The most recommended books about satan

Who picked these books? Meet our 40 experts.

40 authors created a book list connected to satan, and here are their favorite satan books.
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Eternally Bound

By Brenda K. Davies,

Book cover of Eternally Bound

Krystyna Allyn Author Of Twisted Origin

From the list on sating your paranormal urges.

Who am I?

I have loved the supernatural world since my dad took me to see The Lost Boys in the theater. There’s just something about the unbelievable that drags me into this genre. I enjoy the escapism aspect because real life is hard enough. Plus, what girl wouldn’t want to be taken to a castle and live happily ever after with her prince? I know I would.

Krystyna's book list on sating your paranormal urges

Why did Krystyna love this book?

Talk about an edge-of-your-seat paranormal romance! The Alliance books are a spin-off from Brenda’s Vampire Awakenings series. While both deal with fated mates, the former delves deeper. You see the true evil and the lengths they’ll go to for dominance while also getting swept away by the romance. There's a ton of angst and jaw-dropping endings that will leave you reeling.

By Brenda K. Davies,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Eternally Bound as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Over the centuries, anything Ronan once found pleasure in has been replaced by blood and death.

Every morning, he wonders if that will be the day he succumbs to the savage side of his vampire nature.

As a born hunter, Kadence has never stepped beyond the walls of her home.

She’s not happy with her life, but she accepted it long ago... just as she’s accepted her impending marriage to a man the elders chose for her. However, when a vampire murders her father, Kadence is determined to escape the walls that have kept her caged.

After she’s attacked by…


Degradation

By Stylo Fantome,

Book cover of Degradation

Laurelin Paige Author Of Dirty Filthy Rich Men

From the list on dirty filthy rich men.

Who am I?

I have been fascinated by the role of power dynamics and psychological games in relationships for as long as I can remember, frequently seeking out entertainment and exploring these topics to make sense of what was happening in the world around me. Now as a writer of 42 novels, many of my stories center around these themes and their consequences and complications, always from a point of view that empowers women. Dirty Filthy Rich Men, and its follow-up Dirty Filthy Rich Love, specifically focus on the difference between the devastating act of rape and consensual rape play, with the intention of validating women who are drawn to edgier fantasies in fiction. 

Laurelin's book list on dirty filthy rich men

Why did Laurelin love this book?

Messed up, crazy, destructive relationships are my jam and Stylo Fantome nails the fantasy in Degradation, book one of the Kane Trilogy. I’m also ever intrigued by power imbalance, something spotlighted between Jameson and Tatum. Add to that their searing chemistry and humiliation kink, and this book is fire. Highly recommend if you’re looking for dirty billionaires. 

By Stylo Fantome,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Degradation as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Eighteen year old Tatum O'Shea is a naive, shy, little rich girl. Twenty-three year old Jameson Kane is smart, seductive, and richer. They come together for one night, one explosion, one mistake, and Tate is hurled into space – no family, no money, and no Jameson.

Seven years later, life is going pretty good for Tate, when she runs into Jameson again. This time, she thinks she's ready for him. She doesn't have a naive bone left in her body, and she can't even remember what shy feels like. Jameson has evolved, as well – sharp words, sharper wit, and…


Lords and Ladies

By Terry Pratchett,

Book cover of Lords and Ladies

Katharine Corr Author Of A Throne Of Swans

From the list on fantasy featuring fierce queens.

Who am I?

I write YA fantasy novels with my sister, Liz. A Throne of Swans (our fourth book) is the first in a duology which features two fierce, shape-shifting queens. Since we both studied history at university, we’re particularly drawn to fantasy settings with a historical element, whether that’s a royal court or tall ships from the age of sail. In real history, queens wielding power tend to be rare or at least overlooked; Catherine of Aragon’s divorce is common knowledge, her wartime regency of England less so. Writing about and reading about powerful queens in fantasy novels is, I think, one small way of redressing the balance.  

Katharine's book list on fantasy featuring fierce queens

Why did Katharine love this book?

