Commedia della Morte

Saint-Germain #25

by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's modern classic, Hotel Transylvania, introduced the Count Saint-Germain and his beloved, Madelaine de Montalia. The Count is one of the most critically acclaimed vampire characters ever created, with dedicated fans who have followed his adventures through more than twenty novels, dozens of short stories, and thousands of years of human history. But of all the women the Count has loved, the most popular is the beautiful, ever-youthful Madelaine. In Commedia della Morte, Saint-Germain learns that Madelaine—now a vampire—has been arrested by France's Revolutionary Tribunal and is soon to lose her head. Desperate to rescue her, the Count sneaks into France with a troupe of actors led by the glamorous Photine, who soon becomes Saint-Germain's mistress. Photine's teenage son, driven by jealousy and revolutionary fervor, betrays the Count. Now Saint-Germain's life, as well as Madelaine's, hangs in the balance, in this darkly ro

Genres: Vampires, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Historical, Romance, Mystery

429 pages, Hardcover

First published March 13, 2012

About the author

A professional writer for more than forty years, Yarbro has sold over eighty books, more than seventy works of short fiction, and more than three dozen essays, introductions, and reviews. She also composes serious music. Her first professional writing - in 1961-1962 - was as a playwright for a now long-defunct children's theater company. By the mid-60s she had switched to writing stories and hasn't stopped yet.

After leaving college in 1963 and until she became a full-time writer in 1970, she worked as a demographic cartographer, and still often drafts maps for her books, and occasionally for the books of other writers.

She has a large reference library with books on a wide range of subjects, everything from food and fashion to weapons and trade routes to religion and law. She is constantly adding to it as part of her on-going fascination with history and culture; she reads incessantly, searching for interesting people and places that might provide fodder for stories.

In 1997 the Transylvanian Society of Dracula bestowed a literary knighthood on Yarbro, and in 2003 the World Horror Association presented her with a Grand Master award. In 2006 the International Horror Guild enrolled her among their Living Legends, the first woman to be so honored; the Horror Writers Association gave her a Life Achievement Award in 2009. In 2014 she won a Life Achievement Award from the World Fantasy Convention.

A skeptical occultist for forty years, she has studied everything from alchemy to zoomancy, and in the late 1970s worked occasionally as a professional tarot card reader and palmist at the Magic Cellar in San Francisco.

She has two domestic accomplishments: she is a good cook and an experienced seamstress. The rest is catch-as-catch-can.

Divorced, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area - with two cats: the irrepressible Butterscotch and Crumpet, the Gang of Two. When not busy writing, she enjoys the symphony or opera.

Her Saint-Germain series is now the longest vampire series ever. The books range widely over time and place, and were not published in historical order. They are numbered in published order.

Known pseudonyms include Vanessa Pryor, Quinn Fawcett, T.C.F. Hopkins, Trystam Kith, Camille Gabor.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it impossible to review this book without spoilers and as a forewarning, the review will contain spoilers for other books in the series.

I should also admit that my least favorite character in this series is Madeline. I've never liked her. Though, I must admit, it occured to me after a classroom discussion with students who are so involed with Twilight that they have teams, that the St. Germain/Madeline relationship is the forerunner (the inspiration perhaps) for the Edward/Bella one. (BTW: watching Breaking Dawn or at least glancing up at when the sound is being funneled though someone else's headphones, is extremely amusing. You know without the sound, it makes a really good comedy).

This is a good strong three. St. Germain must travel into France during the Terror to rescue Madeline who, for some reason, thought it would be a good idea to go back to France. Madeline who is still a young vampire here comes across as spoiled and selflish as well as stupid. She does not connect with her fellow prisoners as they are taken to courts. True, this is because she is allowed not to travel by boat on which the others are one (she rides a horse along the tow path). But she also seems more concerned about the horses than the other prisoners. Considering how young Madeline is at this point, in terms of vampires, her disconnect doesn't make much sense. Especially, when a long time reader knows that Olivia would not act the same way. Olivia who would not have been there to begin with, would care about the others. It is this lack of feeling that also distances her from the reader. Madeline is very much the aristo that the revolutionaries are beheading. I found myself wishing that more time was spent with the other prisoners, though what time was spent Yarbro put to good use. She captures the feeling of terror.

