''I, Lucifer'' is a 2002 novel by

Glen Duncan Glen Duncan is a British author born in 1965 in Bolton, Lancashire, England to an Anglo-Indian family. He studied philosophy and literature at the universities of Lancaster and Exeter. In 1990 Duncan moved to London, where he worked as a boo ...

, told from the point of view of the eponymous

fallen angel In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said R ...

, who has taken on a human body formerly belonging to a struggling writer.

Plot summary

In ''I, Lucifer'', God presents the

devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...

with a chance of redemption by living a somewhat sinless life in a human body.

Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passage ...

, not wanting redemption, takes God’s offer for a trial but instead takes it as a month's holiday. This story takes place in London and Lucifer lives in the body of Declan Gunn (an anagram of "Glen Duncan", the author's name), formerly a struggling writer who is suicidal. While in Declan’s body, Lucifer takes his body for granted and abuses drugs, alcohol, and sex. Not only does Lucifer still live a devilish life, but also he starts to realize what being a human is really like. He realizes there is so much going on in their lives and so much temptation, and people can’t simply do whatever they please. As Lucifer’s trial is coming to an end, he receives a visit from the angel

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. List of works by Raphael, His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of ...

, who attempts to help Lucifer head in the right direction. Raphael tells him the world is going to end so there’s no choice but to gain redemption from rebelling against God and be accepted back into heaven. Lucifer makes his decision. The whole story is permeated by the main character's versions of biblical episodes and his disparaging opinions about God and "Jimmeny" (

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

Music

A soundtrack album for the novel was released by

The Real Tuesday Weld The Real Tuesday Weld are a British band, founded in 1999 by lead singer and producer Stephen Coates, who studied at the Royal College of Art. They have released several albums, many singles and EPs, and many tracks on compilations. Their comb ...

. The album is also called ''I, Lucifer''. Glen Duncan was staying in

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell () is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an ancient parish from the mediaeval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The well after which it was named was redisco ...

with Stephen Coates of The Real Tuesday Weld while writing the novel, and so "the book and record grew up together". In their cover of

ABBA ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...

's "

The Day Before You Came "The Day Before You Came" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in October 1982 as the lead single from the compilation album '' The Singles: The First Ten Years''. History Development Following the November 1981 release of ABB ...

" the band changed the lyric of the third verse which references writer

Marilyn French Marilyn French (; November 21, 1929 – May 2, 2009) was an American radical feminist author. Life French was born in Brooklyn to E. Charles Edwards, an engineer, and Isabel Hazz Edwards, a department store clerk. In her youth, she was a jour ...

to reference Declan Gunn, the fictional writer in the book. The 2003

Biffy Clyro Biffy Clyro are a Scottish rock band that formed in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, composed of Simon Neil (guitar, lead vocals), James Johnston (bass, vocals), and Ben Johnston (drums, vocals). Currently signed to 14th Floor Records, they have r ...

album, ''

The Vertigo of Bliss ''The Vertigo of Bliss'' is the second studio album by British rock band Biffy Clyro. Produced with the band by Chris Sheldon, it was released by Beggars Banquet Records on 16 June 2003. The album reached number 48 on the UK Albums Chart, and spa ...

'', takes its name from one of Lucifer's musings in ''I, Lucifer''. The first track on the album is named "Bodies in Flight", which is similar to the title of a novel written by Declan Gunn, the author in the book.

Destroy the Runner Destroy the Runner is an American heavy metal band from San Diego, California, United States. Tim Lambesis of As I Lay Dying managed them for their album ''Saints'', and did so again with Jason Rudolph for their second album '' I, Lucifer''. H ...

's 2008 album is also named '' I, Lucifer''.

Notes

External links

I, Lucifer reviews at Amazon.com
2002 British novels 2002 speculative fiction novels Novels about writers Novels set in London Fiction about the Devil Fiction about God Supernatural novels British speculative fiction novels {{2000s-specf-novel-stub