First published 2017
The Devil moves through different cultures wearing many faces. He appears as Pan, Hades, Puck, Lucifer, and Mephistopheles across these tales. Satan destroys marriages from within, pulling couples apart through their own weaknesses. He descends to collect corrupt judges who sold their verdicts. Bankrupt aristocrats and desperate drunkards find him ready to negotiate, his contracts always favoring the house. The King of Hell sends servants to recover bodies of those who served him in life. Treasure seekers discover his assistance comes with hidden costs. Zombie witches rise when he breathes unlife into their corpses. Each story examines how different societies imagine humanity's relationship with evil incarnate. Some tales bring laughter, others terror. The Devil serves as humanity's dark mirror, reflecting greed, ambition, and moral failure. He tempts through desire and punishes through consequence. These encounters reveal what people fear most about themselves.
Genres: short-stories, fantasy, horror, supernatural
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: moral-ambiguity, supernatural-elements
Period: 19th-Century, 20th-Century
231 pages · Paperback · CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Content warnings: violence