In the unsettled time when Imperial Rome totters on the brink of collapse, the vampire Ragoczy Germainus Sanct’ Franciscus—the Count Saint-Germain—finds himself targeted by a corrupt Roman official and accused of bribery, tax evasion, and treason.

The storm that hovers over the vampire grows darker when he is accused of corrupting Ignatia, a young virgin. Her brother, a zealous covert to the new religion of Christianity, threatens to purify Saint-Germain with fire. And fire can destroy even the undead.

CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 14 reviews)

Still interesting, but ...

I love this series because each book takes me into a different era and place, many of which I know next to nothing about. Yarbro obviously puts a great deal of effort into her research, and is an exceptionally vivid storyteller with a gift for lyrical writing. However, I can't escape the conclusion that the series is getting rather tired.

This latest instalment in the St-Germain series essentially follows exactly the same plot structure as its predecessors: hero attracts suspicion from xenophobic locals, despite his acts of charity and almost indefatigable niceness; a beautiful but lonely and tortured love interest; long angst-ridden conversations between St-Germain and his manservant, most of which tell us what we already know; and inevitably, events spiralling out of control and endangering the protagonists. As always, the setting (here, the late Roman Empire) is depicted well, and Yarbro gives a strong sense of time and place, sometimes to an uncomfortable degree: for example, a description of the so-called "entertainment" in the arena, during Heliogabalus's three day Games, turned even my relatively strong stomach.

However, the formulaic nature of the plot meant that it was only the history that held my interest, as well as my attachment to St Germain as a character. I cared little for Doma Ignatia or Melidulci, and I find the "love" scenes almost impossible to read now (in fact, I skimmed them, in this one); we are constantly reminded that St-Germain has lived for thousands of years, that he is haunted and tormented by loss and depression; that Roger and Olivia worry about him ... and so on. In every St-Germain novel, and this one is no different, there is an element of exposition - ie. that he is a vampire but not evil, references to previous love interests, etc - which is helpful to any reader coming to the series for the first time, but gets a little repetitive for someone who knows the character well.

Also, another reviewer commented that because the series has been written out of chronological order, most readers who have followed it will know that he survives into the 20th century, so any threat to his life in a book set in an earlier period fails to provoke any real sense of apprehension. I think this is a valid point.

Nonetheless, this novel is still beautifully written, and worth a read just for the history alone. However I wonder whether St-Germain ought to be given a rest for a while, and some new characters' stories told.
November 04, 2008

Twenty fourth in the St. Germain series.

Or ninteenth, if you don't count the spinoff series featuring Olivia and Madeline, two vampiric "offspring" of St. Germaine.

The character of St. Germaine is as delightful as ever, but in this book the plot was a little slow. There was very little actual action, and an unfortunate amount of political manuvering. In that regard, it was somewhat reminiscent of the "Olivia" spinoffs; we see very little of the vampiric powers of St. Germain. Still, the book was not unenjoyable, and if there was somewhat less eroticism than there has been in other St. Germain books, what there was was very well done. And of course, the historical setting, in the late Roman period, was very well-researched.
November 02, 2008

A Saint- Germain book -- How could you not read it?

Has Yarbro written very similar novels about Saint- Germain? Yes, she has. Yet I continue to read them and she continues to write them. Saint-Germain is forever the exile, always helping people with the medicine he has learned in his very, very long life, the money he has learned to acquire either in shipping or as an alchemist, actually making gold and jewels. He is a good man. He is more human, for all that he would disagree with that assessment, than most of his fellow people. I care about his adventures. I care that he "lives."

This book is set in Rome in the third century, called the Decadence. The child- emperor Heliogabalus diverts the Roman people with circuses and sibarytic parties. While his tax collectors rob the populace blind -- or try to in Sanctus- Franciscus' case. Meanwhile, factions of Christians are jockeying for control. (I would have preferred to hear about Peterine groups instead of Paulists. Paulists I recognize, Peterines would have been new to me.) There is a tax collector and a Paulist who are out to get Sanctus- Franciscus. There is also a woman dying from lead poisoning who he attempts to help -- and she is massively unlikeable. Was she horrible before lead poisoning or did it make her a harridan? Was there a before lead poisoning for her-- she talks about it as a disease in her family...