I love this book because it shows a character who starts off as a bit of a wallflower transforming into a warrior queen, and, as someone who isn’t as fierce as she’d like to be, I can definitely relate. In this installment of the brilliant Discworld series, ex-witch Magrat Garlick is engaged to King Verence, and finds the big dresses and court etiquette a bit of a bore. But when the kingdom is attacked by evil elves she comes into her own, channeling the Discworld equivalent of Boudicca (sort of) and rocking a pointy breastplate to successfully defend her fiancé and her home. 

By Terry Pratchett,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lords and Ladies as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A laugh-out-loud and incredibly Discworld take on A Midsummer Night's Dream, featuring everyone's favourite witches, Nanny Ogg and Granny Weatherwax

'The Discworld novels have always been among the most serious of comedies, the most relevant and real of fantasies' Independent

The fairies are back - but this time they don't just want your teeth.

It's Midsummer Night - no time for dreaming. Because sometimes, when there's more than one reality at play, too much dreaming can make the walls between them come tumbling down. And there's usually a damned good reason for there being walls between them in the first…


Alfred Hitchcock Presents

By Alfred Hitchcock (editor),

Book cover of Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Stories That Scared Even Me

Lisa M. Lucero Author Of Waves Crashing

From the list on thrilling, creepy tales of mystery and suspense.

Who am I?

I'm a former journalist who has written for several newspapers in Kansas and Texas. Ever since I was young, I had an incredible imagination, a love for storytelling, and an adventurous spirit. I started writing my first novel Waves Crashing, a suspense romance, when I was a senior at McPherson High School; then I worked on it some in college, and it was published in 2019. I'm also the author of the science fiction novels The Death Firm and The Re-Creation of the Death Firm. I'm currently working at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, as an administrative assistant in data and records. I plan on starting to write my fourth novel in 2023. 

Lisa's book list on thrilling, creepy tales of mystery and suspense

Why did Lisa love this book?

These stories were picked out by the master of suspense, himself, Alfred Hitchcock. These stories are both horrific and suspenseful. With tales involving a flesh-eating troll, something creepy lurking about in the woods that kills anything that comes into its path, and an uninvited odd boy that comes to a party with evil intentions, one will not be able to put this book down. It might even make you want to leave the lights on during the night.

By Alfred Hitchcock (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Alfred Hitchcock Presents as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Published by Random House. Per the dust jacket: ...twenty-three stories, a novelette, and a novel guaranteed to turn your hair white overnight." Stories selected by Mr. Hitchcock include: Casablanca by Thomas M. Disch, Fishhead by Irvin S. Cobb, Camera Obscura by Basil Copper, A Death in the Family by Miriam Allen deFord, Men Without Bones by Gerald Kersh, Not With a Bang by Damon Knight, Party Games by John Burke, X Marks the Pedwalk by Fritz Leiber, Curious Adventure of Mr. Bond by Nugent Barker, Two Spinsters by E. Phillips Oppenheim, The Knife by Robert Arthur, The Cage by Ray…


The Devil's Right Hand

By Lilith Saintcrow,

Book cover of The Devil's Right Hand

T.J. Lockwood Author Of Violent Skies

From the list on featuring a memorable female protagonist.

Who am I?

When I was little I used to seek out stories that featured strong female characters—especially in genre fiction. This proved to be quite difficult, even as I enlisted my entire family to help in the search. Because of this, ensuring that each of my own works feature this is a must. I am an author, artist, and podcast host who focuses on understanding the importance of story elements. I am an active martial artist, have a degree in creative writing from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and often get mesmerized by the process of creating comics and music. I hope you enjoy these recommendations as much as I did.

T.J.'s book list on featuring a memorable female protagonist

Why did T.J. love this book?

This is one of the first stories I ever read with a strong female protagonist at the helm. Dante Valentine is a bounty hunter, necromancer, and a no-nonsense kind of woman. She is stubborn, flawed, and her story is a classic answer to what happens when you make a literal deal with the devil. I appreciate that she is unapologetically human and blatantly admits to her faults as a person. She is honest—perhaps sometimes too much so—and perseveres when things go awry. If anything, I would say she is a stand-out not only as far as female protagonists are concerned, but protagonists in speculative fiction as well.

By Lilith Saintcrow,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Devil's Right Hand as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Dante Valentine, Necromancer and bounty hunter, just wants to be left alone. But the Devil has other ideas.

