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Vampires #1
Vampire Vow
A savage and sensuous chronicle of a contemporary vampire seeking vengeance against God.
For centuries Victor Decimus, former Roman officer under Pontius Pilate, has fed his rage with blood. Desperately in love with but ultimately rejected by the young Jesus, Victor turns on the citizens of Jerusalem in a frenzy of rape and violence, leaving him no escape but through entry into the chaotic world of darkness he finds as a vampire.
Two thousand years later, in the guise of a monk, Victor takes up residence in the monastery of St. Thomas, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. In Brother Michael he finds a hint of the love he has sought throughout his dark existence. But his rage, his desires, and his vow of vengeance against the God of the Christians drive him to insane levels of violence against his prey, leading to an investigation of "Brother Victor" and the monastery.
As investigators close in, Victor launches his most daring effort: the transformation of Brother Michael. And with everything at stake, the consequences of interference are horrifying beyond mortal imagination.
For centuries Victor Decimus, former Roman officer under Pontius Pilate, has fed his rage with blood. Desperately in love with but ultimately rejected by the young Jesus, Victor turns on the citizens of Jerusalem in a frenzy of rape and violence, leaving him no escape but through entry into the chaotic world of darkness he finds as a vampire.
Two thousand years later, in the guise of a monk, Victor takes up residence in the monastery of St. Thomas, nestled in the Appalachian Mountains. In Brother Michael he finds a hint of the love he has sought throughout his dark existence. But his rage, his desires, and his vow of vengeance against the God of the Christians drive him to insane levels of violence against his prey, leading to an investigation of "Brother Victor" and the monastery.
As investigators close in, Victor launches his most daring effort: the transformation of Brother Michael. And with everything at stake, the consequences of interference are horrifying beyond mortal imagination.
203 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
9 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Michael Schiefelbein
7 books70 followersMichael Schiefelbein, after spending ten years studying for the priesthood, graduated from the University of Maryland with a doctorate in English. He is a professor of writing and literature in Memphis, TN.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 14, 2024
If you're reading this book, you're not looking for content warnings, but if you're reading my review, you're going to get the list regardless!
CW: child death, blood, murder, gore, violence, sexual violence, sexual assault, rape, animal death (on page, narrating MC kills multiple animals), vomit, homophobia, religious bigotry, antisemitism, colonization
This is one of the worst books I've ever read and I'm thinking about reading the sequels 😂
It's very, very easy to read, absolutely over the top with its hyperfixation on Victor PROVING that HE knows Jesus so well he gets to use a cute lil' nickname for him. He's like, "No MY Jesus not your Jesus."
Anyway, keep Judaism out of it and maybe get that religious trauma looked it. It could be malignant.
CW: child death, blood, murder, gore, violence, sexual violence, sexual assault, rape, animal death (on page, narrating MC kills multiple animals), vomit, homophobia, religious bigotry, antisemitism, colonization
This is one of the worst books I've ever read and I'm thinking about reading the sequels 😂
It's very, very easy to read, absolutely over the top with its hyperfixation on Victor PROVING that HE knows Jesus so well he gets to use a cute lil' nickname for him. He's like, "No MY Jesus not your Jesus."
Anyway, keep Judaism out of it and maybe get that religious trauma looked it. It could be malignant.
July 22, 2013
This is possibly the only book I've ever read that I hated. It was like a bad movie, where I just kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. The premise is really interesting, but the characters and actual plot are not. It's passionless and quite boring at times, and I never really cared about the characters or what happened to them. The ending was totally lackluster, and I actually threw the book across the room, I was so angry that I had wasted my time reading this. I got rid of it immediately after that. Maybe if you enjoy brutal vampires with no likability on nothing more than a revenge quest, this could work for you, but it is not at all as engaging as the synopsis would imply. I don't even remember the sex, really, so that couldn't have been all that well-written either. So many missed opportunities...
