I first read HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA when it was originally published in 1978 and reread in now because it was nominated by the Horror Writers Association (HWA) for the "Bram Stoker Vampire Novel of the Century Award" ; http://www.horror.org/blog/?p=2268. The winner will be announced at the Bram Stoker Awards Banquet during the 2012 World Horror Convention on March 31, 2012.
Yarbro's novel is not your typical vampire novel. Although the main character, Count Saint-Germain, is a vampire, he happens to be the good guy and I believe, in 1978, this was the first time a vampire had been portrayed as an actual force for good. Saint Germain only requires a small amount of blood each day to survive and prefers for his 'suppliers' to be willing donors, not coerced or hunted victims. He is a good friend, always willing to help someone who is in need or in trouble, especially the innocent. He also appears to an excellent employer, as all of his servants are extremely loyal. And from the amount of female interest St. Germain attracts, he is apparently a great lover with no lack of 'potential' willing partners.
The novel takes place in Paris, France in 1743 and Yarbro provides plenty of historical detail about the clothing and social position of the characters, most of whom are members of the French aristocracy. She develops and maintains the historical setting by introducing and ending each section with excerpts from letters between various individuals. The very formal writing style of these letters is reminiscent of the time period and not only sets the stage for the following chapter but also relates events which take place off-the-page. As I was reading, I found that these letters helped to introduce many of the characters, enhanced my understanding of the time period, and pulled me further into the story.
Anyone looking for a vampire horror story may be disappointed because, even though this is a vampire novel, it is really a romance as indicated by the subtitle, 'a novel of forbidden love.' Hotel Transylvania is the first published title (although not the first chronologically) in Yarbro's Count Saint-Germain series. The 25th book in the series, Commedia Della Morte: a Novel of the Count Saint-Germain, was published March 2012. See: http://bit.ly/HcgTeb
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