The Prince wants Dante. And he wants her now. And Dante and her lover, Japhrimel, have no choice but to answer the Prince's summons. And to fulfill a seemingly simple task: become the Devil's Right Hand, hunt down four demons that have escaped from Hell, and earn His gratitude.

It's a shame that nothing is ever easy when it comes to the Devil. Because of course, he doesn't tell Dante the whole truth: there is a rebellion brewing in Hell. And there…


Authority in Prayer

By Dutch Sheets,

Book cover of Authority in Prayer: Praying With Power and Purpose

Pamela Christian Author Of Examine Your Faith! Finding Truth in a World of Lies

From the list on intellectual understanding with spiritual realities.

Who am I?

Realizing I had made a complete mess of my life—being the farthest from my life’s hopes and dreams ever, I cried out to the God I learned about as a little girl. On that very dark night, with complete abandon, I sought God, desperately hoping He was real. I learned He, in fact, is real and everything and more, the Sunday School teacher explained. I was transformed in an instant. I have never come close to the despair and hopelessness of that night ever since. Now, I live my life helping others discover and live in the same life-giving Truth, leading people to balance rational thought with spiritual realities.

Pamela's book list on intellectual understanding with spiritual realities

Why did Pamela love this book?

This book has helped me learn, while we are asking “Where is God in all this?” God is asking “Where are My people?”

Learning to pray with power and purpose consistent with God’s will produces God’s ways on earth! God wants us to be the vessels through whom He works to produce the abundant, victorious life Christ died to give us. I love how Dutch Sheets takes the reader through their personal life, then into their sphere of influence, all while teaching us God’s intended broader realms of influence and authority He wants us to experience into the whole world.

This book is great for helping us understand and wield the authority we have in Christ.

By Dutch Sheets,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Authority in Prayer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

God Needs You

Authority in Prayer will show you how to take hold of God's promises and pray with the authority He wants you to have. You can reign in life and be the overcomer God intends you to be, taking charge of your personal world and changing the world around you. Don't allow sin, Satan, or the circumstances of life to weigh you down.

* Beginning with your private world--your thoughts, body, actions, and ultimately your God-ordained destiny--you can take charge. Authority is yours for the taking.

* Then, because God established and so honors the principle of authority,…


The Devil's Decade

By Claud Cockburn,

Book cover of The Devil's Decade

Emily Hourican Author Of Mummy Darlings: A Glorious Guinness Girls Novel

From the list on Britain before WWII that show true daily life.

Who am I?

When I started researching the 1930s in Britain, I realised that I had only ever considered the period from the Irish perspective, as the tail-end of the long battle for independence. I had always seen Britain in the role of oppressor: Rich, where Ireland was poor; powerful where Ireland was weak. As I read more, a new picture of Britain began to emerge. The Great Depression, the numbers of people unemployed, the children with rickets and scurvy due to malnutrition. And with those things, the rise of socialism and fascism, both expressing the same dissatisfaction with life. I wanted to know more. And so I went looking for books to teach me.

Emily's book list on Britain before WWII that show true daily life

Why did Emily love this book?

This is a history of the decade that was published in 1973. What it lacks in the perspective of greater hindsight, it gains in the energy and immediacy that Cockburn brings to the subject. It feels vivid and urgent, and conveys the sense of fear and alarm of that time very well. Parts are almost an eyewitness account. In my reading of history books that deal with the time, this stood out as being accessible and lively. 

By Claud Cockburn,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Devil's Decade as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.


Book cover of Gleefully Macabre Tales

K.V.T. Author Of There Are Stranger Things

From the list on unconventional horror.

Who am I?

I was six years old when I found myself getting up for a drink of water and watching a brutal dismemberment in a Sam Rami classic starring Bruce Cambell. I was transfixed. I saw The Terminator at five, most of Fulcci’s work before I could pee alone and worshiped Craven and Carpenter long before I could appreciate that I was their target audience. Horror is to me what oxygen is to every other mammal on the planet. Without it, I wither and die.

K.V.T.'s book list on unconventional horror

Why did K.V.T. love this book?

