Customer Reviews

Blood Roses: A Novel of Saint-Germain

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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This is one of the series of books about the Count St. Germain, an almost-immortal vampire. Those who already know that they like vampire novels, anything at all that features a vampire, can skip this review, and likewise, those who hate the whole idea of vampires can skip it. But for those trying to decide whether or not to read more of this genre, or whether the one vampire novel you've already read was a fluke, it may help to have some ways to categorize these novels. Thus: BunRab's Standard Vampire Classification Guide. First, most authors of vampire novels approach from one of the main genres of genre fiction; thus their background may be primarily in romance, or in science fiction/fantasy, or in murder mysteries, or in horror. Second, many vampire novels come in series; knowing whether this is one of a series, and where in the series it falls, may be helpful. Then we have some particular characteristics: - Is the vampire character (or characters) a "good guy" or a "bad guy"? Or are there some of each? - Are there continuing characters besides the vampire, through the series? - Are there other types of supernatural beings besides vampires? - Can the vampire stand daylight under some circumstances, or not stand daylight at all? - Does the vampire have a few other supernatural characteristics, many other supernatural characteristics, or none other than just being a vampire? (E.g., super strength, change into an animal, turn invisible) - Does the vampire have a regular job and place in society, or is being a vampire his or her entire raison d'etre? - Does the vampire literally drink blood, or is there some other (perhaps metaphorical) method of feeding? - Is sex a major plot element, a minor plot element, or nonexistent? - Is the entire vampire feeding act a metaphor for sex, part of a standard sex act, or unrelated to sex? - Is the story set in one historical period, more than one historical period, or entirely in the present day? - Does the story have elements of humor, or is it strictly serious? - Is the writing style good, or is the writing just there to manage to hold together the plot and characters?

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's series about the vampire St. Germain starts from the historical romance genre (although Yarbro is equally well known as a science fiction writer), and is a continuing series. St. Germain is definitely a good guy, using the knowledge he's gained in several thousand years of living to help others. There are a few characters that continue from book to book besides him: the women he turns into vampires, and his "servant," Roger, who is a ghoul. Ghouls are the only other supernatural characters who appear in these books. St. Germain can stand daylight with the right preparations. He has unusual strength, but not limitless, and unusual wisdom, and is an "alchemist" but there are no other overt magic powers. In most of the series, he has an occupation of being an aristocrat, insofar as that was a full-time occupation through most of history; in some books he has another "job" as well. St. Germain does not literally drink blood; he feeds on emotions, usually during erotic experiences, but sex is nonetheless only a minor plot element, rare and very discreet. The series covers 3000 years, from ancient Egypt to the modern day; each book is set in a span of a particular period, usually 20-30 years. The writing is serious, but not self-important; the writing quality is excellent, and Yarbro's abilities as an author qualify these books as literature rather than "merely" genre fiction.

Blood Roses is one of the most recently written in the St. Germain series; chronologically in history, it is in the middle, set in the late Dark Ages, France in the 14th century, during one of the several waves of the Black Plague that went around Europe during that century. The Catholic Church has contributed much toward keeping the populace ignorant and downtrodden, a recurrent theme in the series. At this period of history, there is not yet a full-blown Inquisition as there will be a couple of centuries later. Part of the conflict in the story is due to the schism in the Catholic Church, where a second Pope has been set up in France, in Avignon. Letters between St. Germain and his fellow immortal, Olivia, every few chapters, help set the changing scenes. There is a helpful character in the form of a persecuted Spanish Jew; this novel also has a relatively happy ending, in that there is not a huge final bloodbath featuring war, torture, etc. - perhaps, in the face of the Plague, we do not need further human tortures to keep things active. The female love interest lives a full and happy life even after St. Germain leaves. St. Germain leaves the area having passed along some literacy in spite of the church; we can get the sense that the Dark Ages are going to end soon, as things are changing.

I am a Saint-Germain junkie.

So perhaps I am not as objective as I could be. Nevertheless, I loved this book.

