Hotel Transylvania [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

If you like historical fiction, vampires and romance, you are in for a treat. Hotel Transylvania is the first in a long line of novels featuring le Comte de St. Germain, an exiled nobleman trying to survive in a world not ready to accept him. Old when Christ walked the earth, St. Germain is a compelling character presented with style, grace and a compassion. In this first novel St Germain meets the woman of his dreams. A woman compassionate enough to accept what he truly is and strong enough to embrace him.

For more than 20 years I have been a fan of this series. This is the first novel I took out from the library when I got my "Adult reader card" long long ago, and it's the one that got me hooked. Though many of the subsequent novels are set earlier in history and can be read out of order without losing anything in the story, this one starts the wheel turning. Each book also contains a little bit of St. Germain's history that none of the other's do. Trying to piece together the chronology of this character's life, where he has been and who he has known, is almost as much fun as the stories themselves. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have.

I'm hooked on Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's Comte de Saint-Germain series. Saint-Germain is just one of the many names our protagonist has gone by over the millennia. He is a vampire, you see. However, if you envision a being like those who people Anne Rice's or Laurell Hamilton's novels you will have a surprise coming. Just an aside here...I love many of Ms Rice's and Ms. Hamilton's books and characters. Ms. Yarbro's hero is simply different. He IS a hero, not an anti-hero. You won't find fangs, gore, horror and supernatural violence in "Hotel Transylvania." Our vampire is an exceptionally nice guy, sophisticated - quite civilized really - who just happens to have walked the earth since the beginning of time, practically. He does not personify evil, and, unlike other vampiric creations, he is able to stroll about in daylight as long as he carries soil from his homeland in his shoes. He does need blood to survive - but the human donor must be willing to give a pint or two or he won't drink. And true emotional attachments nourish Saint-Germain as much as the blood he takes. So the concept of "love" and affection figure strongly here. He is also extremely smart with a good intellect and love of the arts. As a matter of fact, he personifies the Renaissance man - with the added attraction of various super-human qualities.

"Hotel Transylvania" is the first novel in the series, originally published in 1978. I believe there are 16 Saint-Germain novels with a 17th due out soon. I don't know how important it is to read the books in order of publication as the stories do not take place in chronological order historically. I began with "The Palace" which is set in Renaissance Florence. "Hotel Transylvania's" setting is Paris, 1743, where Saint-Germain is a relative newcomer to the City of Light. He presents himself at court and to King Louis XV and makes a most favorable impression in the highest social circles. The rich and famous look upon him as exotic, foreign, mysterious and worthy of wooing. Prinz Ragoczy of Transylvania, is another name he goes by. However, only the members of the secret guild of sorcerers and alchemists call him so. The Prinz, (or Saint-Germain), has promised these men the secret of making jewels if they assist him in purchasing the Hotel Transylvania without bringing his name or identity into the transaction. The hotel is to be turned into a swank gambling establishment, with secret rooms set aside for the practice of alchemy, and, of course, rooms containing the soil from Saint-Germain's native land which he needs to survive.

Among the brightest attractions Paris offers is Madelaine de Montalia, an intelligent, beautiful ingenue just presented to society. She is immediately drawn to Saint-Germain. The feeling is totally mutual. However, the young woman is in grave danger as a cult of brutally sadistic Satanists have targeted her for their solstice ritual - a virginal blood sacrifice which is guaranteed to debase her and ultimately end with her death.

The author has done an extraordinary job of vividly portraying life in 18th century Paris with its glitter, glamour and political and social intrigues. Ms. Quinn Yarbro is truly a master at writing historical fiction. Her research is impeccable and the narrative is filled with fascinating period details. The character of Saint-Germain is actually modeled after a real person with the same name. Rumor has it he possessed an elixir of life and even when he reached the venerable age of one hundred years he appeared to be a man of 40-something. The actual Comte de Saint-Germain claimed to have lived centuries. Like our hero, he was an alchemist, said to be capable of creating gold and jewels. He was the confident of kings and queens and visited all the European courts, loving and leaving women along the way. He was a also spy, frequently involved in secret adventures. Ms. Quinn Yarbro took this actual figure of mystery and molded him into her protagonist.

The novel is rich in characters and storyline. I highly recommend it. I liked it enough to order books three and four in the series. ENJOY!

JANA

Everything Chelsea Quinn Yarbro writes will hold youspellbound. You can't help but fall in love with her vibrant prose andrealistic characters. HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA is the first book in theSaint-Germain series of vampire novels. Thanks to Stealth Press, it'savailable once again in a beautiful hardback edition.

Le Comte deSaint-Germain. A charismatic and mysterious aristocrat in mid-18thcentury Paris. Women can't resist him, men are suspicious ofhim.

Madelaine de Montalia. An intelligent, beautiful young womanwith a sharp mind and wit, making her debut in Parissociety. Immediately, she is drawn to the Comte. While other young menvie for her affections she only has eyes for the alluringSaint-Germain.

Madelaine's past is not so innocent as she mightbelieve. A father's indiscretions mark her for sacrifice in a satanicritual run by a group of aristocrats known as The Circle. This is thedarker side to Paris life.

Faithful fans of the adventures ofSaint-Germain will surely fall in love with these characters all overagain. New readers will see how easily Yarbro's writing cancaptivate. Order a copy of HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA and allow her to lureyou into her romantic and seductive world.

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro isthe author of more than 40 novels in the fantasy, science fiction andhorror genres...