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Conversion: The Ultimate Edition
Ron is at a crossroads in his life. Infatuated with a mysterious woman he met at a charismatic church that caters to the Los Angeles goth crowd, Ron begins feeling increasingly weak and confused in the daylight hours...and more alive at night.
Joel is at a similar crossroads. Bored with his life, he drifts aimlessly until one night when he sees his best friend murdered by something that can only be described as a vampire.
Cindy is infatuated with vampires. She finds them sexy. She fantasizes about living forever. Surely the old horror movies got the legends wrong. They can't be soulless, bloodsucking fiends. What's so evil about desiring immortality?
In one week of bloodshed and violence, Ron, Joel, and Cindy will come together at odds with each other. One determined to destroy the creature that killed his friend, one determined to save him, and one who simply wants to stay alive... And live forever.
Set in 1990s Los Angeles, Conversion is J.F. Gonzalez's long lost first novel, finally back in print after two decades
Joel is at a similar crossroads. Bored with his life, he drifts aimlessly until one night when he sees his best friend murdered by something that can only be described as a vampire.
Cindy is infatuated with vampires. She finds them sexy. She fantasizes about living forever. Surely the old horror movies got the legends wrong. They can't be soulless, bloodsucking fiends. What's so evil about desiring immortality?
In one week of bloodshed and violence, Ron, Joel, and Cindy will come together at odds with each other. One determined to destroy the creature that killed his friend, one determined to save him, and one who simply wants to stay alive... And live forever.
Set in 1990s Los Angeles, Conversion is J.F. Gonzalez's long lost first novel, finally back in print after two decades
- GenresHorror
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 22, 2025
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May 11, 2025
Conversion: The Ultimate Edition [Reprint 2025] By J.F. Gonzalez
My Review 3.0 Stars
“Set in 1990s Los Angeles, Conversion is J.F. Gonzalez's long lost first novel, finally back in print after two decades”
This first book written by Gonzalez has an interesting story behind it. Pursuant to the Intro by Brian Keene, the idea for the novel was born when he wandered into the Scientology church in Pasadena. Jesus and his friend Mark got “readings” there and “They gave answers that got one labeled suicidal and the other one labeled homicidal.” His wife Cathy related to Brian Keene that Jesus and Mark were quite amused by the experience. Gonzalez started writing this vampire thriller in the summer of 1988 when he was 24 years old.
“Clickers” was published in 1999 (and the rest is history). Jesus was 35 years old at the time the cult classic was released and circulated. Gonzalez had evidently treated “Conversion” as a pet project and a period of two years went by before the book was completed in 1990. Nearly a decade subsequently passed before Jesus dusted off the 1990 manuscript and subjected it to what he termed a “drastic rewrite” over a five-month time period in 1999.
This debut novel by Gonzalez was initially written during the period from June 1988 – June 1990. Subsequent to a complete overhaul in 1999 it was published following the commercially successful “Clickers” in the early 2000’s. The novel was not well received at the time of its release and Gonzalez pulled it out of circulation “after a year or so” with intentions to “heavily revise it at some point and rerelease it”.
The sheer tenacity of Gonzalez is noteworthy, and at this juncture the published book was the product of his brainchild conceived in 1988, finally delivered in the early 2000’s, only to be pulled out of print by around 2001 or 2002. It was his first attempt at writing a novel and 12 years had passed between his conception of the story and its stillborn delivery. Yet his intention was to resuscitate “Conversion” with “Full Code” status. It was only his untimely death which interfered with his plans for “Conversion” to live again. Considering the subject matter of the novel was the vampire mythos and immortality, the story of the novel itself is both sad and ironic. “Jesus’s revisions on ‘Conversion’ went unfinished”.
Brian Keene released a partial “vision” of the novel (an edition which incorporates “a partially revised manuscript” and “notes [Keene] found among his estate papers”. I am not sorry I purchased this product which represents the creative imagination of an enthusiastic young Jesus as a 24-year-old unpublished author. He did indeed have an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre’s history, and it remains unknown whether he may have been successful in the contribution of anything new to the vampire mythos.