July 1, 2009
Another gay vampire story but this one is a lot of fun and makes great, easy summer reading! Imagine a Roman Soldier who falls in love with Jesus of Nazareth but who is made into a vampire and who comes back as a monk in a cloistered monastery in modern Tennessee. Excuse the blasphemies and whoever said vampires were afraid of crosses didn't know this one...sorry Bram Stoker!
July 27, 2013
This is a salutary example of a great idea being hamstrung by ineffectual execution. Schiefelbein tries gamely to be provocative: a Roman soldier falls in love with the young Jesus.
When his advances are rebuffed, he gives in to his darker impulses, and rapes and kills an innocent Jewish boy. Before Pontius Pilate can have him jailed for his unnatural crimes, Victor flees to a mysterious woman called Tiresius, who promises him the keys to the Dark Kingdom.
We then shift a couple of centuries later to find Victor in a monastery, haunted by the memory of his love for the young Joshu. He is called that instead of Jesus throughout the rest of the book because it is closer to the original Hebrew, apparently; I suspect Schiefelbein just wanted to avoid charges of blasphemy in what is ostensibly a M2M bodice (and throat) ripper.
The book then cheerfully descends into a rather lurid potboiler, interspersed with scenes of sex and violence (both equally badly written), as Victor broods (which is a rather generous term; sulks is more like it) over his lost love, and plots to make his own companion to take to the Dark Kingdom.
(Schiefelbein’s particular take on vampire mythology is a tad confused: we have little sense of the exact mechanics of Victor’s conversion, and it seems he has to find and convert his own equal in order to become human again, but this is unclear. Also, the novel’s great leaps in time and setting are clumsily executed, with little historical significance or context).
When Michael rejects his offer of eternal life, which mirrors Joshu’s rejection of two centuries ago, it unhinges Victor, with suitably tragic and Grand Guignol consequences.
Vampire Vow would have been far more effective if Schiefelbein had not written it like a soft-core porn novel. There is no humour or sense of irony, but a lot of it is unintentionally funny. When I read out certain passages aloud to my flatmate, she was quite aghast, and wanted to know why I was reading such rubbish.
The book has an interesting coda, in that it takes Victor into what is essentially Anne Rice territory (literally, as he buys an ‘antebellum mansion’ in New Orleans, and almost in the same breath picks up, and picks over, a male hooker). Given that there are two volumes left in the sequence, I am curious as to how Schiefelbein takes his story forward.
Well, let us just say that trash has its own place in the literary pantheon, even if it is at the bottom of the slushpile. If you are in the mood for something lurid and preposterous, Schiefelbein beckons from a darkened alleyway.
When his advances are rebuffed, he gives in to his darker impulses, and rapes and kills an innocent Jewish boy. Before Pontius Pilate can have him jailed for his unnatural crimes, Victor flees to a mysterious woman called Tiresius, who promises him the keys to the Dark Kingdom.
We then shift a couple of centuries later to find Victor in a monastery, haunted by the memory of his love for the young Joshu. He is called that instead of Jesus throughout the rest of the book because it is closer to the original Hebrew, apparently; I suspect Schiefelbein just wanted to avoid charges of blasphemy in what is ostensibly a M2M bodice (and throat) ripper.
The book then cheerfully descends into a rather lurid potboiler, interspersed with scenes of sex and violence (both equally badly written), as Victor broods (which is a rather generous term; sulks is more like it) over his lost love, and plots to make his own companion to take to the Dark Kingdom.
(Schiefelbein’s particular take on vampire mythology is a tad confused: we have little sense of the exact mechanics of Victor’s conversion, and it seems he has to find and convert his own equal in order to become human again, but this is unclear. Also, the novel’s great leaps in time and setting are clumsily executed, with little historical significance or context).
When Michael rejects his offer of eternal life, which mirrors Joshu’s rejection of two centuries ago, it unhinges Victor, with suitably tragic and Grand Guignol consequences.
Vampire Vow would have been far more effective if Schiefelbein had not written it like a soft-core porn novel. There is no humour or sense of irony, but a lot of it is unintentionally funny. When I read out certain passages aloud to my flatmate, she was quite aghast, and wanted to know why I was reading such rubbish.
