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Saint-Germain #23
Burning Shadows
The conquest of Europe by Attila the Hun is one of the great stories of history. The swift-moving bands of warriors, the inventive military tactics, Attila’s commanding personality—all are the stuff of legend. But to the ordinary people who lived in the Huns’ path, Attila and his men were the stuff of nightmare. Slaughtering entire villages, laying waste to crops and livestock—the Huns were a terrifying force that destroyed everything in their path.
Concealing his vampire nature, the Count Saint-Germain has been appointed the regional guardian of a small village on the outskirts of the failing Roman Empire. When word comes of the Huns’ approach, the villagers—like the residents of many other towns—flee, seeking sanctuary at a nearby, high-walled monastery. The monks are none too pleased about being invaded by the outside world with all its complications, but the Abbot reminds them of their charitable duties. With the help of Saint-Germain, the leaders of the refugee camps, and a small contingent of warriors, an uneasy peace is established in the crowded monastery as winter approaches.
Among the refugees is a strange, silver-eyed woman whose secret might cost her her life. She hides away in Saint-Germain’s infirmary and soon becomes the vampire’s lover—and now she has two secrets to hold close, for if word of Saint-Germain’s true nature were to spread among the monks and the villagers, his long life would soon be cut dramatically short.
As tense months pass and tempers grow ever shorter, Saint-Germain begins to fear that no one—not even he—will escape the monastery alive.
Concealing his vampire nature, the Count Saint-Germain has been appointed the regional guardian of a small village on the outskirts of the failing Roman Empire. When word comes of the Huns’ approach, the villagers—like the residents of many other towns—flee, seeking sanctuary at a nearby, high-walled monastery. The monks are none too pleased about being invaded by the outside world with all its complications, but the Abbot reminds them of their charitable duties. With the help of Saint-Germain, the leaders of the refugee camps, and a small contingent of warriors, an uneasy peace is established in the crowded monastery as winter approaches.
Among the refugees is a strange, silver-eyed woman whose secret might cost her her life. She hides away in Saint-Germain’s infirmary and soon becomes the vampire’s lover—and now she has two secrets to hold close, for if word of Saint-Germain’s true nature were to spread among the monks and the villagers, his long life would soon be cut dramatically short.
As tense months pass and tempers grow ever shorter, Saint-Germain begins to fear that no one—not even he—will escape the monastery alive.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
6 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
259 books477 followersA 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 10, 2009
Yarbro's vampire books are patterned. Each book is told in three sections. The idea of the Count as outsider is repeated, the idea of the mysterious woman with a tragic past is repeated, and the sense of impeding historical doom is almost always repeated. If other vampire novels use the vampire to tie into the fascination/obsessions society and women (and men) have with the bad boy as well as with sex, blood, and violence; Yarbro uses her books to illustrate humanity's inhumanity more so than blood and sex, though there is that as well.
This does not mean that the books are bad. They are very good historical novels. Yet, the ones that stand out are the books that break or bend the set pattern.
Burning Shadows is not quite Yarbro's best, but it is good. Of course, I could just be typing this because I love the Huns vs. the Romans. (Go Huns!) There are, however, many things to like about this novel.
For the long time reader, we finally get the story of Nicoris as well as the time our Count and our Nikolas defended a monastery against the Huns. Long time fans have been waiting years for this story, and Yarbro really doesn't disappoint. Additionally, the minor characters are beautifully crafted and truly live, an aspect that was missing in last year's entry. In fact, the focus of the book is on the survivor of a group as a whole, not just on the survivor of the Count and his current lover. This is a welcome change and allows for character development as well as a look at the time period. Yarbro does a good of conveying the restrictions and fears that a group determined to survive must face when seeking safety from an invading force. She also illustrates aptly different groups coming together to live.
