.

The Breaking of Time is a race against eternity, a supernatural thriller that fuses urban fantasy and family drama in a story about the noise of life, the cost of power, and one father's desperate fight to keep the world from falling silent.

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MORE PRAISE FOR THE BREAKING OF TIME:

"This work will grab readers’ attention early as Hebert combines a diverse array of genres—fantasy, thriller, family road novel, and others—into a fast-paced, character-driven adventure...The book’s intense pacing, driving narrative, and occult worldbuilding work so well, in large part, because they remain so tightly anchored by the strong characterization and compelling relationships... An exciting, tightly written tale of magic... Our verdict: Get it.” —Kirkus Reviews

"The Breaking of Time is meticulously crafted to explore themes of love, loss, redemption, and the struggle to balance personal desires with greater responsibilities." —BookLife/Publishers Weekly (EDITOR'S PICK)

"The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth delivers cinematic urban fantasy that bridges generations, echoing the mythic gravity and moral weight of J.R.R. Tolkien while unfolding within a sleek, contemporary world. J.J. Hebert grounds epic ideas in everyday life, making the magic feel intimate, dangerous, and emotionally real. This is prestige fantasy—timeless in scope, modern in execution, and built to captivate readers who want depth, tension, and wonder without losing momentum." —Jesse Metcalfe, Award-Winning Actor ★★★★★

"An immersive paranormal thriller that balances the rich worldbuilding and in-depth lore characteristic of fantasy fiction with the all-too-human dramas of identity, family, and the consequences of secrecy." —Independent Book Review (STARRED review)

“If you like magic that feels tactile and real, or if you enjoy emotional stakes wrapped inside supernatural danger, this book will hit the spot.” —Literary Titan ★★★★★

“A smartly plotted supernatural thriller with a strong, charismatic protagonist to root for. A Wishing Shelf Recommended Read!” —The Wishing Shelf ★★★★★

"A winning blend of the supernatural and family adventure that crackles with heart and imagination." —BestThrillers ★★★★★

"The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth by J. J. Hebert is a wonderfully complex dive into the world of fantasy... fast-paced, magical..." —Readers' Favorite ★★★★★

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Supernatural

354 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 25, 2025

About the author

J. J. Hebert is the #1 Amazon, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of eight books, including his acclaimed debut Unconventional and The Backwards K, which, according to Newsweek, is currently in development for film adaptation. His latest bestsellers, both published in 2025, are The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth and The Hands-On Author: Taking Control of Your Book Marketing Journey. A lifelong New England resident, Hebert frequently weaves the region’s landscapes and atmosphere into his storytelling. He is also the award-winning CEO and Founder of MindStir Media, a leading hybrid book publisher. Join his community of over 2 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) @authorjjhebert.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book thru a Goodreads giveaway. I would like to thank the author and the publishing company for their generosity in exchange for a honest review.

This novel is about Daniel who has been on the run for centuries from a group of magic users. One day he has to use magic to save his son which blows his cover.

I don't think that I have read a book that had so much promise and potential from the first act to fall on its face like this book did. I was all in with the first act. The author did a terrific job setting up the situation and the predicament the protagonist put his family in. I loved the message too. Unfortunately the more I read the more I found I had issues with this book. I kept on waiting for exposition about the race or the magic that was involved in this book. What is this race about and why do they live forever? No idea. All I know is that they want the end of the world as we know it. Why was the main character so important to both sides of the conflict? Don't know. He just was. The only reason I can see for this because he did security for them five hundred years ago. I had so many questions that went unanswered. Instead we get leaps from point to point that did not make sense. And the convenient circumstances that happened throughout made my head shake. In one scene the main character is pondering how they would survive when they had no fighters. Knock knock. Oh. It is the group of military personnel that no one knew about and happened to arrive at their secret location just when we needed them. Whew. Good thing that happened. Don't get me started on the third act. We deal with the main character being not the best father and how he is trying to change. When did we learn about this in the first two thirds of the book? We didn't. This went on and on too. If I read one more page about him gardening or him in therapy I might have thrown my kindle across the room. I get the metaphor but give it a rest.

As you can see I did not care for the way the author wrote at all. It was too generic and too convenient. I also thought the repetition and the contradictory statements were way too present. His way of writing for me just came off way too melodramatic. Honestly I felt like I read so many words and chapters for nothing. The structure of this book was weird and I did not connect with it at all.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Breaking of Time opens in a quiet New England suburb with a startling confession. Daniel Ward, devoted husband, father, and unassuming accountant, admits that the life he has built is a carefully constructed fiction. He is far older than he appears, and he has spent years suppressing extraordinary abilities that once defined him.

Why the admission? Because in a moment of desperation, he broke his own vow and stopped time to save his son. The act is brief, impossible, and irrevocable, splintering the illusion of normalcy he has maintained and drawing the dangers of his past back into the present.

From this arresting setup, J. J. Hebert builds a supernatural thriller that blends suspense with emotional depth, introducing readers to a protagonist whose greatest enemy may be the past he thought he escaped. Much like the best mystery heroes who walk in two worlds, Daniel, who is later revealed to be a 543–year-old sorcerer, inhabits the tension between identities. Hebert uses this duality to powerful effect. Daniel’s remarkable wealth of knowledge collides with the routines of modern family life, and the resulting friction gives the novel both heart and propulsion.

As Daniel’s secret shatters the façade of domestic normalcy, his wife Elena and their children become fully realized characters rather than bystanders. Elena, in particular, grounds the novel with sharp emotional intelligence. Her fear, anger, and drive for truth provide a moral counterweight to Daniel’s evasive instincts. Their early confrontations carry the same compelling rhythm found in strong investigative partnerships, two perspectives rubbing against each other until truth begins to spark.

As Daniel is pulled back into a world of power he once renounced, the novel’s momentum accelerates into confrontations that test not only his abilities but also his beliefs about love, identity, and responsibility. Beneath the magic lies a potent thematic thread: sometimes the loudest act of love is defiance, and sometimes protecting a family requires refusing the silence others demand.

Hebert excels at creating atmosphere through flickers in the air, vibrations without source, markings that appear where no hand has touched. These eerie disturbances signal the return of an ancient order devoted to stillness and death. Fans of Leigh Bardugo and Blake Crouch will appreciate Hebert’s mix of mythic fantasy worldbuilding and fast-paced adventure.