The book has an interesting coda, in that it takes Victor into what is essentially Anne Rice territory (literally, as he buys an ‘antebellum mansion’ in New Orleans, and almost in the same breath picks up, and picks over, a male hooker). Given that there are two volumes left in the sequence, I am curious as to how Schiefelbein takes his story forward.
Well, let us just say that trash has its own place in the literary pantheon, even if it is at the bottom of the slushpile. If you are in the mood for something lurid and preposterous, Schiefelbein beckons from a darkened alleyway.
May 31, 2025
Hace muchos años cuando formé parte de un equipo de traducción este fue el libro elegido para sacar como fans su traducción al español.
Debo decir que esta lectura es un sin sentido, supuestamente un soldado romano amigo de Jesús ha estado enamorado (sabiendo que es imposible) de el. Por una situación es convertido en vampiro y condenado a vagar en la eternidad recordando a su amor imposible.
Una reverenda jalada.
En su afán por crear caos este autor quedó pero en ridículo. Nada creíble, sin bases sólidas y especulando por el trasero nada más.
Debut y despedida.
Debo decir que esta lectura es un sin sentido, supuestamente un soldado romano amigo de Jesús ha estado enamorado (sabiendo que es imposible) de el. Por una situación es convertido en vampiro y condenado a vagar en la eternidad recordando a su amor imposible.
Una reverenda jalada.
En su afán por crear caos este autor quedó pero en ridículo. Nada creíble, sin bases sólidas y especulando por el trasero nada más.
Debut y despedida.
January 26, 2011
I had no idea what to expect when I ordered this. All I can say is - Vampire WOW! I read it in one sitting and almost cried when it was finished. Schiefelbein is a master and should be doing better in the ratings. It is a gay vampire story but I really wouldn't let that put you off if you're not into gay fiction - it works on every level.
April 30, 2010
"Jesus + Slash + Romance" is on my auto buy.
April 26, 2011
The books starts off with Victor meeting and lusting after Jesus. I have to admit I found the descriptions of Jesus' tanned and sinewy physique to be unintentionally funny. (I'm going to hell now for giggling about Jesus’ nubile body. Thanks A LOT, Mr. Shiefelbein.)
Oddly enough, the scenes which capture Victor yearning for Jesus (or Joshu, as Victor has nicknamed him) show Victor at his most humane and sympathetic. I could almost feel sorry for Victor, and understand his anger with Joshu/Jesus’ father. Consequently I felt sorry for Joshu/Jesus for having to choose between a valued friendship and the destiny his father has mapped out for him. Not to mention that once Joshu/Jesus made his choice, he had to deal with being stalked by a crazed vampire. You know that had to be awkward.
Darkness and light, the descent into darkness, redemption (or lack of), are constant themes in this book a la Heart of Darkness. There are moments when you are given a bit of hope that Victor may be able to tap into his former humanity and choose light over dark after all. But these moments of hope are brief and in most of the book Victor is full of vengeance and hatred. When Victor is bad, he is very very bad. Cold-blooded, monastery-burning, boy-raping, baby-eating, disabled veteran-murdering bad. And yet....Victor's life and the Vampire mythology Shiefelbein has created are morbidly fascinating. Normally I need to be able to relate to the main character or at least like him in order to enjoy the story. Victor truly is the antihero to end all antiheros. It’s a testament to Shiefelbein’s writing that I found myself interested in this story and had trouble putting it down.
Oddly enough, the scenes which capture Victor yearning for Jesus (or Joshu, as Victor has nicknamed him) show Victor at his most humane and sympathetic. I could almost feel sorry for Victor, and understand his anger with Joshu/Jesus’ father. Consequently I felt sorry for Joshu/Jesus for having to choose between a valued friendship and the destiny his father has mapped out for him. Not to mention that once Joshu/Jesus made his choice, he had to deal with being stalked by a crazed vampire. You know that had to be awkward.
