Vampire Vow

by Michael Schiefelbein

Book Overview

A savage and sensuous chronicle of a contemporary vampire seeking vengeance against God. Desperately in love with but rejected by the young Jesus, he turns on the citizens of Jerusalem in a frenzy of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1555835864
• ISBN13: 9781555835866
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Alyson Books
• Length: 203 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Sinful Pleasure

This book is highly addictive and very well written. It sucks you in and will not let you go, not until you are done reading it. It captures the raw savagery that is Victor Decimus, and makes you yearn for what he desperately wants. You feel the sheer anger and love that radiates through him for his young "Joshu" and then you feel his intrigue for the young Brother Michael, the thrill of wanting someone so independent and righteous. I recommend this book for all people who enjoy raw and savage vampires, who enjoy the feeling of lusting after the forbidden fruit, and who seek the love of another.

good job

The author's curriculum on the bookcover mentions his being a professor of writing AND literature. As a matter of fact he must be: not a single redundant description, not a clumsy turn of phrase, not a wasted word are to be found in this extremely fast paced story, too short to be a real novel. This is so true I found myself considering if a couple more pages would not have bettered an already breathtaking narration giving it a little more depth. The plot is original and interesting, flashbacks short and always to the point, characterization consistent and focused. The reader has to be able to catch subtle hints, sometimes, but if he/she manages to do it, not a single fact looks unjustified. Many reviewers have complained about gore and violence: both are present, the main character being a bloodthirsty, selfish son of a b...h, but blood and (homosexual) sex are never indulged upon, they just look like necessary engines to push the story forward. Mr Schiefelbein seems much more interested in outlining the complex attitude of his characters towards religion and he does it tastefully, though I think a catholic reader might argue with me on this. This is an excellent read, entertaining, which seems to fall short of literature out of choice rather than out of limits. It should not be read by minors or sensitive people.

Holy vs Unholy

Vampire Vow is a mesmerizing tale! It piqued my interests on several levels. Perhaps even hints at a question that many may have pondered but few would have dared to ask. " What if Christ had not gone through with the crucifiction?" History tells a differnt story. There are interesting parallels between the vows of the vampire and that of the Catholic church. Other authors have written excellent vampire stories giving various ideas of how vampires came to be. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought to bring a vampire tale that would bind Joshu (Jesus) to have known and befriended someone who was made part of the Kingdom of Darkness. In the end, I must say I enjoyed this book for a number of reasons, Vampirism, Catholcism(I'm a Protestant), and the style of going back and forth with the characters to tell their stories through their eyes. I eagerly await the rising of yet another Vampire tale by Michael Schiefelbein. The homoeroticism in his stories shine like a sun compared to yet another great vampire Anne Rice. Next to him, the homoeroticism is just a faint candle.

Vampire Vow is a Wow!

Vampire Vow is the story of the Roman soldier Victor Decimus, stationed in Palestine, who is obsessed with the one thing he could never have, the physical conquest of Jesus. As Jesus repeatedly refuses his sexual advances, Victor's rage becomes self-destructive and he chooses to flee imprisonment, and worse, humiliation, by becoming a Vampire. At the same time Victor enters the Dark Kingdom, he meets for the last time the risen Christ, who rejects him one final time, ascending into Heaven. Victor blames God for depriving him of the only one he ever loved, and sets about, over the next 2 millennium, the systematic destruction of what to him is the symbol of God, the idealistic men of Monastic life. Settling in at a monastery in present day rural Tennessee, Victor meets the pious monk Michael, perhaps almost an equal to Jesus in spirituality, and attempts to win Michael over to everlasting life in the Dark Kingdom. Michael Schiefelbein has superbly crafted a powerful, gripping novel. The character of Victor as a raw, crude, vicious villain serves as the perfect counterpoint to Michael, who, like Jesus, is a pure, spiritual, unbreakable man. And there is no better place than a serene Monastary for a brutal monster to conceal his true nature. His expert, first hand knowledge of the priesthood and Catholicism adds dimension and reality to the plot and charaters. The most devout Christian would appreciate his handling of Jesus. And indeed, that just adds authenticity to the creation of the plot. The book is fast paced and fluid, an easy, pleasing read. I highly recommend it, especially to people interested in a great mix of gay fiction, Vampires and the priesthood.

Lust, Valour, Passion Make a Crossover Vampire Hit

In his premier novel, Vampire Vow, Michael Schiefelbein has employed the conventions of gothic fiction with wit, passion, and intelligence, a combination that will render his book a crossover success because these qualities will appeal to a wide range of readers, including those (like me) who would not normally read vampire novels. Vampire fans will relish the renate lore; gay readers, the homoeroticism; scholars, the clever exploration of philosophical and theological themes. The sly Dr. Schiefelbein has produced (without being explicit about it) a debate between Christ and Nietzche's Anti-Christ, in the role of the novel's protagonist and uebermensch, Victor Decimus. Leaving the crypt door open for a sequel, the novel delivers tight plotting, vivid characterization, and demonic romanticism. --Thomas L. Long, Editor, Harrington Gay Men's Fiction Quarterly