Yarbro's series (currently, the longest running vampire series) does present her with one serious problem. Because the books are written/publisher in non-chronological sequence, a long time reader knows that Madeline and the Count will be fine. They know that the Count's Scarlet Pimperal routine will play off. This lack of tension can be replaced by the use of minor characters, and to some degree that works here. But here, the supporting and main characters seem to be in conflict in ways that are somewhat unusal for the series, but that also seem to highlight the reasons for the French Revolution. And as I type this I realize that what Yarbro seems to have done is subtle and nice (though in honestly, other writers have done it a tad better).

This is the first book where I didn't really like the Count, where I actually sided to a degree with a person who wanted the Count dead. In order to rescue Madeline, the Count and faithful Roger use the cover of a group of players (actors), whose leader is the Count's current mistress. Now, the Count as always, treats them well, but he does use them. They, in fact, are being more heroic than the Count because they are risking thier lives to help someone they don't know. Further, whether or not he realizes it, the Count does admit that Madeline means more to him, is worth more to him, than the plays, than his mistress. While the Count is more caring of his lover than Madeline is of hers (the Count's knows about the risk of sex, hers doesn't. Madeline always seems to forget to tell most her men), he still uses her and her players. Further, while his reaction to her son's arrest is understandable, after all, Encess tried to kill him, it doesn't seem just. The players were put in this situtation because of the Count, and the fact that his mistress must secure her son's release on her own seems to highlight the vast difference in terms of class between the Count and Madeline and the players. I'm not entirely sure if this was fully intentional on the part of Yarbo or if I'm being the difficult one, but either way I enjoyed that difference, that grey area. It's nice to see the Count as somewhat shadowy and not perfect.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow missed this when it was published a few years ago, and only recently became aware of it. For me, it's one of the best of the series. St. Germain braves the chaos of the French Revolution to rescue Madeleine de Montalia, whose knowledge of her own just treatment of her people have mistakenly led her to think that she'll get a fair trial from the Revolutionary Courts. It's one of the few times that we see St. Germain really desperate to save/protect someone he loves (another is his ward Laisha, in Tempting Fate). In almost every one of the books in the series, he does his best to help people to the extent he can, ensure he doesn't endanger them, treat them well, leave them better off than when he met them -- but it's rare that someone he truly loves is in peril of their lives, and rarer still that he's in a position to directly aid them. Given that, I do wish that Yarbro had let him go a little more; it's hard to believe that he could be as circumspect and controlled as he is, when the love of his life is in imminent danger of execution.

Photine and her troupe of players are great as supporting characters; Photine's difficulties with her son and her willingness to do anything to save him are believable and sympathetic. I liked Feo, too; I'm sorry that it isn't left open for him to come back. The philosophical discussions that crop up here and there are good, too, and I wish there had been more of them -- the poem that opens the play that the troupe performs in France is a nice summary, if a bit grim. I like how in the two most recent books (this one and Sustenance), Yarbro is letting St. Germain reminisce a bit more, show a bit more of his age and his frustration with the stupidities of short-lived humans. It's all the more remarkable that he still maintains his respect for humanity and his desire to nourish the spark of it that remains in himself.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A decent read, with the usual CQY caveat that Saint-Germain is of course kinder, more tolerant, more patient, smarter, and in general better than every single human being he meets, as is Madelaine. Also, the quest to rescue Madelaine lacks urgency for me, because I have read almost this entire series and I know she's going to survive into the late twentieth century at the very least.

