Seven years ago, Deborah Harkness’ debut novel A Discovery of Witches, the first book in her All Souls trilogy, took the world by storm.
Once readers, critics, and booksellers alike were introduced to the fiery Diana Bishop, a historian with powers beyond anyone’s imagination, and Matthew Clairmont, the immortal who began as Diana’s protector and quickly became the love of her life, they were hooked.
Discovery was an instant hit, and Harkness’s next two books, Shadow of Night and The Book of Life, debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and received as much critical acclaim as her first book. Since 2011, the All Souls trilogy has sold over two million copies in the US.
Readers weren’t ready to say goodbye to the world Harkness created, and neither was she. This fall Viking has published Time’s Convert, a novel set in the same universe as her best-selling All Souls trilogy but that focuses on characters and time periods that never took centerstage in the trilogy.
As with her previous novels, Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel and the supernatural while diving deeply into the political machinations at play to deliver a powerful message about the importance of diversity and inclusion. In addition to this new novel, an eight-episode series of A Discovery of Witches starring Theresa Palmer and Matthew Goode will premiere on Sundance Now and Shudder, release date to be announced.
In Time’s Convert fans can expect to see some of their favorite characters returning as Harkness shares the backstories of the de Clermont family, Marcus MacNeil, and a young Phoebe Taylor to explore the question: What does it take to become a vampire?
Time’s Convert opens on the battlefields of the American Revolution, where young surgeon Marcus MacNeil is introduced to Matthew de Clermont and offered a chance at immortality by becoming a vampire. But his transformation isn’t an easy one, and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus’ deeply held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.
Fast forward to contemporary London, where Marcus has fallen in love with Phoebe Taylor, a young employee at Sotheby’s. She decides to become a vampire, too, and though the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to become a vampire are no less formidable in the modern world than they were in the 18th Century.
Harkness deftly navigates between the past and present in Time’s Convert, braiding together a powerful and enchanting story with the mastery of a skilled historian.
A history professor at the University of Southern California, Harkness has received Fulbright, Guggenheim, and National Humanities Center fellowships.
She will be discussing her latest book at Books and Books, 265 Aragon Ave. in Coral Gables, on Oct. 15 at 7 p.m.
