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Body and Blood
by Michael Schiefelbein
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Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur
As a sixteen-year-old Catholic seminarian, Chris Sieb had a deep crush on fellow student Jack Canston. Now, twenty-five years after parting ways, Jack has transfered to the Kansas City diocese where he once again encounters Chris - now Father Sieb - a devoted priest and closeted gay man. After seeing each other for the first time, the two rekindle their boyhood yearnings, beginning a secret relationship.Their reverie is brief, however, abruptly shaken when another closeted priest in the diocese, a former classmate of the two, dies suddenly, an apparent suicide. Shortly thereafter a letter arrives at the archbishop's office claiming that more was going on than anyone ever expected. As his secret affair continues, Chris begins to realize there is something horribly wrong with Jack, some dark secret he's withholding, one somehow connected to their deceased classmate - and that the threat it represents is closer than he could ever guess. Now his one chance to survive lies in finally uncovering the truth.
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| A must-read |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I must admit that I knew nothing of this book or the author when I purchased it. The subject was interesting to me, and I thought I would give it a try. I ended up not being able to put it down! It is a must-read ... well thought out and paced. Schiefelbein does an excellent job developing two very strong characters. He certainly keeps the reader guessing until the very end - it really held my interest. I fully intend on looking up his other books now that I've read this one.
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| Author gives vampires a rest, for interesting and intriguing story of two gay priests |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Came to this one a bit late, because I was wary of the author's reputation as writing mostly "gay vampire" novels (Excellent ones, I am told, but not one of my interests). The title suggested that this might be another in that genre, and I didn't find out otherwise until I stumbled upon an earlier review of the book, and decided to add it to my reading list.
After over 20 years in the priesthood, Father Chris Sieb is a respected administrator and spiritual director of a diocesan retreat house in Kansas City, which ironically was previously a seminary school in which he first pursued his vocation to the priesthood as a teenager. When Chris hears the name of Father Jack Canston, who is transferring from out of state to take over a nearby parrish, his thoughts go back to those days, when the two young men were inseparable. In fact, Jack was Chris' first and only male lover, and, although he respected his vows and led a celebate life since, he never really stopped loving him.
But "Father Jack" has some other problems, which quickly become evident to his friend. He becomes unnerved when, jogging near the school, they come across a dog who had been hit by a car, and Chris later learns that Jack had been in a mental hospital for treatment at his previous assignment, which was the primary reason for the relocation. Then there is the matter of a young attractive man whom sought out Jack for "sprirtual guidance" but Chris feels strongly that they are in a sexual relationship as well. When the diocese reacts to the suicide of another cleric reported to have been gay, and announces a "zero tolerance" policy on homosexual priests, both of them struggle with their mutual desire to be together being in conflict with their vocation, with Chris alone feeling that he could not deal with the order's version of "Don't ask, don't tell" if he truly wanted to be happy.
Not really a "mystery" in its purest sense, this is more a story about a man coming to terms with what he really wants to do with the rest of his life, and whether he can trust the person he is willing to risk everything in order to share that life with. The novel is nicely paced, with just enough surprises to make it a bit of a page-turner. And the author makes a forceful commentary on the Catholic Church's knee-jerk reaction to charges of pedophile priests, making its gay priests the scapegoat with justification or any logic. Interesting read, five stars out of five.
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| Passion and Secrets |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Schiefelbein, Michael. "Body and Blood", St. Martin's 2008.
Passion and Secrets
Amos Lassen
Michael Schiefelbein spent ten years studying to be a priest and seems to have a fascination with blood as he has written four books that have something to do with it. He also writes about sex and he does so well.
In "Body and Blood" sixteen year old Chris Sieb out main character remembers when he was a student in a Catholic seminary and had a heavy crush on a fellow student, Jack Cranston. Twenty-five years later, we find Jack serving in a diocese in Kansas City where he and Chris meet again but Chris is now Father Sieb and living a deeply closeted life. Yet upon seeing each the old romance is rekindled and the two men begin having an affair which is highly secret. However, shortly after it began the two men learn that a former classmate, another closeted priest, died suddenly from an apparent suicide. The archbishop suddenly receives a letter that says that a great deal has been happening between the priests. Chris also begins to notice that Jack is hiding something which may be related to his friend's death. Chris also realizes that the threat that Jack represents could cause a great deal of trouble. As the two men are surrounded by mystery, they must come into their own.
This is a very powerful character study that goes beyond the usual as it looks the conflict between personal needs and desires in opposition to religious belief, Chris and Jack struggle with their sexuality which is regarded as a double sin in the Catholic church--that of ignoring the vows of celibacy and their own sexual preference. Such is the issue of faith when the human mind is in conflict with requirements of G-D.
Written with a high sense of style, it will keep you turning pages.
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| gut-wrenching novel |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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I have read all of Schiefelbein's books available on Amazon, and this book ranks as one of his best, one of the best books I ever read in fact. He left the vampires behind in this tale of two catholic priests, who fell for each other at seminary, and now see each other again after many years. Mystery surrounds one of them, and it messes up their renewed bond.
Schiefelbein is a master in characterization. As I write this, a couple days after reading the book, the two main characters are still in my mind. From the first page to the last the words bring them to life, and that makes it even harder to let them go. I almost wanted to grab a pen and continue their story, just to keep them alive for me for a little while longer.
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| Agonizingly desperate...heartbreaking and sensuou |
| Customer Rating: 5 out of 5 |
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Once again Michael Schiefelbein takes the reader on a religious journey. This time it is into the lives of gay Catholic priests and the desperation and loneliness of wanting love, wanting to love, having someone love them..and yet they must lead lives of quiet desperation in an attempt to adhere to their vows of celibacy and the Vaticans edicts of allowing no gay men become priests and that any gay priests must be reported! Schiefelbein shows us the destruction of their psyche, the deception that must be lived out and at the same time focuses on 3 priests and the nightmare of their gay love. Gripping tale of the love these men wanted at any cost. How each had their own personal demons to fight and..the desperation of trying to live double lives. I couldn't put it down!
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