While the novel leans heavily into the supernatural, its pacing and investigative momentum will appeal to readers who appreciate stories where the unknown unfolds with procedural precision.With The Breaking of Time, Hebert offers a genre-blending thriller that marries supernatural suspense with the emotional precision of a character-driven mystery. It is a gripping exploration of secrets, consequences, and the fragile noise that keeps a world alive.

[Kari · Rating 1 out of 5]

EDIT: The author deleted their response to my review after I responded. So I don't seem like a crazy person in the comments, here is the context:


This book has exploded in 5-star reviews since I initially posted mine, sometimes literally within minutes of each other, with vague details (and sometimes nice stock/celebrity photos). So I think it's important I be more thorough as to why I believe, in my personal opinion, that this book is AI-generated, by ChatGPT-4o nonetheless. Keep in mind it is my opinion! I just don't want to repeat that every single time, lest someone else suggests I'm making defamatory remarks.

Note: I used ChatGPT-4o last year for a month to generate fiction for my own PERSONAL entertainment. So I'm well acquainted with the way it writes, its repetitions, its dramatic flair, and choice of words IT NEVER STOPS USING. So when I started reading obvious AI slop books, I saw the exact same patterns. You see bits and pieces of it in real books, but in AI books, specifically those made with 4o, it's the whole kebab, every single time.

Em-dashes
Let's get this out of the way before someone whines it's not a sign of AI usage. It's not. Consider it the cherry on top of a crap sundae if you're seeing a lot of other isms. Just for reference, chapter one of this book has 42. Chapter two has 38.

In contrast, Robin Hobb's The Assassin's Apprentice has 3 em-dashes in chapter one. Chapter two has 5. Both chapters are much longer. Just goes to show you don't need em-dashery sometimes. Unless you're 4o.

"It's not X. It's Y."
This book has a LOT of the "not X, just Y" phrases that people are familiar with. These read something like, "It's not eating, it's particle conversion." "It's not a hot dog, it's a statement." "You didn't just slap him—you obliterated the foundations of a government and crumbled a nation."

Examples from the book include:
- "They all believe they know me. They don't."
- "Not the gentle whisper of someone cruising ... but the aggressive growl of speed ..."
- "... fractured again—not a sound but an absence of sound"
- "He stared straight ahead, not at us, somewhere beyond us"
- "Not reflected, not refracted—bent."
- "He was looking up ... —not quite fear, not quite awe, but something between the two."
- "Not eventually. Not someday. Now."

You get the picture.

Word Choices
When ChatGPT generates your fiction, it tends to stick to certain word choices. Part of it is influenced by its internal training. Part of it is influenced by what you've given it. It's to the point I've seen enough to know ones to watch for, and more so, the way it's used. If you find a book is repeating certain words, or phrases a LOT... you probably have an AI book.

Here's just a few examples of overlap cause I'm short on space.

whispers
You'll see this in like... 99% of AI-generated slop. God even knows what it is about whispers specifically that it can't let go of. Probably cause lots of real books have whispering. But it's not just about the frequency of whispers, but how it's used. ChatGPT often uses it in two ways:

Non-humans whisper.
- "Not the gentle whisper of someone cruising through the neighborhood, but ..."
Barely audible above
- "His voice came out barely above a whisper"
If a book uses both of these, and more than a few times... consider it damning.

flickers
4o loves flickering. Whether it's torchlights or eyes or faces, in ChatGPT world you've always got a flicker.
- "sometimes I catch a question in her eyes, a flicker of something she can't quite name."
- "He looked up at me with eyes too wide, confusion flickering into fear"
- "Her expression faltered-disbelief flickering across her face"

pulse
If you ask it to write anything remotely fantasy/sci-fi, prepare for lots of pulses, and never of the human kind.
- "Not the hum of ... or even the residual pulse of my own magic ..."
- "The hum in the air pulsed"
- "It hadn't left my mind that hum, that pulse just beyond hearing"

breathe
4o LOVES everything breathing. It really likes things holding its breath. Dunno why, but it's gotta be non-living things.
- "and made the sky itself hold its breath."
- "The whole world felt fragile ... holding its breath before the fall."
- "the frozen world prepared to remember how to breathe."
- "The world held its breath"
- "as if the atmosphere itself was holding its breath"

remembering
Like breathing, ChatGPT 4o loves remembering... and forgetting. Listening. Watching. Waiting. Being seen. Heard. And again, with non-sentient things.
- "the old pathways of power waking, remembering their purpose"
- "small distortions where time tried to remember how to move"
- "the frozen world prepared to remember how to breathe"
- "We remember you."
- "WE REMEMBER THE SILENCE."

Speaking of non-sentience... watch for things that aren't sentient, treated as such. Especially houses. Here's a non-sentient example:
- "A curtain twitched in the window across the street."

mechanical precision
When I used ChatGPT, it would never shut up with surgical... ever. But it seems for published 4o slop, mechanical along with precision is the big favorite. Any phrase of {adjective} precision should give you pause for concern, ESPECIALLY if it's used to describe how a person moves.

- "The hum of the refrigerator seemed louder than it should've been, a grinding mechanical pulse that set my teeth on edge, as if the house itself was straining to fill the silence we'd left behind last night."
Okay, fridges sure, but if it's pulse grinding and your house is straining, you've got problems.

- "The driver's window rolled down with a mechanical whir that sounded too loud in the strange, suspended quiet."
Okay, fair...

- "I nodded, watching as she moved into the kitchen with mechanical precision"
There we go, something I've seen in many AI books now.

We've got other tells to get to, so we'll cut it short here. Suffice to say, there's tells galore once you know what to look for. Darting eyes, men grunting, snorting, AND barking, racing minds/hearts, hushes and echoes, murmurs, hitched breaths, things holding, intones... again it varies. Sci-fi tech dystopia garbage, prepare to see lattices, system collapses and loops. It's all bits of evidence at a crime scene, no single one is decisive (usually).

Excessive details about clothes and hair
This one's a bit of an outlier. I noticed that in thrillers, a character in peril has their clothing or hair described as being messed up. For example:
- "He wore his blue hoodie-the one with the frayed cuffs he refused to let Elena fix, the white stripes on the sleeves already graying from too many washes, and one drawstring longer than the other because he'd chewed on it during homework the night before. His sneakers were grass-stained, laces trailing, his gangly ten-year-old body a blur of elbows and knees as he ran with a reckless abandon only children possess."