Yarbro's inhumanity takes different forms in the novels. Sometimes it is outright violence as in Blood Games or Tempting Fate. Sometimes it is an -ism, be it racism or sexism. In this book, there is the danger of the Huns (Go Huns!) as well as -isms. The danger of the isms is that the Count's reaction to them feels too modern. Yarbro allows for this by having the Count experienced centuries. He was old long before Rome. He has traveled and seen much. The reader is presented with two looks at sexism. One in the monastery where the Count is seeking shelter, the other with Olivia, who has a considerable presence in this book. (The presence of Olivia always makes the book better. Olivia is absolutely awesome! She is wonderful! She is da bomb!).
Perhaps the one truly weak note in the novel is the character of Nicoris. There is little to distinguish her from many of the other women the Count has loved. In truth, many of these women are interchangeable. Olivia stands out. Hero stands out. A few others do as well. But most women follow a pattern. Nicoris has a secret that anyone can guess, and Yarbro does not insult the reader by trying to make it seem like a surprise. The bond between Nicoris and the Count, however, does not seem as strong as it could. Nicoris, at times, gets pushed to the background (maybe because of Olivia) and while she is developed, she isn't quite as developed as she should be. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the emphasis of the story is more on the group. Or perhaps this is due to something else entirely. The Count is the almost perfect gentleman. He listens, he cares more about the pleasure of his partner than his own, and he is educated and well spoken. Perhaps female readers don't really care who the Count is with because we see the Count as being with us. We just want to see our romantic Count in action. We don't see ourselves as Nicoris, or Hero, or Rowena, or Madeline (I really don't see myself as Madeline. :shivers:). The woman isn't important. We don't identify with the girl the way some teens might with Bella Swan. We just went to see the Count be our romantic Count. The Count isn’t romantic because he knows all the right moves. He’s romantic because he respects and loves the woman he is with (And he predates Twilight). It’s not something as simple as choice. It is something like worth.
The truth strength in this book, however, is not the Count, but a sense of brotherhood and togetherness. It is like a less violent version of 300.
February 1, 2010
This is a review I wrote a couple weeks back for the Official Chelsea Quinn Yarbro Discussion Group on Yahoo.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cqyarbro/
In correspondence with another group member a few days back, I stated that the new Saint-Germain novel, “Burning Shadows”, had more of a feel of the earlier books in the series. The supporting characters appeared more fully developed, and even Saint-Germain, the protagonist, came across with more depth and passion then in recent books. It doesn’t reach the pinnacle of “Blood Games”, but it still is a good read and one I would recommend.
It begins in the summer of 438 AD, western Carpathian Mountains, close but not quite in the area of Saint-Germain’s native earth. The Huns are on the move and Attila is proving to be a far more formidable military leader then most have encountered. Rome is in decline, having been overrun by the Goths and her Byzantine empire to the east is establishing it’s own independence. Little or no help is to be had for this northern area of the former Roman territory. The Byzantine’s, who employ Huns for their military, aren’t interested in a confrontation with Attila. They fear questionable loyalty among their ranks.
In this chaotic setting, we first find Dom Feranescus Rakoczy Sanctu-Germainios, Regional Guardian of Apulum Inferior. This office is an appointment given by Rome to one considered foreign to that area, this is to help guaranty loyalty to Rome and not to family or clan. Saint-Germain has recently persuaded Olivia into evacuating her estate to the north, in Porolissum, for a safer location near Aquileia. She seriously doesn’t wish to leave, but is unwilling to risk her household servants and slaves to the possibility of an attack by the Huns. She spends the rest of the story, (with great frustration and humor) through letters, trying to talk Saint-Germain into following his own advice. Finally, in desperation, she sends her bondsman, Niklos Aulirios, to try and locate him and to assist if needed. Another lady that we are introduced to at the beginning of the story is, Rhea Pentherkrass. I’m not clear on how she ended up in Apulum Inferior with Saint-Germain, but for the short time she is in this story I rather enjoyed her character. Too often the Count’s ladies come across as whinny or demanding, she is neither. In fact, she possesses a good dose of dry whit and common sense. To ensure her safety, Saint-Germain has instructed Rugierus to escort her to Constantinople to assist in setting up a house and staff. Unfortunately, Rugierus (Roger) ends up in jail and is not seen until the end of the story.
