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The Witness: The Time of Magic Book I
If you had the chance to bring magic back to the modern world, would you risk everything to do it?
For generations, the Brotherhood has waited in secret, preparing for the day when magic would return and the elves could cross through time to reclaim their place in the world. But they've lost track of their most vital the Witness, a bloodline with powers that can bridge past and future.
Brenda Mountain knows nothing of her heritage. She doesn't know her family guarded ancient secrets for five centuries. She doesn't know her dormant abilities are the key to opening a gateway through time. And she definitely doesn't know that multiple organizations will kill to control her.
When Valor, the last surviving elf prince, appears through a rift in reality, everything Brenda thought she knew shatters. His people are dying in the past, trapped by a plague designed to eliminate all magical beings. Only she can help him complete the spell that will save them.
But the enemies of magic have not been idle.
The Kildare organization has spent six hundred years preparing for this moment. Led by zealots who believe magic's return will destroy humanity, they'll stop at nothing to finish what their prophet started. As Brenda's powers awaken and ancient forces stir across the world, she discovers that bringing back magic means bringing back the wonders and the horrors, the heroes and the monsters.
Unicorns in the wild. Fairies with an attitude. Vampires rising from centuries of sleep. Dragons stirring beneath mountains.
The age of magic is returning. And the world will never be the same.
In a desperate race across America to a sacred canyon in Arizona, Brenda must master powers she barely understands, survive enemies with centuries of knowledge, and make an impossible save Valor's people and unleash magic on an unprepared world, or let an entire civilization die to keep humanity safe.
The gateway opens at dawn. Thousands of lives hang in the balance. And Brenda is running out of time.
For readers who love Brandon Sanderson's intricate magic systems, N.K. Jemisin's world-shaking stakes, and epic fantasies where one person's choice reshapes civilization, THE WITNESS delivers a fresh take on the return of magic with consequences that echo across time itself.
Book One of a complete trilogy chronicling magic's return and the war for Earth's future.
For generations, the Brotherhood has waited in secret, preparing for the day when magic would return and the elves could cross through time to reclaim their place in the world. But they've lost track of their most vital the Witness, a bloodline with powers that can bridge past and future.
Brenda Mountain knows nothing of her heritage. She doesn't know her family guarded ancient secrets for five centuries. She doesn't know her dormant abilities are the key to opening a gateway through time. And she definitely doesn't know that multiple organizations will kill to control her.
When Valor, the last surviving elf prince, appears through a rift in reality, everything Brenda thought she knew shatters. His people are dying in the past, trapped by a plague designed to eliminate all magical beings. Only she can help him complete the spell that will save them.
But the enemies of magic have not been idle.
The Kildare organization has spent six hundred years preparing for this moment. Led by zealots who believe magic's return will destroy humanity, they'll stop at nothing to finish what their prophet started. As Brenda's powers awaken and ancient forces stir across the world, she discovers that bringing back magic means bringing back the wonders and the horrors, the heroes and the monsters.
Unicorns in the wild. Fairies with an attitude. Vampires rising from centuries of sleep. Dragons stirring beneath mountains.
The age of magic is returning. And the world will never be the same.
In a desperate race across America to a sacred canyon in Arizona, Brenda must master powers she barely understands, survive enemies with centuries of knowledge, and make an impossible save Valor's people and unleash magic on an unprepared world, or let an entire civilization die to keep humanity safe.
The gateway opens at dawn. Thousands of lives hang in the balance. And Brenda is running out of time.
For readers who love Brandon Sanderson's intricate magic systems, N.K. Jemisin's world-shaking stakes, and epic fantasies where one person's choice reshapes civilization, THE WITNESS delivers a fresh take on the return of magic with consequences that echo across time itself.