In Blood Roses, CQY recaptures the style that made me like her older works -- the Palace, Blood Games, and Tempting Fate. The interplay between Our Favorite Count and Roger is back up to speed in this book. Ms Yarbro managed to avoid the pitfalls of her recent works -- relying too heavily on Saint-Germain's insider jokes about "my ...life" and "those of my blood". Instead, this is a fresh book, with sparkling women characters and a long historical perspective. Her research is excellent.

If only we could get those fabulous oldies back into print -- I would pay for at least two hardcover editions of Tempting Fate -- one to keep, one to lend. And Hotel Transylvania... well, I was able to stumble across that in a used bookstore, and it is certainly good enough for re-release. And how about the Palace -- oh, what a story!

Thanks, CQY, for keeping us in Saint-Germain novels. I can't wait for the next one.

Or twelfth, if you count "Out of the House of Life", which is primarily a spinoff novel about Madeline de Montalia (former lover and vampiric "childe" of Saint-Germain), but which does include some flashback scenes from some of Saint-Germain's early history.

Or fifteenth, if you also count "A Flame in Byzantium", "Crusader's Torch", and "A Candle For d'Artagnan", the spinoff series about Atta Olivia Clemens, an earlier lover and vampiric "childe".

This book is set in the mid-1300s at the time of the first wave of the Black Plague to sweep through Europe. The romantic interest doesn't even appear until nearly two-thirds of the way through the book, which makes for an interesting variation on a theme, as does the way that romantic interest plays out. The setting reminded me somewhat of "Narcissus and Goldmund", by Herman Hesse, a book which made an impact on me long enough ago that I'd rather not think about how long it's been; perhaps I should re-read it, as I remember very little of the details of that book.

Unlike some other reviewers, I feel that on balance, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's writing has been steadily improving as she's progressed through this series; I enjoyed the early books ("Hotel Transylvania", "The Palace", "Blood Games", "Path of the Eclipse", and "Tempting Fate", in that order, are the first five books in the series) but found the writing to be significantly less developed than they have been starting with "Darker Jewels". This book fits the same pattern, although I don't find it QUITE as enjoyable as its predecessor, "Writ In Blood".

The series is not written in chronological order; from earliest to latest historically, the series to this point would be:

1. "Out of the House of Life" (if you base it on the flashbacks to Saint-Germain's early years; set in Ancient Egypt)

2. "Blood Games", set in Rome at the time of the Emperor Nero

3. "A Flame in Byzantium", set in the time of Justinian, mid 500s.

4. "Better In The Dark", set in the mid-900s in Saxony.

5. "Crusader's Torch", set in the late 1000s and early 1100s, Europe and Middle East.

6. "Path of the Eclipse", early 1200s China, India, and other eastern areas.

7. "Blood Roses", 1300s France.

8. "The Palace", 1400s Italy.

9. Darker Jewels: Late 1500s Russia

10 & 11: virtually simultaneous, "A Candle For d'Artagnan" and "Mansions of Darkness", early 1600s France and the New World (mostly Peru) respectively.

12. "Hotel Transylvania", later 1600s France

13. The "current" part of the plot in "Out of the House of Life", early 1800s Egypt.

14. "The Chronicles of Sant-Germain", a collection of short stories that extend temporally from 1890s to 1980s, which time period overlaps both #15 and #16.

15. "Writ In Blood", 1910-1914, Russia, England, Germany, and Finland.

16. "Tempting Fate", Germany 1920-1930s.

These novels are all variations on the genre of "Romantic/heroic/historical fiction", with the part of the extremely heroic hero being played by a vampire. If this concept intrigues you, you definitely want to read these books. If you enjoy historical romance, but find the concept of the vampiric hero unsettling or weird, you may want to give them a try anyway; if either none of these concepts grab you, or if you insist on your vampires being more traditionally minded, this series is not for you.

Let this be a note to Tor: I read everything I can get my hands on by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, in particular the Saint Germain novels. However, I usually end up borrowing them from the library and buying them used or remaindered because I can't afford a series of $15 trade paperbacks. Please, please print these in mass media paper!

