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Blood Games (Saint-Germain #3)
Rome 62-70 CE (Nero). Blood Games is a tale of love and horror set during the last chaotic days of Nero's Rome - a time marked by excesses of high living, cruel violence, and intricate political intrigue. One of the city's few successful foreign businessmen, Sanct' Germain Ragoczy has so far avoided the treacherous maze of Roman society. But his first mistake will be to fa...more
Hardcover
Published
by St. Martin's Press
(first published 1979)
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Mar 27, 2007
Holly
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantasy,
supernatural-critters
Repeatedly, I vow never again to read a book that:
A) Describes a main (male) character's clothing in minute, obsessive, effeminate detail. Every other page.
B) Uses words such as "anealing" and "esuriance" with regularity.
C) In every single sex scene, inevitably uses the phrase "brought her to her fullness."
D) Has a main character who is so cloyingly perfect that, if I knew him in real life, I would kill him, even if he is a 3000 year old vampire.
And yet, repeatedly, I go back to this terrible se...more
A) Describes a main (male) character's clothing in minute, obsessive, effeminate detail. Every other page.
B) Uses words such as "anealing" and "esuriance" with regularity.
C) In every single sex scene, inevitably uses the phrase "brought her to her fullness."
D) Has a main character who is so cloyingly perfect that, if I knew him in real life, I would kill him, even if he is a 3000 year old vampire.
And yet, repeatedly, I go back to this terrible se...more
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I enjoyed this well enough, but then I'm a sucker for an Ancient Rome setting and I like vampires. (Also the author gets points because like P.N. Elrod, she never actually uses the word "vampire".) If you're not very partial to these two elements then I don't recommend the book.
This is the third of many novels about the very long-lived Saint-Germain, a good-guy vampire. The story spans the period from the middle of Nero's reign, through the Year of the Four Emperors, and a few years into Vespas...more
This is the third of many novels about the very long-lived Saint-Germain, a good-guy vampire. The story spans the period from the middle of Nero's reign, through the Year of the Four Emperors, and a few years into Vespas...more
I have to start out by saying that I am in no way shape or form a fan of vampire novels. Twilight etc. etc. leave me absolutely cold. However, I was recommended this book by a member of staff in my local bookshop (where I couldn't get it) and he's the same chap who told me about the superlative Roman novel The Boat of Fate by Keith Roberts, so I took his recommendation at face value.
Yarbro has been writing vampire novels about the same character, Saint Germain, for 30 years now, and she has appa...more
Yarbro has been writing vampire novels about the same character, Saint Germain, for 30 years now, and she has appa...more
Maybe I liked this book because I was so disappointed in Anne Rice's Lestat books. (I never got more than 1/3 of the way through the first book and have never gone back to Rice since then.) I'm not a huge horror reader. I usually indulge in one or tow because I need to review a couple for my annual Halloween book reviews. (The paper I write for is a monthly.)
The things I liked about this book were Yarbro's historical research into ancient Rome, bringing it vividly to life; her inventiveness at...more
The things I liked about this book were Yarbro's historical research into ancient Rome, bringing it vividly to life; her inventiveness at...more
Jan 05, 2012
TheFountainPenDiva
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
genre-vampire-fiction
Dear Vampire Affecianados,
When you've tired of sparkly emo disco-balls with fangs or hip-hop slinging, Escalade-driving posers with supposedly "edgy" names or utterly defanged lust objects, bring your weary self to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's delightfully historical Comte Saint Germain series.
There are over twenty books but thankfully, they are all stand-alone novels and can be read in any order. The Count Saint Germain is actually based on a real life historical figure (though not a vampire, he was...more
When you've tired of sparkly emo disco-balls with fangs or hip-hop slinging, Escalade-driving posers with supposedly "edgy" names or utterly defanged lust objects, bring your weary self to Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's delightfully historical Comte Saint Germain series.
There are over twenty books but thankfully, they are all stand-alone novels and can be read in any order. The Count Saint Germain is actually based on a real life historical figure (though not a vampire, he was...more
I'm not a fan of vampire books in general. This book did nothing to change my mind.
I understand this is not the first book in the series and I have not read the previous books, so I expected to be missing some of the references to the past. Still, I found the backstory to be almost nonexistent, which means I was even more confused than I had expected to be. Adding to my sense of confusion was the lack of a map of the Roman Empire at the time of the story and a list of the Caesars and key Senator...more
I understand this is not the first book in the series and I have not read the previous books, so I expected to be missing some of the references to the past. Still, I found the backstory to be almost nonexistent, which means I was even more confused than I had expected to be. Adding to my sense of confusion was the lack of a map of the Roman Empire at the time of the story and a list of the Caesars and key Senator...more
I have now read three of the Saint-Germain series...(I am trying to read them in order, but that may or may not continue) -- I have liked 2 of the 3, (it was The Palace that I couldn't finish)
This one was quite entertaining. I think it could partly be because my husband and I just finished watching season two of Rome, and this (while later in years) has the same feel as the TV series did.
I like that Saint-Germain, while important to the story, was not THE story. We go off on many tangents. I am...more
This one was quite entertaining. I think it could partly be because my husband and I just finished watching season two of Rome, and this (while later in years) has the same feel as the TV series did.
I like that Saint-Germain, while important to the story, was not THE story. We go off on many tangents. I am...more
The third in the Saint-Germain series, this book is set in Nero's Rome and explains the origins of several characters previously introduced in the first two books. Of the 3 I have read, this one is definitely my favorite, but I do have a soft spot for Roman history. That said, it's also the first time I've noticed some historical inaccuracies, which really irked me. As usual the letters at the beginning of the chapters are useless; anything learned from them will be repeated in the main body of...more
This was the first heavily historical novel I ever read, and it set my expectations for every one that followed. Yarbro's writing includes a heavy--sometimes overwhelming--amount of research, but that research is what makes her novels and characters come alive.
The problem with beginning your adventures in reading historical fiction with Anya Seton and Dorothy Dunnett is that they spoil you; everything else seems pallid in comparison. That's why I was delighted to realize that I don't remember reading the second book in Yarbro's long-running Count Saint-Germaine series. I've recommended this series to friends who haven't liked any of the vampire-themed titles in the pop fiction of the last decade. The Saint-Germaine series and its spinoffs should reall...more
Sep 03, 2008
Lighthearted
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
vampire-fiction
The Saint-Germain series melds historical fiction, romance and horror into something quite unique. SG is an intriguing character. He’s kind, but in Blood Games, he’s living in Nero’s Rome—why? It’s sickening to know that atrocities happen—why would anyone want a front-row seat? Is he trying to lead by example? Is he inflicting some sort of penance on himself? If so, for what? How long has he been around anyway? I’m curious enough that I’m planning to check out the rest of the series. For a quick...more
I read this book long before this edition came out. I wore the paperback out with re-reading it, and finally got a hardback copy when it was re-issued.
Yarbro's florid prose seems like the right way to describe the excesses of Imperial Rome, and the heroine's misfortune of being married to man with deviant sexual tastes makes this truly a horror novel. Add the dangers faced by Saint-Germain's slaves and then Saint-Germain himself in the arena, and you have an exciting as well as disturbing examin...more
Yarbro's florid prose seems like the right way to describe the excesses of Imperial Rome, and the heroine's misfortune of being married to man with deviant sexual tastes makes this truly a horror novel. Add the dangers faced by Saint-Germain's slaves and then Saint-Germain himself in the arena, and you have an exciting as well as disturbing examin...more
One of the earlier, and better, Saint-Germain novels. Also introduces Olivia into the mix, and it's quite a tale, if rather blood thirsty.
I regularly read at least one book about the Vampire Saint Germain every few months. The author really does her historical research so its almost more historical fantasy than a blood sucking vampire series. In fact St. Germain is a good guy always attempting to help people although he runs up against human ignorance and religious superstition more often before he can do any good. Some character you come to love always seems to die, so I can't read too many at once without getting depressed. Good...more
Ms. Yarbro does her research and brings ancient Rome to life in this novel.
Very good. Lots of interesting details about life in Rome.
No other auther like her. Great
Aug 26, 2010
Michelle Cristiani
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
paranormal
Prequels rock!
Jun 14, 2009
Lindig
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
permanent-library,
fiction
Set in Nero's Rome.
Vampires
I've never been a big fan of the "sexy vampire" school of writing. But if you gotta go that way, this lady is the best. real history and vivid prose. Skip over the gushy parts if you must.
Read this series years ago in publishing order - I'm now planning to re-read (and read some of the newer ones for the first time) in chronological order. I remember loving them!
Besides the Count, this book introduces Olivia, one of the most lively characters ever created. This book gives her back story before she became a vampire.
This got me started on Yarbro as an author. The research into historical detail set it so far above being just another vampire novel.
This is the Vampire time traveler in Nero's Rome. The blood games are the games at the circus maximus.
Aug 07, 2007
Carol
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
vampire lovers
St. Germain is a nice vampire...he only drinks
from the willing, and they tend to stay alive.
from the willing, and they tend to stay alive.
Sep 19, 2008
Trish
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror,
historical-fiction
Set in Nero's Rome, going through to the reign of Vespasian.
isbn,original
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Chelsea Quinn Yarbro is one of only two women ever to be named Grand Master, at the World Horror Convention (2003). She was given the Living Legend Award from the International Horror Guild at World Fantasy Con in 2006 (first woman to receive it). In 2009, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writers Assn. at their convention in Burbank CA. She is the recipient of the Fine F...more
More about Chelsea Quinn Yarbro...
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