So, is this kid about to get hit by a car or not?

Nonsense similes/metaphors/analogies
4o comes up with phrases that make no sense when you think about it. You gotta fill in the blanks for it instead of it filling in blanks for you, but once you do that, you ask yourself wtf you just read.

Here are some examples:
- "her laugh carrying over the ambient music like a bell I didn't know I'd been waiting to hear"
Tell me when's the last time you heard a bell and thought, "golly, I've been wantin' to hear that all my life."

- "Trees along Brookfield Lane shed their red and gold. They carpeted the sidewalks in layers of crimson and amber, crunching underfoot like breaking glass."
Okay, bringing up colors twice consecutively, and changing them aside... when's the last time you stepped on leaves and jerked your foot back, thinking you stepped on a broken bottle?

- "The world thinned around me, like reality itself was just a membrane stretched too tight, waiting for permission to stop turning."
??? What membrane wants you to tell it to stop turning?

- "The syllables were hot and metallic on my tongue, tasting of copper and electricity, of blood and starlight."
Unless you're eating alphabet soup, words don't taste like anything... and what does electricity and starlight taste like anyway?

- "It hadn't left my mind that hum, that pulse just beyond hearing, like a frequency my ears couldn't quite catch but my bones could feel."
Alright, you tell me what sounds bones can hear that ears can't.

- "Eli was in my arms, his small body trembling like a bird's, his chest heaving against mine."
Not even a baby bird? Just a bird?

Overly flowery prose
I think I gave a pretty good example above. If a story stops and goes on forever about pointless details, and turns:
"He didn't hear"
into
"The wind was wrong, carrying sound away from him, and he was bent over the ball now, just a few feet from the centerline, small hands reaching down to scoop it up. His hood had fallen back, revealing the stubborn cowlick at his crown that Elena had tried to smooth down this morning, the same stubborn swirl of hair I'd seen on Jonas five hundred years ago."

You got 4o not shutting the hell up, because someone told it to be dramatic.

Inconsistencies, plot holes, contradictions, and things just being plain wrong—a LOT.
Here's the thing about AI garbage if you are reading it and paying attention. It makes mistakes. Lots of mistakes. It's because it can't track details like we can, especially with a smaller context window. You gotta disconnect your brain to not think hard about it. But if you pay attention, you could write essays about how wrong everything is. Another review pointed out mixed up names. Oops, 4o's context window ran out and started BSing. Thank God for KDP allowing you to make ninja edits.

Because I don't want to write more of an essay and I have limited review space, I'll go brief on the first chapter... and even that's a lot.

Sigh.

In short, MC Daniel AIwards has to save his son Eli, from death by car. His son kicks a ball out on the street, runs to get it, truck speeds outta nowhere, MC stops time to save him. I'll try not to get TOO into the weeds... but there's a ton of weeds.

- "My wife calls me dependable, though sometimes I catch a question in her eyes, a flicker of something she can't quite name."
The story suggests that Daniel's cover is so impeccable, they have no reason to suspect anything, especially since he hasn't touched magic ever since entering the BONE ZONE with Elena. So why would she suspect anything? What is there to question? Oh, it's cause 4o likes injecting ~MYSTERY~ in the form of other characters having suspicions where they have no reason to.

...I know this because ChatGPT constantly did this to me before I ragequit it. I didn't even ask it to. It just did. Characters had EVIL PLANS or SUSPECT YOU. I think it comes from its lack of theory of mind, essentially failing the Sally-Anne test. ChatGPT has worse theory of mind than I do.

Moving on.

- "The mug—a Father's Day gift from three years ago with "World's Coolest Dad" printed in fading letters—hung heavy in my hand, forgotten."
Three years and it's already faded? What a crappy mug. How is it forgotten if you're giving us all the details and you're holding it?

- "The ball bounced once, twice, then caught the curb at an angle and rolled into the street, picking up speed as it curved toward the stop sign at the corner."
I'm not a physics expert, but I'm pretty sure soccer balls tend to lose speed over time, not gain.

- "He wore his blue hoodie ... that sphere of black and white pentagons."
Not pasting all 118 words, but why are you thinking this instead of chasing after your kid? It's cause 4o fills the gaps with expanding foam like an anxious person fills silence with words. (Did I do it better than 4o?)

- "A truck came around the bend far too fast. The driver probably wasn't paying attention, likely glancing at his phone or reaching for something on the passenger seat, thinking about anything but the quiet street where children played."
So the driver is turning while speeding, but not paying attention... but enough to look while turning. And doesn't notice a stop sign. Or a soccer ball. Or a kid. On a residential street. Where MC can see. With a clear view of everything.

- "The coffee mug slipped from my fingers, hitting the driveway with a dull crack. Coffee spread across the concrete in a dark stain that looked too much like blood. "Eli!" I shouted. "Look out!""
4o isn't just bad at counting, it's bad at time. You expect me to believe that MC, rather than bolting out to get Eli, drops his mug, has time for it to hit the ground, and has time to watch the coffee spill?

You see why you don't let AI do the writing for you?

- "He didn't hear. The wind was wrong, carrying sound away from him, and he was bent over the ball now, just a few feet from the centerline ..."
NOW you're expecting me to believe Eli has already caught up to the ball, and the wind is so insanely strong, he hasn't heard his dad at all, but the ball also isn't moving.

- "The driver saw him at the last minute. I could see the panic flash across his face through the windshield, his mouth opening in what might have been a shout or a curse."
Instead of going after your kid, you're still standing there like a clothing store dummy, noting all the details of the driver's face...

- "The laws of physics are beautiful and merciless. Mass times velocity. Momentum conserved. A two-ton truck traveling at forty miles per hour needs approximately ninety feet to stop. My son was thirty feet away. The math was simple. The outcome inevitable."
Now we've established the truck is thirty feet away. It's also two tons. So the weight of a convertible. Also, the math is wrong. It's more like 120 feet. But okay.

Why do you care that physics is beautiful? Your son's about to become road stop IHOP pancake!!!

- "My son was about to die, and the man I'd been pretending to be had no way to stop it."
Maybe spend less time on meaningless details and run after your kid who you never taught road safety to for a decade.