The ending (last 120 pages or so) annoyed me. When Photine's dumbass son attacks Saint-Germain (violently and in front of witnesses) and is dragged off to prison, her first response is to insist--in front of her bleeding lover--that he couldn't have done this, it must have been a mistake, please go lie to the guillotine-happy authorities about it. When she's offered a chance to go talk to an official about her son's innocence, of course she goes, only to end up being drugged, raped, and brutalized. Oh, if only she'd stuck by Saint-Germain! If only she'd transferred all her loyalties to her lover, who is also incidentally the patron of her acting troupe and the person paying a portion of the bills, rather than her son! The fact that Photine values her son (idiot teenage jerk though he is) over her lover and keeper Saint-Germain should not be something to be punished. Yet the text makes it clear that she is in the wrong, and the implication at the end of the book suggests the the punishment is ongoing--her new playwright lover was executed for writing sedition, her troupe no longer trusts her judgment and may be dissolving, and after all that, her idiot son was sent overseas to be pressed into the French militia in Africa and she has no way of knowing whether he's alive or dead.

*sighs* Well, it's never any good being a woman in a Saint-Germain novel. Unless your name is Madelaine de Montalia.

[Veerle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this 25th book of the Saint-Germain saga, we follow the count in his rescue mission to save his beloved Madelaine from the guillotine, for Madame la Guillotine is eager for blood, noble blood, clergy blood, common blood or vampire blood, she does not care, and the guillotine would be as deadly to vampires as she is to the living.
The count, or Ragoczy, travels with a troupe of Commedia dell’Arte players through France. As a patron to the group, he provides the money and as a member of the troupe, he plays the cimbalom on stage, with a mask and a costume. The leader of the troupe is the beautiful and passionate Photine. She enjoys the count’s lovemaking, but her troupe and her son are more important to her.
When the rescue mission is taking more time and getting more difficult, the Commedia della Morte is becoming more famous through their performances, and the goals of the troupe members are changing. The count still wants to save Madelaine, Photine wants applause and money, Theron the poet wants fame, Feo the coachman gains the counts trust, and Enee, Photine’s son, wants the count dead!
In this book, the count is more determined and more ruthless than in the previous novels, but for him, Madelaine is so very dear to him that he would do everything in his power to save her!
History is horror, even more in this book, when the Terror took more lives than any vampire could!

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I would have liked this more if I had read others of the series first, but honestly, I was bored. I didn’t expect it to be the best written book ever, but I figured that a combination of vampires, romance, and the French Revolution was sure to be entertaining. There wasn’t actually enough of any of those things in the book for me, though: the vampire factor really just means that they’re immortal, there’s very little romance, and the French Revolution is just a backdrop and plot catalyst. The book itself is mostly about a theatre troupe that I never grew to care about, and plods along for a few hundred pages before anything really exciting happens. I didn’t hate it, so it still gets two stars, but that’s as high as I’ll go.

[H · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good book to the series. But i wasn't suprised i know Madelaine is going to survive into the 1980's at least,I ve read two of the short stories based in the 20th century.And as good of historical/Fantasy writer Yarbro is, i sometimes wish she would take more risks and be more brutal and kill longtime characters off like Roger or Madelaine it would be intresting to see how St Germain would take it.Instead she kills off characters that i have no emotional connection with so its not that upsetting (example; Feo) and they don't get that much character development either because there usually only in one book.

