Time's Convert: A Novel

Written by Deborah Harkness

Narrated by Saskia Maarleveld

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches—look for the hit TV series “A Discovery of Witches,” streaming on AMC+, Sundance Now and Shudder.

What does it truly take to become a vampire?

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus's deeply held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

Fast-forward to contemporary Paris, where Phoebe Taylor--the young employee at Sotheby's whom Marcus has fallen for--is about to embark on her own journey to immortality. Though the modernized version of the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to be a vampire are no less formidable than they were in the eighteenth century. The shadows that Marcus believed he'd escaped centuries ago may return to haunt them both--forever.

A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities not just for change but for revolution, Time's Convert, the fourth books in the All Souls Series channels the supernatural world-building and slow-burning romance that made the previous books instant bestsellers to illuminate a new and vital moment in history, and a love affair that will bridge centuries.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audio
• Release date: Sep 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9780525641469

Deborah Harkness

Deborah Harkness is the number one Sunday Times bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches, Shadow of Night, The Book of Life, Time's Convert and The World of All Souls. A history professor at the University of Southern California, Harkness has received Fulbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships. She lives in Los Angeles. Follow Deborah Harkness on Twitter @DebHarkness and Instagram @debharkness, and visit www.deborahharkness.com and www.facebook.com/AuthorDeborahHarkness

Reviews for Time's Convert

[jean_sexton-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Phoebe and Marcus, Diana and Matthew, what's not to like? I think I enjoyed reading about Phoebe's change the most, as that revealed that taking on a newly changed vampire and raising her to be moral was a challenge.

Recommended for fans of the series.

[amethystangel777 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This one is so good. I loved all the backstory for Marcus. It took me right back to how the second book was written for Diana and Matthew's time walking. I also loved seeing Phoebe and Marcus develop their relationship. The only thing is it took me the entire book to remember who Miriam was.

[acargile-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My friend and I finished this book in the same week. To me, nothing really happened. It's a book about characters and vampire families. Diana and Matthew struggle with the twins' powers, as they create their own hybrid family of vampires and warm bloods. Phoebe transforms into a vampire, taking 90 days before she can see Marcus. There's also the past. We see Marcus's life from the 1700s to the presents, which explains his dislike of authority and belief in independence. Therefore, there are three main areas. Chapters with Phoebe are presented in numbers; in other words, her age, in days, as a vampire, showing her growing closer to her new family who teach and guide her. Flashback chapters reveal the full character of Marcus and how he eventually learns why the vampire rules are important as well as the value of a strong family leader. Last, there are chapters telling us about Matthew, Diana, and the twins. Diana and Matthew decide to let the twins be who they are with no binding. Magic and vampire life will be in the open so that the kids can be helped as they develop as people and as magical creatures. That's it. Nothing really happens except Phoebe becomes a vampire and the twins have powers.

[rudyleon · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A background tale in search of some narrative tension.

[selia-26098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This wasn't at all what I expected based on the blurb. While there is a lot of Marcus' history, and wonderful world building in seeing Phoebe's first days as a vampire, there is a lot of Diana and Matthew and the twins (which is what I really wanted).

It's not as fast paced as the previous, but the world building and history felt like a wonderful extended epilogue and gave me exactly what I was curious about!

Can't wait for more books in this series/world!!

[murderbydeath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am an unrepentant fan of A Discovery of Witches and the rest of the All Souls Trilogy, but this one didn't hit that same sweet spot for me, although in some ways it was better than I'd hoped for.

Set in the same world as the All Souls books, with all the same characters, this book focuses on Matthew's vampire son, Marcus, and his soon-to-be-mate Phoebe, as she goes through the process of becoming a vampire. This is the excuse/framework Harkness uses to delve into Marcus' story, one rich in American Revolution history and personal tragedy.

Told in 3 alternating points of view, Phoebe's present day (3rd person) narrative of her transformation was the part of the book I liked least. It involved a lot of vampiric tropes that felt a bit tired, and there was a cat introduced that damn near ended the book. The cat is not harmed, but I'm not at all satisfied with the role it plays in Phoebe's new life; it felt like Harkness was purposefully screwing with readers and the unwritten rule of 'don't harm pets'. Either way, I just wasn't that invested in Phoebe - though I did like Freyja.

The second point of view was Marcus' flash-backs into his life before and after becoming a vampire. This was, if not a more enjoyable tale, one that was a hell of a lot more interesting. Rich in historical backdrops and characters, these sections were vivid and heartbreaking. The occasional small gaps in story flow were almost invisible, overwhelmed by the rich storytelling. It also helped that these were the parts that involved Gallowglass, my personal favorite character in the books.

The final point of view was, for me, the best, because it was told in first person present day by Diana and involved almost all the old characters I know and love from the trilogy. Here are Diana, Matthew, Marcus, Sarah, Ysabeau and the rest, spending the summer in the south of France, listening to Marcus tell his tale while Phoebe is in Paris learning to be a vampire and not properly appreciating her pets. Diana and Matthew's kids provide some scope for funny antics, and the overall relaxed plot of this book means it's easier for Harkness to indulge in scenes involving the kind of family dynamics everyone thinks are hilarious in other people's families. I enjoyed the humor woven through these sections almost more than I did any other part of the book.

The story is complete, but there are subtle hints that more books about the other characters may be forthcoming. Baldwin seems the most obvious choice, though I'm holding out for Gallowglass to get his 15 minutes. A girl can hope, anyway.

[karidrgn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was nice to return the world of vampires and witches created by Deborah and see where people are 5 years later. You also get a lot of detail of what it's like to become one. I could've used a little bit more background on a couple of the characters because she assumes that you've read the rest of the series.