- "... the old words. The ones I'd sworn I'd never speak again after ... everything the Silence took from me. "Fractura Tempora.""
Try saying Fractura Tempora all magic spell like. Cause time = distance / speed. 30 ft / 40 mph = 0.5 seconds.

By the time MC says "Frac", Eli is already Fractura Temporaed.

It gets worse. We get another infodump about the world around him as time freezes including:
- "A dog's bark was frozen in the distance, the sound visible somehow, trapped halfway between the animal's throat and the world's ear."

Where's the dog? How are you seeing the bark physically? Between its throat? How close is the dog??? WHY DO YOU CARE?

Blah blah blah, he reaches his kid, time tries to stop him, then doesn't.

- "I reached Eli in what felt like hours ... His face was frozen in concentration, eyebrows drawn together the way they did when he was trying to multiply fractions ... There was a small grass stain on his cheek. ..."
Imagine picking up a ball. Anything light. How often do you look like you're straining on the loo? Also noticing a grass stain (let alone how does grass stain a cheek) in a high stakes situation??

- "I grabbed his small shoulders ... and yanked him back toward me, pulling him against my chest hard enough to hurt, hard enough to steal my breath ..."
Find somebody to hug. Preferably someone you hate. Squeeze them. Squeeze them so hard that your chest hurts. Now think about doing this to a kid. What are the chances they survive?

So he pulls back the kid, time starts aga—EXCUSE ME?

- "The truck shuddered to a halt a few feet away from where Eli had stood, so close I could smell the hot metal of the brakes, could see the brand name printed on the tires."

So you're telling me... that not only are you staring at the tires to see what brand to buy, but the truck stopped before it would've hit your kid anyway??? Didn't we establish it takes WAY more time to stop a car going 40 mph than 27 feet???

DO YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE AN AI—I'll calm down. When you have an LLM with no actual understanding write a novel for you?

You get an absolute mess like this.

We get some other stupid stuff. The driver stares blankly ahead, gets out of the car, gets back in, gets back out, then gets back in to stare blankly again. Eli somehow knew that time stopped despite not knowing it stopped. The driver somehow never noticed anything.

Elena teleports to the front porch and sees the magic too. This plays into the whole lack of theory of mind thing. Eli knows time stopped because ChatGPT "knows" time stopped. Elena too. Elena totally knows, despite that:

- "The distortion rippled and pulsed, faintly visible to anyone who knew how to look, a scar on the world where time had been torn and roughly sewn back together."
Oh, so you have to know what to look for.

- " The shimmer lingered between us, bright and wrong and impossible to explain away, humming with the residue of what I'd done."
Oh, you don't?

- "Lucky that the shimmer in the air had been subtle enough to be dismissed as a trick of the light. Lucky that people's brains would work overtime to rationalize what they'd witnessed into something that made sense—a father's quick reflexes, a trick of perspective, an optical illusion created by autumn sun and moving leaves. People were very good at not seeing magic, even when it happened right in front of them."
Oh, it's not noticeable at all. Okay.

That's as far as I'm willing to go. If I haven't already convinced you at this point it's AI, I hope at least you're convinced it's very, VERY bad writing. If I published this and someone accused me of using AI, I'd say, "yup, AI made this, I did not write this at all", because the alternative is saying you wrote something this awful, this full of plot holes, this inconsistent, with no sense of how things work, and perhaps it's time to go back to the drawing writing board, take some writing classes, and wonder how so many people 5-starred this like they never actually read it at all.

DNF.

[Margarita Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This science fiction novel has an incredible plot that I'm sure you'll enjoy as much as I did. ‘’The Breaking of Time’’ tells the story of a father who does something unimaginable and stops time to save his son, unaware that he will unleash a series of events that will change his life and the planet. This novel undoubtedly seeks to engage you from the very beginning, starting with something intriguing, unsettling, and unusual, creating a curiosity to read more. I must say that this book has a dynamic pace that mixes tense scenes, revelations, and escalating complications that keep the pace going and allow the reader to turn the pages.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Ward is a family man in a quiet New England suburb, but his life takes an unexpected turn when his son is nearly hit by a truck. In his desperate attempt to protect his son, Daniel unearths a power he thought was buried: he freezes time. This act awakens the wrath of the brotherhood he once betrayed, and now he must defy them to protect his family.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, where several genres intertwine. I found it to be a modern and refreshing read with great, well-described, and developed characters. Author Hebert never disappoints; his creations are simply wonderful and eloquent.

[Emma Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is less about time breaking and more about what happens when your past refuses to stay buried. The marriage strain. The children sensing danger before adults articulate it. The slow realization that “protecting your family” by lying to them may actually be the most selfish choice you can make.

By the end, I wasn’t cheering. I wasn’t thrilled. I was quietly wrecked. Which, I think, is exactly what the author intended.

This isn’t escapism. It’s confrontation.

[James Willey · Rating 5 out of 5]

At its heart, The Breaking of Time is about a man who has spent centuries surviving by staying quiet—about his power, his past, his real self. Daniel looks like an ordinary suburban dad, and that normalcy is written so well that it lulls you into comfort. And then, in one terrifying, heartbreaking moment, everything breaks when he saves his son by stopping time in broad daylight.

That scene alone stayed with me for days. Not because it was flashy, but because it was parental. Desperate. Instinctive. Anyone who has ever loved a child will feel it in their bones.

What surprised me most was how grounded the story feels. Yes, there’s magic, ancient orders, and something chilling called the Silence—but the emotional core is painfully real. A marriage cracks open when truth finally surfaces. A child senses danger before he understands it. A home stops feeling safe. The fear doesn’t come from monsters jumping out of shadows; it comes from the slow realization that the world you trusted was never as solid as you believed.

The writing has this quiet confidence to it. It doesn’t rush. It lets moments breathe. Silence is treated like something alive—watching, waiting—and that made the tension feel constant, even in calm scenes. I found myself uneasy during the quiet parts, which is honestly rare.

Daniel is such a compelling character. He’s old, tired, deeply flawed, and still incredibly loving. His immortality isn’t glamorous—it’s heavy. Every decision feels like it carries centuries of consequences. I appreciated that he isn’t portrayed as a hero who has all the answers. He’s someone doing the best he can with impossible choices, and sometimes failing.

