STARRED Book Review: The Breaking of Time

Reviewed by Erin Britton

Secrets have long shadows in this thrilling supernatural fantasy.

J.J. Hebert’s The Breaking of Time, the first book in the Chronicles of the Arvynth series, is 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.

The novel’s grounding in reality is emphasized from the outset. Indeed, the story begins not with a mystical ceremony or an epic battle as might be expected, but with Daniel Ward standing in front of his bathroom mirror. As he gazes at his reflection, he matter-of-factly admits that he has “spent years pretending to be someone I’m not.” Given the strong sense of normalcy (Daniel is “the sort of man who mows the lawn on Saturdays and forgets garbage day at least twice a month”), this surprising confession immediately disorientates and suggests deep intrigue, serving to begin building the tension that permeates the story, and further surprises come thick and fast from that point onwards.

While he may have the outward appearance of a typical forty-something suburban father, Daniel has the memories and scars of someone far older. When he notes that his face “should be ancient, centuries-old,” even though it appears almost ordinary, it is immediately clear that the façade of normal life Daniel has spent so long hiding behind is thin and fragile.

Fittingly, the moment that forces Daniel’s two lives to collide takes place on an otherwise idyllic suburban street. His ten-year-old son Eli chases a soccer ball into the road at just the moment a speeding truck rounds the corner, traveling far too fast to stop. “The math was simple. The outcome inevitable.”

It’s a familiar, almost mundane kind of danger, the kind of incident that might occur in any quiet neighborhood, not in a fantastical realm. However, Daniel’s response to it risks tearing the world apart. He speaks ancient words and “the sound tore through the air like a blade [… ] And reality obeyed,” freezing the truck, the leaves, the dust, even sound itself.

It is not the kind of time-slowing effect common in superhero stories. Hebert describes events with striking sensory precision, seemingly capturing everything mid-motion. “I could see each particle of dust hanging in the light, suspended like tiny stars.” The effect is impressive but also horrifying because of what it means for Daniel.

By saving his son, he has revealed not only that his magic still exists but that it is powerful enough to be detected by forces he has spent twenty years hiding from. “He’s the one who used to speak to the unseen currents of the world, who could twist wind and time if he chose, who once stood in a circle of elders and made the sky itself hold its breath.”

What makes The Breaking of Time so absorbing is that Hebert never loses sight of the emotional consequences of this revelation. The immediate fallout occurs in the Ward family home. Elena, Daniel’s wife, witnesses the aftermath of the incident—the warped air, the unnatural shimmer—and her disbelief and fear feel painfully authentic. “Daniel […] what did you do? How did you — how the fuck did you do that?” Her shock isn’t melodrama; it’s the bewildered response of someone whose life has just been quietly but irrevocably shattered. Her anger is sharp, layered, and deeply human, fueled not by the magic itself but by the realization her husband has been keeping something unbelievable from her.

Meanwhile, Daniel is thrust into his own emotional and ethical crisis. He saved his child, which was unquestionably the right thing to do, but through that act he has exposed his family to a danger they cannot begin to comprehend. He knows immediately that something has heard him.

He senses a “a low hum, distant and hollow, something listening.” This faint supernatural vibration fosters a remarkably eerie atmosphere. It feels less like the arrival of a monster and more like the stirring of an ancient intelligence. When a message eventually appears burned into the family’s wall—“WE REMEMBER THE SILENCE”—the threat is unmistakable.

The Arvynth, the powerful order of immortal sorcerers that Daniel once belonged to, are aware of him, are coming for him, and are already near. As Daniel reflects, “The price of love, I’d learned over five centuries, is always paid in the currency of truth. And the truth, once freed, can never be caged again.”

Hebert’s worldbuilding is slow and deliberate. He introduces the mythological elements not by explaining them outright but by letting their weight and presence seep into the environment of the story. Cold spots, unnatural shimmerings, patterns of frost on a window, and the subtle pressure of being watched all suggest something just beyond reach.

The effect is both suspenseful and immersive. “The Silence had heard me.” It creates the impression that Daniel’s hidden past and unspoken powers are not just returning—they are seeping into the physical space of his home, into the lives of his children, into the very air they breathe.

The fact of Daniel’s long life is one of the most compelling aspects of The Breaking of Time. When he finally admits his true age—“five hundred and forty-three years old”—it is not framed as a boast or a dramatic flourish. It’s a weary, almost apologetic declaration of a man who fears he cannot be saved by time being on his side.

Hebert portrays Daniel not as an immortal reveling in his power but as someone exhausted by the weight of centuries, worn down by grief, and terrified of repeating history. This contrast between his supernatural ability and his emotional fragility makes Daniel a far more complex protagonist than the typical fantasy hero.

His children, especially Eli, also add unexpected emotional texture to the story. Eli begins to sense the presence that Daniel feels, describing it with uncanny clarity for someone so young: “Someone’s watching us. I can feel it.” This statement is subtle but chilling. It signals that Daniel’s past is not just haunting him but radiating outward, affecting the people he loves.

While the story incorporates aspects of urban fantasy, supernatural horror, and domestic drama, it never feels cluttered. Hebert blends these genre elements smoothly, often using small, ordinary details as anchors, for example, a swing moving when there is no wind. These moments make the supernatural events feel even more unsettling because they intrude on familiar settings.

Of course, despite the outward mundanity, secrecy and fantastical possibilities are at the heart of The Breaking of Time. Daniel has built an entire life based on an omission, convincing himself that it was necessary to protect the people he loved. This touches on the transmission of trauma, as Eli’s awareness of the threat suggests that Daniel’s past cannot be contained.

The ethics of power are explored through Daniel’s ambivalence regarding the use of magic, knowing that every act comes at a cost. This fact, coupled with the tension between who a person is and the life they choose to lead—a central conflict for Daniel—emerges clearly as his carefully constructed identity begins to crumble.

The pacing of the revelations is measured and suspenseful rather than action-driven, which works well because the emotional stakes are just as important as the fantastical ones. The dialogue between Daniel and Elena is particularly strong, capturing the heartbreak of a couple trying to navigate a revelation that fundamentally alters their marriage.

Overall, The Breaking of Time is a compelling beginning to what is bound to be an epic story as the series progresses. It introduces a fascinating protagonist, an ominous magical world, and a family on the brink of collapse, all while maintaining the tension of a thriller and the emotional depth of a drama.

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