Book Description
In this chilling sequel to the best-selling Knight of the Black Rose, factions vie for control of Sithicus as Lord Soth -- darklord and former knight from the
Dragonlance world -- fights to keep his reign from crumbling. Even as he struggles to defeat his enemies, rumor reaches him that the White Rose haunts the land. Has Kitiara finally returned to Soth, or is this another spectre from the death knight's tragic past?
Customer Reviews:
Soth and Lowder a match made in Hea...er Ravenloft!.......2005-08-19
This book is the sequel to Knight of the Black Rose. Once again Lowder does a masterful job of telling the story of Lord Soth and what makes him tick. Past book about Lord Soth focus on him being a supreme villian and the history of his 'transformation' into a Death Knight. Yet, in this book, Lowder does a very good job of getting inside Soth's head and letting the reaer know what he is thinking.
Unlike the first Ravenloft book about Soth this one has a little more intrique in it. There is a mystery in this book that Soth is continually faced with, just who is the White Rose? Fans of the Dragonlance Chronicles will understand this subplot the more they read about it.
Lowder again proves that he can create interesting characters and stories behind those characters with seemingly very little effort. The Bloody Cobbler being one of the most interesting Ravenloft characters I have ever read about. I wish he would have gotten his own book, but alas we don't always get what we want.
If you are a fan of the Dragonlance books I highly suggest you pick up this book and give it a shot, I don't think you will be disappointed.
Lord Soth.......2005-08-14
Excellent book. Lord Soth is one of my favorite characters in the Dragonlance universe. This book adds to the Lord Soth legacy and aspects of his personality and character. Additionally, it was interesting to read about Krynn's most infamous character in a setting outside of Krynn.
A must read for Soth fans.......2004-12-31
Great book! Not quit as good as Knight of the Black Rose but very close. Once again great story told well with great characters!
It's great, even if it hard to read.......2004-02-16
Warning if u like Lord Soth as darklord, you will be VERY SAD at the end of this novel.
The HIstory is a bit "hard" to get, sometimes u will need to re-read some parts to understand what is happing. Lord Soth in this novel is one of the important characters, since mainly the Sithicus domain is descripted. But, once u got the taste of reading the book.... you will feel being one traveling throught sithicus, overseeing all the events.
It is a must read for every fan from the Ravenloft Campaign setting, since it helps a lot to understand the Ravenloft Gazetter IV.
HUGE FLOP.......2003-10-24
Spectre of the Black Rose is the follow up book to Knight of the Black Rose. Lowder returns in a dubious paring with Voronica Whitney-Robinson. I am uncertain what makes this book so bad. The story has such promise and yet falls so short of the mark that it is almost sickening.
This complete tragedy of a novel might have been good if the authors would have focused on Soth. The reader comes away from the book feeling like nothing was accomplished. The best character in the novel barely works. The Bloody Cobbler who is victimized by a stupid name but has the best lines in the entire novel, struggles to save this book from being a total waste of paper. He fails. In short, the best part of this novel is the beautiful binding and cover art. This is definitely one book that you cannot judge by the cover.
Customer Reviews:
great stories, but collection lack cohesive feel.......2004-11-10
I fell in love with the character, Sonja Blue, in Collins's MIDNIGHT BLUE, so finding this collection was very exciting for me. For the uninitiated, Sonja Blue is an unhappy and unstable vampire who has dedicated her afterlife to killing vamps and other monsters. She's tough, stronger than most vamps because she can walk in daylight, and completely punk rock. But she has a dark side, the `other', who is like a split personality, appearing and creating chaos in Sonja's otherwise orderly existence.
Nancy Collins is a great writer. She really takes you into the story and makes you care for the characters. The only reason I'm not giving DEAD ROSES five stars is because I thought this collection wasn't as cohesive as it could've been. It was more like reading a file of journal entries on Sonja, than stories that took you from point A to point B. If you are new to Collins and Blue, I would suggest reading MIDNIGHT BLUE first, just so you can get a better feel for what's going on.
If you like vamps, comics, punk rock, strong women, monsters, good writing, or all of the above, you should pick up this book. You won't be sorry.
Silver Threads Among The Graves.......2004-08-23
Nancy Collins may not have originated Southern punk vampire stories (if you will admit that such a thing exists) but she has played a key role in the development of the genre. Her narratives are more pithy and less meandering than Poppy Brite and Caitlin Kiernan (who is heir and grand master to all of them). Sonja Blue is in many ways a comic book style character. Made a vampire unwillingly, full of anger, she has set about destroying the monsters of the world. The monsters like her.
She is conflicted struggling much like a dark Angel to keep from giving into the evil that has set up a home within her, she lurks on the edges of society defending it against the predators, even as she wonders whether it is worth saving. There isn't a lot of hope in Sonja Blue. Even in Nonesuch, the longest story in this collection, the prospect of a society where pretenders and humans can live together is poisoned by the knowledge that it is a flower in the desert, and not a pretty one.
For the most part these tales tell of Sonja Blues quirky kind of justice which sometimes destroys a monster lurking on the street and at other times shatters the fragile beauty of old death. The narrator is sometimes Sonya, sometimes another character, and sometimes Collins herself. Because the book is drawn partially from existing storys and part from new material, the writing style seems a bit inconsistent. Collins remains a matter-of-fact writer throughout, rarely getting lost in excessive prose.
I found the book half satisfying. It falls short of some of Collins other work (Sunglasses After Dark and In The Blood, for example). It you are looking for the best introduction to Collins' work try Midnight Blue, which collects all the early Sonja Blue material. This collection is a bit more for already made fans, who can tolerate the unevenness to get to the juicy bits.
The continuing adventures of Sonja Blue.-.......2002-12-19
"When you keep the hours that I do, you often find yourself in other people's stories."
-Sonja Blue
With the exception of "Knifepoint," which takes place before she was "born," and "Cold Turkey," which provides telling insight into her "otherness," the words above perfectly capture the tenor of the remaining stories in this collection, which feature Nancy Collins' vampiric vampire killer, Sonja Blue, as a cynical, world weary adventurer, who, when she's not hunting her own kind, is cleaning up her little corner of the world, a la Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name." In "Tender Tigers," she rescues a child from her abusive stepmother, an ogre; In "Vampire King of the Goth Chicks," she gives a vampire wannabe his comeuppance; "Variations on a Theme" finds her in James O'Barr's "Crow" universe; "Some Velvet Morning" features her in her "angel of vengeance" mode, hunting down one of the oldest of her kind; finally, in "The Nonesuch Horror," she teams up with the werewolf sheriff of a remote western town to rid the hamlet of an unwelcome visitor.
Always the pro, Collins makes each of these pieces work, milking her themes and situations for all they're worth. Doing so, she delivers a handful of solid entertainments that should inspire longstanding fans to revisit her worthy Sonja Blue novels, and those new to her work to sample them for the first time.
Book Description
Richly illustrated with black and white reproductions of paintings inspired by Dante's masterpiece, Luke explores each of Dante's poetic images, ending with the "white rose," the final emblem of joy and regeneration.
Customer Reviews:
one of the most wonderful books i ever read.......2003-06-17
helen luke is dead now but i wish she wasn't. this
is the best book i ever found about dante. if dante's
comedy seems a mystery to you, if it seems hard to
reach, or if it seems like it has nothing to say to us
now, you need this book. helen luke used dante's poetry
to write a magnificent jungian deconstruction of growth
and love. it makes everything simple. it is magnificent.
i was interested to see that she liked dorothy sayers'
translations (of all the dante translations that there
are) the best. if you have this book, you don't need
any other growth book, you don't need any other literary
analysis of the comedy. she knew dante very well.
A wonderful guide for the soul's journey.......2001-05-14
This marvellous book opens up Danteland for the contemporary reader. Helen Luke's masterful guidance on the paths of Dante's three-tiered cosmos not only helps us to reenter and relish the Divine Comedy - the towering literary achievement of the medieval imagination - but to use it to enter deeper levels of reality through meditation and active imagination. I have based deeply moving group meditations on this, along the lines of those decribed in my own book "Dreamgates", and we have found that Dante's gates can actually take us into imaginal realms that people appear to inhabit after physical death. As the life dreamer she was, Helen Luke reminds us of the way the radiant guide keeps calling the seeker through dreams, which are so often ignored or forgotten until the BIG moment of spiritual trial and eventual initiation. I would recommend using the middle section of the book in tandem with W.S.Merwin's excellent recent translation of the "Purgatorio", which is more readable than the older versions quoted by Ms. Luke.
The most memorable book I've read in the last 3 years.......1999-11-05
The moment I saw the references to Charles Williams and Dorothy L. Sayers I was hooked. Culturely familiar with, but never having studied, Dante's poem, I had always understood it as an allegory of life after death. Wrong! The intersections between Dante's journey as portrayed by Helen Luke and portions of my spiritual journey were intense, meaningful, detailed -- and totally unexpected. The reality of the passage through Hell and Purgatory in this life points to the hope of a portion of the feast to come also in this life. It is not an easy read, but I found myself unable to put it down -- except when the power of a passage would so resonate in me I had to pause to mark it and reflect on it.
Book Description
Here is the book that Tolkien fans have needed for half a century--a detailed, book-length chronology of J. R. R. Tolkien's complex tale. Whether you are a serious Tolkien fan or simply someone who enjoys reading the story over and over again, this is the book for you. It's the first totally new reference for The Lord of the Rings since the 1970s.
Beginning over 1400 years before the major events in Tolkien's epic, it describes, year-by-year, the amazing and imaginative background history that Tolkien created for his masterpiece. Then for the main narrative, it becomes a day-by-day reference, describing what each character does on that day and all the places where those events are described in Tolkien's writings. You can find out, for instance, what Merry and Pippin are doing as Sam perpares rabbit stew on the morning of March 7.
Probe deeper into Tolkien. See why someone as serious as Gandalf was interested in fun-loving Hobbits. Discover an exciting new plot, based on Tolkien's notes, that begins when Aragorn captures Gollum. Follow along as the Black Riders and Gandalf race for the Shire. Decide for yourself whether Sauron and the Ring have any ties to Hitler and Stalin. Explore what Tolkien believed about nature and technology.
A few facts illustrate how helpful this chronology is. Most of narrative is a deliberately confusing sea of next days and third days that leave readers as confused as the tale's main characters.The middle 60 percent of The Lord of the Rings gives the current date only once. In the narrative as a whole, the date is given only 23 times, or once for every 43 pages, and most of those come when the plot is moving slowly. That's why those who want to dig deeper and understand better what Tolkien was saying will find this book a must-have.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Resource.......2006-12-10
Perry has done a wonderful job in untangling the very intricate tale woven by J.R.R. Tolkien. Of particular help are the copious margin notes which reference exactly where Perry is drawing the information contained within that section of his book. The commentary made by the author is a welcomed pause for reflection on the events that are taking place and keep the book from being a mere listing of dates and events. I teach a course on J.R.R. Tolkien and have found Untangling Tolkien a valuable resource, since it covers the entire history of Middle-earth: what comes before The Hobbit and what takes place after The Lord of The Rings. Bravo Mr. Perry, I look forward to reading your other books.
Knits up the ravels.......2004-10-31
An amazing accomplishment by a dedicated Tolkien fan.
That is how I'd sum up the book Untanging Tolkien. Michael Perry has first unraveled all Tolkien's "dates" -- which can be extrapolated from phases of the moon -- and then knit them together again in a cohesive outline, presented in much greater detail than Tolkien's own timeline (found buried in Appendix A of LOTR). By incorporating information from other Tolkien writings, the author of Untangling Tolkien collates additional facts about all the characters and the circumstances surrounding the War of the Ring, folding them all into this detailed chronology. He includes material that sheds light on possible parallels between Tolkien's work and events that were contemporary, and he provides original commentary that suggests some additional motivations for Tolkien's characters. Sidebars offer references to every source for the information presented and for each conclusion the author has drawn.
I found the format, with quick-reference bulleted lists and clearly delineated sections and subheadings, well-organized and easy to use.
NOTE: I read the third printing that was published in May 2004. Apparently the author has corrected many of the errors that David Bratman objected to (below). You won't find a better overview or a more throrough treatment of time and dates in LOTR than Perry provides in this book.
A Radiograph of LotR........2003-12-27
This book is layed out as a chronological record of the events covered by Tolkein's masterpiece with prefaces that explain the calender system created by Tolkein and its conversion to our more mundane (and possibly inferior) system. The type is clear, and margin citations clear and present for every entry. It's primary utility, at which it succeeds admirably, is as a kind of radiograph of Tolkein's work that reveals its astonishing complexity more clearly and allows one to admire, and more importantly, explore the book itself more quickly, easily, and deeply.
The book also contains copious notes inline with the chronology. These vary from informative to tangential, but at worst do not detract from the book's primary function. Mr. Perry is perhaps foremost as Lewis scholar, and so C.S. Lewis, a close acquaintance and friend of Tolkein, makes a number of appearances. Also making appearances in the notes are William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.
All in all, a unique book which will save anyone who wants to do an in depth study of LotR a lot of time.
Splendid Tolkien Reference Work.......2003-12-21
Superb, exhaustive chronology of Tolkien's Lord of the Rings saga. Perry does a superior job in untangling a number of thorny chronological issues in Tolkien's narrative, and he employs some fine literary detective work in reconstructing what events are happening across Middle Earth on any given date. Especially admirable is his reconstruction of how much moonlight there was during each day of Frodo and Sam's journey into Mordor.
In addition to chronology, Perry supplies a lot of background information about Tolkien's themes and sources, as well as biographical tidbits about Tolkien. For example, there are fascinating discussions of Tolkien's views of technology, freedom, and totalitarianism. Perry also discusses Tolkien's stance toward the misuse of Germanic myths by the Nazis.
This is a great resource for Tolkien-lovers everywhere.
a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia.......2003-12-21
A year-by-year, later day-by-day, chronicle of the war against Sauron from the founding of the Shire to the glorious conclusion seems at the outset like a good idea. Perry calls LOTR's Appendix B, the Tale of Years, "far from complete" but it covers the whole period: what he means is that it's not detailed enough for him. Appendix B won't tell you which day Sam cooked coney for Frodo; Perry will.
But alas, the book does not stop there. The entries are written as bullet lists like a PowerPoint presentation, and many add pointless little flowcharts such as two-generation family trees. They reduce Tolkien's magnificently complex subcreation into a giant mass of undifferentiated trivia. And each yearly or daily entry comes with its commentary, whether directly relevant, side points, broader considerations, or dogmatic essays in applicability. The unrelieved banality and inappropriateness of these must be read to be believed; as also the author's clumsy, grammatically inept style, and his smug superiority to the characters. (He frequently criticizes the good guys' "blunders," all of them more complex than he implies.)
There's actually some good chronological analysis and speculation hiding in here. But how can someone who knows his Tolkien that well say that the wizards were Valar, or that Rohan gave Isengard to Saruman (it wasn't theirs to give, and Saruman was made its warden, not a freeholder), that Boromir and Faramir had a sibling rivalry (Tolkien specifically says not), or suggest that Galadriel should have sent daily eagles to check up on the Fellowship?
These are not isolated examples: the bloopers and misconceived ideas go on and on. The whole book is like that: it has the soul of a PowerPoint presentation. I can't recommend it on any terms.
Average customer rating:
- A turbulent reign
- Excellent History Review
- The Morlands during the reign of Henry VIII
- English history in a novel form
- brillant and historically acurate
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The Dark Rose (Morland Dynasty)
Cynthia Harrod-Eagles
Manufacturer: Warner Futura
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ASIN: 0751503835 |
Book Description
In the Morland Dynasty series, the majestic sweep of English history is richly and movingly portrayed through the fictional lives of the Morland family. It is 1501, and Paul, great grandson of Eleanor Morland, has inherited the estate and has a son to follow him. But he fathers an illegitimate boy by his beloved mistress, and bitter jealously between the half-brothers causes a destructive rift that leads to tragedy. Paul’s niece Nanette becomes maid-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn, and at the court of Henry VIII witnesses first hand the events leading up to the rift with Rome, her mistress’s execution, and the further efforts of the sad, ailing king to secure the male succession.
Customer Reviews:
A turbulent reign.......2007-09-22
This is book 2 in the Morland family series, set in the reign of Henry the 8th and dealing mainly with the life of Nanette, a beautiful young Morland woman who is a maid of honour and friend to Queen Anne Boleyn. There are of course, other issues with other family members which add spice and interest to the story, but in this instance, Nanette holds centre stage. She started as a maid of honour to Queen Katherine, along with Anne Boleyn, or Bullen as the family is sometimes called, but Anne soon took the eye of Henry who had previously had her sister Mary as his mistress. Anne was having none of this "mistress" business and refused to surrender her virginity until marriage. Nanette stayed with Anne after her marriage, right up to the steps of the scaffold where she lost her head. She returned to her home, living a happy but cruelly short married life until, many years later, she returned to Court to be a Maid of Honour to Anne's daughter, Elizabeth the 1st. It's a fascinating look into the public and private lives of courtiers in Tudor times, with much involvement in religious matters and the perilous times leading to the foundation of the Protestant Church in England.
Excellent History Review.......2005-09-13
This is a terrifice historical novel. Best to read the first book, though. It can be read as a stand alone book. The Morland Dynasty is the #1 book of the 24 successive books in this Dynasty novel.
The Morlands during the reign of Henry VIII.......2004-12-11
The second book in the Morland dynasty series, The Dark Rose picks up with Paul Morland, great-grandson of Eleanor. The family is now rife with jealousy and hatred. Paul cannot understand his heir Amyas, and struggles to bond with his illegitimate son Adrian. It is a situation doomed to end in tragedy.
Paul's half-brother Jack and his brood seem to have the happiness he cannot grasp. Nanette, his niece, rises at court as maid to Anne Boleyn. But even they cannot escape the uncertainty to come.
In the Dark Rose, the Morlands experience hard times - through drought, floods, religious reform and court intrigue. But through it all, the family finds new ways to bond and survive. Once again, the history of the period is cleverly woven into the fortunes of the family, particularly the marriages and religious reform of Henry VIII. An entertaining read.
English history in a novel form.......2002-04-08
Anglophiles who are historical fiction buffs will enjoy each of Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' Morland Chronicles. They tell the story of the Morland family of northern England as it struggles to prosper as the world changes. Characters are not static and are interesting. Historical facts are well researched and provide a real background for this ongoing story. Read them all!
brillant and historically acurate.......1999-09-18
I have all twenty one books of this series from volume one upto twenty one. I started collecting them approximately sixteen or seventeen years ago. The stories are great the characters are facinating, but it is her historical bases for these novels that is so brillant and makes them very readable. I look forward to every new episode of this story that comes out, and I am waiting with baited breath for the next installment.
Book Description
This is a collection of poetry from a woman who has seen many sides to life. Included are poems that will make you feel the reaches of the darkest tunnels within yourself when you think you are the only one feeling those things, bringing a glimmer of hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. They will also let you know that you are most assuredly not alone. Poetry about what most will not even dare to put to voice, let alone to words. She calls herself The Siren, a name given to her, and most who know her have always found it befitting. She calls her style of poetry DrkErotica/Gothic, feeling that is the best way to classify her free style and the things she writes about. So open your mind and hear The Siren's call.
Amazon.com
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's epic of the vampire Ragoczy, the Count Saint-Germain (including Mansions of Darkness, Darker Jewels, and Writ in Blood) has slowly gathered a dedicated readership, while each installment has garnered increasing critical praise. For new readers, Blood Roses is perhaps the most accessible in the series. In 14th-century France, Saint-Germain is caught amidst the devastation of the Black Plague. Though he is unaffected by the disease, his resistance draws the suspicion of each new town he visits--even as he uses ancient Egyptian healing techniques to save lives. Yarbro's impressive novel offers the flavor of the late Middle Ages while flawlessly integrating the elements of horror and the supernatural that mark this eloquent series. One wonders, for example, if the letters and documents that Yarbro integrates into the text are embellishments of the real. But, as with all the Saint-Germain novels, the most satisfying aspect of the narrative is the author's complex rendering of her central character. With the exception of Anne Rice, few writers have as effectively captured the wearied soul of a being living through the great expanse of human history. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
Now in trade paperback, Blood Roses finds Saint-Germain living in relative peace and prosperity in the village of Orgon in fourteenth-century France. He has won a grudging acceptance from the local populace. But a new threat has upset the precarious balance: Plague has come to France, and the peoples fear turns to xenophobia. To avoid the scrutiny that could reveal his true nature, Saint-Germain must flee. However, his travels drive him deeper into the heart of the Black Death, and danger.
Customer Reviews:
Dragged Somewhat But Yarbro Got The Feel Of Tragedy Right.......2006-09-06
Yarbro is a fine historical novelist and in Blood Roses (the term for the skin eruptions the bubonic plague caused) she succeeds in impressing upon a reader something of the dimension and scope of the worst plague outbreak in history. Here we see the breakdown of the fabric of a complex society. Here we read of the tragedy of the human toll of the Black Death. And here we grasp something of the horror and terror those living through such an event must have known. The book was also slightly slow-paced, had whole chapters it would have been better off without, and, frankly, the plot device of having a recurring set of undead characters passing through the great moments of history taxes credibility just a little. Still and all a lot can be learned from reading one of Ms. Yarbro's books and her well-researched knowledge of each time period in which she sets her tales is nearly flawless. It's rare indeed that an anachronism should creep into her opus, and common that one come away better educated for the time spent reading. Having to tolerate (if that's even the correct term) the fact that these are novels of the supernatural is a small price to pay for all she delivers.
Eleventh in the Saint-Germain series........2003-04-24
Or twelfth, if you count "Out of the House of Life", which is primarily a spinoff novel about Madeline de Montalia (former lover and vampiric "childe" of Saint-Germain), but which does include some flashback scenes from some of Saint-Germain's early history.
Or fifteenth, if you also count "A Flame in Byzantium", "Crusader's Torch", and "A Candle For d'Artagnan", the spinoff series about Atta Olivia Clemens, an earlier lover and vampiric "childe".
This book is set in the mid-1300s at the time of the first wave of the Black Plague to sweep through Europe. The romantic interest doesn't even appear until nearly two-thirds of the way through the book, which makes for an interesting variation on a theme, as does the way that romantic interest plays out. The setting reminded me somewhat of "Narcissus and Goldmund", by Herman Hesse, a book which made an impact on me long enough ago that I'd rather not think about how long it's been; perhaps I should re-read it, as I remember very little of the details of that book.
Unlike some other reviewers, I feel that on balance, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's writing has been steadily improving as she's progressed through this series; I enjoyed the early books ("Hotel Transylvania", "The Palace", "Blood Games", "Path of the Eclipse", and "Tempting Fate", in that order, are the first five books in the series) but found the writing to be significantly less developed than they have been starting with "Darker Jewels". This book fits the same pattern, although I don't find it QUITE as enjoyable as its predecessor, "Writ In Blood".
The series is not written in chronological order; from earliest to latest historically, the series to this point would be:
1. "Out of the House of Life" (if you base it on the flashbacks to Saint-Germain's early years; set in Ancient Egypt)
2. "Blood Games", set in Rome at the time of the Emperor Nero
3. "A Flame in Byzantium", set in the time of Justinian, mid 500s.
4. "Better In The Dark", set in the mid-900s in Saxony.
5. "Crusader's Torch", set in the late 1000s and early 1100s, Europe and Middle East.
6. "Path of the Eclipse", early 1200s China, India, and other eastern areas.
7. "Blood Roses", 1300s France.
8. "The Palace", 1400s Italy.
9. Darker Jewels: Late 1500s Russia
10 & 11: virtually simultaneous, "A Candle For d'Artagnan" and "Mansions of Darkness", early 1600s France and the New World (mostly Peru) respectively.
12. "Hotel Transylvania", later 1600s France
13. The "current" part of the plot in "Out of the House of Life", early 1800s Egypt.
14. "The Chronicles of Sant-Germain", a collection of short stories that extend temporally from 1890s to 1980s, which time period overlaps both #15 and #16.
15. "Writ In Blood", 1910-1914, Russia, England, Germany, and Finland.
16. "Tempting Fate", Germany 1920-1930s.
These novels are all variations on the genre of "Romantic/heroic/historical fiction", with the part of the extremely heroic hero being played by a vampire. If this concept intrigues you, you definitely want to read these books. If you enjoy historical romance, but find the concept of the vampiric hero unsettling or weird, you may want to give them a try anyway; if either none of these concepts grab you, or if you insist on your vampires being more traditionally minded, this series is not for you.
A plague on the Church.......2002-08-02
St Germain in France during the time of the black plague. Blood roses refer to the boils which were the visual symptoms of the plague. Since St Germain can heal he is course suspect. Anyone who is different must be an agent of the devil. In all the recent St Germain books Yarbro seems very critical of the Church.
In this book because of the belief that cleanliness is a sign of pride and because cats, who could have killd the plague bearing rodents, were seen as witches familiars and the cats were killed, Yarbro implies that the superstitions of the Church were responsible for the plage being so bad.
I only give this book four stars instead of five because after reading a bunch of these books, I became weary of St Germain's travails. Too bad he can't settle down.
Vampires and the Black Plague- death battles death.......2001-01-02
This is one of the series of books about the Count St. Germain, an almost-immortal vampire. Those who already know that they like vampire novels, anything at all that features a vampire, can skip this review, and likewise, those who hate the whole idea of vampires can skip it. But for those trying to decide whether or not to read more of this genre, or whether the one vampire novel you've already read was a fluke, it may help to have some ways to categorize these novels. Thus: BunRab's Standard Vampire Classification Guide. First, most authors of vampire novels approach from one of the main genres of genre fiction; thus their background may be primarily in romance, or in science fiction/fantasy, or in murder mysteries, or in horror. Second, many vampire novels come in series; knowing whether this is one of a series, and where in the series it falls, may be helpful. Then we have some particular characteristics: - Is the vampire character (or characters) a "good guy" or a "bad guy"? Or are there some of each? - Are there continuing characters besides the vampire, through the series? - Are there other types of supernatural beings besides vampires? - Can the vampire stand daylight under some circumstances, or not stand daylight at all? - Does the vampire have a few other supernatural characteristics, many other supernatural characteristics, or none other than just being a vampire? (E.g., super strength, change into an animal, turn invisible) - Does the vampire have a regular job and place in society, or is being a vampire his or her entire raison d'etre? - Does the vampire literally drink blood, or is there some other (perhaps metaphorical) method of feeding? - Is sex a major plot element, a minor plot element, or nonexistent? - Is the entire vampire feeding act a metaphor for sex, part of a standard sex act, or unrelated to sex? - Is the story set in one historical period, more than one historical period, or entirely in the present day? - Does the story have elements of humor, or is it strictly serious? - Is the writing style good, or is the writing just there to manage to hold together the plot and characters?
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's series about the vampire St. Germain starts from the historical romance genre (although Yarbro is equally well known as a science fiction writer), and is a continuing series. St. Germain is definitely a good guy, using the knowledge he's gained in several thousand years of living to help others. There are a few characters that continue from book to book besides him: the women he turns into vampires, and his "servant," Roger, who is a ghoul. Ghouls are the only other supernatural characters who appear in these books. St. Germain can stand daylight with the right preparations. He has unusual strength, but not limitless, and unusual wisdom, and is an "alchemist" but there are no other overt magic powers. In most of the series, he has an occupation of being an aristocrat, insofar as that was a full-time occupation through most of history; in some books he has another "job" as well. St. Germain does not literally drink blood; he feeds on emotions, usually during erotic experiences, but sex is nonetheless only a minor plot element, rare and very discreet. The series covers 3000 years, from ancient Egypt to the modern day; each book is set in a span of a particular period, usually 20-30 years. The writing is serious, but not self-important; the writing quality is excellent, and Yarbro's abilities as an author qualify these books as literature rather than "merely" genre fiction.
Blood Roses is one of the most recently written in the St. Germain series; chronologically in history, it is in the middle, set in the late Dark Ages, France in the 14th century, during one of the several waves of the Black Plague that went around Europe during that century. The Catholic Church has contributed much toward keeping the populace ignorant and downtrodden, a recurrent theme in the series. At this period of history, there is not yet a full-blown Inquisition as there will be a couple of centuries later. Part of the conflict in the story is due to the schism in the Catholic Church, where a second Pope has been set up in France, in Avignon. Letters between St. Germain and his fellow immortal, Olivia, every few chapters, help set the changing scenes. There is a helpful character in the form of a persecuted Spanish Jew; this novel also has a relatively happy ending, in that there is not a huge final bloodbath featuring war, torture, etc. - perhaps, in the face of the Plague, we do not need further human tortures to keep things active. The female love interest lives a full and happy life even after St. Germain leaves. St. Germain leaves the area having passed along some literacy in spite of the church; we can get the sense that the Dark Ages are going to end soon, as things are changing.
BRAVO !.......2000-07-02
I am astonished that CQY makes me crave the recreation of historical events that have changed the course of mankind while satisfying my need for a great vampire novel. She allows you to travel with Saint-Germain through devastation, death, and the turmoil of Europe during the 1300's when religion and politics were intertwined.
Average customer rating:
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Scare Yourself To Sleep (Creepies)
Rose Impey
Manufacturer: Gingham Dog Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Spine-Chilling Horror | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Monsters | Obsessions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Impey, Rose | ( I ) | Authors, A-Z | Horror | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0769633668 |
Book Description
Four scary tales children will love!
The Creepies series shines a light on those dark corners for every child who has wondered if there is something lurking there. Filled with illustrations that encourage a child’s imagination, these unique, “personal-sized” books are sure to entertain even the most reluctant reader. Sometimes things are not what they seem, so bring a flashlight and dive into the scary world of Creepies.
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Scare Yourself to Sleep – Camping in the backyard under the trees is great fun. But as darkness closes in and flashlights click on, a contest of out-scaring each other makes falling asleep a nightmare!
Customer Reviews:
A creepy story.......2005-07-05
My seven year old loved this book. She liked the story line about a cousin and a sleep over. It was also not too scary. I liked it because it was short and kept her interest for the duration. She read the whole book in about twenty minutes. I would recommend this book for any independent reader in grades two or three.
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- Stories on Stage: Children's Plays for Reader's Theater (or Readers Theatre), With 15 Play Scripts From 15 Authors, Including Roald Dahl's The Twits and Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School
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- Tears of a Dragon (Dragons in Our Midst, Volume 4) (The Dragons in Our Midst)
- The Abhorsen Trilogy Box Set
- The Apocalypse Code: Find Out What the Bible REALLY Says About the End Times . . . and Why It Matters Today
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- The Black Diamond
- The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable
- The Book of Air and Shadows
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