By the end, this book felt less like a fantasy novel and more like a meditation on what happens when love refuses to stay hidden. On what truth costs. On how silence can be both a refuge and a weapon.

If you like stories that blend speculative elements with emotional depth—if you care about character, family dynamics, and moral weight as much as worldbuilding, this is absolutely worth your time.

I closed the book feeling unsettled, moved, and strangely quiet.
And honestly? That feels exactly right.

[AMR CAMI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!

The Chronicles of Arynth: Breaking of Time: A fantasy epic that offers an extraordinary world with the ability to manipulate time and space. The story follows the characters as they fight against an evil power manipulating them through the manipulation of time and space. The author uses vibrant language with intense detail so that the reader can truly envision a vividly imagined world in which magic is a regular part of a person's daily life with darkness lurking around every corner.

What is unique about this work is the combination of action, psychological struggle, and mystery elements present throughout the characters' development. The main character must confront both external threats, powerful adversaries, and the internal dilemma of understanding their identity in this new world. Hebert strikes a remarkable balance between pacing the story and creating meaningful realizations in his characters' lives that create an exceptional reading experience for the reader.

[CarlitasFox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating story

If you’re fond of supernatural stories, “The breaking of time” will become your favourite. It’s a saga that touches magic, secrecy and drama.
The story revolves around Daniel War, a professional and devoted husband and father who has a secret that doesn't want to tell. Unfortunately, one day, his desire to help his son made him unveil that secret. After that moment, his life changes and must fight to protect his family and the world from perpetual damage. It’s a page-turning novel with a bunch of turns and twists that will leave readers glued to the pages. The way the places are described made readers feel immersed in that magical world. I loved it and I highly recommend it!

[Maps R · Rating 5 out of 5]

We will do whatever it takes to save a family member, and magic becomes a key aspect in that whatever. This book will connect with your heart, showing how a parent is willing to do anything to save his child. This situation creates a very interesting environment, how using magic can now affect the family. A single moment can give a 180-degree twist to a family; the family that once seemed normal is suddenly surrounded by supernatural powers. The blend of genres and the writing style are just amazing; the author truly knows how to capture the reader’s attention. From ordinary to magical, the unexpected is a key feeling for the reader. Enjoy this book and get involved in a fantastic time freeze.

[James Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought I was signing up for a smart speculative novel about time, immortality, secret orders, and magic. What I wasn’t prepared for was how deeply human this story is.

At its core, The Breaking of Time is about a man who has lived too long and loves too deeply. Daniel Ward isn’t just an immortal who can fracture time; he’s a father who misses garbage day, a husband who believes he’s built a safe, ordinary life, and a man who’s been running from his past for over five centuries. That contrast—between cosmic power and suburban normalcy—is what makes this book ache.

The opening scene alone stayed with me for days. A child runs into the street. A truck is coming. And in that one moment, the lie of normalcy collapses. When Daniel stops time to save his son, it feels both miraculous and tragic. Because you know instantly: this choice will cost him everything.

What moved me most was how the book handles consequence. This isn’t a power fantasy where magic solves problems cleanly. Every act of love fractures something else. Daniel’s marriage strains under truth. His children sense things before they can name them. And the Arvynth—cold, terrifying, obsessed with silence—feel chillingly real as antagonists because they represent something we’ve all faced: systems that punish those who choose love over doctrine.

I found myself thinking about real life while reading this. The secrets parents keep. The versions of ourselves we bury to protect others. The moment when survival and honesty collide.

This book is beautifully written, emotionally grounded, and quietly devastating. If you’ve ever loved someone enough to destroy the life you built just to save them, this book will understand you.

[Jake Hallstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all starts from the love of family and that is a compelling narrative arc for any series. We can all relate to family and the ties we have with each other. How will we tackle certain situations in all we do? It’s hard to say and we’re a little bit different in that regard. The family element really brings this story together for the better and I really enjoyed it.

[Desirée]

The Cost of Power

This story, filled with fantasy and family drama, captivated me from beginning to end. I believe it is the perfect representation of how much a father is willing to do for a child; when the boundaries of love are so blurred that they lead the protagonist to take drastic and desperate decisions.

What I enjoyed most about the book is how the author gradually reveals the complex web of Daniel’s decisions and how that brings secrets to light, slowly dismantling his entire family structure and himself, all while he simultaneously places himself as the family's protector.

I could feel on every page the struggle of the race against time, the necessity of making sacrifices, and the profound consequences that both Daniel and his family must face on this path of tension, threats, and power.

It is a spectacular book that, behind the fantasy it displays, hides a deep story of love and sacrifice.

[Zack G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hebert’s The Breaking of Time is one of those fantasy novels that sticks with you. The premise, for starters, is very unique. The follow through is even better. The author’s prose is precise and not overly ornate. I liked seeing the story unfold through Daniel’s eyes. Overall two thumbs up and can’t wait for the second installment of the series. 👍👍

***I received a free review copy. This review is my honest opinion****

[Margie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book through a goodreads give away. I really wanted to like this book because the synopsis was interesting and I thought the storyline had a lot of potential. But it just did not live up to it for me.

Mainly I think the book could have used a lot more editing. There were 3 basic things I thought could have been helpd with some editing:
1. There was a ton of repitition. Literally the same sentences repeated in several places. A lot of that could have been cut out or worded differently.
2. Simple mistakes that could have been caught. E.G. When Kieran makes Daniel promise to save his brother Daniel says he won't leave without Patrick (though he never asked or was told the name). Then when they find the brother Kieran calls him Jonas (Daniels' son's name). Then later Kieran refers to him as Jonah instead.
3. It felt like there was a lot of filler text. Most of the sentences felt a lot longer than they needed to be. There were a lot of 'it was like xx, like xxx, like xxxx' when the sentence probably could have ended with the first like comparison. This just made a lot of scenes feel more melodramatic than dramatic in my opinion.

I don't think the writing is bad, perse, but I think it definitely could have been polished a lot more.

I was also just left with a lot of questions and things that felt like plot holes. I don't want it to feel like I'm tearing down the entire book, like I said, I thought the story itself had a lot of promise, but there were just a lot that seemed contradictory. Like in the end they give Ardos a choice to leave or be purified. That feels contradictory to the entire premise of the book.

