Time's Convert

Marcus Whitmore and Phoebe Taylor are ready to begin their life together as vampires, but first Phoebe must complete her transformation. While she undergoes this intense process, Marcus reflects on his own journey from human to vampire during the American Revolution. In parallel storylines, the narrative follows Phoebe's present-day transformation in Paris and Marcus's past experiences as a field surgeon turned vampire in 18th century America. Their stories intersect with that of Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, who are raising young twins with emerging supernatural powers. The novel explores vampire-human relationships, the costs of immortality, and what it means to create a family across different time periods and species. Historical events serve as a backdrop for questions about loyalty, identity, and the ways both vampires and humans adapt to radical change. This standalone addition to the All Souls world examines how the past shapes the present, particularly through the lens of America's founding and modern-day vampire society. The story brings together themes of revolution - both personal and political - with an exploration of how individuals navigate profound transformation.

Readers view Time's Convert as a slower, less compelling addition to the All Souls series. Many found Marcus's backstory interesting, especially the historical details of the American Revolution and French Revolution. The parallel narratives between Marcus's past and Phoebe's present-day vampire transition resonated with fans of the original trilogy. Likes: - Return of familiar characters from previous books - Historical accuracy and research - Exploration of vampire transformation process Dislikes: - Lack of tension or central conflict - Too much focus on mundane details - Repetitive writing style - Pacing issues - Limited character development A common criticism was that the book felt more like extended bonus content rather than a standalone novel. Several readers noted they struggled to finish it despite loving the original trilogy. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (31,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (3,800+ ratings) BookBrowse: 3.5/5 LibraryThing: 3.8/5

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🧛‍♂️ Deborah Harkness began writing the All Souls series (of which Time's Convert is a companion novel) after wondering why there were so many supernatural creatures in the wine aisle of her local grocery store. 🎯 The character of Marcus Whitmore was inspired by real-life Revolutionary War surgeon Dr. Benjamin Church, who served as the first Surgeon General of the Continental Army. ⌛ The novel explores three parallel timelines: 18th-century America, the French Revolution, and present-day Paris and New England. 📚 Before becoming a novelist, Harkness was (and still is) a professor of history at the University of Southern California, specializing in the history of science and medicine. 🩸 The vampire transformation process described in the book takes exactly 90 days - a specific timeframe that Harkness created to give structure to vampire mythology and differentiate it from other supernatural fiction.