I read the book knowing that the content of an “Author’s Preferred Version” died with Gonzalez. This 342-page novel is designated as a “Vampire Thriller” (or “Vampire Suspense”). Jesus was effective in projecting the iconic Goth culture of the 1990’s against the backdrop of Los Angeles. It is my opinion that the author did inject a colorful and profound “spin” on the vampire mythos, albeit Gonzalez would say for the record that he failed to contribute anything “new” to the vampire folklore literature.
The central theme of the book focuses on a viral outbreak of vampirism in the streets of LA which is perpetrated by a false prophet among the susceptible youth who have been betrayed or disillusioned by the constructs of organized religion. The Armanti-clothed, cultured, and charismatic figure of the Reverend Victor Collins looms large, and his young protégé the darkly beautiful and seductive Sophia Lomeli ventures forth from the shadows. I admired the author’s juxtaposition of the vampire’s origin story with the biblical scriptures relating the story of Jesus Christ of Nazarene.
The gospel as being preached by the hypnotic King Vampire is pretty damn spooky to read in fact which includes the instruction that (when Jesus) invited his disciples to drink his blood so that they can have eternal life, “he isn’t speaking symbolically”. The addendum that the body of Jesus was “pulled apart after death---in order to prevent him from rising, you see” in order for Paul to reinvent his legacy”.
The main characters include Ron Wheeling, a handsome young man who is immersed in the Goth culture and attends an ostensibly religious event that is sponsored by the new group calling themselves Sanctuary Christian Fellowship. He meets a stunningly beautiful girl and the outcome is predictable…to a point…of incisors, that is. Ron is aware that the stunning Sophia is biting his neck during sex. It is only when an unfamiliar “hunger” threatens to consume him (and he drinks his fill of another human soul) that he becomes concerned. Keep in mind this kid is a die-hard Goth fan who dons solid black attire and pale make up as routinely as breathing.
Incredibly attractive Cindy (and her sister Lisa) are pretty much permanent fixtures along Sunset Boulevard particularly in a little dive called Christi’s which caters to the Goth crowd. Cindy “knows” Ron when she sees him which is fairly frequently. A bum being drained of his blood supply is all over the news, and Ron is moping around on Sunset Boulevard when Cindy spots him lumbering along with a sullen expression. Cindy is mesmerized by vampire mythology which all but saturates the Goth crowd.
A different note is struck when the loose cannon named Ron runs from his maker and attacks a second person, only this time a young and handsome athletic dude named Cliff, and in front of witnesses. Enter our third main character of the book, best friend Joel. Can someone say “Bloody Murder”!
The plot meanders but ultimately settles on the fates of our three main characters (Ron, Cindy, and Joel). It is noted that gradually the focus shifts to the secondary characters of Joel, Lisa, and Debbie (friend from Church). The equivocation of the characters, both main players and the second string, never settling on any semblance of rationality about their situations finally started to fray at the edges of my patience.
The fantastic backstory of the King Vampire Victor simply fell flat with me. It served as a rationale for some colorful sadistic behaviors that were attributed to some embellishment of Victor’s past experiences with townspeople years past who believed in the vampire folklore and handled "blood-sucking vampires" accordingly, dispatching them with prejudice. There was the incongruity of Victor’s alleged days of sexual passion being in the past, hence his platonic relationship with his stunningly beautiful protégé Sophia. Victor’s subsequent relationship with the captive Cindy was rendered incongruent in light of the prior narrative. However, it is disclosed later in the plot line that Victor had an underlying motivation for turning Cindy, aside from securing himself a new mate.
The last 25% of the novel is non-stop action featuring figures that were still human, namely Joel, Cindy’s sister Lisa, and reluctant Christian Debbie. The unlikely trio of “vampire slayers” ultimately dispatch vampires with fire after crosses, stakes, and bullets are not up to the task. The problem with the conclusion of the novel is that it felt never-ending. The Chief Homicide Cop gets involved before the final round of the fight.
The scene in the novel about the morgue experiences of Ron’s dead blood-drained “victims” is perhaps as close to chilling as the prose goes. That observation is particularly true for Louie Anderson, the street person who is murdered during the opening credits. The book is a card-carrying member of the mainstream horror literature and not a selection for extreme horror enthusiasts. I really enjoy the works by Gonzalez, but this novel was a struggle for me to read. The story seemed disjointed at times, and there was a stasis in the pacing of the plot that was really problematic. The main characters were insufferable and completely unsympathetic with the solitary exception of Joel. The second-string players displayed some character, particularly Lisa. Generally speaking, I thought the writing was okay, and the concept itself was actually chilling. I just could not push it past Three Stars.
