A great list of tales and nonfiction books about Satan that’ll take you deep into the underworld.
I grew up Catholic, so the idea of the devil was prominent in my early life (especially on Sundays). The catalyst of so many nasty ideas, actions and beliefs, Satan never failed to scare me senseless with the thought of ending up in Hell alongside him.
But in my adult years, I traded fear for fascination.
A fallen angel—originally named Lucifer—driven away for defying God, the devil and its origins go so far back in time that it’s a wonder his dark name survived for so long. I’ve always thought there’s a symbolic tale here: a resentful son and his powerful father, pitted against one another. There are deeper meanings here than meets the eye.
For those just as interested in the dark side of Biblical history, this list of fiction and nonfiction reads will take you deep into the world of Satan and his many incarnations.
Whether you’re into classic literature, theology or something more fantastical, these 11 books about the devil will give you the creeps, the chills and even the occasional giggle:
1. The Devil: A Biography
by Peter Stanford
Ever wondered how Satan went from being God’s right-hand angel to the prince of darkness? Stanford’s biography of the devil traces his journey through the Bible, history and popular culture. It’s part religious study, part historical detective work.
In The Devil: A biography Stanford makes heavy subject matter super accessible and weaves in humor where appropriate. It’s an intellectual, but surprisingly light, read for anyone curious about how we got from Lucifer to the horned demon we know today.
2. The Screwtape Letters
by C.S. Lewis
This classic features an exchange of letters between Screwtape, a senior demon, and his nephew Wormwood, an amateur tempter. Screwtape mentors his nephew on how best to lead a human patient to damnation, giving you a satirical look at human nature from the devil’s perspective.
3. The Master and Margarita
by Mikhail Bulgakov
In Soviet Russia, the devil comes to town in the form of a mysterious stranger, wreaking havoc on any poor sods who cross his path. The Master and Margarita is a satire, with one toe in the supernatural and the other in political commentary.
An excellent read that’s bizarre in the best way possible. There’s a great mix of humor in this classic novel, and plenty of horror too. But my favorite is the philosophical journey it takes you on.
4. The Divine Comedy: Inferno
by Dante Alighieri
Follow Dante on his tour through Hell, guided by the poet Virgil. As they descend through the nine circles of Hell—each more terrifying and twisted than the last—they eventually meet Satan himself, frozen in ice at the center of the underworld.
You’re in for a masterpiece of world literature here, because it completely shaped how we see Hell and the devil. There’s plenty of grim imagery, but Dante’s incredible book is packed with satire, making a very heavy topic very entertaining.
5. The Devil and Miss Prym
by Paulo Coelho
A stranger arrives in a small village with a bag full of gold and a proposition: for any villager who commits a murder, the gold is theirs. The moral dilemma it throws these people into reveals the dark and light within everyone. The devil’s role here is more subtle but ever-present as the spotlight is firmly on the people he aims to influence.
Coelho is known for his philosophical fiction, and The Devil and Miss Prym doesn’t disappoint, playing with excellent themes, like temptation, good versus evil and human frailty.
6. Paradise Lost
by John Milton
Milton’s epic poem tells the story of Satan’s rebellion against God and his subsequent fall from grace. A bitter, resentful Satan is portrayed as a complex, tragic figure, who infamously declares, “Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”
I love how Milton’s Satan is charismatic and rebellious. It makes this classic feel surprisingly modern, and unsurprisingly it’s one of the most influential works in Western literature on the subject of the devil.
7. I, Lucifer
by Glen Duncan
What if the devil was given a chance to redeem himself? That’s the premise of I, Lucifer, in which Satan is offered a chance to live as a human for a month. Instead of redeeming himself, he revels in every vice humanity has to offer.
Duncan’s devil is sarcastic, witty and endlessly entertaining. There’s some solid humor in here, with the devil freshly portrayed as the ultimate antihero.
8. The Exorcist
by William Peter Blatty
A classic that many of us have seen on the big screen, a young girl is possessed by a demon, and two priests must battle evil forces to save her. While the demon isn’t explicitly named as Satan, we’re not fooled that the possession is connected to the devil’s grand design.
Even if you’ve seen the movie, the book delivers a deeper psychological horror and a more intense exploration of faith, evil and the devil’s cunning.
9. The Devil in the White City
by Erik Larson
This non-fiction bestseller tells two parallel stories: the creation of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and the chilling murders of H.H. Holmes, a serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims. While the book is more about human evil than Satan himself, the title and tone play with the idea of the devil hiding in plain sight.
Larson’s writing is gripping, and the juxtaposition of the fair’s brilliance against Holmes’ sinister actions paints a haunting portrait of real-life evil that feels devilish.
10. Satan: A Biography
by Henry Ansgar Kelly
A brilliant work of nonfiction, Kelly digs into the devil’s evolving role from Biblical times to modern day, showing how Satan transformed from a somewhat neutral figure as an angel into the embodiment of evil we all know him as.
It’s a scholarly yet accessible read that clears up a lot of misconceptions about the devil’s portrayal through time. Kelly brings a thoughtful and refreshing take on Satan’s long and often misunderstood history.
11. The History of Hell
by Alice K. Turner
Turner gives a fascinating overview of how Hell has been imagined and represented in different cultures and religions, from its earliest mentions to its depiction in art and literature. And of course, Satan plays a prominent role in many of these stories, acting as Hell’s ruler.
If you’re fascinated by how the concept of Hell has evolved over time, this book will hook you. It’s a fun mix of art history, theology and cultural analysis that brings Hell and the devil to life in surprising ways.
12. The Devil and Daniel Webster
by Stephen Vincent Benét
We end our list of books about Satan with a short story, which tells the tale of Jabez Stone, a poor farmer who makes a deal with the devil for seven years of prosperity in exchange for his soul. When the devil comes to collect, Jabez hires the famous lawyer Daniel Webster to argue his case.
It’s a light, witty take on the deal with the devil trope, with a patriotic twist. Webster’s courtroom showdown with the devil makes this such a clever read—one that will take you as long to read as saying ten Hail Mary’s.
There it is, from classic literature to modern horror, this list of devilishly good reads about Satan serves up a wide range of takes on the devil and the concept of evil. Happy (if you can say that about such a topic) reading!