As the invading Huns move into Apulum Inferior, Saint-Germain is forced to lead the people in his care to an isolated mountain monastery. With the growing number of refugees, this small community balloons to a population of 978. This is a diverse group of monks, mercenaries, Goths, Gepidae, Daci, Carpi, Romans and Byzantines. The rules of conduct for this expanding refuge must be written in six different languages. Somehow in this mix the Count is still viewed as a foreigner and is treated with a certain amount of reserve and suspicion. Yet, his skill and knowledge of healing is greatly appreciated and he moves into the old chapel to set up an infirmary. A good portion of the novel deals with the interaction of this group, how they handle the division of labor, beliefs and customs, and the ever-growing fear of Huns. Physical fights are a common problem and adding fuel to the conflict, is the growing awareness that a spy in their midst is passing on information to the enemy.
In one refugee group seeking safety at the monastery, is a young shepherdess named, Nicori. An orphan without family ties, she too is viewed as an outsider. She volunteers to assist Saint-Germain at the infirmary and their mutual attraction soon becomes intimate. As their relationship becomes more passionate, Saint-Germain is able to glean from her blood that Nicori is not all she seems … she holds a dark secret. I’ve always been interested in just how much knowledge of his partner the Count is able to ascertain from a few small sips of their blood during love making. There are several lovely written passages in this novel where he tries to explain to Nicori his true nature and how he is nourished by both his native earth and blood. My frustration with the character of Nicori is that despite all the time, patience and revelation from Saint-Germain, she just doesn’t get it. There were times I wondered if she was listening at all. It seems to me that this inability is what leads to her decision to seek the true death, after she becomes a vampire. She cannot bear the loneliness and loss of self which is inherent in merging with others for nourishment. Saint-Germain does his best to changing her mind, but failing, he is heart-broken in the end. There have been a number of ladies in this series, who, after their change came to realize that they could not continue, Demetrice in “The Palace” was one of these and I was sad to see that she chose that path, but with Nicori, it seemed a poor fit from the outset.
Lastly, I want to add that I missed having one of Quinn’s maps of this region included in the book. I can find Constantinople/Istanbul on a map, but the archaic names and long vanished borders of that era were confusing at times. It’s not necessary to the story, just a personal preference.
There is much in the story that I haven’t touched on, such as the battles with the Huns, blood-bonding and the Count’s interaction with Niklos, but these can be include in our discussion of the book if you like. I really look forward to reading your comments, thoughts and insights to this novel.
Best quote: “Olivia would kill me if I died again”. --- Niklos
Anita
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cqyarbro/
In correspondence with another group member a few days back, I stated that the new Saint-Germain novel, “Burning Shadows”, had more of a feel of the earlier books in the series. The supporting characters appeared more fully developed, and even Saint-Germain, the protagonist, came across with more depth and passion then in recent books. It doesn’t reach the pinnacle of “Blood Games”, but it still is a good read and one I would recommend.
It begins in the summer of 438 AD, western Carpathian Mountains, close but not quite in the area of Saint-Germain’s native earth. The Huns are on the move and Attila is proving to be a far more formidable military leader then most have encountered. Rome is in decline, having been overrun by the Goths and her Byzantine empire to the east is establishing it’s own independence. Little or no help is to be had for this northern area of the former Roman territory. The Byzantine’s, who employ Huns for their military, aren’t interested in a confrontation with Attila. They fear questionable loyalty among their ranks.
