Customer Reviews

Midnight Harvest (Chronicles of Saint Germain)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have read every one of the St.Germain novels up to now, but I'm beginning to wonder if I will read any more of them. The beloved character has grown stilted with age. The dialog in this outing was frequently wooden, the plot could have been lifted from several of the last 10 novels, and this series seems to me to have lost its spark. There seems to have been more of an attempt to round out the character of Roger. St. Germain's love interest was more interesting than usual. Still, somehow it all just refused to gel. Once again, St. Germain is heroically driven from his home by encroaching bad guys (this time during the Spanish Civil War by Franco's minions.) Once again, St. Germain is followed by an evil assassin. And, once again, St. Germain's love interest is menaced by the bad guys. In a sub-plot, immigrant farmers are menaced by xenophobes wearing sheets.

I think in the future, if I get a hankering to spend some time with St. Germain, I'll go back and read one of the earlier, more heartfelt books. If you have yet to read Hotel Transylvania, Path of the Eclipse, Roman Blood, Out of the House of Life, The Palace, or Tempting Fate---by all means read any of those before this one. Many of the later novels are worth reading, once you've become well and truly hooked, but these last few have had a whiff of doldrums about them.

Or sixteenth, if one doesn't count the two offshoot series, one centering around Atta Olivia Clemens and one around Madeline de Montalia, both vampires who came to the undead life by way of Saint Germain.

Like all of the books in this series, this is a historical novel, set during a period in the unlife of Ferenc Ragosky, Count Saint Germain, a vampire who has lived since approximately 2000 years BCE. Unlike most of the others, however, this one is set fairly recently, in the period between World Wars I and II, and uniquely to this point (discounting a couple of the short stories in "The Chronicles of Saint Germain") is set in the United States of America.

Like all of the books in this series, it is a fascinating look at a fascinating character; Saint Germain is always a delight, although to some fans of more standard vampire fiction, he's too much of an unmitigated hero; there isn't enough of the dark, brooding antihero to him for some tastes. There may be some fans of the seiries, too, who prefer the more distant historical settings, and who find the twentieth century too current for their tastes in historical fiction.

Unless either of these quibbles sounds like something that would resonate with you, however, this book is highly recommended. Both the character and the history are very well-handled, and in addition, we see a character from a previous book; the love interest, Rowena Saxon, is a carryover from "Writ In Blood", which was set in the period immediately before the first world war.

It's the mid-1930s, and even though "The Great War" was supposed to put an end to hostilities, the political situation in Europe seems worse than ever. Saint-Germain has settled in Spain, where he runs a very profitable company that builds airplanes. When the Spanish government decides to overtake the company, Saint-Germain knows he's in danger of being imprisoned - or worse. He sees no other option but to flee to America, where Rowena, one of his former lovers is waiting in San Francisco.

America has political and economic issues of her own. At a time when most Americans are struggling with the after-effects of the Stock Market Crash of '29, foreigners are unwelcome. A new group, The White Legion, has vowed to rid America of foreigners taking their jobs. Saint-Germain finds himself in the middle of this dispute, as he's invested heavily in a vineyard owned by an Italian man who has been targeted by the White Legion. Add to that a ruthless killer who has been sent from Spain with orders to kill Saint-Germain, rapid changes in technology, and a wonderfully developed cast of secondary characters, and you have one deeply engaging story!

It's clear that Yarbro has done a great deal of research for MIDNIGHT HARVEST. Rich in detail and beautiful imagery, the setting and time period come alive throughout the novel. Characterization, as in all of Yarbro's works, is magnificent. Saint-Germain is once again perfect in his heroic role, and he's joined by his faithful manservant, Rogerio, and one of his former lovers who is now in her fifties, but no less charming and endearing.

A wonderful addition to the Saint-Germain series, MIDNIGHT HARVEST also stands well on its own, and could serve as a great introduction to Saint-Germain for those unfamiliar with Yarbro's winning series.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's "Midnight Harvest"Is set in the mid-1930s,in the twentieth
century set in the period immediately before the first world war.The period between
World Wars I and II.The history is very well-written from the cars to the movies
to the depression-era America. The time period was beautifully done though the story
lacked substance.I kept waiting for something to happen Nothing really happened
throughout the entire book. Things that should have been suspenseful seamed
rushed.The main characters were likable although it seamed being a vampire really
didn't apply other than longevity.The Main character had no backbone.I kept waiting
for him to defend and protect... Never happened.I was three quarters through the
book when I discovered one of the lead characters happens to be a youthful two
million-year-old ghoul. Pretty cool right?.Well not really...only a mention in the book. A few small
laughs though.I should have never entered into this series with book #16.I need to go back to book # 1 "Hotel Transylvania" and give it a try.

Midnight Harvest, while not as much of an edge-of-seat read as might be a few of the previous books, manages to introduce new connections, resolutions and laying bare of some previously met plots, settings, mysteries and people. Running for his life, as usual, Saint-Germain leaves eve-of-Civil War Spain and makes his way across to America and on to San Francisco. Reuniting with a previous lover, he must survive the attentions of a murderous assassin and help the people he loves and those he cares about survive the attentions of 20th century American villains. While there is not the "cast of thousands" violence seen in some of the earlier adventures, a healthy dose of suspense mixed with Ms. Yarbro's usual extremely competent period scholarship make for a very satisfying read. Saint-Germain is the oldest and, I think, so very romantic of the six vampiric "heroes" in either current TV or books available to us today. This latest book makes for a good addition to any collection of Saint-Germain's adventures, or the beginning of one. After all, you can't beat a bit of sex, violence and learnin' for curl up and enjoyable pleasure.