[Jimyanni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirtieth in the Saint Germain series, or twenty-fifth if you don't include the spin-offs featuring Madeline de Montalia and Olivia Atta Clemens, both characters introduced in earlier Saint Germain books and occupying the same fictional world. (Madeline appears in this book as a secondary character.) This book has many of the strengths of the early books in the series,in that it has more action than many of the more recent books have had, while still having the advantage of being written by a more mature writer with a better feel for character and plot subtleties and pacing than the younger Yarbro had. There are still a few of the typos that have a tendancy to sneak in to Yarbro's work, but much fewer than usual; either she's improving in that regard, or she got better editing than usual in this book. ("...they PORED over the unrolled map...", not "POURED" over it. (pg. 82 in my edition.) The word is UTTERANCE, not ITTERANCE (page 114.) "Those of you who BECOME Corpses...", not "becomes". (page 118) "He would not be AVERSE...", not "adverse" (page 196.) "AN ACCOUNT..." not "a account..." (page 331.) Maybe a few others. And there is one plot point that I simply have difficulty accepting, and it goes hand in hand with one major objection that I've had to many of the more recent offerings in this series, as opposed to the early ones; I realize that Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampires are, by the standards of most vampire fiction, very low-powered, and I'm fine with that, but in the early offerings in the series, we still got to see Saint Germain show off a few of the powers that he actually IS allowed; he's exceptionally strong and fast, even if not supernally so. And since he's had centuries to hone his skills, he's exceptionally good in combat. We rarely see that come into play in the later books, and we still don't here. In fact, he is badly injured (and would have been killed, had he been mortal) by a not particularly impressive 15 year old with a knife. Now, I know that the excuse that would be given is that he was caught unawares, and was severely injured before he knew he was in a fight. But A) even having been handicapped by the first stab, he should have been strong and fast enough to more successfully defend himself against such an unaccomlished opponent, and B) with his centuries of life and the many times he's been in dangerous situations, he should have learned sufficient caution that it wouldn't be possible for such an unimposing opponent to successfully sneak up on him in the first place. Similarly, I find it somewhat off-putting that Madeline, with her Vampiric abilities and experience, is reduced to a typical Damsel In Distress and needs Saint Germain to rescue her; she makes no attempt to free herself and in fact would have apparently placidly gone to the guillotine had he not managed to make the rescue. She should be a more resourceful character than that.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through First Reads and I'm looking forward to reading it. I just hope that not having read the first 24 books (since this is #25) won't be an issue.

Okay, I've finished the book and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I've read a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy books (and yes, I have read the Twilight Series - though it was against my better judgment to finish it) so I was interested to see how the vampire concept was woven into the French Revolution/historical fiction(though I have read Anne Rice's Vampire LeStat series - another historical fiction containing vampires). I didn't really feel very lost since I hadn't read the first 24 books in the series - the characters were written well so that I could understand who they were and what they were about within the pages of THIS book. The fact that there were vampires wasn't the only/main concept of the book - that was nice. I was able to see how the vampires were a part of the era and how it all fit together. The letters, for me, actually slowed the pace of the book down a little bit and I kind of thought that some of the information/communication given through the letters would have been conveyed better in a different way.

With that said, I think I may search out #1 in the series.

[Kelly Knapp · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the 25th in the series of the Count Saint-Germain books. I have not read any of the others and I had only heard a little about this series. It is a modern look at the classic Vampire story through history.

The characters are deep and beautifully described. The history is detailed and elicits responses from oohs and aahs to gasps of fear. However, I had trouble getting into the story. Perhaps it is the letters throughout the story. While beautifully written, I found them too numerous. They were a way to move the story forward without physical interaction between characters, but I found them distracting and perhaps too well written.

It was my understanding that what passed for literacy at the time was not the eloquent way that the Deputy Secretary of Public Safety writes in the book. And the letter written to Madelaine de Montalia by Forcier seemed very circumspect considering the fervor of the times.

In addition to finding the story difficult to get into, the story is violent. Perhaps the best thing about the book is that there wasn’t four letter words every other sentence.

I gave it 3.5 stars for its indepth characters and beautiful language, which did elicit emotional responses.

I won this book through Goodreads First Reads Program!