In this chaotic setting, we first find Dom Feranescus Rakoczy Sanctu-Germainios, Regional Guardian of Apulum Inferior. This office is an appointment given by Rome to one considered foreign to that area, this is to help guaranty loyalty to Rome and not to family or clan. Saint-Germain has recently persuaded Olivia into evacuating her estate to the north, in Porolissum, for a safer location near Aquileia. She seriously doesn’t wish to leave, but is unwilling to risk her household servants and slaves to the possibility of an attack by the Huns. She spends the rest of the story, (with great frustration and humor) through letters, trying to talk Saint-Germain into following his own advice. Finally, in desperation, she sends her bondsman, Niklos Aulirios, to try and locate him and to assist if needed. Another lady that we are introduced to at the beginning of the story is, Rhea Pentherkrass. I’m not clear on how she ended up in Apulum Inferior with Saint-Germain, but for the short time she is in this story I rather enjoyed her character. Too often the Count’s ladies come across as whinny or demanding, she is neither. In fact, she possesses a good dose of dry whit and common sense. To ensure her safety, Saint-Germain has instructed Rugierus to escort her to Constantinople to assist in setting up a house and staff. Unfortunately, Rugierus (Roger) ends up in jail and is not seen until the end of the story.
As the invading Huns move into Apulum Inferior, Saint-Germain is forced to lead the people in his care to an isolated mountain monastery. With the growing number of refugees, this small community balloons to a population of 978. This is a diverse group of monks, mercenaries, Goths, Gepidae, Daci, Carpi, Romans and Byzantines. The rules of conduct for this expanding refuge must be written in six different languages. Somehow in this mix the Count is still viewed as a foreigner and is treated with a certain amount of reserve and suspicion. Yet, his skill and knowledge of healing is greatly appreciated and he moves into the old chapel to set up an infirmary. A good portion of the novel deals with the interaction of this group, how they handle the division of labor, beliefs and customs, and the ever-growing fear of Huns. Physical fights are a common problem and adding fuel to the conflict, is the growing awareness that a spy in their midst is passing on information to the enemy.
In one refugee group seeking safety at the monastery, is a young shepherdess named, Nicori. An orphan without family ties, she too is viewed as an outsider. She volunteers to assist Saint-Germain at the infirmary and their mutual attraction soon becomes intimate. As their relationship becomes more passionate, Saint-Germain is able to glean from her blood that Nicori is not all she seems … she holds a dark secret. I’ve always been interested in just how much knowledge of his partner the Count is able to ascertain from a few small sips of their blood during love making. There are several lovely written passages in this novel where he tries to explain to Nicori his true nature and how he is nourished by both his native earth and blood. My frustration with the character of Nicori is that despite all the time, patience and revelation from Saint-Germain, she just doesn’t get it. There were times I wondered if she was listening at all. It seems to me that this inability is what leads to her decision to seek the true death, after she becomes a vampire. She cannot bear the loneliness and loss of self which is inherent in merging with others for nourishment. Saint-Germain does his best to changing her mind, but failing, he is heart-broken in the end. There have been a number of ladies in this series, who, after their change came to realize that they could not continue, Demetrice in “The Palace” was one of these and I was sad to see that she chose that path, but with Nicori, it seemed a poor fit from the outset.
Lastly, I want to add that I missed having one of Quinn’s maps of this region included in the book. I can find Constantinople/Istanbul on a map, but the archaic names and long vanished borders of that era were confusing at times. It’s not necessary to the story, just a personal preference.
There is much in the story that I haven’t touched on, such as the battles with the Huns, blood-bonding and the Count’s interaction with Niklos, but these can be include in our discussion of the book if you like. I really look forward to reading your comments, thoughts and insights to this novel.
Best quote: “Olivia would kill me if I died again”. --- Niklos
Anita
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2019
Interesting description of the spread of Attila the Hun's empire in Europe. Depressing storyline.
December 22, 2009
This is another great book in my favorite St Germain series. I did enjoy reading every word of this novel. I always loved these stories and I will love them forever!
January 26, 2025
What's not to love in a 2000+ year old handsome vampire in a 35 year old body?