I mostly enjoy character driven novels, so my other issue is that I didn't really like any of these characters. At the beginning of the book, I liked Daniel, but by the end I couldn't get past how he kept promising one thing and turning around and doing the opposite every time. Elena - No more lies and secrets right? Daniel - no more lies. Then the very next page all she asks is when they can come home and he immediately lies and says soon. Literally every time she asked him to promise something he turned around in the next chapter and did the opposite.

Lastly, I'd say I didn't really appreciate the female characters. I'm not even sure why Emma existed. She barely came out of her room. Had barely any dialogue and when she did it felt like she was just reiterating the mom.

Elena, felt very one-dimensional. She was just angry, judgmental and demanding the entire time. I understand feeling angry, but she showed no concern for Eli after the almost accident, she just immediately started yelling at Daniel. Felt like she constantly just told him she was angry and gave him ultimatums. She made a lot of demands of him, especially for explanations but then every time he tried to explain she cut him off and wouldn't let him finish. In the last 10 chapters or so, it felt like she was more his parole officer than his wife.

I'd say my favorite character was probably Kieran, but I wish he had been made older. It felt like the character was supposed to be dropping some wisdom at times, but he was too young. So when he says things like 'I'm too old for this', it just felt out of character. If he had been fighting with the resistance for years, even if he was young, that would make sense, but he'd only been with them for a few days (weeks?) at that point.

I also felt a dissonance with who or what the Arvynth were. It felt in the beginning that the story was implying they were other worldly. Like they had to come through 'shimmers'; Daniel says himself that he wasn't really human. But then they're using old factories and things like Kieran having an ID card to get around felt very mundane.

Also there was dissonance with things like, Adros calling him by the name Daniel vs saying his Arvynth name.If they wanted him to return and be with them again, why would they say 'Daniel has returned finally' instead of 'Adel has come home", etc. And then they continue to use his Daniel name throughout.

I think the story had a lot of potential, but I wish the characters had been fleshed more and some of the repeated concepts and words could have been cut out and replaced with backstory on the Arvynth and more explanatory info.

[S. Jeyran Main · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Breaking of Time launches J. J. Hebert’s new urban fantasy series with emotional depth and high-stakes imagination. Centered on a devoted father whose desperate attempt to save his son fractures reality itself, the novel blends ancient magic with modern consequences in a story driven by love, sacrifice, and redemption.

As time splinters and long-silent powers awaken, the protagonist is pulled back into the orbit of an immortal order he once betrayed. Hebert skillfully weaves personal loss with epic mythology, creating a narrative where intimate family bonds collide with timeless forces. The result is a fast-paced yet heartfelt journey that explores how far one would go to protect those they love—and the cost of defying time itself.

Gripping, emotionally resonant, and rich in world-building, The Breaking of Time is a compelling start to the Chronicles of the Arvynth. Embraced as a Mariel Hemingway Book Club Selection for Best Urban Fantasy, this novel is an excellent choice for readers who enjoy stories where magic, destiny, and humanity intersect.

[Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

THis is one of the most refreshing weekend reads I’ve had the pleasure of reading. I love the grounded feeling of it and being able to relate to some of the aspects of g the main characters. This is more than a fantasy book. Almost more lit-fix with a fantasy lore dropped in. Good read

[Fred Reys · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****I’d like to preface this review by saying that I received a free hardcover copy from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinion in exchange for the free copy.

I went into The Breaking of Time by JJ Hebert thinking I knew roughly what kind of ride I was in for, but I honestly wasn’t prepared for how inward this book would go. From the first few pages, it’s clear this isn’t just about magic, danger, or the external stakes. It’s about what’s going on inside Daniel Ward’s head, and I found myself slowing down to really sit with those moments instead of rushing through them.

What really worked for me was the introspection, especially coming from Daniel’s perspective. His internal voice feels raw and unfiltered, like you’re catching thoughts he might not even want to admit out loud. There were moments where he second-guesses himself, circles the same fear twice, then pushes forward anyway, and that felt very real. It didn’t feel polished in a fake way, it felt human.

The pacing and introspection actually reminded me a little of the new TV series Plurible. I loved that show, but I know plenty of people who couldn’t stand it. Same kind of thing here. It’s deliberate, reflective, and more interested in what’s happening internally than throwing constant action at you.

Daniel’s character growth unfolds gradually, not in some big flashy transformation. He changes because of what he’s forced to confront, both about the world around him and about himself. I liked that the growth wasn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s messy, sometimes it’s uncomfortable, and sometimes he gets it wrong before he gets it right. That made him easy to root for, even when I didn’t fully agree with his choices.

I’ll say this upfront, though: if you’re looking for nonstop action or wall-to-wall urban fantasy chaos, this might not be your thing. The story takes its time. It lingers in thoughts, memories, and emotional fallout. For me, that’s exactly why it worked, but I can see how some readers might wish it moved faster or leaned harder into the action.

By the time I finished, I felt like I really knew Daniel Ward, not just what he can do, but who he is becoming. That kind of connection doesn’t happen by accident. The Breaking of Time isn’t trying to be everything to everyone, and that’s kind of the point. Love it or hate it, it sticks with you, and for me, that’s what made it worth the read. This book gets my recommendation!

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Breaking of Time drops you straight into a life coming apart at the seams. Daniel Ward looks like any middle-aged dad, but he’s actually a centuries-old sorcerer who has been hiding from a ruthless order known as the Arvynth. When he freezes time to save his son from being hit by a truck, he exposes the truth he has buried for twenty years. His wife sees everything. His children sense something they should never sense. The Arvynth find him again. The quiet suburban world he built starts to crack, and those cracks spread fast. The book follows Daniel as he struggles to protect his family while the old world he fled pushes its way back into his life. It blends magic, danger, family drama, and a growing sense that every choice Daniel makes costs him something huge.

I kept rooting for Daniel even when I wanted to shake him. His voice feels worn, tired, and trying so hard to pass for normal that when he breaks, it hurts. I liked how raw the family moments felt. His wife’s shock lands hard. His son’s confusion hits even harder. The scenes where Daniel feels the Arvynth closing in gave me this tight pressure in my chest, like the danger was creeping into the room with me. The writing is clean, quick, and vivid. The magic feels physical. I could almost hear the world stop when he speaks the old words. I found myself flipping pages just to see if he could hold his family together for one more chapter.