Darkness and light, the descent into darkness, redemption (or lack of), are constant themes in this book a la Heart of Darkness. There are moments when you are given a bit of hope that Victor may be able to tap into his former humanity and choose light over dark after all. But these moments of hope are brief and in most of the book Victor is full of vengeance and hatred. When Victor is bad, he is very very bad. Cold-blooded, monastery-burning, boy-raping, baby-eating, disabled veteran-murdering bad. And yet....Victor's life and the Vampire mythology Shiefelbein has created are morbidly fascinating. Normally I need to be able to relate to the main character or at least like him in order to enjoy the story. Victor truly is the antihero to end all antiheros. It’s a testament to Shiefelbein’s writing that I found myself interested in this story and had trouble putting it down.
December 29, 2016
Michael Schiefelbein writes one of the best and one of my favorite gay vampire books ever. I’ve read them multiple times, and continue to read them again and again, especially with the anticipated new book, The Vampire Maker now out!
Victor is a Roman soldier who is sent to serve in Judaea. It does not live up to his luxurious Roman expectations. His temper and rage escalates to a point were he seeks an elixir from an old hag. She offers him so much more.
Victor has never gotten over his only failed conquest of love Joshu, the Jesus Christ. He is the only one to refuse Victor. Even though they love one another truly and deeply. For 2,000 years Victor takes his rage against Joshu’s refusal by hiding within the Christian monasteries. As always, his hunger forces him to destroy the cloister in order to hide his tracks (and the bodies) when his true nature is found out. Then, Victor moves on to the next, each adding another victory to Victor over Joshu.
Now in America, the New World, Brother Luke a young boy porter falls hard for Victor, but Victor favors the resistant Brother Michael. Brother Michael has better self control against his homosexual desires, but harbors a supernatural secret of his own.
Will Victor be able to get through to Michael, and convince him to accept the transformation, so Victor may be able to pass on to the Dark Kingdom for all eternity, after two millennium of loneliness?
Victor is a Roman soldier who is sent to serve in Judaea. It does not live up to his luxurious Roman expectations. His temper and rage escalates to a point were he seeks an elixir from an old hag. She offers him so much more.
Victor has never gotten over his only failed conquest of love Joshu, the Jesus Christ. He is the only one to refuse Victor. Even though they love one another truly and deeply. For 2,000 years Victor takes his rage against Joshu’s refusal by hiding within the Christian monasteries. As always, his hunger forces him to destroy the cloister in order to hide his tracks (and the bodies) when his true nature is found out. Then, Victor moves on to the next, each adding another victory to Victor over Joshu.
Now in America, the New World, Brother Luke a young boy porter falls hard for Victor, but Victor favors the resistant Brother Michael. Brother Michael has better self control against his homosexual desires, but harbors a supernatural secret of his own.
Will Victor be able to get through to Michael, and convince him to accept the transformation, so Victor may be able to pass on to the Dark Kingdom for all eternity, after two millennium of loneliness?
April 9, 2011
Ok, so I guess this could be the ultimate unrequited love story..
Good Gawd..
Its about a guy, a soldier, who lived at the same time of Jesus (Yes, The Jesus) and fell in love with him. Victor, the soldier, wanted Jesus to give up his love for his religion, so that they could be together, but of course Jesus wouldnt do that, and he later died on a cross..
So Victor goes insane, with the hurt that Jesus left behind, he becomes a vampire, and vow's to revenge against Jesus and his religion by bringing the religion down, so-to-speak..
He does that by "becoming" a munk, joining their monasteries, burning them down, when he leaves.. Of course he needs to feed to, and trust me, this is no sweet Vamp.. No, he kills everything and everyone. Kids, old women, animals, whatever.. And you get the bloody details!
He's determined to find his soulmate, the one who can make him forget Jesus.. He think's he's found that in Michael. A young munk.. Not so much though, and after losing him too, he goes on a killing sprea, burns the Monastery down and leaves for New Orleans..
For some fucked up reason, I kinda liked Victor.. I dont know why. I havent figured out his story yet, other than he loves his Jesus (the boy, not the religion) and that he wants revenge..