[cyderry · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The All Souls trilogy is continued in this story of Matthew's son Marcus and his girlfriend Phoebe. We are told the story of Marcus' ear;ly life and how Matthew made him his son. We are also privy to Phoebe's decision to also become a vampire and the process that i involved.

The story also brings us back together with Matthew, Diana and their children (highlighting their emerging gifts) and those that reside at Sept-Tours.

I don't want to give too much away to those that are fans of the All Souls Trilogy. Suffice it to say - it's great to see these characters again!

[jshillingford_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I picked up Time’s Convert in the store, I didn’t know it was set in the same world as the All Souls Trilogy. It’s something of a cross between a sequel and a spinoff. The story takes place right after the trilogy concludes but focuses on Matthew’s son, Marcus.

Marcus’ love, Phoebe, has chosen to become a vampire to stay with him. The story opens with her at Freyja’s home waiting to be turned by Miriam. Adjusting to being a vampire is far from simple, so Phoebe will be kept apart from Marcus for at least 90 days while she learns how to handle her new reality. The book switches between three POVs: Phoebe, Diana (with whom Marcus is staying), and Marcus in pre-revolutionary America (before and after he was turned). Marcus is struggling emotionally with the separation, and also with the nightmares of his past. He begins telling his history to Diana, alternating with Phoebe’s transformation. All of it building to the infamous “New Orleans.” I liked the structure a lot because it told Phoebe and Marcus’ stories in parallel, while also giving readers more of Diana and her twin Bright Born children.

The book does not have a traditional MacGuffin-driven plot, but that didn’t keep me from being completely engrossed. Harkness’ love of history is just as evident here as in the original trilogy, but her attention to detail also underpins the vampire lore in her world. Phoebe struggles to control her new speed, strength and the overwhelming sensitivity her enhanced senses bring. Cotton sheets simply will not do when you can feel every single fiber in the fabric!

I love the world Harkness has created and I am eager for her next story. May I suggest telling us Fernando’s story? Overall, fans of the trilogy will likely enjoy this as well, but I wouldn’t recommend that new readers start here. Too much is missed if you don’t have the history from the first 3 books.

[phyllis2779 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the All Souls trinity so it was sad that this book wasn't nearly as good. It felt like postcards, rather than a cohesive whole. This is Marcus' life as a child, this is what is happening in the present, this is what is happening with Phoebe. If I had not liked the trilogy so much, I would have disliked this book. But seeing some of these characters again, even in snapshots, was interesting. And the writing is good, and the characers are interesting. But the flow of the book and the absence of an overriding plot diluted the overall readability.

[justagirlwithabook · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another book to add to the world of All Souls! I’m so glad Deb Harkness “continued” the series a tad for her readers (because we just can’t get enough). While A Discovery of Witches will always be my favorites, followed closely by Shadow of Night, this book still brought in that perfect amount of history and science that I love so much and that had me doing a bit of side research as I read. (Events leading up to the French Revolution? Key people who helped push France over the brink to only have their heads cut off? Smallpox inoculations during the American Revolution? Why yes, I’d love to learn more!). It was so fun returning back to characters I love and learning more about their history. Such a fun read and definitely worth a pick up if you’ve read the trilogy and truly enjoyed it!

[decaturmamaof2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was not my favorite of Harkness' books. While I loved loved loved the 'back in time' flashback portions of Marcus' tale, I was not super-engaged by the present day story or by Phoebe & Marcus' relationship. And the ending felt very very trite/cliche to me.

[hazel1123_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the All Souls Trilogy and this book was a great addition to the story. The world of witches and vampires is the basis of the story but I also feel it has a lot the characteristics of sold historical fiction. Marcus’s pre-vampire history was intriguing and seemed rooted in solid historical research. Phoebe’s adventures as a ‘baby’ vampire was fun and the two stories came together well into a satisfying, rather sweet love story. Overall this was a very enjoyable read.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Time's Convert picks up where the All Souls Trilogy ended. Diana and Matthew have the twins who are entering the terrible twos. Phoebe Taylor has opted to become a vampire as well as Marcus's mate. As part of their traditional mating ceremony, Phoebe and Marcus are separated for 90 days while Phoebe transitions from an infant vampire. Marcus spends much of that time reflecting on his early life before the American Revolutionary War and after until the present. The three strands of stories alternate very nicely to make a cohesive whole.
Meanwhile, we get to visit with a number of other characters from the previous books which is always interesting. I really enjoyed the bits and pieces of history including the American Revolution and the French Revolution inserted in the stories. The drama around the twins' expanding powers makes a fun read also.
If you liked the previous books, you'll be happy with this one. I found it an enjoyable read.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I did like this book. Although, I did feel like there was some disconnect between the past and the present. It felt like there was two storylines involving Phoebe and Marcus. Which I was drawn more to the present and Phoebe. Seeing her be "born again" as a vampire was more interesting to me. Plus, I felt a stronger connection instantly towards her. Part of this may have been for the fact that the story started out with Phoebe being the main focal point.

Although, Marcus's story did help to lend to the back story and gave me a nice insight into just who Marcus really was and is. The past was just that...the past. It did move a bit slower then the present. Plus, as I stated previously that with the disconnect between the past and present; Marcus and Phoebe didn't interact as much right away. The latter half of the book is better. This is because, the past turned into the present and Marcus and Phoebe interacted more. I liked them together. Final thoughts are that this book is a nice read but has some room to grow.

[jbd1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you liked the All Souls trilogy, I think you're very likely to enjoy Harkness' followup. Hard to get too far into the plot without spoilers for the earlier books, but it nicely combines backstory and setup for things which are, presumably, to come. An excellent addition to the series.