I, Lucifer: Finally, the Other Side of the Story - Glen Duncan
God offers Lucifer an opportunity for forgiveness and re-entry into heaven. Lucifer is given thirty days to inhabit the body of Declan Gunn. If he can live a good life, he will be allowed back into heaven. Lucifer takes the offer, but uses Gunn's body to completely indulge his senses. Though this may seem like a set-up for a completely foul book, it is surprising how much truth comes through - sort of like an R-rated Screwtape Letters. While indulging the flesh, Lucifer writes a book, retelling the stories of creation, the fall (both angelic and human), and Jesus' temptation and crucifixion with his own spin on the story. Because he is the father of lies, we never truly know whether he is lying or not. He also sheds insights on his demonic strategies. One of my favorite lines: "I do a deal, a great deal of my work in churches, usually during the homily, when all but the most besotted acolytes are in a state of surreal boredom verging on hallucination" (35-36). He is admittedly not omniscient, but "one hell of an opportunist" (63). Near the end, a good angel attempts to win him over by revealing that Lucifer possesses little true power over humans, since humans are responsible for their own actions and possess within themselves the capacity for evil apart from demonic influence. This infuriates Lucifer, but his overblown ego will not allow him to accept it. This book is definitely not for the easily offended!