[Michele Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Commedia Della Morte is the twenty-fifth Count Saint Germain book, but readers shouldn't worry. While there is some continuity, the books are quite readable as stand alones as well. In this novel the Count must answer the pleas of his dearest love, the vampire Madeline who has been imprisoned by the revolutionaries of eighteenth century France. Determined to rescue Madeline, while also balancing the unsure affections of a theater troupe leader and her jealous, angry son, Saint Germain must also keep his own identity under wraps since the resentment of the populace could easily turn on even an ″exiled Hungarian noble″.

Commedia Della Morte is a lush, sensuous historical tale, much heavier on the historical rather than the horror. Despite ghouls and vampires running amok it's the people who are the real terrors (as always with Yarbro's books.) The tension is excellent, but not threaded throughout the whole story. Yarbro's characters are, as always an enchanting strength. Still, this book won't be popular with more impatient modern horror fans. Recommended for collections avoiding the extreme side of horror, or with readers who have more of a love of historic detail and vivaciousness than gore and terror.
Contains: Sex

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, it is no secret that I am a huge fan of Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Saint Germain series of books. It will therefore come as no surprise to you that I awarded this book five stars.

But, I must say that I found this book one of the best out of the last few releases by Yarbro. While I like all the books in the series, this one particularly appealed to me; perhaps since it was set during one of my favourite historical periods - the French Revolution.

The cast of characters features a number of old favourites such as Roger and Madelaine as well as interesting new characters and the odd historical figure. As always, the historical detail is accurate and beautifully woven into the story. The plot moves at a good pace - faster than some of the other books in this series - and held my interest throughout.

One of the great things about this series is the fact you do not have to read them in the order they were written and I think this one would be a good 'first read' for someone new to Yarbro's writing.

Roll on book twenty-six is all I can say!

[Brenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't sure how to rate this book for several reasons. First, this is certainly not my normal" cup of tea with vampires and French Revolution so I wasn't as entranced as I would have. Second, this is like #25 in a series which although it says they can be read separately, doesn't make a lot of sense without the back story. Why can't vampires live together? Who are the lead characters? How did they become vampires? There are just so many questions and unlike most authors, Ms. Yarbro doesn't fill you in with hints throughout the book. Despite not really understanding the storyline so much, the writing was very well done. It flowed well and the characters were easily likable. Not too much character development, but you would think the first 24 books did that sufficiently. If you like the combo of vampires and history, this is a great series to read. I think I'll check out the other books at sometime just because I'm curious enough about the characters to find out their "history"

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free as a First reads giveaway.

I was not familiar with this series and when I saw this was the 25th installment, I was a little worried I would be lost trying to figure out the main characters. I am pleased to say this was not an issue at all. The other thing I was pleasantly surprised about, was how the issue of being a vampire was handled. Maybe it was different in the previous books, but I found it unusual, in a good way, that being a vampire was not the be all and end all of the novel.

The story was set in the time of the French Revolution, admittedly not a time/place in history I'm familiar with. It's been a long time since I studied anything from that time. I feel like I learned a great deal from the story and I think it was done very well.

I enjoyed the book well enough that I am seriously considering reading the first book. Overall, it was a good book and written well.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a first-reads goodreads giveaways.

Not your typical vampire story.. well not for these days with True Blood vampires, and sparkle vampires of Twilight. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's vampire San-Germain does not sparkle and has lived for centuries- living in the light as well as the dark- and how the people become vampires is also interesting.

This is the first book I've read by the author and found it highly entertaining at parts. Some parts were a little confusing, but it might also have been because I have not ever read any other books in this series. After you read a few more chapters you begin to get caught up with the characters and you learn to understand them and their backgrounds. It can be a stand alone book, and I enjoyed it alot.

[Sandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

St. Germain rescued Madeline from France at the start of the French Revolution. Against his advice she returned to France and has been arrested. Now she needs to be rescued again before she meets with the guillotine.

Although I enjoyed the earlier books in the St Germain series I didn't really enjoy this one. Partially because as the books have been published they have jumped back and forth in time. And since I had read several of the stories that were set in the twentieth century there was no suspense about how the book would end.

