Oh, Hell!: 5 Devilishly Good Reads You Won't Be Able to Put Down

I'm going to let you all in on a little secret.

I love demons and The Devil.

Okay, not in a Hail Satan kinda way, but thematically! Not only is my current series about demons, but the very first book I ever wrote also focused on minions of Lucifer. I will unapologetically tell you that my favorite character on Supernatural is Crowley (Sam and Dean who?). And I mean, angels have cool wings, but who doesn't love a bad boy?

Not only that, but the plight of Lucifer and his minions is such an interesting one that I can't help but want to explore it in my own writing.

Today, I wanted to share with you my 5 favorite books about or featuring Hell, demons and even The Devil himself. Prepare yourself--it may get warm in here.

1. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman

I cannot think of a single book that has had more influence on me than this one. Crowley (different one this time) has influenced just about every demon I've ever written. The idea that demons and angels are so interested in human culture and mankind is a concept that--I think, correct me if I'm wrong--was unique when the book came out almost 30 years ago, but it's a theme that thrives in the genre now. If you somehow have never read this book, it's about a boy, his dog, and an angel/demon team who aren't so keen on the idea of the Apocalypse.

And you should probably stop reading this post and go read the book now. Now. Even if you've read it before--read it again. I'll wait.

2. I, Lucifer by Glen Duncan

What if Lucifer came back to Earth to mingle with humans? If you're thinking about the TV show on Fox right now, you aren't even close. Duncan paints an extraordinarily sympathetic but brutal portrait of Hell's showrunner. Here, Luci inhabits the body of a recently-deceased author. Then, he runs amok. This is a pretty uncompromising book, but it's one of my favorites.

3. The Johannes Cabal Series by Jonathan L. Howard

I love this series more than life itself, and while Herr Cabal is often seen battling demons and even Satan (and his rather unimpressive replacement), one of my favorite characters in the series is a devil by the name of Madame Zareniya. She's a massive spider woman. She wears angora. She's just the cutest thing, and oh--did I mention she just loves murder? The entire series is worth your time, so please give it a look.

4. Paradise Lost by John Milton

Warning: this one is dense. All the same, I think this is an incredibly important piece of literature when considering the representation of Lucifer and demons in media. Lucifer here is depicted in the manner typically reserved for epic heroes. This work really shaped the way we view ol' Luci today, and I highly recommend giving it a look at least once.

Buy for Kindle Here

5. Lucifer's Odyssey by Rex Jameson

Similarly, there's Lucifer's Odyssey, a complex and well-written look at Lucifer and Jehovah that really breathes new life into Luci's story. It definitely draws from the themes in Paradise Lost, but is a very quick-paced and exciting read. I read this one a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it. I'm now discovering (as I poke around on Amazon) that it spawned a series! Apparently, Lucifer's Odyssey is Book 1 in the Primal Patterns series, so you better believe I'll be checking those out, as well.


There you have it! Five of my favorite books involving Hell, demons and Lucifer himself. What are your favorite books that feature Hellish themes?

Until next time!
Jenny

Location, location, location...

I am currently listening to the audio book of American Gods on my daily commute. (I'm all about listening to audio books in the car, by the way. What better a way to prep for the day than to lose yourself for a spell in the works of great authors like Neil Gaiman?)

In the introduction, read by Mr. Gaiman himself, he talked about all the different places he wrote the original draft of American Gods. This really made me think. Reading and writing are all about traveling to other worlds. I can be in space while I'm sitting waiting for the bus, or trekking through Middle Earth while in a noisy cafe.

Much of my latest novel (set to come out in February--look for an announcement soon!) was written either on my couch with a cup of tea or at the local county library. My sister spent the last two years in Virginia getting her Masters in piano performance at James Madison University. I would talk to her about my WIP and my main character, Iago, and all of his adventures. The first time she visited my apartment after returning to Ohio, she looked into the living room and said, "So, this is where Iago was born."

My living room--the utter mess that it is--was indeed where much of Iago's story was written. It's not a very inspiring place. It's unfortunately dark, and I'm usually surrounded by empty tea cups. All the same, I've had so many fruitful and exciting writing sessions there.

But is there a benefit to writing in new and different places? And what about reading?

If anything, there's a certain feeling of inspiration that can come with writing in different places. I'm not saying that every author should book a plane ticket every weekend and go write at the Grand Canyon. I merely mean that switching settings might keep things fresh. On Saturdays, visit the library. On Tuesdays, check out that cafe down the street. There's a short story in Thoroughly Modern Monsters that I wrote in the car at a local park after stumbling upon an old graveyard. (Be ready to write everywhere.)

I feel like reading can be the same way. I often connect the places where I read books with the books themselves. Frankenstein, for example, will always remind me of the various reading rooms and hidden nooks at Ohio State. It enriches the experience, somehow. When I think of the book, it takes me on a little trip in my mind.

I'm currently 20,000 words into my next manuscript (a tale that, though it focuses primarily on another character, still features Iago--I can't get rid of him yet). I'm making a pledge to write that manuscript in as many different places as possible. It's a bit of a challenge, I guess. I want to see if it has any effect on my process at all. And, of course, every writer is different, just like every reader is different.

Today, I plan on visiting the Columbus Museum of Art.

And what about you, dear reader? Do you value a change of scenery? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time,
Jenny