I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story

This is the third book by Duncan that I have read, and about halfway through I was convinced that it would be the last. In fact, for a fleeting moment it actually crossed my mind to just put the book down and call it a day. "Here is where," I thought, "you and I part ways, Mr. Duncan." But, alas, I was lured back in, Devil help me, and I am glad I stuck it out.The thing is this: Duncan does not just chronicle the debauchery of his characters; he wallows in it, revels in it. And in "I, Lucifer" he seems keenly aware of this inclination of his. He may, perhaps, even be uncomfortable with it. In any case, one of the characters tells Declan Gunn--the fictional narrator whose name is an anagram of Glen Duncan--that, while it may be his "obligation to write about it [insert your own sordid perversion or horror]...it's also your obligation to understand what it means to you and why you're doing it" (207).Duncan seems to struggle with this, and the imagery is a bit uneven because of it: at times we get full-frontal descriptions, other times we get an ellipsis and an invitation to fill in the blanks on our own.That said, it is precisely because of asides like the one above that one cannot help but respect Duncan. He's a thinker. And while he seems to have trouble keeping his head (never mind anything below his waistline) above the most degenerate aspects of human existence, the indulgence is not without a cerebral--er, moneyshot.Like his other books, this one too reflects upon what it means to be human in a world that is at best indifferent and at its worst, cruel. What is Hell? "Two things," we are told. "The absence of God and the presence of time" (208). Sound familiar? Yep, most of us are already there.There is also plenty of social commentary in the book, though most of it is en passant as opposed to a sustained argument. Likewise, as Lucifer, the main character cannot help but discuss historical events such as the Inquisition, the Holocaust, and even Stanley Milgram's experiments on violence and authority. Again, most of this is just by the by, in passing.In the end, I am not sure that we are any better off after having read Duncan's book, but we have been slightly amused and given plenty to ruminate on.I would be amiss if I failed to mention how articulate Duncan is; he manages to make the language work for him in a way that is all too easy to miss and, paradoxically, all too uncommon these days. Form follows function in Duncan's books, and this is another reason why I continue to come back for more. If Duncan is going intellectual slumming, I can't help but want to go along with him, even if I sometimes feel as though the trip may require more than I can endure.

Book Info: Genre: Literary FictionReading Level: AdultRecommended for: People who like to look at things from a different perspectiveTrigger Warnings: This is a story told from Lucifer's point of view, so he often thinks about things that aren't at all nice, such as possibly raping a woman, or killing people, etc. It's mostly just thoughts, but be aware of them. Attempted suicide.My Thoughts: I'm still trying to make sense of this piece. The book isn't much about anything but the journey, Lucifer's experiences spending time in a mortal form and how he spends that time, his thoughts on various things, and his determination to write a book that will once and for all set things straight and tell the story from his point of view. As such, it tends to be rambling, wandering from topic to topic (often self-consciously so), and somewhat disjointed. It will not be for everyone, that is for sure, but I found I rather enjoyed it. Lucifer has a sort of wry voice that I found appealing (when he wasn't thinking appalling things), and his descriptions of the things around him made me see things in a new light. I mean, just imagine that you've spent all this time immaterial and suddenly you're in the material world, feeling, smelling, hearing, seeing... it would be overwhelming. I think the author did a good job of portraying that idea. The one problem I had with this is that everything is left up in the air. What happens with Lucifer? I know I”d like to know. That wasn't enough to detract from the story, though; it just left me with burning questions that I wanted answered. If this sounds like the sort of thing that would appeal to you, be sure to check this book out.Disclosure: I purchased this e-book for myself. All opinions are my own.Synopsis: The Prince of Darkness has been given one last shot at redemption, provided he can live out a reasonably blameless life on earth. Highly sceptical, naturally, the Old Dealmaker negotiates a trial period—a summer holiday in a human body, with all the delights of the flesh.The body, however, turns out to be that of Declan Gunn, a depressed writer living in Clerkenwell, interrupted in his bath mid-suicide. Ever the opportunist, and with his main scheme bubbling in the background, Luce takes the chance to tap out a few thoughts—to straighten the biblical record, to celebrate his favourite achievements, to let us know just what it's like being him.Neither living nor explaining turns out to be as easy as it looks. Beset by distractions, miscalculations and all the natural shocks that flesh is heir to, the Father of Lies slowly begins to learn what it's like being us.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and primarily for Duncan's prose. Rambling, lyrical, clever, irreverent and often hilarious, it was hard to put this book down because I was enjoying the time I got to spend with the narrator. At times, however, Duncan got a little lost and the stream of conscious rambling required another read over in order to orientate myself.Lucifer, here, is similar to Milton's creation but taken much further. He's the original psychopath. It's a credit to Duncan that he has crafted a character who is so likable that you forget that this is the inherent nature of Lucifer - his persuasive capabilities, his ability to tempt. One has to step away to remember who, exactly, you are dealing with and why his take on things is so persuasive.While I thoroughly appreciated the humor in the book, there are some moments that manage to balance this with seriousness - one specific example is Lucifer's musing on the Inquisition. Here, the insights the narrator offers illuminate facets of humanity better than some of the descriptive paragraphs that occur, early on, when Lucifer finds himself embodied in the flesh - not that these are not spectacular.My only criticism is that the ending, with the introduction of a new, critical character, fell a little bit flat for me. What was actually at stake for Lucifer was only hinted at earlier, and suddenly it is quickly and simply spelled out. The decision-making process is very condensed, and another development leads to the ultimate decision that Lucifer needs to make. All in all, though, this was an incredibly well written, clever, and enjoyable book that left me craving more.

The Devil (morning star, Lucifer etc etc) is offered the chance to live as a human for a month, boy does he enjoy it, rather to much according to various po-faced angels who disapprove of his antics. The Angels certainly like to make an appearance, blowing out the windows of a North London flat for instance.All the while Lucifer is informing the reader in a sly monologue and witty asides. Its written in 1st person and 3rd person which can get a bit disorientating but then its Lucifer so what do you expect?It's chilling, thought-provoking and laugh out loud funny. The twist in the tail is delicious and the final paragraph of the book is a killer.

Written in a poetic rather than a written style. The words flow but require concentration. Lucifer is perceived as a bitter, humourous angel who sounds rather like a more queenly resident of London, and I don’t mean the one that lives in the palace.It is an unusual style and one I could not get into, so alas, I could not finish it.

Finally, the other side of the story: why was Lucifer banished from heaven? And what is hell really like? Possessed of a fizzing intelligence, a startlingly honest and often scatological way with words, Duncan's prose is sinewy, lush, sometimes without pity, but it is also shorn of pretence, tender with resonance but more often shockingly funny, bawdy and rude. If you ever wanted to know about Angels on earth, and in hell, this is the book you need. But this isn't a book for those who baulk at religious irreverence. The devil is in charge.Lucifer is given a chance to return to heaven - but first he has to live for a month as an ordinary person on earth. He takes possession of a suicidal writer, Declan Gunn, who has penned an unpublishable novel 'A Grace of Storms'. but Lucifer has other plans and almost before he knows what he's done, Declan has written a screenplay - and its all about the fall of Lucifer. Hollywood awaits.We get the Tempation of Christ in the wilderness, as well as the Passover and Pilate and the crucifixion. A book that has the temerity to suggest that God has been pretty quiet in the face of torments and tortures, such as those that took place under the Spanish Inquisition, can't be all bad. It has some dips and a rather barren and indecisive ending, but it stands out as uniquely angry, defiantly taunting and a guiltily gorgeous read.

Having read his earlier book Hope and not being disappointed I have this a whirl, imagine the movie Meet Joe Black where Death takes human form to try being a human for a bit well in this book Satan takes human form as a chance at redemption and I have to say it's a great book, really interesting concept and beautifully written to boot. It's a must read

ive never read anything by Glen Duncan before but i saw this in a book shop and i started reading the first page and began laughing out loud getting me some odd looks from other people. i immediately went home and purchased it and i love it. The whole book has a melancholic feel to but its still funny and light in places. You can almost feel the smug confidence of Lucifer leaking through the pagesCertainly a must read for anyone who has a little sympathy for Lucifer and all his demons and anyone who see the tragically depressing lives we force upon ourselves.i especially liked the way Lucifer told his life in these kind of Sunday afternoon tales it gave all things we find horrifying a kind of mundane feeling.i will certainly be buying some more Glen Duncan books