Jeff Strand is the flip side to the coin that I continually try to write. He takes a horrifying premise and makes it funny. I try to take a funny premise and make it horrifying. We both succeed to varying degrees.

The opening story in Gleefully Macabre Tales only spans 750 words and it was the last time I can remember laughing out loud at a written story. It concerns a door-to-door magazine salesman, crotchety old man, and a Weiner dog. To embellish further would be to betray the author’s intent. But know that if you do not find yourself smiling by the time the tale is told you desperately need to check for a pulse.

By Jeff Strand,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Gleefully Macabre Tales as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A short story collection from the author of DEAD CLOWN BARBECUE. Over 85,000 words' worth of insanity!

Cemetery Dance Magazine says that "No author working today comes close to Jeff Strand's perfect mixture of comedy and terror." GLEEFULLY MACABRE TALES compiles thirty-three of his most twisted blends of cringe-worthy horror and ghoulish humor, with a couple of serious pieces thrown in just to mess with you.

This collection includes tales from his three chapbooks (Two Twisted Nuts, Socially Awkward Moments With An Aspiring Lunatic, and Funny Stories of Scary Sex) and numerous other stories both popular and obscure, including "Really,…


Impressions

By Martin Wells Knapp,

Book cover of Impressions

Marcus Hurst Author Of The Contentment Dilemma: Examining Life's Mysteries and Purposes

From the list on as you grow in your Christian walk.

Who am I?

As a conservative Mennonite from Pennsylvania, I have observes many people who, despite numerous desperate attempts at locating lasting fulfillment, find themselves always craving more and never satisfied to relax and be content. I have consequently dedicated myself to helping these folks obtain the satisfaction they inwardly crave. This lead to hours of contemplating, praying, and reading numerous books on the subject.

Marcus' book list on as you grow in your Christian walk

Why did Marcus love this book?

Martin Wells Knapp speaks much on discerning God’s voice.

He explains, in simple language, how God and Satan place thought in our minds and how we can discern from which source these impressions come. If you struggle to understand how God speaks to us humans, this book is for you.

By Martin Wells Knapp,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Impressions as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Martin Wells Knapp defines an 'Impression' as an influence on an emotion, feeling or action - these can be good, such as impressions created by God, or evil, such as those originating from Satan.

This book discusses the various types of impressions, and the ways in which believers can - in the case of those holy or beneficent - receive them. Conversely, we are instructed how to avoid malevolent impressions by practicing good deeds and helping one's fellow man, while also devoting time to prayer and to reading and reflecting upon spiritual matters.

Quoting Biblical scripture and the psalms, Knapp…


Paradise Lost

By John Milton,

Book cover of Paradise Lost

James Sale Author Of HellWard

From the list on epic poems to stir the warrior and the wit in you.

Who am I?

I have been writing poetry for over 50 years and realized that as soon as I read Milton’s Paradise Lost – which blew my mind and emotions with its power of language – that epic poetry is the highest and greatest form of poetry. Thus, I have been assiduously reading epics ever since! I love them. And I write books on poetry writing (e.g. The Poetry Show: Macmillan, 1987), write on poetry for New York’s The Epoch Times, and am on the Advisory Board of The Society of Classical Poets. My own HellWard demonstrates a lifetime’s distillation about writing epic poetry, and shortly volume 2, StairWell, will be available.

James' book list on epic poems to stir the warrior and the wit in you

Why did James love this book?

If you are fed up with the mundane, the triviality of everyday life, and if you want to experience the sublime – writing that is sublime, that lifts you up to see imaginary and heroic worlds where the invisible forces that underpin reality battle for supremacy, then this is the poem for you. True, its language can seem difficult, but so can Shakespeare’s; instead of thinking that’s a problem, embrace it – let the language work its magic and soar to the stars and back! I have loved this poem ever since I read it when I was twenty, and quote it all the time. It will inspire the warrior in you.

