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- Title: Time’s Convert: A Novel
- Author: Deborah Harkness
- Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 15:47:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 18/09/2018
- Publisher: Penguin Audio
- Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Romantasy
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
The first strains of Saskia Maarleveld’s voice in “Time’s Convert” transported me back to a moonlit night in Oaxaca, where an abuela’s stories wove magic into the air. Deborah Harkness’s fourth All Souls novel unfolds with that same mesmerizing quality – a story told at the perfect pace, where every pause carries weight and every inflection reveals hidden depths. As someone who’s spent years chasing stories across continents, I can tell you this audiobook is a passport to two extraordinary journeys: Marcus MacNeil’s transformation during the American Revolution, and Phoebe Taylor’s modern-day leap into immortality.
Harkness’s anthropological expertise shines through every carefully researched detail. The Revolutionary War sequences vibrate with authenticity – I could practically smell the gunpowder and hear the rustle of colonial-era fabrics, just as vividly as I remember the scent of old paper in Lisbon’s Bertrand Bookshop when I first discovered Harkness’s work. Marcus’s transition from idealistic surgeon to conflicted vampire mirrors my own experiences with cultural transformation during my travels; that moment when you realize adoption of a new world doesn’t mean complete abandonment of the old.
Maarleveld’s narration is nothing short of alchemical. She handles the dual timelines with masterful tonal shifts – her 18th century Marcus carries the gravel of hard-won wisdom, while modern Phoebe’s voice sparkles with contemporary vitality. The French phrases roll off her tongue with Parisian precision (I found myself back at a Left Bank café, nodding along in recognition), and her ability to distinguish dozens of characters through subtle vocal changes rivals the best oral storytellers I’ve encountered from Marrakech to Kyoto.
The novel’s exploration of what immortality truly costs resonated deeply with me. During my year living with nomads in Mongolia, I learned how tradition and change must dance together – a theme Harkness explores brilliantly through the de Clermont family’s ancient ways clashing with Marcus’s revolutionary ideals. The parallel between Marcus’s 18th century transformation and Phoebe’s modern one makes for fascinating commentary on how much (and how little) has changed about our fundamental human (or vampire) needs.
While the romantic elements simmer beautifully (Maarleveld makes the chemistry between Marcus and Phoebe practically audible), it’s the historical sections that truly shine. The Battle of Saratoga sequence had me pulling over during a New England road trip just to absorb every word – the narration so visceral I could feel the autumn chill and taste the metallic fear. Harkness’s background as a historian transforms what could be dry historical detail into living, breathing moments.
If I had one critique, it’s that some philosophical debates about vampire ethics occasionally slow the momentum. But even these sections showcase Maarleveld’s skill – she could make a grocery list sound compelling with that voice. The 15-hour listening time flies by, though I found myself replaying certain sections just to savor the prose and performance.
For fans of Diana Gabaldon’s “Outlander” or Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles”, this audiobook offers a perfect blend of historical richness and supernatural romance. But it’s Harkness’s attention to anthropological detail and Maarleveld’s virtuoso performance that elevate this beyond genre expectations. As someone who’s spent a lifetime studying how stories shape cultures (and vice versa), I can say this is oral storytelling at its finest – a tale that lingers in your mind like the memory of a perfect sunset over the Sahara, long after the last words fade.
May your journeys through time and story be ever rewarding, Marcus Rivera
