I have NOT read it, but have heard from people whom I respect, that Elaine Pagels’ The Origin of Satan is a super book on the subject. Of course, YMMV.
Are you looking for stuff describes religious cannon on the subject, or just interesting takes on the story.
If the latter, the young adult series His Dark Material’s is a pretty original take on the battle between God and Fallen Angels. Gods a tyrant, and a group of humans and other mortal creatures join with the fallen to try and oust him.
Its pretty edgy for a series thats supposedly written for children.
Definitely His Dark Materials: deliberately invokes Milton {this is War In Heaven, Round Two}, with quite a bit of William Blake thrown into the mix. Don’t be put off by the idea that the trilogy are “kids” books: even the most erudite of teenagers would be hard put to keep up, and you really do need to be an adult to keep up with all the references - Pullman doesn’t pull any punches, and by God he can write. Harry Potter it ain’t.
Another recommendation for His Dark Materials here. Be warned though, Pullman really rips into the church, if you find that offensive you aren’t going to enjoy them.
A bit of both actually, I originally ran across this curiosity reading of all things “the Club Dumas” by Arturo Perez Reverte.
Much of this book does not deal with the devil or the war between heaven and hell. Thru out this book There is a character that makes brief mention (from a devils point of view) and as much of his storyline and characters conversation can be referanced back to earlier books (such as" Le Diable Amoureux" by Jacques Cazotte) A quote Paraphrased are “I fought with an angle for 100 days and 100 nights, I lost, but I did learn a few tricks from that encounter.”
So, having an idea whee to look forward to religious cannon on the subject is I feel a good place to start, finding more modern takes also help understand views and ideas of others diluted from the church cannon.
So, to make this short… Yes, I am interested in both.
Prophets for the End of Time by Marcos Donnelly. “The Heavenly Hosts, having decided the time has come for the Apocalypse, name two unlikely humans who will enable the fulfillment of ancient prophecies.” Equally satiric and well-written.
Not that original, actually. Much of Pullman’s plot in book 3 is cribbed from 3rd-5th century gnostic and Marcionite fantasies. (Disclosure: I liked the first book very much, and found it quite imaginative. The second was okay. The third seemed terribly derivative, and shallow. Obviously other people’s mileage varies.)
Slight hijack: I hated (make that hated hated hated) Pullman’s pretentious “Dark Materials” books. There, I’ve said it. And I still consider myself an intelligent, well-read person.
On the topic at hand, don’t think I have anything to recommend, though Mark Twain and C.S. Lewis (his Screwtape stuff) both wrote in interesting ways about the devil.
The absolute best work in this genre is not a novel, but Ray Russell’s short short story, “I am Returning.” It explains heaven & hell, and all human accomplishment in a mere 1500 words. I continue to be astonished by its brilliance every time I reread it.
Hehe, I came into this thread specifically to mention that one.
Likewise, most excellent satires about our humble beginnings and the eternal struggle between good and evil of religion. Such as it were. I have both these books, and I re-read em all the time.
Not strictly about the battle for heaven and hell, but The Master And Margarita, by Mikhail Bulgakov, gives a very interesting take on Satan: it also inspired Sympathy For The Devil, by the Rolling Stones.