By John Milton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Paradise Lost as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'An endless moral maze, introducing literature's first Romantic, Satan' John Carey

In his epic poem Paradise Lost Milton conjured up a vast, awe-inspiring cosmos ranging across huge tracts of space and time. And yet, in putting a charismatic Satan and naked Adam and Eve at the centre of this story, he also created an intensely human tragedy on the Fall of Man. Written when Milton was in his fifties - blind, bitter and briefly in danger of execution - Paradise Lost's apparent ambivalence has led to intense debate about whether it manages to 'justify the ways of God to men'…


The Witch's Tale

By Alonzo Deen Cole,

Book cover of The Witch's Tale: Stories of Gothic Horror from the Golden Age of Radio

Brian Lupo Author Of Ugly Faces

From the list on satisfy your horror obsession.

Who am I?

Horror films, radio shows, books, magazines, and comics have been my life ever since I was eight years old. I saw the Texas Chainsaw Massacre one late night on Channel 9, when TVs had but 13 channels. It was love at first scream. The genre put the boogieman outside my window, under my bed, and in my closet. It was terrifying, but there was also a high to be had. An addiction to scaring oneself that I couldn't get enough of. This adrenaline rush got me interested in scaring others. Four movies, sixteen shorts, two novels, I too, am a dark dreamer looking to scare kindred spirits. 

Brian's book list on satisfy your horror obsession

Why did Brian love this book?

Between 1931-1938, a radio program went on the air called, The Witch's Tale. Old Nancy, the Witch of Salem, would introduce stories of the eerie, weird, and blood-chilling sort, with her wise, black cat Satan. Putting to print thirteen of these hair-raising scripts, we can now take a step back in time and read from the point of view of the actors from the golden age of radio in The Witch's Tale by Alonzo Deen Cole.

Old Nancy: “Turn out them lights, and make it nice and dark. That's it. Now draw up to the fire, and gaze into the embers, gaze into them deep, and soon you will be amongst vampires, werewolves, ghosts and devil worshipers. He he he... isn't that right, Satan?" (CAT meows.)

By Alonzo Deen Cole,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Witch's Tale as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Stories of gothic horror from the Golden Age of Radio. Discover the thrills and goose bumps that frightened a generation of listeners during radio's Golden Age with 13 hair raising vintage radio scripts featuring stories about Vampires, Were wolves, Ghosts, Severed heads, Devil worship, Mad scientists and more .

By Alonzo Deen Cole, the great granddaddy of modern media horror and the creator of network radio's first drama series devoted entirely to the supernatural.


Terry Pratchett

By Rob Wilkins,

Book cover of Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes: The Official Biography

Amanda Cockrell Author Of Coyote Weather

From Amanda's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Who am I?

Author Reader Dog walker Lapsed academic

Amanda's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Why did Amanda love this book?

I have always been a huge Terry Pratchett fan and this biography, by his personal assistant of many years, speaks so strongly with Pratchett’s voice.

A great deal of it is derived from Pratchett’s notes on the autobiography that he began when he was tragically diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Wilkins’ text takes us from Pratchett’s early childhood (when the headmaster of his school decided he wasn’t going to amount to much) through the beginnings of Discworld, and on to his collaboration with Neil Gaiman on Good Omens, among other adventures.

The chapter titles themselves are Pratchettian: Chapter 3 is called “Smutty Magazines, Unfinished Custard and the School Uniform of Satan.” Just go read it.

By Rob Wilkins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Terry Pratchett as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WINNER OF THE 2023 LOCUS AWARD FOR NON-FICTION
WINNER OF THE BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION AWARD FOR BEST NON-FICTION

'Always readable, illuminating and honest. It made me miss the real Terry.' - Neil Gaiman

'Sometimes joyfully, sometimes painfully, intimate . . . it is wonderful to have this closeup picture of the writer's working life.' - Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Observer

--------

At the time of his death in 2015, award-winning and bestselling author Sir Terry Pratchett was working on his finest story yet - his own.

The creator of the phenomenally bestselling Discworld series, Terry Pratchett was known and loved around…


Veil of the Dragon

By Tom Barczak,

Book cover of Veil of the Dragon

Walter Rhein Author Of The Reader of Acheron

From the list on from criminally oppressed and exploited authors.

Who am I?

I’ve been working professionally as a writer for twenty-five years. I’m nothing close to a household name, but a number of my articles have gone viral throughout the years. I’ve had educators reach out to mention they’ve taught my work at both the high school and college levels. Writing is an occupation of passion, and the authors I’ve mentioned are all talented and passionate about their craft. It’s rare to find people who speak the truth anywhere in our society. These writers don’t just speak the truth, they make it sing.