Daniel’s past stretches back centuries, and the book keeps teasing details without giving everything away too early. I loved that slow reveal. It made me feel off balance, like the story was letting me overhear secrets not meant for me. And the Arvynth are terrifying in a quiet way, which I really enjoyed. They barely appear at first, yet their presence fills every page. I also liked how the writing shifts between intimate family tension and sweeping magic that feels ancient and dangerous. The mix kept the pace unpredictable in a way that felt alive.

I think this book would land especially well with readers who enjoy fantasy woven into ordinary life, stories about families under impossible pressure, and characters who carry heavy pasts that finally catch up to them. If you like magic that feels tactile and real, or if you enjoy emotional stakes wrapped inside supernatural danger, this book will hit the spot.

[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘That was life. Imperfect, temporary, absolutely worthwhile’ – A fascinating journey!

New Hampshire author J.J. Hebert is the founder and owner of MindStir Media LLC, a self-publishing and marketing and mentoring company and is the popular author of children’s books, inspirational and Christian fiction, and marketing expertise. He now adds a supernatural thriller to his collection with THE BREAKING OF TIME.

The author captures attention in the opening lines, suggesting the mystery that will follow: ‘I’ve spent years pretending to be someone I’m not. The thought surfaces every morning when I shave, watching the face in the mirror – a face that should be ancient, centuries-old, but instead shows only the faint creases of a man in his early forties…’ With sensitivity the plot is condensed – ‘To everyone around him, Daniel Ward is a mild-mannered accountant, devoted husband and father in a quiet New England suburb. But when his ten-year-old son chases a runaway soccer ball into the street, straight into the path of a speeding truck, Daniel does the impossible. He freezes time. That single act of defiance exposes the secret he's buried for decades. His magic awakens the ancient order he once betrayed, the Arvynth, a brotherhood of immortal sorcerers devoted to stillness and death, determined to silence the world. As his carefully constructed life unravels, Daniel must protect his family while evading the brotherhood that hunts him. Every second he steals from time feeds the void that seeks to consume it, threatening not only the people he loves but reality itself. Forced to choose between sacrifice and survival, Daniel discovers the truth: sometimes the loudest act of love is defiance.’

Hebert further establishes his importance as a significant author of the day with this entertaining and fascinating exploration of family impacted by supernatural ‘accidents’ – a superb new novel that deserves a wide audience!

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wishing Shelf Book Awards
EDITORIAL REVIEW
11th December 2025
TITLE: The Breaking Of Time…
AUTHOR: J J Hebert

Star Rating: 5

“A smartly plotted supernatural thriller with a strong, charismatic protagonist to root for. A Wishing Shelf Recommended Read!” The Wishing Shelf

REVIEW
You know that feeling you get when you find a new set of books to enjoy. Well, it just happened to me when I settled down with The Breaking of Time by J J Hebert. I’m a big fantasy fan, you see, brought up on Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, so this smartly plotted, fantasy epic was right up my street.
It's the story of of a ‘mild-mannered accountant, devoted husband and father’ – which he is, but he’s also not. He also happens to be a sorcerer, a defector from the Arvynth, ‘a secret brotherhood of immortal sorcerers devoted to silence and stillness, who would do anything to protect it’. He’s been in hiding but when he stops time to prevent his son being hit by a truck, well, let’s just say (as the author puts it), the Arvynth would know.
There’s a lot going for this book, folks. The writing style is accessible, and although the pacing is a little slow in parts, the prose are topnotch. The author also works hard to develop his cast of characters; so much so, I felt I really got to know them. And on top of all that, there’s plenty of suspense to keep you turning the page.
To sum up, I’m delighted to recommend this magical thriller to readers who enjoyed White Silence by Jodi Taylor or the wonderful John Decker thrillers by Anthony M. Strong. I think most readers will enjoy getting to know the protagonist, the magical world he exists in along with the drama of keeping his family from falling apart. All in all, a bit of a gem!

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk

[Temperance Atkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done J.J. 👏

Picked up The Breaking of Time with a mix of excitement and curiosity, largely because I have been following J.J. Hebert’s work for a long time. There is a certain trust that builds when an author consistently delivers stories that feel personal rather than manufactured, and this novel immediately carries that same sense of intention. From the opening pages, it is clear that this is a book written with confidence, not rushing to explain itself, but allowing the story to unfold naturally.

One of the most impressive choices Hebert makes is sticking with a first person narrative. That approach can easily fall flat in less capable hands, especially over the course of a full length novel, but here it feels like the right decision. The voice is steady, believable, and emotionally grounded, drawing you closer to the character’s internal struggles as much as the external conflict. It creates an intimacy that makes the tension sharper and the quieter moments more meaningful.

I love how the story blends big ideas with deeply human emotions. The plot never loses sight of the people at its center, even as the stakes rise and the scope widens. There is a strong sense of consequence throughout the book, and nothing feels included just for shock value or spectacle. The emotional beats land because they are earned, not because they are forced.

By the time I reached the final pages, what stood out most was how assured and purposeful the book felt. The Breaking of Time never relies on flash alone. It earns its impact through careful pacing, emotional weight, and a clear sense of direction. The novel lingers after you close it, staying with you because of its honesty and restraint. This story feels like a natural extension of Hebert’s strengths as a writer, and it left me genuinely eager to see where he takes this world next.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Review

This was such a compelling, thrilling read. The author does a remarkable job of world-building early on in the narrative, introducing the cast of characters and the mythos of the Arvynth quickly as to allow the readers to feel immersed in the shock and awe the protagonist’s family feels when they discover his hidden world. The author’s writing style is so powerfully imaginative and uses imagery perfectly to capture the raw emotions and magic of the world with perfect clarity.

Yet it was the world-building and character dynamics that really became the backbone of this story. The shock Daniel’s wife feels when she discovers her husband’s past and the fear that comes when their family is targeted can be felt in every chapter, and yet it is Daniel’s growing desperation and the raw emotional reaction that jumpstarted the events of the book that really made the narrative feel fresh and compelling, and gave readers a rich and unique new take on the fantasy genre to delve into.