There has never been a book in the Saint Germain series that disappointed, and this particular episode set in the Carpathian Mountains of the 5th Century was no exception. The vampire is good, compassionate, and noble, while the antagonist is always humanity at its worst. Here, the antagonists are Huns who are ravaging the countryside. St. Germaine leads a community of refugees into a monastery for protection. It has the hot and steamy love scenes that Yarbro always includes. She doesn't overdo those, with generally a couple or so in each book. It is hard for me to give these books 5 stars, because they always start very slow, taking a lot of time to build towards the last 25% or so of the book which then becomes a chilling page turner "can't-put-it-down" conclusion. The wait, I have learned, is SO worth it, so I stick with it! One of the things that slows me down is the excessive use of ancient terms that I have no idea of their meaning. They are usually terms describing clothing, buildings, weapons, food, etc, and do not impact the story if I let myself just glide past them. Yarbro is such an in-depth historical researcher that the typical reader who likes vampire books may be turned off with her style. They are definitely not of the "Twilight" or "Vampire Diaries" variety. She created her own vampire with its own rules of existence different than those books or even Dracula. I have to take a breather after each of her books, as they are so intellectually heavy. However, in time, I start craving more Saint Germain saga.
For first-time readers, Yarbro stresses to start with the first book in the series, "Hotel Transylvania," where you learn about the ways of this very different blood sucker. After that, any of the books in the series can be stand-alone, read in any order.
There has never been a book in the Saint Germain series that disappointed, and this particular episode set in the Carpathian Mountains of the 5th Century was no exception. The vampire is good, compassionate, and noble, while the antagonist is always humanity at its worst. Here, the antagonists are Huns who are ravaging the countryside. St. Germaine leads a community of refugees into a monastery for protection. It has the hot and steamy love scenes that Yarbro always includes. She doesn't overdo those, with generally a couple or so in each book. It is hard for me to give these books 5 stars, because they always start very slow, taking a lot of time to build towards the last 25% or so of the book which then becomes a chilling page turner "can't-put-it-down" conclusion. The wait, I have learned, is SO worth it, so I stick with it! One of the things that slows me down is the excessive use of ancient terms that I have no idea of their meaning. They are usually terms describing clothing, buildings, weapons, food, etc, and do not impact the story if I let myself just glide past them. Yarbro is such an in-depth historical researcher that the typical reader who likes vampire books may be turned off with her style. They are definitely not of the "Twilight" or "Vampire Diaries" variety. She created her own vampire with its own rules of existence different than those books or even Dracula. I have to take a breather after each of her books, as they are so intellectually heavy. However, in time, I start craving more Saint Germain saga.
For first-time readers, Yarbro stresses to start with the first book in the series, "Hotel Transylvania," where you learn about the ways of this very different blood sucker. After that, any of the books in the series can be stand-alone, read in any order.
August 16, 2017
While it is an interesting book, a well written book, a book that suggests that lots of effort has been put in to give either historical accuracy, or as close an approximation as might be of relevance to the story, I've reached the point where I'm going to give it back to the library, as I just can't be bothered to finish it.
This book is too dense for anything other than a focused read, and I think it suffers from being a book of a such a long running character that this reader new to the series doesn't have a way in.
This book is too dense for anything other than a focused read, and I think it suffers from being a book of a such a long running character that this reader new to the series doesn't have a way in.
July 30, 2022
A bit of a slow read for me i usually read these books a bit quicker,the middle moved a bit of a slower pace but the ending was pretty good so i give this one three stars.But not as good as hotel Transylvania,Blood games or communion Blood,some of my favorites.And I also think i may give the St Germain Cycle a bit of a break for a while and try a new series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2021
A little too episodic to lose oneself in. Not her best but still worth a read for fans of the series.
February 18, 2011
Twenty-third if you don't count the novels that center around Atta Olivia Clemens and Madeline de Montalia, Saint-Germain's two long-term lovers and fellow-vampires.