I have to agree with Juan Depaz. I have done some amateur historical research on the period (I published a study of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera which received good reviews in Spain) and the vision that Yarbro has of the Civil War and what led to it is plain ridiculous. Somehow she wanted the atmosphere so that she could hang her tale, never mind how it meshed with reality.

(That reminds me that, never mind how much I enjoyed The Palace, Savonarola never conducted an auto-da-fe).

I am also irritated by the frequency in which priests, monks, and other members of the Church tend to be ignorant and despicable villains. Yarbro should get off her anti-Christian kick.

Four thousand year-old vampire Ferenc Ragoczy, Count of Saint-Germaine flees Spain at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. Despite his largely successful attempts to mislead those researching him, the Spanish send an assassin after him, tracking him across multiple countries into the United States. Saint-Germaine ends up in San Francisco where a longtime lover welcomes him and near where his investments in California winelands are finally beginning to pay off. Although depression-era United States is not torn by civil war as is Spain, right-wing hate groups threaten Saint-Germaine's Italian partner in the wine business. Somehow, Saint-Germaine must protect both himself and his friends from both assassins and American facists.

Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro does a fine job conveying a sexy and sophisticated vampire who uses love rather than violence ot gain willing providers to his blood-need. Saint-Germaine's wealth and generosity make him both sexy and a good friend. His four thousand years of life give him a broad range of experiences to draw upon. Together with his vampire ability to stave off the true-death, he is a formidable opponent to the Spanish and American facists.

For the most part, Yarbro's research rings true--from the cars to the movies to the political climate of depression-era America. A few errors stand out--discussions of Molotov Cocktails before this term came into use, description of the load of a shotgun as 'grapeshot' which actually consists of grape-sized balls fired from a cannon, but these can be largely overlooked. More seriously, however, Yarbro choses to slow down the action in her story with long conversations where a few points are discussed ad nauseum. MIDNIGHT HARVEST is interesting. This Spanish Civil War/American Depression historical context, the four-thousand year-old vampire with his two-thousand year-old servant, and the assassination plot are all fascinating. Unfortunately, Yarbro's heavyhanded dialogue and extensive repetition detract from the pleasure.

For fans of St. Germain, this book is not a disappointment. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro delivers as usual and I hope there are more to come!
If you're a history buff I think it would be difficult not to enjoy. You don't have to love vampires.

I really don't know why I keep doing this to myself. I suppose it's out of loyalty to Saint-Germain. But I must say my hopes for a truly engaging SG book have pretty much been extinquished. There was a time when Yarbro could write...what happened?

I'll overlook the fact that the book opens with an entirely gratuitous and graphic sex scene (can I just say I really don't need a blow by blow description of where the count is sticking his tongue...some things are better left to imagination). But let's move beyond that.

The whole plot of the book was weak. SG leaves Spain on the eve of civil war only to be followed by an assasin of the new regime. Sounds exciting? HA! This is a study in how to make nothing happen throughout an entire book. Things that should have been suspenseful were flattened by endless repetative dialog and an entire lack of action. He must get his lover out of Spain...blah blah blah, lover leaves Spain without incident. He must get out of Spain...blah blah blah, he drives out of Spain without incident. Once he's in America things really pick up. I particularly liked the entire chapter devoted to buying a car. Wheeee! Eleven pages conversations with a saleman...the test drive was really exciting.

It was nice to see Rowena Saxon again (more muff diving). However, the "problems" SG faces with the vinyards he has invested in seem entirely contrived...and again, the action is buried in the repetitive dialog. Let's Beat This Point to Death should have been the title of this book. When action finally does manage to shoulder its way to the fore, Yarbro gets it over with as quickly as possible and gets back to being tedious. SG gets severely injured, turn the page, bing, all better...back to endless yapping.

Die hard fans will still read this just to get their SG fix (look at me). I probably can't talk them out of it. If you've never been introduced to Saint-Germain, for the love of all the forgotten gods, don't start with this one.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has spent two decades giving us windows to distant times and forgotten lands through the eyes of the vampires Saint-Germain and Olivia and often done an extraordinary job. This is not the case. Reading Midnight Harvest one wonders if she even bothered to make research this time. Saint-Germain has to flee Spain to escape the Fascists. As if they would have bothered a rich, Catholic nobleman. Yarbro seems to fall pray to the easy conceit many fall pray to and believe the Fascists were bad and the Republicans were good. She goes on and on about the "Generals" stealing business and killing the owners. Not one word about radical Communists and Anarquist doing it ten times worse. Saint-Germain's struggle with the White Legion in California and a Fascist assassin is a study in boredom.
My greatest problem with the book is that it makes me doubt the accuracy of Yarbro's research for other books. Dark of the Sun was astonishing(in a good way). But if all her research is so inaccurate...