Walter's book list on from criminally oppressed and exploited authors

Why did Walter love this book?

Barczak’s work belongs to that realm of poetic fiction that is occupied by Robert E. Howard and Janet Morris. Veil of the Dragon plays out like a vivid nightmare. This is the kind of fantasy novel that makes you want to pause in the middle of the paragraph you’re reading, go back to the beginning, and read out loud just to see how the words sound. Poetic fantasy takes you to another level.

By Tom Barczak,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Veil of the Dragon as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Chaelus, Roan Lord of the House of Malius is raised from the dead by the hand of a child. His kingdom stolen by the evil dragon, Gorond, Chaelus’ only hope to reclaim his throne rests with the child knight who saved him, the heretical order to which the child belongs, and the truth about Chaelus which they alone protect.


Her Majesty's Wizard

By Christopher Stasheff,

Book cover of Her Majesty's Wizard

P.G. Badzey Author Of Whitehorse Peak

From the list on fantasy with mystery, intrigue, and dash of faith.

Who am I?

Tolkien and Lewis got their hooks into me when I was a teen and this led me to spend many hours playing RPGs, devouring fantasy novels by the armful. Unfortunately, many books were disdainful of faith (particularly of the medieval European variety) but the respectful ones inspired me. Years later, I decided to write my own novels and add a science-based perspective from 20+ years as an engineer. The result is a series of 5 epic fantasy novels. I have plans for more, branching out into sci-fi, romance, children’s books, and historical fiction. My recommendations showcase a few of the writers who inspired me and still provide a model for my work.

P.G.'s book list on fantasy with mystery, intrigue, and dash of faith

Why did P.G. love this book?

A young college student with confidence issues and a knack for verse is transported to a fantasy world where he finds a beautiful queen under siege by a multitude of malevolent actors, a set of unusual companions, and an environment wherein poetry is literally magical. Stasheff’s treatment of faith and magic is thoughtful, his characters interesting and the plot engrossing. I particularly like rooting for the protagonist as he grows, learns, and overcomes. The magic system based on poetry is pure gold and the series has stood the test of time: it’s still as fun of a read now as it was when it first came out.

By Christopher Stasheff,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Her Majesty's Wizard as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The first of a light fantasy series, by the author of the "Warlock" series. Matt Mantrell finds himself suddenly transported to a world where magic is worked by the reciting of rhymes. Thrown into jail for practising sorcery, he conjures up a drunken dragon and falls in with a beautiful princess.


Witchfinders

By Malcolm Gaskill,

Book cover of Witchfinders: A Seventeenth-Century English Tragedy

J.S. Watts Author Of Witchlight

From the list on if you are seeking witchery.

Who am I?

I’ve always loved fantasy. My mother told me fairy stories and I read every book of myth and legend in my local library. I’ve continued to read and love books of fantasy and magic. I guess it’s not surprising that all four of my novels and most of my short stories have a speculative aspect to them. Having grown up with the traditional view of the aged, ugly crone luring children away to their doom, I especially love stories of witches that come at the topic of witchcraft from a different angle. I live in the East of England, where the infamous witch-hunts of the seventeenth century took place.

J.S.'s book list on if you are seeking witchery

Why did J.S. love this book?

If you mention witches, most people think fantasy novels, but this is a factual history about the real life witch-hunts that took place across the East of England in the 17th Century. It unpicks the brutal and most likely self-serving crusade of the original Witchfinder General, Mathew Hopkins and the religious hysteria of the time. It is a worthy counterbalance to classic horror films such as Witchfinder General and to all the varied and imaginative fiction that has been written about witches and witchery over the centuries, my own included.

By Malcolm Gaskill,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Witchfinders as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By spring 1645, two years of civil war had exacted a dreadful toll upon England. People lived in terror as disease and poverty spread, and the nation grew ever more politically divided. In a remote corner of Essex, two obscure gentlemen, Matthew Hopkins and John Stearne, exploited the anxiety and lawlessness of the time and initiated a brutal campaign to drive out the presumed evil in their midst. Touring Suffolk and East Anglia on horseback, they detected demons and idolators everywhere. Through torture, they extracted from terrified prisoners confessions of consorting with Satan and demonic spirits.