The Saint-Germain series is a series of "historical romances" set at various different times, in various different settings, featuring a main character who is functionally immortal. He is officially a vampire, although if you prefer your vampires to be traditionally super-powered, you may find this series somewhat disappointing; other than his longevity and a bit more strength, speed, and durability than a normal human would have, there is very little to distinguish Saint-Germain from a fabulously wealthy, urbane, elegant, handsome and educated man. Also, there is nothing of the anti-hero about him; by the standards of most fictional vampires, he is practically a boy scout. He is most definitely a traditional, clear-cut hero, unless you object to your heroes having sex lives.
This is one of the stronger offerings in the series; there is enough action in it to satisfy those of us who had grown a bit bored with the bland, political manuevering that had characterized most of the more recent books in the series, as contrasted to many of the early books, in which Saint-Germain had the opportunity to be a romantic action hero.It is set in the fifth century, as the Roman Empire was crumbling and the Huns were invading Western Europe, certainly a setting ripe for action. Also, there were fewer failures of proofreading in it than there have been in many of Yarbro's books; apparently, she has found a proofreader/editor who is actually competent. I hope this trend continues; a few of her books are almost unreadable for the sloppy proofing.
The Saint-Germain series is a series of "historical romances" set at various different times, in various different settings, featuring a main character who is functionally immortal. He is officially a vampire, although if you prefer your vampires to be traditionally super-powered, you may find this series somewhat disappointing; other than his longevity and a bit more strength, speed, and durability than a normal human would have, there is very little to distinguish Saint-Germain from a fabulously wealthy, urbane, elegant, handsome and educated man. Also, there is nothing of the anti-hero about him; by the standards of most fictional vampires, he is practically a boy scout. He is most definitely a traditional, clear-cut hero, unless you object to your heroes having sex lives.
This is one of the stronger offerings in the series; there is enough action in it to satisfy those of us who had grown a bit bored with the bland, political manuevering that had characterized most of the more recent books in the series, as contrasted to many of the early books, in which Saint-Germain had the opportunity to be a romantic action hero.It is set in the fifth century, as the Roman Empire was crumbling and the Huns were invading Western Europe, certainly a setting ripe for action. Also, there were fewer failures of proofreading in it than there have been in many of Yarbro's books; apparently, she has found a proofreader/editor who is actually competent. I hope this trend continues; a few of her books are almost unreadable for the sloppy proofing.
Read
June 6, 2011With Burning Shadows, Yarbro takes on a similar situation as she did with her previous Saint Germain book, A Dangerous Climate. This time it's the time of the Huns, not the building of St. Petersburg. But the claustrophobic, desperate scene is the same. Trapped in a monastery with hundreds of refugees simply trying to survive the destructive nature of humanity (in this tale, that's the role played by Attila the Hun as he rises to power) Saint Germain must balance his vampire nature with his desire to help others, while not drawing the suspicion of people who can't even trust each other.
Yarbro's style of telling a story not by directly showing the story, but instead by setting a series of highly detailed, soulful scenes will charm some readers and infuriate those who prefer faster-paced paranormal tales that don’t share the passion with which Yarbro treats history. One can't deny the time and effort and craft Yarbro puts into her characters and settings, bringing history and humanity alive like few others do. Recommended for libraries, especially those looking for different kinds of horror or who might be in less horror-friendly areas.
Contains: mild language, alluded violence and gore
Reviewed by: Michele Lee
Yarbro's style of telling a story not by directly showing the story, but instead by setting a series of highly detailed, soulful scenes will charm some readers and infuriate those who prefer faster-paced paranormal tales that don’t share the passion with which Yarbro treats history. One can't deny the time and effort and craft Yarbro puts into her characters and settings, bringing history and humanity alive like few others do. Recommended for libraries, especially those looking for different kinds of horror or who might be in less horror-friendly areas.