Jesus’s contempt for organized religion in the plotline of “Conversion” is projected loud and clear. Similarly, his ambivalence for LA underscores the entirety of the narrative. It is a love-hate relationship that readers would hear echoed by the nihilistic genius of authors such as Chandler Morrison in the years and the decades to come.
I must not forget to compliment the stunning artwork by the talented Kealan Patrick Burke for his cover design. Frankly it was the cover art that grabbed my attention and the author’s name which sealed the deal.
“Drink the blood of the new and Everlasting Covenant. Drink the blood of LIFE.”
My Review 3.0 Stars
“Set in 1990s Los Angeles, Conversion is J.F. Gonzalez's long lost first novel, finally back in print after two decades”
This first book written by Gonzalez has an interesting story behind it. Pursuant to the Intro by Brian Keene, the idea for the novel was born when he wandered into the Scientology church in Pasadena. Jesus and his friend Mark got “readings” there and “They gave answers that got one labeled suicidal and the other one labeled homicidal.” His wife Cathy related to Brian Keene that Jesus and Mark were quite amused by the experience. Gonzalez started writing this vampire thriller in the summer of 1988 when he was 24 years old.
“Clickers” was published in 1999 (and the rest is history). Jesus was 35 years old at the time the cult classic was released and circulated. Gonzalez had evidently treated “Conversion” as a pet project and a period of two years went by before the book was completed in 1990. Nearly a decade subsequently passed before Jesus dusted off the 1990 manuscript and subjected it to what he termed a “drastic rewrite” over a five-month time period in 1999.
This debut novel by Gonzalez was initially written during the period from June 1988 – June 1990. Subsequent to a complete overhaul in 1999 it was published following the commercially successful “Clickers” in the early 2000’s. The novel was not well received at the time of its release and Gonzalez pulled it out of circulation “after a year or so” with intentions to “heavily revise it at some point and rerelease it”.
The sheer tenacity of Gonzalez is noteworthy, and at this juncture the published book was the product of his brainchild conceived in 1988, finally delivered in the early 2000’s, only to be pulled out of print by around 2001 or 2002. It was his first attempt at writing a novel and 12 years had passed between his conception of the story and its stillborn delivery. Yet his intention was to resuscitate “Conversion” with “Full Code” status. It was only his untimely death which interfered with his plans for “Conversion” to live again. Considering the subject matter of the novel was the vampire mythos and immortality, the story of the novel itself is both sad and ironic. “Jesus’s revisions on ‘Conversion’ went unfinished”.
Brian Keene released a partial “vision” of the novel (an edition which incorporates “a partially revised manuscript” and “notes [Keene] found among his estate papers”. I am not sorry I purchased this product which represents the creative imagination of an enthusiastic young Jesus as a 24-year-old unpublished author. He did indeed have an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre’s history, and it remains unknown whether he may have been successful in the contribution of anything new to the vampire mythos.
I read the book knowing that the content of an “Author’s Preferred Version” died with Gonzalez. This 342-page novel is designated as a “Vampire Thriller” (or “Vampire Suspense”). Jesus was effective in projecting the iconic Goth culture of the 1990’s against the backdrop of Los Angeles. It is my opinion that the author did inject a colorful and profound “spin” on the vampire mythos, albeit Gonzalez would say for the record that he failed to contribute anything “new” to the vampire folklore literature.
The central theme of the book focuses on a viral outbreak of vampirism in the streets of LA which is perpetrated by a false prophet among the susceptible youth who have been betrayed or disillusioned by the constructs of organized religion. The Armanti-clothed, cultured, and charismatic figure of the Reverend Victor Collins looms large, and his young protégé the darkly beautiful and seductive Sophia Lomeli ventures forth from the shadows. I admired the author’s juxtaposition of the vampire’s origin story with the biblical scriptures relating the story of Jesus Christ of Nazarene.