Acclaimed historian Malcolm Gaskill…


Encyclopaedia of Hell

By Martin Olson, Tony Millionaire (illustrator), Mahendra Singh (illustrator)

Book cover of Encyclopaedia of Hell: An Invasion Manual for Demons Concerning the Planet Earth and the Human Race Which Infests It

Darrel Perkins Author Of The End Is At Hand

From the list on to read as the world crumbles around us.

Who am I?

Like most people, I started to think about the end of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of learning how to bake sourdough bread, I read stories and made art about the apocalypse. The true and catastrophic experiences of people throughout history interested me so much that the project turned into a book. My background in printmaking and illustration has formed my approach to visualizing narrative scenes using crisp black and white linocut prints. My current position as a studio art professor has given me practice in providing information concisely. I try to entertain as much as inform. 

Darrel's book list on to read as the world crumbles around us

Why did Darrel love this book?

Big plans for the afterlife? Go prepared. Martin Olson’s Encyclopaedia of Hell and its sequel Encyclopaedia of Heaven can answer all your questions about God, the Devil, and whatever mess we’re currently stuck in. Every page is uniquely designed, entertaining, and beautifully illustrated. To remind you not to take the End so seriously, it satirizes the hell out of our world. Like my favorite things in life, it manages to be both dark and funny.

By Martin Olson, Tony Millionaire (illustrator), Mahendra Singh (illustrator)

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Encyclopaedia of Hell as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A tour de force of darkness, Encyclopaedia of Hell is a manual of Earth written by Lord Satan for his invading hordes of demons, complete with hundreds of unpleasant illustrations, diagrams, and a comprehensive and utterly repulsive dictionary of Earth terms.

Since the customs and mores of humanity are alien and inconceivable to demons, Satan wrote this strangely poetic military handbook for the enlightenment and edification of his demon armies. A masterpiece expressing Satan's hatred for humanity and himself, the Encyclopaedia includes "Techniques of Stalking and Eating Humans," "Methods of Canning Human Pus," and "Dicing and Slicing Orphaned Children."

Why…


The Lurker at the Threshold

By H. P. Lovecraft,

Book cover of The Lurker at the Threshold

Amie Irene Winters Author Of Summoner of Sleep

From the list on that will give you goosebumps.

Who am I?

I’m an American horror and fantasy writer, addicted to reading dark fiction and Gothic literature. I’ve always loved the spookier things in life and wrote my first horror story when I was nine. When not writing books, I love breaking a sweat in Jiu-Jitsu class, baking desserts, and traveling. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have.

Amie's book list on that will give you goosebumps

Why did Amie love this book?

This list would not be complete if I did not include one of Lovecraft’s books, as he is a true icon of the macabre, having created his own pantheon of Gods. He inspired Anne Rice, Clive Barker, and Stephen King to name a few. His stories are unique, entrenching, groundbreaking, and stay embedded within you long after you’ve read them. Horror fans know him well, but to most people who aren’t familiar with his name, they actually inadvertently know about his work. John Carpenter’s The Thing is based on Lovecraft’s In the Mountains of Madness. The character Pennywise from It is based on Lovecraft’s ideas of “outer gods” and evil beings that exist in dimensions outside of normal human experience. 

The Lurker at the Threshold remains my favorite story because it encompasses everything Lovecraft wrote about – unspeakable revelations, fractured characters, and boundaries of space and time. To me,…

Satan Prince of the World

By William Guy Carr,

Book cover of Satan Prince of the World

Michael B. Chikondi Author Of Like Father, Like Son: Idle Hands, Book 1

From Michael's 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Who am I?

Author Author Artist Traveler Cave-dweller

Michael's 3 favorite reads in 2023

Why did Michael love this book?

I’d heard about this book for years, referenced by various people. It’s possible that I stumbled across it on the Audioboy project.

It’s gripping. If you love conspiracy topics, especially if you don’t mind listening to people talk about the bible, then this is totally worth a read. It goes further than most will go and draws a direct line between the evil forces in the world and the powers and principalities spoken of in the bible.