I read the Saint Germain novels because I love his loooong view of history, not because it's horror. If you like to read historical fiction, you will be thrilled to find any of these books!

Ms. Yarbro's research and attention to historical detail alone would make me read her books. Add to that the fact I'm a Saint-Germain junkie from way back (and am lucky enough to have all the Saint-Germain books, some even autographed) and I'm likely not an unbiased reviewer.

Another excellent addition to the series. The basic premise does not really change from book to book. It is Ms. Yarbro's treatment of that premise and her abilities to create an interesting story and engaging characters that make this book and all her other Saint-Germain stories worth reading. It also seems that this story flows more naturally, as though Ms. Yarbro had rediscovered an enjoyment of writing the Count's adventures. As usual, her language and style are impeccable, almost lyrical. She's the only author I read who still makes me grab my dictionary to check out definitions. Thank the Goddess there's at least one author who isn't afraid to use 50 cent words. I will say that Tor's copy editors do not do a very good job of catching typos, particularly those that would not be caught using a spellchecker. Unfortunately, this is a growing problem with most publishers (a very broad hint).

Overall it's a marvelous book. Probably more engaging for those who are familiar with Saint-Germain, however.

This latest book on our 3300 year old vampire is set in 1350's France. It begins in Orgon, a small town where St. Germain has been quietly living for 15 years, and accepted by the townspeople. All is peaceful except for St. Germain's growing premonitions that something ominous is on the horizon. Ms. Yarbro's other books on St. Germain have featured powerful, evil villains in opposition to St. Germain's ethical compassion. This book is fascinatingly different in that the "villain" is the Plague, the "Blood Roses" itself--a malevolent force that indescriminately destroys everyone in its path. No one is left untouched. Fear, hysteria, opportunistic greed, bureaucratic rigidity and misplaced religous fervour are the results St. Germain encounters when he changes into Germain le-Compte, the troubador. He sends Rogres to safety, and travels among the people to do what he can without arousing the growing hysteria from the plague against him. This book also tells the story of Hugenout and Jenfra, characters alluded to in other St. Germain tales. This is a faster paced and fascinating story in the continuing St. Germain saga.

Great author. I've only read this one and some short stories ( didn't like them as much). I found out there are tons more of these
vampire books, I read one out of order, but it stood alone as a great, interesting, historically accurate tale!
I tried to find her others at the library, but there are very long waiting lists for them unfortunately. Highly recommend
to anyone who loves history, vampires, and really clever writing.

Yarbro is a fine historical novelist and in Blood Roses (the term for the skin eruptions the bubonic plague caused) she succeeds in impressing upon a reader something of the dimension and scope of the worst plague outbreak in history. Here we see the breakdown of the fabric of a complex society. Here we read of the tragedy of the human toll of the Black Death. And here we grasp something of the horror and terror those living through such an event must have known. The book was also slightly slow-paced, had whole chapters it would have been better off without, and, frankly, the plot device of having a recurring set of undead characters passing through the great moments of history taxes credibility just a little. Still and all a lot can be learned from reading one of Ms. Yarbro's books and her well-researched knowledge of each time period in which she sets her tales is nearly flawless. It's rare indeed that an anachronism should creep into her opus, and common that one come away better educated for the time spent reading. Having to tolerate (if that's even the correct term) the fact that these are novels of the supernatural is a small price to pay for all she delivers.

I enjoyed this book. I have read all the St. Germain books I've been able to get my hands on, and wonder why the older ones have not been reprinted. Another wonderful evocation of this cultured, ethical and sympathetic vampire, as opposed to the many ravening revenants seen elsewhere. I recommend it highly.

I am astonished that CQY makes me crave the recreation of historical events that have changed the course of mankind while satisfying my need for a great vampire novel. She allows you to travel with Saint-Germain through devastation, death, and the turmoil of Europe during the 1300's when religion and politics were intertwined.