The gospel as being preached by the hypnotic King Vampire is pretty damn spooky to read in fact which includes the instruction that (when Jesus) invited his disciples to drink his blood so that they can have eternal life, “he isn’t speaking symbolically”. The addendum that the body of Jesus was “pulled apart after death---in order to prevent him from rising, you see” in order for Paul to reinvent his legacy”.
The main characters include Ron Wheeling, a handsome young man who is immersed in the Goth culture and attends an ostensibly religious event that is sponsored by the new group calling themselves Sanctuary Christian Fellowship. He meets a stunningly beautiful girl and the outcome is predictable…to a point…of incisors, that is. Ron is aware that the stunning Sophia is biting his neck during sex. It is only when an unfamiliar “hunger” threatens to consume him (and he drinks his fill of another human soul) that he becomes concerned. Keep in mind this kid is a die-hard Goth fan who dons solid black attire and pale make up as routinely as breathing.
Incredibly attractive Cindy (and her sister Lisa) are pretty much permanent fixtures along Sunset Boulevard particularly in a little dive called Christi’s which caters to the Goth crowd. Cindy “knows” Ron when she sees him which is fairly frequently. A bum being drained of his blood supply is all over the news, and Ron is moping around on Sunset Boulevard when Cindy spots him lumbering along with a sullen expression. Cindy is mesmerized by vampire mythology which all but saturates the Goth crowd.
A different note is struck when the loose cannon named Ron runs from his maker and attacks a second person, only this time a young and handsome athletic dude named Cliff, and in front of witnesses. Enter our third main character of the book, best friend Joel. Can someone say “Bloody Murder”!
The plot meanders but ultimately settles on the fates of our three main characters (Ron, Cindy, and Joel). It is noted that gradually the focus shifts to the secondary characters of Joel, Lisa, and Debbie (friend from Church). The equivocation of the characters, both main players and the second string, never settling on any semblance of rationality about their situations finally started to fray at the edges of my patience.
The fantastic backstory of the King Vampire Victor simply fell flat with me. It served as a rationale for some colorful sadistic behaviors that were attributed to some embellishment of Victor’s past experiences with townspeople years past who believed in the vampire folklore and handled "blood-sucking vampires" accordingly, dispatching them with prejudice. There was the incongruity of Victor’s alleged days of sexual passion being in the past, hence his platonic relationship with his stunningly beautiful protégé Sophia. Victor’s subsequent relationship with the captive Cindy was rendered incongruent in light of the prior narrative. However, it is disclosed later in the plot line that Victor had an underlying motivation for turning Cindy, aside from securing himself a new mate.
The last 25% of the novel is non-stop action featuring figures that were still human, namely Joel, Cindy’s sister Lisa, and reluctant Christian Debbie. The unlikely trio of “vampire slayers” ultimately dispatch vampires with fire after crosses, stakes, and bullets are not up to the task. The problem with the conclusion of the novel is that it felt never-ending. The Chief Homicide Cop gets involved before the final round of the fight.
The scene in the novel about the morgue experiences of Ron’s dead blood-drained “victims” is perhaps as close to chilling as the prose goes. That observation is particularly true for Louie Anderson, the street person who is murdered during the opening credits. The book is a card-carrying member of the mainstream horror literature and not a selection for extreme horror enthusiasts. I really enjoy the works by Gonzalez, but this novel was a struggle for me to read. The story seemed disjointed at times, and there was a stasis in the pacing of the plot that was really problematic. The main characters were insufferable and completely unsympathetic with the solitary exception of Joel. The second-string players displayed some character, particularly Lisa. Generally speaking, I thought the writing was okay, and the concept itself was actually chilling. I just could not push it past Three Stars.
Jesus’s contempt for organized religion in the plotline of “Conversion” is projected loud and clear. Similarly, his ambivalence for LA underscores the entirety of the narrative. It is a love-hate relationship that readers would hear echoed by the nihilistic genius of authors such as Chandler Morrison in the years and the decades to come.
I must not forget to compliment the stunning artwork by the talented Kealan Patrick Burke for his cover design. Frankly it was the cover art that grabbed my attention and the author’s name which sealed the deal.
“Drink the blood of the new and Everlasting Covenant. Drink the blood of LIFE.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review