Book One of a complete trilogy chronicling magic's return and the war for Earth's future.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2026
13 people are currently reading
2359 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 11, 2026
Brenda is hit with a bombshell out of the blue when Valor, an elf prince, appears asking for her help. She didn't know that has capabilities that can open a gateway through time. Now she is in a race against time to learn how to harness her powers. Not only this but she has learned that helping Valor can have serious consequences. Does Brenda help Valor and help bring magic back and all of it's potential horrors after six hundred year, or does she let an entire civilization die? I really enjoyed this book. It was a page turner. The world building was really enjoyable. The characters drew me in and kept me wanting to read more about them. I can't wait to read the second book!
March 21, 2026
Great book
I really enjoyed this book.It was a very interesting read.Great author and writer
Very enjoyable reading.Check out the author and the books
I really enjoyed this book.It was a very interesting read.Great author and writer
Very enjoyable reading.Check out the author and the books
March 23, 2026
This urban fantasy novel takes a look at what life would be like if magical creatures were real but a power wizard tried to eliminate them 600 years ago. Now 2 different secret organizations exist. One of them has the sole mission of bringing all the magical creatures from the past into the present so they can be safe. The other secret organization exists solely to stop that from happening.
The way the story is written, you're taken between Brenda and Valor who are trying to save magical creatures and Mary who thinks magical creatures existing dooms all humans. By the end of it. There's no clear good guy or bad guy, just 2 forces fighting for what they believe in and you feel for all of them.
In between these 2 POVs, you get little snippets of magic slowly coming back: a unicorn spotting, a fairy whispering secrets, a vampire awakening in a wine cellar. Life is already changing.
The story ends with a new beginning, the task of one of the organizations fulfilled. It leaves more questions. Just in time for book 2.
The way the story is written, you're taken between Brenda and Valor who are trying to save magical creatures and Mary who thinks magical creatures existing dooms all humans. By the end of it. There's no clear good guy or bad guy, just 2 forces fighting for what they believe in and you feel for all of them.
In between these 2 POVs, you get little snippets of magic slowly coming back: a unicorn spotting, a fairy whispering secrets, a vampire awakening in a wine cellar. Life is already changing.
The story ends with a new beginning, the task of one of the organizations fulfilled. It leaves more questions. Just in time for book 2.
January 30, 2026
Good first book of an easily digestible and enjoyable fantasy series.
I like that the author didn't build a completely new world. This is something you rarely see in fantasy, The storyline happens in our world, our time. It's so nice and refreshing not to need to go through a quarter of a book to understand the world, and it eliminates many questions the reader may have along the way.
It makes everything much more relatable, so much so, that I sat in the exact coffee shop mentioned in one of the scenes. I giggled when the total of two coffees and a sandwich came out to $42 haha pretty spot on.
The protagonist is annoying, she kind of behaves like a teenage brat sometimes, and I didn't like her disdain of men, but I understood her better when her family history was explained.
I really liked Valor's character, although it took me a while to figure him out. He's not your typical elf like the serious stern elves like Legolas or Elrond, but more like if Tom Bombadil was an elf. A bit goofy and silly and it took me a minute to disambiguate his character.
Throughout the book there are new characters introduced, but the author does it in a way that isn't tedious, tiring or confusing to the reader.
I loved the references to other books and movies throughout the story, it was kind of like finding easter eggs :)
Generally good character development but lacking serious depth, which is in line with the genre.
I'd like to see a bit more depth and development with Brenda and her parents, I feel like I need a bit more info there.
Will this book change your life? No.
Will your life be a tad more interesting while reading this book? Yes.
Will you remember this book forever? Maybe.
Will I be looking forward to reading the rest of the series? Definitely.
All in all very streamlined, fun and enjoyable. Waiting for the next book in the series.
****
Narration:
Annoying but acceptable. The narrator clearly has an American accent but she emphasizes consonants too much, draws out syllables and puts the emphasis on the wrong syllables. Who pronounces Boris like that?
I personally would think twice about listening to books with this specific narrator in the future if I come across her work again.