My second problem with the book is that Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's stories have beecome so formulaic that as I read I knew what was going to happen ahead of time and I wasn't surprised.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through first reads giveaways so thank you!!

This book takes place during the French Revolution and has vampires! What a twist! I love some Historical Fiction, so I figured this would be right up my alley. Even though this is the 25th book in the series and was a little worried about being completely lost.

The big gaps in this book for me were that there were vampires, but little NO vampire "action". Why put vampires in your books if they aren't biting anyone's necks? ;) k

I enjoyed the read but I just felt that the action fell a bit short. Here we're supposed to be rescuing someone from the grips of the revolution and I didn't feel the excitement and danger of it at all.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting you kind of forget the whole vampire aspect until the Comte is nearly stabbed to death. I have to say he is too nice I would've let photine get the soldier's pox, hello your son almost stabs him to death and you want him to rescue him from jail? Pardon my language but what a bitch... I liked the whole French revolution part of it. I don't know if I'll ever read the first 24 but if I find some I might take a gander. The only thing I didn't understand was how you'll get turned into a vampire after being fed on six or more times but maybe that's just how it is in the series wasn't sure if there was any significance to that particular number.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, like everything by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. From the fight scenes to the hardships of travelling through revolutionary France, from the erotic sex scenes (and the distressful rape)to the descriptions of the food (which made me hungry) the dialogue and the clothes every sentence was a masterpiece, like always.

I loved the Count and Madelaine and this story line was just as good as Hotel Transylvania. The historic adaptations are always amazing and the passion is which she wrote about the plays just as good as when she writes about the actual vampires.

One of the best books I have read so far this year.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ferenz Ragoczy, Comte da San Germain, is a four thousand year old vampire. His majordomo and oldest friend, Roger, is a two thousand year old ghoul. What is unusual about these two characters appearing in a horror novel?

Only this: that they are much less terrifying, and much more civilized, than the humans around them.

This book is set in France in 1792, during the time appropriately called the Terror. San Germain and a troupe of traveling players venture into France during this perilous time to attempt to rescue Madeleine de Montalia, a former lover of the Comte, who has been imprisoned by the Revolutionary Guard ... and who is also a vampire like the Comte himself.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is one of my favorite authors and I have read all the books in the Count Saint-Germain series. This episode in the vampire's "life" is set during The Terror (1793-1795) at the end of the French Revolution. As usual, the historical background is spot on and the people are much more dangerous than our chivalrous vampire. The book was completely enthralling and putting it down was difficult at best. I eagerly await the next (26th)book about my favorite vampire.

[Karen Spangler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting diversion, and well-researched in terms of period details. This is the first book in the series I have read, so perhaps I was not invested in the characters, but I did not feel that engaged with them or in the outcome. Pleasant enough to read, especially the suspenseful escape elements, but more of a beach read than one that will stick with me.

[Hannah. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good but not surprising I know Madelaine will survive i've read other books with her in including the short stories Cabin 33 and Seat Partner that mentions her, unless Yarbro decides to kill her off in a future book. Sometimes I wish she would take more risks, especially with older characters another is Roger.

[Geri Hoekz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Time for another Saint-Germain novel. Fortunately, they just keep coming. Some readers probably follow this series for the vampire angle. I read them for the historical detail, which is always so vivid, you feel like you're there.

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

As usual i love Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's attention to detail for the time period.But the problem with this series is that the story can't move forward because CQY writes them out of historical order so the story lacks progression.But it was a good read but i know what's going to happen ahead of time.

[Heather Domin · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be reviewed for HNS Magazine August '12

[Lisa Keipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, well done. I read my first Count St.Germain novel as a young teen - I've been hooked ever since.

[Samantha Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book as always.

[Nancy Raines]

St. Germain (1793-4 Paris) Book 26

[Deanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I could not finish it, just not my thing I guess....