My daughter used to love the Magic Tree house books. They had the same characters time- traveling to different times and places. She learned history that way. I prefer these days to read my history in historical fiction, it feels more "real." I like reading history through Saint- Germain's lens.

But other reviewes here are correct, this may not be the best place to enter Saint- Germain's universe for first- time readers. While there is a chronology in how Yarbro wrote these books, I don't generally believe it needs to be carefully followed. If Hotel Transylvania is convenient read it, or read Darker Jewels or Out of the House of Life.

September 08, 2008

A Senusal Historical Delight

Vampire novels need not be blood drenched, nor do they need be sexually charged, erotically driven fiction. The Count Saint-Germain novels, 16 to date, are a delicious journey of discovery in a long, adventurous life.

"Roman Dusk" is a novel that thrills both historical and vampyric readers. The detail Chelsea Quinn Yarbo puts into her novels is outstanding. She manages to capture the political and social atmostphere of Roma right down to the sublte nuances lost in academic texts. Saturnia, the growth of Christianity, a Caesar gone mad, and a decaying Roman empire are only some of the historical events she has managed to include. Her characterizations of Domina Laelius, Ignatia Laelius, Meliduci, Rugeri, Natala, and Vulpus create a community within the book. As Ragozcy becomes more familiar in Roma, his public affairs become of more interest to Batsho (a local decuria). Corrupt by nature, Batsho begins a long interest in the affairs of Santus Franciscus, in order to generate more commoda. Throughout the couse of the book, the Count exercises his healing gifts on the widow Domina Laelius, and his ministrations caring for Meliduci.

Revealing his true nature to few people, Sanctus Franciscus, feeds his vampiric thirsts in the dreams of Roman citizens. To those he reveals it to, few accept the 'gift', preferring to die a natural death.

As a student of Roman history, I am always fascinated by Roman fiction. Some dissapoint, while others do not. Roman Dusk does not, and has served an excellent introduction to an accomplished author. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has the gift of being able to hold you in her literary spell, teasing page by page until the very end. I can hardly wait to read the rest of her work.

Tim Lasiuta
www.tor.com
www.ChelseaQuinnYarbro.net

March 23, 2008

Verbose, Boring, Stilted

I have read and enjoyed previous St. Germain stories but after a while - Jeez Louise, can't he's do something besides emoted, smile, wear snappy outfits, help, spend and, oh yeah, have semi-erotic sex. I am a voracious reader and consider myself fairly intelligent but the pletora of unusual terms (definitions in the back) and mile-long jaw breaking names makes for tough sledding. In Rome at this time, no one says "Claude" or "Paul or "Bene" - EVERYONE (except forgettable servants) have grandiose names that almost call for a chorus of trumpets. All conversations seem as if they were drawn from an English drawing room - stiltied and formal.

The real problem was the action - or should I say lack of it. As a historical piece detailing Roman times, customs and personages it is somewhat successful. It fails as a novel due to the documentary nature of the story - we need more besides a history lesson. Believe me when I say nothing happens. Our gentle hero lives outside the gates of Rome and for some reason (never explained) he devotes considerable time, energy and money to the treatment of who must be one of the most unlikeable characters in literature. The sick elderly lady screams and berates the one daughter who cares for her, curses other family members, orders servants to be beaten because SHE doesn't feel good and is an all round totally despicable creature. Yet for some reason unknown to god(s) or man, the daughter returns for more abuse and Mr Vampire rushes to treat her maladies at all hours of the day or night.

Along the way is an interminable (book-length) encounter with a tax collector (BORING), the Count's prostitute gal pal, various friends and slaves (WAY too many characters for such a short novel) and the author's interpretation of early Christianity before orthodoxy was established. Long, detailed letters between various characters appear throughout but they do little to drive what tiny plot exists. The Count has sex (well, sorta) with the browbeaten daughter only to be caught by her evil Christian brother. **** SPOILER Here it is - Brother is infuriated at the couple's carnality, burns down house killing mean old mom, Count is badly charred but escapes to return and seek vengeance on Christian brother, life continues placidly as the Empire dissolves. Chelsea, let's rev it up a notch please.
August 04, 2007

SIMILAR PRODUCTS

States of Grace: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain (St. Germain)
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Saint-Germain Memoirs
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Borne in Blood: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain (St. Germain)
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In the Face of Death (Count Saint-Germain series)
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Dark of the Sun: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain (St. Germain)
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