Customer Reviews

Out of the House of Life: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain (St. Germain)

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I have read all the St. Germaine ( and Olivia) novels (well, not the brand new _Communion Blood_)and the collection of short stories too. This is my favorite for St. Germaine's recollections in the form of long letters to Madeline about when he first lived in Egypt. It is in this book that we find out details about what made him become a *good* vampire who values life.

This is contrasted with Madeline's struggle to be accepted as an Egyptologist.

I recommend it very highly. (And unlike some series of books there is no correct order to read these books in. Just read them as they come to you, but read them if you are interested in historical fiction with a _very_ long view. These books are much more about that than traditional horror novels.)Julia Walter

This book takes us back and forth, by means of St. Germain's letters to Madeline de Montalia, between his life in ancient Egypt and Madeline's archeological digs in the 19th century. I found St. Germain's recollections fascinating as he sometimes painfully recounts his transformation from a imprisoned "demon" in Babylon to the high priest in "The House of Life" (an ancient "hospital" for the dying.) St. Germain vividly recalls memorable patients and how his interactions with them slowly changed him from an uncaring bitter slave to a compassionate healer/priest with a strong sense of responsibility for the weaker humans around him. Madeline's story is more conventional as she tries to gain more understanding of her great love St. Germain through his letters and participating in an archeological dig at the ancient House of Life. Madeline is handicapped by her very youthful appearance and the fact that she is pursuing a man's career in a male-dominated culture. She finds love and great danger in Egypt. This book is a must to understand St. Germain's character and background.

Ever since the publication of the first Saint-Germain book, I have been hooked on Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's books. I have often wondered how she remained a relatively obscure author, given the popularity that Anne Rice has enjoyed with her vampire series. While Rice is a great author, she lacks the historical research that goes into Yarbro's books... perhaps that's a liability for some romance readers who want instant gratification, without savoring a well crafted book, for this is what Out Of The House Of Life truly is! As another reviewer remarked, I, too,have learned more of history through this remarkable lady than anywhere else, College education included! This book goes back 6,000 years, and traces the roots of St. Germaine's history- the ignoble savage, slowly, over centuries, becoming the strong, sexy, and secure vampire with a heart of gold. I especially liked learning so much about Egyptian history in this novel, and found it refreshing. Unlike her earliest novels, I recently found that Yarbro's later books have become all too predictable-- poor misunderstood vampire stands up for the underdog, and becomes persecuted once again. Same scenes, same predicable outcomes. This novel shines out from the most recent, in that, it has more to say than that. The action doesn't get bogged down for lack of a plot this time. Too bad Yarbro didn't learn from this one, and stay on this track.. I can't say the same for books about St. Germaine published right after this one, and certainly not for the ones just before it, either.

This book provides glimpses into Ancient Egypt from several perspectives. The main story of the book concerns the intrigues surrounding a 19th century archaeological expedition including Madelaine de Montalia, St. Germaine's great love, as contrasted with St. Germaine's own 3000-year-old recollections of life in ancient Egypt when he lived "Out of the House of Life". As with many of Ms. Yarbro's novels, information, love, and horror are mixed in a heady combination that makes for delightful reading. One of the major joys of her vampires is that they are not "demons" or inherently evil--often the worst evils are perpetrated by the short-lived humans with whom they must interact. If you are interested in a great vampire novel or in Ancient Egypt, this novel is a must-read.

Or seventh, if you discount the three books that focused on Olivia. Or first (and as of this writing, only) in the Madeline series. Depends on how you look at it.

About a fifth of this book, I would estimate, is about Saint Germain himself, in the days of ancient Egypt, and some of his most formative moments. The rest of it centers on Madeline de Montalia, his former lover and vampiric "daughter", in the early ninteenth century, on an archeological dig in Egypt. The plot and characterization are excellent as usual for Ms. Yarbro; the pattern begun in the previous book (A Candle For d' Artgnan) of the editing being somewhat sloppier than in previous books is continued here; these were the first two books of the series to come out in "quality" or trade paperback editions, rather than mass-market, and frankly the editing in the previous books was better. Apparently, someone considers "quality" to be defined by the size of the book and the type of binding, rather than by efficient editing. There are about a dozen places in the book where there is a wrong word used, or a word missing, or an extra word inserted, or similar sloppinesses. Still, the book is well worth the read, and comes highly recommended.