Interesting plot indeed..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2014
I enjoyed this book because its protagonist (or antagonist, depending on how you view him) is a departure from all the other vampires I've been reading about in M/M lately. He is a fiend. A true monster. He murders people and drinks them dry. He is selfish and cruel. Love doesn't save him, he isn't magically made good by touch of a beautiful boy. That was so refreshing. I've become a little tired of the poor misunderstood, repentant vampire so popular in the genre. Victor is awful. He's a Roman legionnaire who loved Jesus (yes, that Jesus) but couldn't have him and by some twist of fate is transformed into a vampire. He proceeds to spend eternity sulking. It's a bit horrifying, but still readable. I'm keen to read the sequel, and I wonder if he'll end up bring redeemed?
October 26, 2025
I found this book randomly in the library. Going into the book I had no idea what was in store for me. It was a really interesting read. If you thought that the Anita Blake novels by Laurell K. Hamilton were vampire porn then you are in for a shocker with this book. Michael Schiefelbein begins going into graphic details very early on. The word choices that he uses to describe Victor are very descriptive. He really is able to make you believe that you are actually there.
July 15, 2010
Not your everyday vampire book. Victor,a roman soldier falls madly in love with Jesus, pre Christ. Jesus rejected any relationship but not for reasons you may think. To get even, Victor became a vampire in order to seduce and corrupt young men and thereby destroy the church. The book leaps ahead to the present where a monk, Brother Victor,enters a small monestary in rural Tenn. Here Victor begins his quest with lust, hate and Victor's twisted version of love.
March 30, 2011
I never thought I'd say this, but Jesus slash makes my mouth water. I soo wish there was more of it in here....
This is basically a vampire story, where Jesus of Nazareth has a hawt cameo and largely defines Viktor's fate, for a long long time.
Very interesting and entertaining read, I totes recommend and approve :)
This is basically a vampire story, where Jesus of Nazareth has a hawt cameo and largely defines Viktor's fate, for a long long time.
Very interesting and entertaining read, I totes recommend and approve :)
June 6, 2009
Not for the devoutly religious or those squeamish about sexual variation, I found this to be an intriguing take on the vampire. Victor, the narrator, while almost repulsive at times, had me rooting for him in the end.
January 24, 2010
This is not for the religiously squeamish christian, but as Vampire stories go a very good read. It's the type of book that gets you towards the middle bit and insists that you to push through to the end. Anyone reading this can't help but root for the bad guy!! All in all a satisfying read!
M
M
Read
October 20, 2024Was fun to read. The idea with Jesus etc. is hilarious but wouldn't recommend to someone who isn't fine with reading stuff in the direction of non-con and so on. This book needs a lot of trigger warnings (though it isn't especially grafic).
August 2, 2007
Awful. Dreadful. Calamitous!
October 5, 2007
Vampires, gay porn, tragic doomed love-hate relationships with Jesus, and lots of fucking with the clergy (in both senses)... you'd think this would be right up my alley. And yet, I'm bored.
July 13, 2011
Ok, so I only skimmed the first 50 pages or so before I gave up. This book is laughable (but not in a gay pirates kind of way, sadly).
But thanks anyway, Karen!
But thanks anyway, Karen!
April 7, 2013
Sacrilegious and sensual, erotic and entertaining. I'm hooked on the whole series.
May 1, 2020
I was drawn to this book, like almost everyone else, by the premise. It was fascinating and the first few pages looked easy to read. So I bought the kindle book on Amazon and read it fairly quickly.
I'm rather torn with it. I wanted to like this, and I was pleased that the author ventured into something that would so easily be labeled blasphemous. And I was strung along for quite a long time -- it seemed like the author had some major idea in mind. But it never fully realized? I was expectant of some kind of philosophical revelation. My biggest hope was some well thought out dialogue against the Christian God or religion. I think the author/narrator touched upon it a few times, but...