I like that the author didn't build a completely new world. This is something you rarely see in fantasy, The storyline happens in our world, our time. It's so nice and refreshing not to need to go through a quarter of a book to understand the world, and it eliminates many questions the reader may have along the way.
It makes everything much more relatable, so much so, that I sat in the exact coffee shop mentioned in one of the scenes. I giggled when the total of two coffees and a sandwich came out to $42 haha pretty spot on.
The protagonist is annoying, she kind of behaves like a teenage brat sometimes, and I didn't like her disdain of men, but I understood her better when her family history was explained.
I really liked Valor's character, although it took me a while to figure him out. He's not your typical elf like the serious stern elves like Legolas or Elrond, but more like if Tom Bombadil was an elf. A bit goofy and silly and it took me a minute to disambiguate his character.
Throughout the book there are new characters introduced, but the author does it in a way that isn't tedious, tiring or confusing to the reader.
I loved the references to other books and movies throughout the story, it was kind of like finding easter eggs :)
Generally good character development but lacking serious depth, which is in line with the genre.
I'd like to see a bit more depth and development with Brenda and her parents, I feel like I need a bit more info there.
Will this book change your life? No.
Will your life be a tad more interesting while reading this book? Yes.
Will you remember this book forever? Maybe.
Will I be looking forward to reading the rest of the series? Definitely.
All in all very streamlined, fun and enjoyable. Waiting for the next book in the series.
****
Narration:
Annoying but acceptable. The narrator clearly has an American accent but she emphasizes consonants too much, draws out syllables and puts the emphasis on the wrong syllables. Who pronounces Boris like that?
I personally would think twice about listening to books with this specific narrator in the future if I come across her work again.
January 15, 2026
Beautiful and enchanting fantasy story, part 1
What I loved and works well: The magic system feels unique and well thought of. Brenda’s my favorite character - she's questioning everything and everyone, and gets pissed off with a fashion. The relationship between her and Valor is beautiful and not sticky, beautiful to read. The pacing is excellent, book is never dragging.
Like fantasy, smart dialogues and adult humor, this is my recommendation for you.
What I loved and works well: The magic system feels unique and well thought of. Brenda’s my favorite character - she's questioning everything and everyone, and gets pissed off with a fashion. The relationship between her and Valor is beautiful and not sticky, beautiful to read. The pacing is excellent, book is never dragging.
Like fantasy, smart dialogues and adult humor, this is my recommendation for you.
February 23, 2026
The Witness by Amir Shevat feels like stepping through a hidden door you didn’t know existed only to find out it was there all along.
Amir takes us on a magical journey as we follow Brenda, an ordinary woman with something extraordinary stirring beneath the surface. As she begins to discover the power within her, you can feel the world shifting.
Then we meet Valor, the Elf Prince. He is mysterious and determined. His mission is to save his kind from extinction, but to do so he must have Brenda’s help. Together they create a story that feels both epic and deeply personal.
The world-building is seamless with magic slipping into the edges of the modern world so effortlessly. It makes you wonder what might be hiding just out of sight. One moment I was laughing out loud, then next I was holding my breath, heart clenched, completely under Amir’s spell.
There is something lingering in this story – something bigger than the page.
The age of magic isn’t just returning…it’s remembering itself. And once it does…nothing will ever the be same.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Amir takes us on a magical journey as we follow Brenda, an ordinary woman with something extraordinary stirring beneath the surface. As she begins to discover the power within her, you can feel the world shifting.
Then we meet Valor, the Elf Prince. He is mysterious and determined. His mission is to save his kind from extinction, but to do so he must have Brenda’s help. Together they create a story that feels both epic and deeply personal.
The world-building is seamless with magic slipping into the edges of the modern world so effortlessly. It makes you wonder what might be hiding just out of sight. One moment I was laughing out loud, then next I was holding my breath, heart clenched, completely under Amir’s spell.
There is something lingering in this story – something bigger than the page.
The age of magic isn’t just returning…it’s remembering itself. And once it does…nothing will ever the be same.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews