Dark of the Sun

One of the most recent in the St. Germain series and also one of the most satisfying to read. Set in the early Sixth century (can you name one thing that happened in the Sixth Century?) with the cataclysmic eruption of Krakatoa, blotting out the sun for nearly two years. The effects on the entire world were profound, since nothing was able to grow. Like other books by Yarbro, I feel as though I had slipped through a small window into this world and could experience what was actually happening. Also, this was historically I period I had no knowledge of whatsoever, which added to the mysterious quality of the novel. For me, the St. Germain series has always been a guilty pleasure, with an emphasis on the pleasure. There is something slightly old fashioned about the writing, but not stilted. It is true that much of the book is dialogue between St. Germain and his (eternal) companion. But I did not find that to be a problem. All in all, Dar of the Sun is a far better book than some of the other "historical" novels coming off the factory lines recently (you know what I mean).

If you are reading the reviews of this novel, most likely you already know the Saint-Germain series. This is an excellent addition to your bookshelf. Who but Yarbro would research the social history of the lands along the Silk Road as they were in the aftermath of a natural disaster that caused world-wide famine--and then share it with the rest of us in such an entertaining and haunting fashion? It's hard to say at this point whether I read these novels--and I read the first one to come out all those years ago and every other since then-- because I love the Count or the History. This one serves up both in gourmet style.

This is a GREAT story, Chelsea is back up to form, and I really enjoyed the book. But as I'm reading along, at a point of high action in the story, Saint Germain does not bleed. Also in this book, as he is snuggling with a lover, his heart does not beat. Those two points took me out of the story, because SG *does* bleed in many other stories (Madeleine even sweats in Out of the House of Life), so now I need to know, why Chelsea, why? Why didn't he bleed? Was he all out because he was living on small amounts of pony blood? And why no heartbeat? Why? Any readers with ideas as to why he didn't bleed, please post them so we can solve this. It's bothering me. Also, how come Roger never gets a love interest? He sounds attractive.

This book is easily one of the best Saint-Germain books. Even though the last "documented" appearance of the Count is in the 1980s (Chronicles of Saint-Germain), I actually found myself worrying about whether or not he and Roger would make it to the end of the book. My favorite of the Saint-Germain books are always the ones where we get to see the friendship between Saint-Germain and Roger. Dark of the Sun has the eeriest feel to it: a constant, low-level worry that was nerve-wracking to read. It isn't often that Saint-Germain is at a loss to understand what's happening around him, and he was here--both with what was happening in the world around him and judging whether or not he could trust a friend. Yarbro always shows us the advantages, and disadvantages, of partial immortality, but she outdid herself with this book. It was great to learn more of Saint-Germain's mortal life. For those of you who normally skip the letters in these books, don't. There's a wonderful comic side-plot in the letters from about half-way thru the book to the end. It gives me hope for future Saint-Germain novels.

Twenty-five hundred years old vampire Count Saint-Germain uses the name of Zangi-Ragozh in Yang Chou, China where he heads a shipping and trading business. With him is loyal ghoul five hundred years old Ro-Shei. Wen Emperor Yuan Bou-Ju summons Zangi-Ragozh and other merchants to come to Chong'en; none realize that half a world away Mount Krakatoa erupted and will change the world for several years afterward. Zangi-Ragozh gets his first inkling of the change when the sun fails to rise above the volcanic ash that seems to be all over the atmosphere. Being out in daylight does not bother the Count as much, but along with this benefit comes the downside that travel to Chong'en is impossible. Crops fail and famine becomes the norm. Zangi-Ragozh returns to his place of birth by joining the caravan of the Desert Cats. He earns passage by bartering his medical skills, but is tossed out when the clan bans foreigners. They meet again in Tak-Kala where a magician who he trusts betrays him even as danger from the famished survivors mounts. Never in the long running series has Saint-Germain come closer to the True Death than he does in this time of the DARK OF THE SUN. He has lost much of his native earth, willing donors are rare, and has a potentially lethal wound. The Krakatoa effect on the world adds depth and turns the novel in many ways in spite of a vampiric protagonist into more a historical than a supernatural tale. Chelsea Quinn Yarbro provides another fantastic reading experience for her fans. Harriet Klausner