Beat the Devil: 5 Fantasy Novels Featuring the Prince of Darkness

The Devil You Know, by K.J. Parker
Salonius, the greatest philosopher ever to live (at least, according to the minor functionary Hell sends to assist him) makes a deal with the devil: youth, power, and 40 years of Hell’s considerable power on retainer, in exchange for his soul. But Salonius is also the greatest con man, liar, cheat, and skinflint in existence, and he’s clearly up to something. Parker ups the tension by revealing the con at the beginning, swapping viewpoints between Hell’s representative and Salonius as the story goes on.This leaves the reader with the knowledge that a game is afoot, but no idea of the rules. Parker’s wit shines in the dialogue between the two devilish narrators.

Johannes Cabal the Necromancer, by Jonathan L. Howard
Years ago, Johannes Cabal traded his soul to Satan in exchange for the power to bring back the dead. Unfortunately, his lack of a soul also means a lack of consistent results, so naturally, he marches off to Hell, bludgeons the desk clerk with his own earthly remains, and demands a refund. The Devil, bored after centuries of Cribbage, proposes a bet instead: Cabal has a year to bring him a hundred souls (with the help of a demonic carnival), and if he does, he’ll get his soul back. The dour, fun-hating Cabal accepts, drafts his vampire older brother as ringmaster, and sets off on a journey to damn humanity. That description in no way does justice to this blackly tragicomic Faust satire, as Howard’s gift for heart and sharp sense of humor imbue the novel with humanity and hilarity.

The Devil’s Detective, by Simon Kurt Unsworth
Thomas Fool is an Information Man, a sort of informal police officer in Hell; his office catalogs the senseless atrocities around them, filing reports no one will ever read. When the Authorities of Hell ask him to run security for a delegation from Heaven and someone’s soul is destroyed in a murder, Fool is forced to investigate a violent conspiracy that might lead to a brimstone revolution. Unsworth’s gorgeous, grotesque prose borders on extreme, and vivid images—an attack in a demonic orphanage; a man who turns himself into a carnivorous garden—will stay with you long after you close the book.

The Damiano Trilogy, by R.A. MacAvoy
R.A. MacAvoy’s classic trilogy,set in Renaissance Italy, tells the story of the lute-playing wizard Damiano, his talking dog, and his relationships with both Lucifer and the archangel Raphael. When his town is threatened by the belligerent, violent General Pardo, Damiano sets out to find the pagan witch Saara to save his home from certain destruction. Along his path, he is tempted by Satan, given lessons by an archangel, and accompanied by a cast of colorful characters. However, the book’s real strengths are MacAvoy’s lyrical prose and the way she delves into questions of humanity and morality, resulting in an epic on a human level.

Silver on the Road, by Laura Anne Gilman
In the untamed western territories known as the “Devil’s West,” wild magic abounds, kept in check by no less than the Devil himself, aided by his Right Hand. In the town of Flood, a girl named Izzy celebrates her 16th birthday by making one of those infamous deals, taking on the role of the Devil’s Left Hand, riding circuit through the Devil’s West to do her boss’s work. Gilman excels at giving her world depth, creating the superstitions, customs, and odd conventions of people living under the watchful eye of the devil, but the real stars are her characters, whom she imbues with distinct voices and a great deal of agency. It doesn’t hurt that the book is saturated with Western atmosphere and a great slow-burner of a plot.
What’s your favorite depiction of the Devil in SF/F?