It would probably be a surprise to most people that Satan is essentially viewed as the ‘owner/leader/prince’ (I’m not sure which term is ideal) of this world in Christianity, this goes back to Christ being offered the world by the devil, and to prophecy. It tackles the way, and reasons why, the future is unfolding as it was always going to do.

It’s a unique book, not published while the author lived. It…

By William Guy Carr,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Satan Prince of the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

William Guy Carr's last work, in it's original edition and uncensored. It was last edited by his elder son, and is presented as the author's last manuscript exposing the Luciferian Conspiracy, Satanism, secret societies and the Synagogue of Satan as driving forces behind the World Revolutionary Movement.


On a Pale Horse

By Piers Anthony,

Book cover of On a Pale Horse

Cleave Bourbon Author Of Red Mage Ascending

From the list on fantasy that inspire reluctant readers.

Who am I?

I first got fascinated with fantasy as a very reluctant high school reader. I didn’t like to read all that much because I was a slow reader and it was a laborious task for me. A high school friend offered me a fantasy book to read sophomore year and I couldn’t put it down. That one book started me on a reading journey that has never stopped. I also studied English, became a teacher, and finally began writing my own fantasy. These books took a reluctant reader in high school to the man and author I am today. I hope my own work does the same for future writers.

Cleave's book list on fantasy that inspire reluctant readers

Why did Cleave love this book?

This is the first book of the Incarnation series. What got me to read this book was the description. A man sees the incarnation of Death (the dark hooded grim reaper) and he shoots and kills him. Now that he has killed death, he must take Death’s place and become Death himself.

The second book in the series is about Chronos (time) and he lives his life backwards! The entire novel is written with time moving opposite of everyone else in the novel. I read these books in my early twenties and a lot of the series plot points still stick with me today. I have been influenced by it because in my series if one kills a mage, they must take their place as that mage.

I think The Doctor in Doctor Who and his wife moving opposite in time might have been influenced by the second book, I…

By Piers Anthony,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked On a Pale Horse as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this first novel of the Incarnations of Immortality, Piers Anthony combines a gripping story of romance and conflicting loyalties with a deeply moving examination of the meaning of life and death. This is a novel that will long linger in the reader's mind. 

Shooting Death was a mistake, as Zane soon discovered. For the man who killed the Incarnation of Death was immediately forced to assume the vacant position! Thereafter, he must speed over the world, riding his pale horse, and ending the lives of others. 

Zane was forced to accept his unwelcome task, despite the rules that seemed…


The Devil's Detective

By Simon Kurt Unsworth,

Book cover of The Devil's Detective

Philip Palmer Author Of Version 43

From the list on fantasy with a detective hero.

Who am I?

I am a science fiction and fantasy novelist and also a screenwriter and prolific writer of audio dramas for BBC Radio. I began my career many eons ago writing for the crime drama series The Bill and during that period I spent a lot of time mixing with coppers & villains and attending crime scenes. I have a great passion for detective and crime writing as well as all forms of speculative fiction, and I’m a sucker for crime/fantasy mash-ups.

Philip's book list on fantasy with a detective hero

Why did Philip love this book?

I bought this book in Hatchard’s bookshop because I liked the cover, and because I like stories about Hell. A great choice on my part—this wonderful crime/fantasy novel features a detective called Thomas Fool in the most lawless land there can be. Thomas has to investigate a series of grisly murders which threaten the Devil’s domain; and to make his police procedural story work Unsworth has to invent a whole new mythology of Hell in which murder is even possible. The writing is stunningly evocative and the logic of the world building is remarkable even if it is,  ultimately, bonkers. This book and its sequel, The Devil’s Evidence, are the noirest of noirs and are completely unputdownable. 

By Simon Kurt Unsworth,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Devil's Detective as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

WELCOME TO HELL.

Solving crimes was the purpose of Hell's Information Men, yet they almost never achieved it, and even when they did, the facts they scraped free were lost, buried again in the labyrinthine mess of the infernal Bureaucracy.

When an unidentified, brutalised body is discovered in Hell, the case is assigned to Thomas Fool. But how do you investigate a murder where death is commonplace and everyone is guilty of something?