States of Grace

Saint-Germain #18

by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro

Franzicco Ragoczy di Santo-Germano is a successful merchant in Venice. His lavish lifestyle and rumored cache of magnificent jewels have attracted the wrong sort of attention, and without Santo-Germano's noble―and papal―connections, he might be imprisoned, his property confiscated. Also under surveillance is the vampire's mistress, the lovely and talented musician Pier-Ariana Salier.
Elsewhere, Ragoczy's publishing business is being investigated by the Inquisition. Erneste van Amsteljaxter, a writer whose intelligence Ragoczy finds attractive, is tarred with the brush of heresy. Ragoczy is trying to help her, when he learns that Pier-Ariana has disappeared.
Back in Venice Santo-Germano finds that his fortune has been embezzled, and that he is accused of kidnapping, and possibly murdering, a young man who had been spying on the vampire and his mistress. Another spy has discovered Santo-Germano's true nature and intends to kill him before he can feast on all of Venice!

Genres: Vampires, Historical Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Historical, Paranormal, Fantasy

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

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

[Adriana Medina · Rating 3 out of 5]

So the synopsis originally captured my attention for this book; however, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it was just...ok. Perhaps my lack of excitement for this book is solely due to the fact that I simply have not read the other works by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro on Saint-Germain. I found there was a lot of recollection on the Count's part where he remembered many past events and people from his long life of being a vampire, and it threw me off a lot as these recollections took place frequently throughout this book. Albeit they were interesting, ultimately I found them a bit confusing (I can only assume they were taken from events in previous books in this series), and I also feel that the slow story building made it more difficult for me to follow along.

However, it did get a lot more interesting towards the very end when everything was beginning to unravel. I did really love and appreciate the extreme historical detail, old world setting, and vivid storytelling that went on throughout which did keep me pleasantly engaged, but other than that it's not one of my top favorites of this year.

[Carol Kerry-Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

the 2nd Saint Germain book I've read recently. I enjoyed both of them hugely, these books are more historical fiction that about vampires, though Saint Germain has been a vampire for over 3500 years, living through many periods of history, and it is these periods of history taht Yarbro does extremely well. States of Grace was set in Venice and the Low Lands in 1520-1522 (the other one I read was set in 1704) and really brings alive the religious intolerances there were around at that time, as well as the political intrigue that was rife in Venice. Saint Germain as a vampire can live on the blood of animals (usually his horses, or game), but to get the best nourishment he needs human blood, however, he usually gets this from his lovers at the moment of esctasy he takes what he needs and shares their fulfilment. if he has no lover, he will visit women (usually widows) in their dreams! However, there is a downside for his lovers, he can only be with them this way five times, if a sixth and more, they will become of his blood, in otherwords they will sicken and die, then become vampires themselves. This is a choice Saint Germain always gives to his lovers, he never takes. For a vampire, he is full of humanity and strives to help people where he can.

He is usually accompanied in his adventures by his manservant, a ghoul, someone he resuced in Imperial Rome from certain death, Rogerian (or Roger, Ruggier, Ruthger, Hroger) has been with Saint Germain for over 1500 years and is more than a servant, been very aware of Saint Germain's weaknesses.

The first of this series I read was many years ago, Hotel Transvylvania, set in Paris in 1743. I will have to go back and reread this when I can.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read from the best author of vampire fiction.

[PurplyCookie · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the early 16th century Conte Franzicco Ragoczy di Santo-Germano lives a comfortable lifestyle in Venezia, but as the owner of Eclipse Press knows the Church and others spy on him and his mistress, composer Pier-Ariana Salier. What follows is the life of probably the most boring, one-dimensional vampire I've ever been inopportune to read.

Saint-Germain is not portrayed as a typical vampire. He requires blood to live but only a small amount, which many of his "victims" (usually female) offer voluntarily. His other victims are usually visited in their sleep, and he can take their blood without awakening them, leaving them with an erotic dream. Unlike traditional vampires, he is discomforted by direct sunlight and by running water, but is only damaged by them when seriously weakened; keeping a layer of his native earth inside his shoes allows him to navigate these hazards with minimal discomfort, and he always imports his native earth to build the foundations of his many homes. The character was inspired by an actual historical Count Saint-Germain, a mysterious figure in 18th century France.

One might want to brush up on history in order to get the book in context; if you have no recollection whatsoever of when the printing press and movable type burst on the scene, and what the issues surrounding Gutenberg's press were, and don't remember a thing about Martin Luther and the 95 Theses, you might want to find a history-notes web site and refresh yourself on these issues.

One can accustom oneself to a great many things, given time and reason enough; not all of them need be onerous.


Book Details:

Title States of Grace: A Novel of the Count Saint-Germain
Author Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Reviewed By Purplycookie

[Victoria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I am not finishing this book. I bought it in the dollar section of Half Price Books, attracted by the cover and its Venetian setting, and the idea that it was also about vampires! Upon later research, I discovered that it was the 19th book in a series that currently has 24 books. While I hate to read books out of order, I figured that I would start with this one, and then, if I liked it, go back and read the rest. Unfortunately, this book did not in any way catch my interest. It was not poorly written, and the historic detail seemed immaculate, but I am halfway through it and what little plot there is to speak of, I just do not care what happens. There is more historic detail than plot or character development. Anything remotely interesting that is mentioned, is evident that it happened in a past book. There were letters that seemed rather lively, but this last letter that I read: a bill from a tailor, just put me over the edge. Reading this felt like a total waste of time, and as a result, I have no intention of digging up the previous 18 books. Oh, also, there was nothing vampirish about this either... the main character walks in the sunlight and everything!

[Allen Garvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The latest in the line of historical fiction involving the vampire Saint-Germaine, set in Venice & Amsterdam in 1530. Venice is a hotbed of intrigue, spies, a virtual cold war with the Ottomans; Amsterdam reels from religious issues arising from the sympathy with the Reformation and Spanish sovereignty, plus unrest from Germany. Saint-Germaine is concerned with running his printing enterprises and publishing a general enlightened genre of work. As usual, there are a couple of plot threads going plus additional details in the letters. Historical felicity is, as usual, excellent, but not a lot happens. It doesn't build up to a strong climax, and the denouement is quick without much resolution. It's interesting getting there, and I liked the musical angle in Venice, but not one of the exceptional novels in the series.

[Samantha Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fantastic book on Saint Germain. I will always love this character. SPOLIER ALERT I am so glad that he got the girl back and that she is safe and he found out about his money and house goods being used for gambling by that man. Just wished people would stop taking advantage of him. He always looks for the good in people and finds the bad in them instead. He needs to stay around his own kind and they help out each other but I know he can't because that would bring on more suspicion to his kind. I would love it if he would find true love for himself and Roger so they can find happiness. But that is wishful thinking on my account. LOL! A girl can dream right. Hope you all love this series as much as I am. Take Care Samantha

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This IS a vampire story though I wouldn't have known it until well into the book except that I read the dust jacket synopsis.

The book paragraphs and chapters are well written, conveying the sense of sytle in the 16th century Vecenzia, Italy, but the plot of the entire books never has any real tension. This is more like the chronicles of a vamp over his 23 centuries and this is just his story from one small two-year segment that had some tame experiences worth minor note.

This is part of a series and I guess if I'd read all the books leading up to this it would have been better.

[D.l. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was wanting to read something light and fluffy which doesn't describe this book.

The setting is Europe during the Reformation. I found myself angry and frustrated that once again Saint Germain was being stalked by someone who was jealous or greedy, or just evil. The reasons for Christopher Sen's attempt to ruin the Count are never made clear.

I found Erneste's constant apologies annoying, and am dismayed that women are being treated no differently today than they were in the sixteenth century.

I'm not sorry I have read this one twice. However, I won't be reading a third time

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

One of the most boring, uneventful books I have ever read, let alone Vampire story. I just kept waiting for something, ANYTHING to happen in this book. The only thing that does happen is the alluded to showdown w/ the person who has discovered di Santo Germano's true identity... which lasts for about a page and a half.

[Madeleine McLaughlin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very boring. I don't think I'll be reading the other Count St-Germain books, there is no big hook and it's hard to care for the MC, I find. The plot is plodding, the characters annoying and it's so unreal to be bothersome. Unless you're a fan of this particular series, don't bother.

[Maryam]

Hmmm...so far I haven't really been able to get into this book. It seems like all the good vampire books of the olden days are just over. I'll keep working on it though.

[Debi Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy this series

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

For some reason, I always felt like I was waiting for the novel to begin. It also is a little too predictable.

[Wiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Dgoll · Rating 2 out of 5]

More like a travel log than a mystery...