Contains: mild language, alluded violence and gore
Reviewed by: Michele Lee
February 27, 2016
This is not one of the better books; I found it rather dull, in fact. A group of people closeted in a monastery for months on end does not have much scope. I also found it annoying for another reason. Yarbro has the habit, in her books, of throwing out tantalizing hints about special women and incidents in Saint Germain's life; Nicoris was no exception. The problem, with this book and others, is that if you are going to throw out hints, it behooves you to keep track of them. I was looking forward to reading about Nicoris, based on the references I had read before. Unfortunately, this didn't live up to them. One book has a reference to a snowy night that they spent together in a Hunnic tent. Well, the Hun reference was right, but this book has no such incident. Another book clearly refers to Nicoris' brother attempting to kill Saint Germain. In this book, the implication is that all of her family are dead. The same can be said of the character Csimenae; previous references do not match up with the book COME TWILIGHT (which, incidently, is my least favorite of the series.) Good rule of thumb for series writers: keep track of your characters; there will always be nitpickers like me to notice contradictions!
June 8, 2011
With Burning Shadows Yarbro takes on a similar situation as she did with her last Saint Germain book. This time it's the time of the Huns, not the building of St. Petersburg. But the claustrophobic, desperate scene is the same. Trapped in a monastery with hundreds of refugees simply trying to survive the destructive nature of humanity (in this tale that's the role played by Attila the Hun as he rises to power) Saint Germain must balance his vampire nature with his desire to help others, while not drawing the suspicion of people who can't even trust each other.
Yarbro's style of telling a story not by directly showing the story, but instead by setting a series of highly detailed, soulful scenes will charm some readers and infuriate others used to the more common paranormal tales that show sex and violence with the same passion as Yarbro treats history. One can't deny the time and effort and craft Yarbro puts into her characters and settings, bringing history and humanity alive like few others do. Recommended for libraries, especially those looking for different kinds of horror or who might be in less horror-friendly areas.
Contains: mild language, alluded violence and gore
Yarbro's style of telling a story not by directly showing the story, but instead by setting a series of highly detailed, soulful scenes will charm some readers and infuriate others used to the more common paranormal tales that show sex and violence with the same passion as Yarbro treats history. One can't deny the time and effort and craft Yarbro puts into her characters and settings, bringing history and humanity alive like few others do. Recommended for libraries, especially those looking for different kinds of horror or who might be in less horror-friendly areas.
Contains: mild language, alluded violence and gore
June 28, 2015
I have loved this series since it began. This work goes further into diatribe against Christianity than any other of Yarbro's books to date, much to my sadness. And despite the opportunity for rich historical detail provided by the setting--a talent that this author has shown many times in the past-- this work has little development of the historical period, little character development, and frankly very little action. It is not up to the author's standard of excellence in any respect. The book almost feels as though it were written by someone else, someone very familiar with Ms Yarbro's work, but lacking her delicacy or passion.
July 1, 2016
so far my least favorite Saint Germain book... the threat of Huns - the Huns weren't real, just rampaging machine (which may be historically accurate, but not interesting reading)... and too much of just defense and flight by Saint Germain and company... his medical expertise doesn't fit the history of course...
I did like how they delayed the Huns by making dummies stand guard on the wall while they escaped... but no Hun Scouts to see what was going on? hmmmm
I did like how they delayed the Huns by making dummies stand guard on the wall while they escaped... but no Hun Scouts to see what was going on? hmmmm
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 22, 2011
I enjoyed this book, finishing it within a couple of days. It's poor fun. The author writes SF, but this book is part of her vampire series hero, St. Germain. There are a few poor novels in the series when I didn't care for the era of history that the author chose to illuminate, but I think she is back in stride now.
April 21, 2010
This was not one of my favorite St Germain books. It seemed like there was very little of St Germain in the book. It felt more like I was reading a history book than a vampire novel.
May 26, 2010
As usual, she does a great job but you get tired of the names and end up not paying attention to the story over all. Not one of her best I must say.
February 15, 2011
So boring. Really. Why is Saint-Germain so unbearably even-tempered? The background is fascinating, there is some war action, a tiny bit of sex...but the pacing is just...off.
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February 18, 2011hai
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September 9, 2011Another enjoyable ready by this author. I don't think I've ever read one of the St Germaine series that I haven't liked
September 20, 2012
Not my favorite of this series, but still well researched and interesting.
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