I've been a fan of the Saint-Germain series for quite a few years now. I have always been curious as to the earlier years of the Count's life, and this book illustrated those years beautifully. I loved gaining more insight as to the Count's personality. Madelaine has also been a favorite character [if it's possible to be jealous of a fictional character, then i'm completely jealous! she has the complete love of the Count, AND she gets to travel all over the place]. I've also had a huge interest in Egyptology, so in truth, this book combines two of my favorite subjects, Egypt and vampires.

All in all, I thought it was a well-written novel, as always. Although, I don't think this would necessarily be the best starting novel for this series. If anything, read Hotel Transylvannia before this one, so that you at least get the backstory of Saint-Germain and Madelaine. I have a couple biases to this story, so I think it's probably going to be towards the top of my favorites list.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's extremely civilized, debonair vampire protagonist, the immortal Comte de Saint-Germain, spent more than one-third of his considerable lifetime in the land of the Pharaohs, in the very shadows of the pyramids. Although I have adventured with Saint-Germain in Renaissance Florence, where he was known as Francesco Ragoczy da San Germano, ("The Palace"); as Prinz Ragoczy of Transylvania in Paris, 1743, at the court of King Louis XV, ("Hotel Transylvania"); and as Ragoczy Sanct' Germain Franciscus, an import/shipping magnate living in the Rome of Emperor Nero, ("Blood Games"), I have learned little of the millennia he spent in Egypt - until now! With "Out of the House of Life," Ms. Yarbro takes the reader back to the time of our hero's origins - a period when man was much newer to the earth - over 6000 years ago.

He was thought to be a demon and chained in an underground dungeon in Ninevah and Babylon. He was sold to the High Priest of Judea and then given, as tribute, to the Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Shipped with other slaves to Egypt - once called the Black Land - he was sent to serve the god at the Temple of Imhotep in Memphis, the House of Life, a sanctuary for the dying. It is here that the vampire, (now known as Saint-Germain), rises over the centuries from a despised slave to a learned physician and then becomes "Sanh Zhrman," the wise high priest of Imhotep.

Sanh Zhrman's tale is interwoven with that of his beloved Madelaine de Montalia's, whom he met in eighteenth century France. There they loved passionately and when her life was endangered to the point of death, he made her immortal. Madelaine has joined an archeological expedition to fulfill a lifelong dream to explore Egyptian ruins, and hopefully to discover the ancient site of the House of Life. She finds, along with treasures and secrets long buried beneath the desert sands, danger from grave robbers, serpents, scorpions, and most of all from her expedition leader and his cohorts. Mlle. Montalia also discovers temporary love, and a means to quench her thirst, with the handsome mortal Dr. Falke.

The correspondence between Saint-Germain and Montalia is the device through which the narrative unfolds.

I'm hooked on Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Comte de Saint-Germain series. The emphasis in these novels is on well written historical fiction rather than on the usual vampire fare. If you envision Saint Germain as a being like those who people Anne Rice's or Laurell Hamilton's novels you will have a surprise coming. Just an aside here...I love many of Ms Rice's and Ms. Hamilton's books and characters. Ms. Yarbro's hero is simply different. He IS a hero, not an anti-hero. You won't find fangs, gore, horror and supernatural violence here. He does need blood to survive, as does Madelaine - but the human donor must be willing to give a pint or two or these vampires won't drink. And true emotional attachments nourish Saint-Germain and Madelaine as much as the blood they take. So the concept of "love" and affection figure strongly in their eternal lives.

"Out of the House of Life" is rich in characters, historical detail, storyline and suspense. I highly recommend it.
JANA

Madelaine de Montalia journeys to Egypt as a young archeologist and finds love amongst the ruins. Armed with letters written by Saint-Germain, detailing his tortures and triumphs in the the time of the Pharoahs, Madelaine has a view of history no mortal could ever understand. But will she live long enough to share her discoveries?