...the development of the protagonist really ruined everything. Victor is not a likable, relatable, or empathetic protagonist. I kept waiting for something to come up that would give me a reason to sympathize. He raped and murdered people - even before he became a vampire. His spurned love wasn't enough to redeem him. Even his hatred of the Christian god didn't seem to be the sole reason for destroying monasteries. The sex scenes were awkward and violent and random. I never really knew where the story was heading, and the ending felt abrupt and anticlimactic.
I had even hoped that the following novels might develop a bit better, but after reading the synopses, I don't think I'll waste my time. Honestly, this felt a lot like the author wanted to write something very personal that had meaning for him, but did not translate well in published form.
I'm rather torn with it. I wanted to like this, and I was pleased that the author ventured into something that would so easily be labeled blasphemous. And I was strung along for quite a long time -- it seemed like the author had some major idea in mind. But it never fully realized? I was expectant of some kind of philosophical revelation. My biggest hope was some well thought out dialogue against the Christian God or religion. I think the author/narrator touched upon it a few times, but...
...the development of the protagonist really ruined everything. Victor is not a likable, relatable, or empathetic protagonist. I kept waiting for something to come up that would give me a reason to sympathize. He raped and murdered people - even before he became a vampire. His spurned love wasn't enough to redeem him. Even his hatred of the Christian god didn't seem to be the sole reason for destroying monasteries. The sex scenes were awkward and violent and random. I never really knew where the story was heading, and the ending felt abrupt and anticlimactic.
I had even hoped that the following novels might develop a bit better, but after reading the synopses, I don't think I'll waste my time. Honestly, this felt a lot like the author wanted to write something very personal that had meaning for him, but did not translate well in published form.
December 1, 2021
Yo they weren’t kidding. I bought this on a whim off thrift books because it was dirt cheap and the reviews were good and now I’m wondering why. If I can only say one thing it’s this: in the about the author section it says the author spent 10 years preparing for priesthood before leaving and becoming a literature professor and he definitely has some issues with the church to work through. I’m not even Christian but damn. The description was so strange I had to read it and now I regret it, it was just so, so badly written. Afterwards I wanted to be like yo who hurt you and does your therapist know about this.
March 17, 2019
This is a very interesting premise to a romance and a vampire tale. I cannot say that I disliked the story but I'm not prepared to say that I liked the story. The protagonist, Victor, is an interesting character with complicated perceptions of the world view. Seeking love and wanting love from those who could not give, leads Victor to make interesting choices fueled by emotion. I'm not sure if I will continue the series, but this story will stay with me for a bit. It's not the religiosity, it's the lack of...uh, not sure how to describe it...humanity perhaps. Not sure. Interesting story...
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on-hold
September 26, 2020I got 3/4ths through. It just never grabbed me.
I'm adding it to my "on hold" shelf because it was such an interesting concept I may want to revisit it in the future, yet I can't put it on my "want to read" shelf because I don't want to read it at this point.
I will also refrain from rating it because I didn't finish it.
I'm adding it to my "on hold" shelf because it was such an interesting concept I may want to revisit it in the future, yet I can't put it on my "want to read" shelf because I don't want to read it at this point.
I will also refrain from rating it because I didn't finish it.
March 22, 2021
So according to another website, Schiefelbein wanted to be a priest??? I don’t mind that the book was sacrilegious, but the writing was actually atrocious. It’s a book for a very niche audience, if you enjoy some pulpy historical erotica then this is for you.
October 27, 2021
Amazing book. It was gifted to me by my older brother, who failed to read the description. So you can imagine what kind of questions I had for him when he gifted this to his little sister. 😂
Overall it’s an amazing book with an extremely unique plot.
Overall it’s an amazing book with an extremely unique plot.
February 13, 2024
Been years since I read this but it was enticing and kept my attention. The gay, religious, and vampiric crossovers — the taboo I suppose — I absolutely loved the combination of those. This was an easy read and an enjoyable side track from my normal non-fiction reading material.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2018
I could have done with a few less analogies honestly
Read
December 27, 2021likeeeeee I knew what I was getting into when I found this this in the basement of a used book store in the horror section. but also. what.
major cw for like Everything
major cw for like Everything
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews