The Shoe Box

Amazon.com

Author Francine Rivers once created her own "God Box" for talking with God. Whenever something was bothering Rivers she would write a prayer about it and slip it in her decorated cardboard box. It was this personal God Box that gave her the idea for writing this compelling Christmas story about a foster child named Timmy whose only valued possession is a shoebox. His foster parents, a young Christian couple, are of course curious about this 6-year-old's mysterious box. What could be inside? But knowing that his privacy is one of the few things Timmy has left, they decide not to pry. Rivers uses the backdrop of Timmy's foster family, church community, and the dedication of his birth mother to illustrate what Christian faith can do. The Christmas pageant finale is a true heart warmer for all believers.

Book Description

In this beautiful gift book, Francine Rivers tells a poignant Christmas story about a foster child, Timmy, and his very special shoe box. Includes special notes from the author about the story and her family's Christmas traditions and recipes.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-10-10

Great book, even bought more for gifts, teaches children about giving of yourself and about how God works in very difficult circumstances. Beautifully illustrated.

The Shoe Box.......2005-12-28

This is a very charming book. As a result of the book it inspired my family to create shoe boxes to give during the holiday. It was amazing what good it did. Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful.

Karen

A Lovely Christmas Book .......2005-12-20

The Shoe Box is a fabulous Christmas book. It is a touching story that is beautifully illustrated. It highlights the importance and beauty of child-like faith. For our family, it will be a must-read book each Christmas for years to come.

Relaxing reading with big impact.......2005-05-15

The Shoe Box is a pleasant and easy read, taking me less than an hour to finish but making a big impact. It is one of the more versatile books in my collection and has become one of my favorites.

The story begins as Timmy, a dear six year old comes to live in a foster home, bringing with him a mysterious box. My heart was warmed as his foster family showed him everyday Christian love and Timmy showed them the true meaning of Christmas.

At the end of the book, after Timmy's story, you will find the biblical account or the Christmas story, from Matthew and Luke, presented in the easy to understand New Living Translation.

In addition to these two beautiful stories there are more treasures. dispersed throughout the book are insights into the author's family traditions and some wonderful recipes.

This is a lovely book that will continue to reside on my bookshelf and serve as a Christmas tradition in my home. This year it will be a special gift item for family and friends.

I recommend The Shoe Box as it is just as valuable for relaxing reading on any quiet afternoon, as it is for family reading on Christmas Eve.

Moving.......2004-03-16

It's short, and for that price maybe a bit expencive too... but it's great! When I read it it was like... "this is not that moving at all" - but the end explained all :) really cute.

Book Description

Robert is a successful attorney who has everything in life-and nothing at all.Focussed on professional achievement and material rewards, Robert is on the brink of losing his marriage.He has lost sight of his wife, Kate, their two daughters, and ultimately himself.Eight year old Nathan has a beloved mother, Maggie, whom he is losing to cancer.But Nathan and his family are building a simple yet full life, and struggling to hold onto every moment they have together.A chance meeting on Christmas Even brings Robert and Nathan together-he is shopping for a family he hardly knows and Nathan is shopping for a mother he is soon to lose.In this one encounter, their lives are forever altered as Robert learns an important lesson:sometimes the smallest things can make all the difference.The Christmas Shoes is a universal story of the deeper meaning of serendipity, a tale of our shared humanity, and of how a power greater than ourselves can shape, and even save, our lives.AUTHORBIO: Donna VanLiere is an actress and speaker, and the author of Sheltering Trees:The Power, Promise, and Refuge of Friendship and They Walked With Him.She lives with her husband, Troy, in Nashville, TN, where they are expecting their first child any day now: Gracie, from China.

Customer Reviews:

the chritmas shoes a student review by raisa b........2007-02-20

The Christmas shoe is a really great book. You known those books that ounce u are reading it, nothing can make u put that book down.

Well what this story is about 2dfferent families who are very different from each other. One family is rich , and there marriage is falling apart and all the husband care about is being rich but to the wife she can care less if she did have money or not all she cares about is saving her marriage . Another thing that bothers her is that her husband doesn't see it they have to kids and he never ever spends time with them all he cares about is his job. But one day that will all change.
The family is your average American family the both have jobs two kids and they spend time with each other a lot. But one day this will change to. Maggie who is the wife of the average family. one day the Maggie goes to see her doctor, she has been compiling about a stomach pain so she goes and sees her doctor and she finds out that she has cancer. But the bad thing about this cancer was that she caught at a bad stage witch meant that she really didn't have much time. So she goes home and tells her husben the have there cries and she tells her son. Well as the other family are still having family problems. Well Christmas eve day and everyone known that this is Maggie's last Christmas so there oldest son who is about 8 years old diede to go out and by his mom a Christmas present. While he was looking around to fine the perfect gift for her. So he finds these perfect pair of shoes. So when its time for him to pay he finds out that he doesn't have enough so her turned around and looks at this guy and sad is to him "I Want to by these shoes for my mama please and these shoes are just her sizes and this is going to be her last Christmas tonight'' so the guy is like what do I look like to you rich but he didn't say that to his face. So guy gives him the rest of the money and the boy turns around and said Thank you. The guy was so touch by this that he hpoes everything and runs home to go talk to his wife. And he tells everything that happens and he tells her how much she loves her and that he is going to change spend more time with his kids and his family so they fix everything. So the kid runs home and they all diede to open there Christmas present a little earlier that year so the kid gives her the shoes and she was so excited. And happy. And sad at the same time.

Christmas Shoes........2007-02-20

Do you like a book thats good but sad in other times? Well if you do then this is the book for you! This book is about a young little boy who finds out that his mother has a disease, his mother gets really sick one day. His father says "its not going to be much longer before momma goes home to heaven". As the little boy thinks of what to buy his mom before she dies, he walks pass this shoe store and see's these beautiful pair of shoes.... He goes in the store and he thinks of how he cna save enough money to buy these shoes but before his mother dies. He heard on the T.V. that people can save cans and recycle them to make money. After days went by he finally got enough money for these shoes. Dingle-ling the bell rang as he walked back to the shoes he looked and looked for thethe beautiful shiny shoe's under some boxes. And then... you will have to read the book to find out what happens next!
This is a great book and you will love it if u read the book.

Christmas Shoes........2007-02-20

Do you like a book thats good but sad in other times? Well if you do then this is the book for you! This book is about a young little boy who finds out that his mother has a disease, his mother gets really sick one day. His father says "its not going to be much longer before momma goes home to heaven". As the little boy thinks of what to buy his mom before she dies, he walks pass this shoe store and see's these beautiful pair of shoes.... He goes in the store and he thinks of how he cna save enough money to buy these shoes but before his mother dies. He heard on the T.V. that people can save cans and recycle them to make money. After days went by he finally got enough money for these shoes. Dingle-ling the bell rang as he walked back to the shoes he looked and looked for the shoes and still couldnt find them, but all of a sudden he sees the beautiful shiny shoe's under some boxes. And then... you will have to read the book to find out what happens next!
This is a great book and you will love it if u read the book.

Chance Encounters - Walk a Mile in Another's Shoes.......2006-12-04

Bankruptcy attorney Robert Layton has devoted himself to his career and has left little time for his family. By chance, he meets 8-year-old Nathan whose mother is dying of cancer. Nathan's father tells the boy on Christmas Eve 1985 that his dying mother will soon be going to Heaven.

Desperate to give her one last present, Nathan shops for a gift that will make her look and feel beautiful when she goes to meet Jesus. He finds a pair of brightly colored shoes that he thinks will fit the tab. Sadly, he does not have enough money to buy them and asks the man behind him in line to help. That man, as you have already guessed is Robert Layton.

Impatient with the boy for holding up the line, Layton all but curtly dismisses him until he hears why Nathan has to buy those shoes. At that moment, Layton's life is forever transformed by this boy who has an abundance of his family's love, but a paucity of material goods.

Maudlin, yes, but well written and a good way of reminding people that hope exists, especially in the most unlikely of places and sources. The book closes with the two men some 20 years later who "just happen" to meet again. By then, Nathan is medical school, studying oncology, looking for a cure. This is a good story and an even better reminder to appreciate the people who are meaningful in one's life and to appreciate the natural joys and not taking anything for granted.

I will admit that I cannot stand the song "The Christmas Shoes" and find it maudlin and somewhat depressing. As much as I hate the song, I hate the way it makes me feel even more. Readers got the point, so the song seems like overkill. It is like being hammered over the head to prove a point that has already been well taken, so my feeling is that the book served the purpose well without that miserable song.

A quaint story.......2006-07-06

This is a nice little story suitable for reading by the fireplace on a snowy day. My 12-year old enjoyed it quite a bit. As an adult though I found it to be a bit too much like a made-for-TV-movie (which it apparently became).

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The Shoe Tree of Chagrin
J. Patrick Lewis
Manufacturer: Creative Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1568461739

Miracle in a Shoe Box: A Christmas Gift of Wonder

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Miracle in a Shoe Box: A Christmas Gift of Wonder
Franklin Graham , and Estelle Condra
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0785277285

Christmas at the Old Lady's Shoe, A Play for Little Children

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Christmas at the Old Lady's Shoe, A Play for Little Children
Kathleen Reed Coontz
Manufacturer: Franklin, Ohio: Eldridge Entertainment House, Inc. 1930
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O3RNBC

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The Christmas Boot
Kady MacDonald Denton
Manufacturer: Little Brown & Co (Juv)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0316180912

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The Christmas Shoes
Donna Vanliere
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OT9L4I

The Christmas Shoes (Piano/Vocal/Chords, SHEET MUSIC)

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The Christmas Shoes (Piano/Vocal/Chords, SHEET MUSIC)
Newsong
Manufacturer: ALFRED
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Sheet music
ASIN: B000V40WNU

Product Description

VERSION: Piano/Vocal/Chords FORMAT: Sheet Includes the Following Selection: Title Composer # THE CHRISTMAS SHOES AHLSTROM, LEONARD/CARSWELL, EDDI

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The Christmas Shoes 2001
Donna VanLiere
Manufacturer: St.Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QDPU4C

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Christmas Shoes Package
Donna Vanliere
Manufacturer: Oasis Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Love Karen harper

A must read!!!!

Suspense and love between 2 worlds

Exceedingly dull

Surprisingly Good!!
Dark Harvest (Maplecreek Amish Trilogy #2)
Karen Harper
Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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Dark Road Home (Maplecreek Amish Trilogy #1)

Dark Angel (Maplecreek Amish Trilogy #3)

Down To The Bone

The Baby Farm (Mira)

Shaker Run (Mira)

ASIN: 0778320502

Book Description

Widower Luke Brand is a leader in the peaceful Amish community of Maplecreek. But now his people are under attack from unknown assailants -- and the main target appears to be the children. Although the community is reluctant to turn to the outside world for help, a particularly vicious assault leads Luke to the local police.

Policewoman Kat Lindley is running from the big-city job that nearly got her killed, and from the memories of the abused boy she failed to save. Now she agrees to undertake a dangerous masquerade within the Amish community, desperate to save Maplecreek's children.

Together Luke and Kat are determined to bring justice to the perpetrators, while struggling to suppress the unspoken and forbidden feelings growing between them. But when the case takes a deadly turn, Kat must race to uncover the menace that threatens the people she has grown to deeply respect -- before Luke becomes the next target.

Customer Reviews:

Love Karen harper.......2007-06-23

I love Karen Harper. She provides a great story and wonderful character interaction...she is also one of the few authors I can safely give to my mom to read. :)

A must read!!!!.......2006-08-15

I just finished this book, the second one in the Maplecreek Trilogy. I CAN'T wait to start the next (and unfortunately the last) "Dark Angel". These books are so great. I couldn't put either one of them down once I started to read them. I just love Karen Harper as a writer. I wish she would write more about the amazing "Plain People" of Maplecreek. I felt like one of them while reading the first two books...

Suspense and love between 2 worlds.......2006-07-18

Set in Amish country, the little town of Maplecreek is having all too many hate crimes and no one can seem to solve anything until..... an outsider comes in, disguised as Amish and uses her cop experience to the fullest.