The Verdict

Memorable, thought-provoking, and entertaining, author J.J. Hebert’s “The Breaking of TIme” is a must-read paranormal fantasy thriller and a great entry into the author’s Chronicles of Arvynth series. The emotional core of Daniel’s love for his family and the haunting realities his past has on his future will resonate with so many readers out there, and keep them enthralled as the Arvynth and their god, The Silence, become the specter that haunts him throughout the narrative. Filled with twists and turns that readers won’t expect, this is one new paranormal fantasy thriller readers won’t want to miss.

[Tara White · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They wanted stillness so complete it smothered thought itself, so absolute that not even memory could survive it. And they were willing to kill anyone who wouldn’t cooperate.”

Daniel Ward is an ancient sorcerer who has spent years in hiding. When he uses magic to stop time and save his son from a deadly truck accident, he alerts the Arvynth—an unstoppable force that starts hunting him for his betrayal. With his location exposed, Daniel is forced back into a battle he hoped was long behind him, determined to stop the Arvynth.

J.J. Hebert’s writing is straightforward, engaging, and easy to follow, with a strong action-adventure feel throughout. The story is told in first-person from Daniel’s perspective, which creates an immediate and personal connection to his thoughts, fears, and determination. At its core, this book explores survival, sacrifice, and the consequences of past choices as Daniel fights against the very enemies he once defied.

The characters are truly memorable—Daniel Ward, Eli, Emma, and Elena each add emotional depth to the story, bringing their own struggles and motivations that make the stakes feel real. The pacing starts off fast and gripping in the first half before settling into a steady, satisfying rhythm, and I was completely hooked from the very first page.

This was my first novel by J.J. Hebert, and it certainly won’t be my last. I gave this book 5 stars and would highly recommend it to fans of urban or contemporary fantasy, especially readers who enjoy authors like Neil Gaiman or Cassandra Clare.

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Urban Fantasy with a Beating Heart...

The Breaking of Time kicks off with a single, impossible choice—and from there, it doesn't let go. J. J. Hebert takes the kind of big, sprawling urban fantasy you'd expect and roots it in something quieter, something you recognize: the ordinary rhythms of a family just trying to hold it together. Then he shatters it. The magic here doesn't feel borrowed or safe—it's raw, it's close, it cuts.

Daniel Ward is the kind of character you lean into. He's a father, first and foremost, and that love? It's everything. His strength, sure. But also the thing that could undo him completely.

Hebert knows how to balance the weight of it all—the grief, the choices that stick with you—with a pace that won't quit. This is a story about what we're willing to give up, what it costs to push back against fate, and how far love will stretch before it breaks. The world builds itself around you without fanfare, the danger tightens like a vise, and somehow, even with all the magic and chaos, it never stops feeling deeply, achingly human.

It's sharp. It's cinematic. And it's the kind of opening that makes you believe a series can have both the fireworks and the heartbeat.

[Alex K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Breaking of Time pulled me in pretty quickly with how normal everything feels at the start. The main character is just trying to juggle life, family, and responsibilities, which made it easy to connect right away. When things start to shift into the supernatural, it feels earned rather than over the top. I liked that it didn’t rush straight into chaos and instead let the story build naturally.

As I kept reading, I found myself getting more and more invested, not just in what was happening, but in why it was happening. The supernatural elements are really well woven into the story, and they never take away from the emotional side of things. There’s a steady sense of tension throughout, and it keeps you turning pages because you genuinely care about the outcome, not just the spectacle.

By the end, this felt like one of those books that sticks with you a bit after you finish it. It’s exciting, but it also has heart, and that combination really works here. If you like urban fantasy that feels grounded, character-focused, and still delivers plenty of intrigue, this is an easy recommendation

[Steven Finkelstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Ward doesn’t seem like a hero. He’s an accountant, a husband, and a family man. When his son chases a ball into the street, though, Daniel freezes time and proves himself to be much more than he first appeared. Now, he has an ancient order called The Arvynth after him. Daniel chose to leave the order, and in doing so, he invoked their wrath. He was able to hide his special skills for a time, but now, they have been revealed, and the quiet life he made for himself and his family is threatened.

With enemies hot on his trail, he must show his family all of himself. This novel is exciting, imaginative, and spellbinding. The author is skilled at genre fiction, and this book shows him to be a wizard at creating compelling plots, characters, and situations that will stay emblazed firmly in the mind’s eye of his readers.

[Tammy Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading The Breaking of Time felt like stepping into a story that starts off intimate and uneasy, then slowly opens into something much bigger. What really pulled me in was not just the time-bending element, which is handled in a smart and restrained way, but how deeply rooted the story is in family, guilt, and impossible choices. Daniel Ward feels refreshingly human rather than larger than life, like someone who never wanted power and now has to live with the fallout of using it. The story moves at a confident pace that keeps you turning pages without feeling rushed, and as the mythology reveals itself, you realize you are already emotionally invested. When I finished, I was thinking less about the mechanics of the magic and more about what it costs to change fate, which is a rare and satisfying takeaway for a fantasy novel.

(I received a giveaway copy from the publisher)

[Phil Bolos · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Breaking of Time: Chronicles of the Arvynth by J. J. Hebert is a very cool fantasy novel which introduces us to a new type of power we have not seen in other works of fantasy or science fiction. Daniel is an accountant who is very devoted to his family. He adores his son, and that love is about to force him into the sights of a dangerous secret order. To save his son's life, Daniel pauses time so he can get him out of the way of a truck on the road. But the use of that power not only signals where he is, but it also gives power to those who are seeking to destroy life as we know it. Now Daniel is not only protecting his family, but our entire world. Fans of fantasy will love this. The narrative is fast paced and packed full of action. The world is both familiar and very strange, and the characters do a great job of pulling you into the events.

[Jarod Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The publisher ran a giveaway, and I won a copy. Probably the only thing I’ve ever won, haha. Anyway, here are my honest thoughts:

1. The book reads really well. I like the first person point of view.

2. The book is a lot more thoughtful and emotional than most urban fantasy that I’ve read. I was pleasantly surprised to see the healing/therapy elements.

3. The character development is top-notch, particularly with Daniel and his wife. Without giving anything away, there is a character later in the novel that has a change of heart, and that took me by surprise too.

4. I LOVED this book. Yes, all caps are there on purpose. Hebert has a way with words and he shines here. I’m looking forward to book 2!