It seems the Bishops are prime targets as are the children. It is very suspenseful and intriguing to watch this story unfold and with it a sweet, sweet love story as well.

I happened to read book three first, and this is book two, but they can be read alone or in series.

Exceedingly dull.......2005-02-06

A policewoman goes undercover in an Amish community to try and discover who is terrorising them. She quickly falls in love with the Amish lifestyle, and puts herself into practically suicidal situations to uncover the truth.

This book took me a long time to finish - I read about three other books in the time it took me to reach the end of this exercise in tedium. You know you're in trouble when you can pick up a book after a week and continue straight on without having to refresh your memory. Dark Harvest is very tame, and the crimes committed against the Amish wouldn't make a seasoned pre-teen R.L. Stine reader blink. Harper mostly seems interested in telling us, over and over and over again, how wonderful the Amish are and how dedicated Kat is in regards to capturing the evil culprit causing them grief. I get the picture! Stop talking about it already and go find the guy!

MIRA needs to find some crime writers more along the lines of Alex Kava. She's certainly had her share of duds, but she can at least strike a good balance between crime and romance, and isn't afraid to delve into darker territory.

Surprisingly Good!!.......2004-09-01

I usually don't read "romantic mysteries" because they can be too much sweetness and not enough suspense. This book had plenty of suspense, which made me keep reading into the wee hours of the morning. I especially enjoyed reading about the Amish, as I have had several opportunities to visit places around the country where they live. I really enjoyed Kat Lindley, and I hope we find out more about her future life in the Amish community. If you liked this book, also read PLAIN TRUTH by Jodi Picoult. This is a mystery set in the Amish country of Pennsylvania.

Average customer rating:

Perfect season for a horror!
A good old Halloween tale...
Your town? Better hope not.
A Horror Tale Knockout
Excellent

Dark Harvest
Norman Partridge
Manufacturer: Cemetery Dance Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1587671476

Book Description

A Midwestern town. You know its name. You were born there.

It's Halloween night, 1963. Every boy between the ages of sixteen and nineteen has been locked up for the last five days. Now, starving and wild, they're hitting the streets armed with baseball bats, pitchforks, and two-by-fours studded with nails.

They're ready to go nose-to-nose with a legend. He's the reaper that grows in a cornfield, the merciless trick with a heart made of treats, the butchering nightmare with a Jack O' Lantern face. He's the October Boy, and he visits your town every Halloween, ready to run a gauntlet of young men anxious to carve his beating candy heart from his chest.

Mitch Crenshaw and his gang burn rubber in a street rod with Gorgon headlights.... Pete McCormick's on the move with a stolen .45... and a hunted girl is out there, too, making her break on the one night of the year when no rules apply. You're running with them, threading your own path through danger and moonlight, shadowing a sadistic cop and packs of brutal teenagers who'll attack anyone who gets in their way. Because this is your town. You understand its secrets, and you want a ringside seat on the night it all comes tumbling down.

Norman Partridge returns to Cemetery Dance with a high-octane tale of fantastic suspense. Startlingly original in style and execution, Dark Harvest is sure to be the horror event this Halloween season. Don't miss it!

Customer Reviews:

Perfect season for a horror!.......2007-10-07

Our story is set in 1963, on Halloween night. As for where, any small midwestern town. Everyone in town knows everyone else. You would think there would be no secrets in such a tiny town. That is true if you are age seventeen or more. Until then, one dark secret is kept by all the locals.

If you are age sixteen, then you must participate in the Halloween ritual. School is out for an entire week at the end of October. All sixteen-year-old boys are locked up in their rooms and starved for five nights. Halloween is the fifth night. It is then that they are all released and leave their homes to hunt down and destroy the entity known as the October Boy.

Sawtooth Jack, Ol'Hacksaw Face, October Boy... No matter what you call him, he comes from the corn field wielding a knife, heading for the middle of town. He knows that each human boy wants to win the Halloween ritual by destroying him. For this ritual, this game, a human boy must kill October Boy before the stroke of midnight. As for Ol'Hacksaw Face, his task is to make it to the church, in the middle of town, alive. The human boy who kills October Boy wins a huge prize and it is very tempting indeed. But is winning the ritual really worth it?

**** Other than the story seems to ramble on a bit too much and it is very expensive, this oversized paperback novel is worth your time. The reader follows the story from the view of several people, but the main two are Pete McCormick, a sixteen-year-old boy, and October Boy. I did not find anything surprising, but the author did add a twist or two that I highly enjoyed. A terrific story to send a few chills down your spine, but do not worry about having any nightmares... unless you are a sixteen-year-old boy reading this. ****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

A good old Halloween tale..........2007-03-17

... with a fresh new spin. The Pumpkin Boy is unleashed on Halloween and every boy between the ages of sixteen and nineteen wants a piece of him. Armed with pitchforks and baseball bats, they relentlessly pursue him. So begins a long night in Anytown, USA in 1963. Pete McCormick is trying to escape the town's madness and will meet a girl, but they'll be shoved at the heart of it all. As the night progresses, the town's darkest secret is slowly coming to the surface after all these years.

I love Halloween stories and Dark Harvest rocked. It's the kind of book you read in one sitting. The story moves at break-neck pace and the atmosphere throughout the book puts you smack in the middle of that dreadful night along with the characters. It's got plenty of action, but it's also a sad story. You genuinely feel for the Pumpkin Boy and the town's loss of innocence.

Beautifully bound by Cemetery Dance and limited to 2,000 signed copies, this long novella is highly recommended. Believe the hype, this is a wild horror tale. Norm Partridge has weaved a new Halloween classic. I'm looking forward to his next book.

Your town? Better hope not........2007-03-04

Norman Partridge shuns the modern world in Dark Harvest, instead choosing to focus on what many consider a more "innocent' time. Here's how the novella begins:

A Midwestern town. You know its name. You were born there.
It's Halloween, 1963 . . . and getting on towards dark.

Partridge follows these moody opening lines with a Bradburyesque description of the unnamed town (delivered by an omniscient narrator), evoking the likes of Sherwood Anderson and Thornton Wilder even as he veers off into edgier territory by introducing the Pumpkin Boy, a.k.a. Sawtooth Jack, a.k.a. Hacksaw Face. The Pumpkin Boy is a pumpkin-headed effigy (shades of Sleepy Hollow!) who stands guard over the town's crops; on Halloween, he comes to life to run a gauntlet of the town's young men, all out to destroy him. The gauntlet is an annual ritual, the result of an ancient pact between the town and a greater power, still honored even though most don't recall its original purpose. So far, the Pumpkin Boy has never successfully reached his goal, a church in the middle of town; he has always been stopped (read destroyed) by one of the town's young men, who win a one-way ticket out of the remote hamlet. The majority of the action is seen through the eyes of the Pumpkin Boy, and Pete McCormick, a young man desperate in his desire to escape the town's environs. Their adventures on this particular Halloween night reveal the horror beneath the calm, respectable façade of the unnamed town, uncovering secrets that threaten to destroy it.

It seems significant that Partridge set the novel in October 1963, only weeks before America was shocked by the assassination of John F. Kennedy, in the process losing what was left of its innocence; Partridge's unnamed town undergoes a similar, albeit more intense and personal, loss of innocence, done in by the actions of those who believe they are acting in the best interests of the community. Quintessential Partridge, this violent and explosive novella vividly evokes the early Sixties, touching on the frivolous, like hot rods, rock and roll, and going to the movies, but also delving into the darker aspects of that era, like juvenile delinquency and child abuse. In absolute control throughout, Partridge structures the story as a violent life-and-death race against time, giving it a rare immediacy and power. Doing so, he provides another example of why the novella sometimes seems the perfect vehicle for a tale of horror--it is storytelling stripped to its essentials, a format that forces writers to make their points succinctly and forcefully. That is not to say that they can't be subtle, either, just that they have to be more efficient. Because Partridge does this so well, he's able to make a little go a long, long way.

A Horror Tale Knockout.......2007-01-21

This book is simply amazing. Partridge's writing is so incredibly fast-paced, it's hard to keep up -- and that's a good thing. The energy in his writing makes it very apparent he loves telling a good old fashioned horror tale. This book has quickly jumped to one of my all time favorite novellas. A lot of times, spending money on a limited edition hardcover (currently the only available format) is risky and can be disappointing if the material is not strong, but I can assure you, this is money well spent. I hope to see longer works (full length novels) by this author in the future. I'm glad I took a gamble and picked this title up. It's a blazingly original ride.

Excellent.......2007-01-17

Partridge's prose is, as usual, full of pulp, and Americana. Full of hot rods, busted lips and skinned knees. In this story, more novella than novel, we get an action and chill packed adventure that takes place once a year in a small town. He creates a really cool mythology full of horrible bad guys, underdog good guys (and girls) and those that never chose a side who are more pitiful than anything else.

The main problem, if one were to be negative, is the same one that is attributed to his masterpiece - Wildest Dreams - the story is too short. There isn't a single word/phrase/action/plot line wasted and while this makes quite possibly the most excellent storytelling around today, it also leaves Partridge fans wanting more. This book can easily be read in 2 or 3 days.

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Dark Harvest (HC/DJ)

Manufacturer: Mira
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739443569

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Dark Harvest

Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739444476

Midnight Harvest (The Chronicles of Saint-Germain)

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shouldn't a historical novel have history?
Midnight Harvest fails
Twenty first in the Saint Germain series.
Yawn from beginning to end
Saint-Germain Comes to US

Midnight Harvest (The Chronicles of Saint-Germain)
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Manufacturer: Aspect
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 044661341X

Book Description

From the Chronicles of Saint-Germain comes Book 16 in the long-running vampire series which brings the Dark Prince to Calif- ornia during the Great Depression. Fleeing Spain at the beginning of their Civil War, the vampire Saint-Germain arrives in Calif-ornia to reunite with the older and wiser Rowena Saxon, who is considering following the Dark Prince into an eternal life. Meanwhile, Saint-Germain is unaware that a ruthless assassin is pursuing him-one of the most charming killers ever to grace the page: Cenere. Unbelievably smooth and utterly inhumane, Cenere has trailed Saint-Germain across oceans and continents, killing anyone in his way, including those under Saint-Germain's protection. But will Saint-Germain finally awaken to the danger that threatens him before all he loves is lost?

Customer Reviews:

shouldn't a historical novel have history?.......2006-02-28

I have to agree with Juan Depaz. I have done some amateur historical research on the period (I published a study of Jose Antonio Primo de Rivera which received good reviews in Spain) and the vision that Yarbro has of the Civil War and what led to it is plain ridiculous. Somehow she wanted the atmosphere so that she could hang her tale, never mind how it meshed with reality.

(That reminds me that, never mind how much I enjoyed The Palace, Savonarola never conducted an auto-da-fe).

I am also irritated by the frequency in which priests, monks, and other members of the Church tend to be ignorant and despicable villains. Yarbro should get off her anti-Christian kick.

Midnight Harvest fails.......2006-02-03

Chelsea Quinn Yarbro has spent two decades giving us windows to distant times and forgotten lands through the eyes of the vampires Saint-Germain and Olivia and often done an extraordinary job. This is not the case. Reading Midnight Harvest one wonders if she even bothered to make research this time. Saint-Germain has to flee Spain to escape the Fascists. As if they would have bothered a rich, Catholic nobleman. Yarbro seems to fall pray to the easy conceit many fall pray to and believe the Fascists were bad and the Republicans were good. She goes on and on about the "Generals" stealing business and killing the owners. Not one word about radical Communists and Anarquist doing it ten times worse. Saint-Germain's struggle with the White Legion in California and a Fascist assassin is a study in boredom.
My greatest problem with the book is that it makes me doubt the accuracy of Yarbro's research for other books. Dark of the Sun was astonishing(in a good way). But if all her research is so inaccurate...

Twenty first in the Saint Germain series........2005-02-01

Or sixteenth, if one doesn't count the two offshoot series, one centering around Atta Olivia Clemens and one around Madeline de Montalia, both vampires who came to the undead life by way of Saint Germain.

Like all of the books in this series, this is a historical novel, set during a period in the unlife of Ferenc Ragosky, Count Saint Germain, a vampire who has lived since approximately 2000 years BCE. Unlike most of the others, however, this one is set fairly recently, in the period between World Wars I and II, and uniquely to this point (discounting a couple of the short stories in "The Chronicles of Saint Germain") is set in the United States of America.

Like all of the books in this series, it is a fascinating look at a fascinating character; Saint Germain is always a delight, although to some fans of more standard vampire fiction, he's too much of an unmitigated hero; there isn't enough of the dark, brooding antihero to him for some tastes. There may be some fans of the seiries, too, who prefer the more distant historical settings, and who find the twentieth century too current for their tastes in historical fiction.

Unless either of these quibbles sounds like something that would resonate with you, however, this book is highly recommended. Both the character and the history are very well-handled, and in addition, we see a character from a previous book; the love interest, Rowena Saxon, is a carryover from "Writ In Blood", which was set in the period immediately before the first world war.

Yawn from beginning to end.......2003-12-16

I really don't know why I keep doing this to myself. I suppose it's out of loyalty to Saint-Germain. But I must say my hopes for a truly engaging SG book have pretty much been extinquished. There was a time when Yarbro could write...what happened?

I'll overlook the fact that the book opens with an entirely gratuitous and graphic sex scene (can I just say I really don't need a blow by blow description of where the count is sticking his tongue...some things are better left to imagination). But let's move beyond that.

The whole plot of the book was weak. SG leaves Spain on the eve of civil war only to be followed by an assasin of the new regime. Sounds exciting? HA! This is a study in how to make nothing happen throughout an entire book. Things that should have been suspenseful were flattened by endless repetative dialog and an entire lack of action. He must get his lover out of Spain...blah blah blah, lover leaves Spain without incident. He must get out of Spain...blah blah blah, he drives out of Spain without incident. Once he's in America things really pick up. I particularly liked the entire chapter devoted to buying a car. Wheeee! Eleven pages conversations with a saleman...the test drive was really exciting.

It was nice to see Rowena Saxon again (more muff diving). However, the "problems" SG faces with the vinyards he has invested in seem entirely contrived...and again, the action is buried in the repetitive dialog. Let's Beat This Point to Death should have been the title of this book. When action finally does manage to shoulder its way to the fore, Yarbro gets it over with as quickly as possible and gets back to being tedious. SG gets severely injured, turn the page, bing, all better...back to endless yapping.

Die hard fans will still read this just to get their SG fix (look at me). I probably can't talk them out of it. If you've never been introduced to Saint-Germain, for the love of all the forgotten gods, don't start with this one.

Saint-Germain Comes to US.......2003-11-24

Midnight Harvest, while not as much of an edge-of-seat read as might be a few of the previous books, manages to introduce new connections, resolutions and laying bare of some previously met plots, settings, mysteries and people. Running for his life, as usual, Saint-Germain leaves eve-of-Civil War Spain and makes his way across to America and on to San Francisco. Reuniting with a previous lover, he must survive the attentions of a murderous assassin and help the people he loves and those he cares about survive the attentions of 20th century American villains. While there is not the "cast of thousands" violence seen in some of the earlier adventures, a healthy dose of suspense mixed with Ms. Yarbro's usual extremely competent period scholarship make for a very satisfying read. Saint-Germain is the oldest and, I think, so very romantic of the six vampiric "heroes" in either current TV or books available to us today. This latest book makes for a good addition to any collection of Saint-Germain's adventures, or the beginning of one. After all, you can't beat a bit of sex, violence and learnin' for curl up and enjoyable pleasure.

4 Titles By Karen Harper : Island Ecstasy - Dawn's Early Light - Dark Harvest - Inferno

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4 Titles By Karen Harper : Island Ecstasy - Dawn's Early Light - Dark Harvest - Inferno
Karen Harper
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William P. & Paul Melniczek; Michael Laimo (foreword), Gene O'Neill (afterword) Simmons
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