I, Lucifer (Glen Duncan)

: "See I, Lucifer for the book published in 1967 by Peter O'Donnell from his Modesty Blaise series."

Infobox Book |
name = I, Lucifer
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Glen Duncan
cover_artist =
country =
language = English
series =
subject =
genre = Supernatural fiction
publisher = Scribner (UK); Grove Press (US)
release_date = 6 January 2003
media_type = Print
pages = 272 pp
isbn = 0-8021-4014-9
preceded_by =
followed_by =

I, Lucifer is a 2003 novel by Glen Duncan.

Synopsis

In the novel, Satan is offered a human body for one month, provided that he does nothing which will permanently harm the host. If he can live out the month blamelessly, he can keep the body until its eventual demise. If he lives virtuously and repents, he can return to Heaven, though not regaining his angelic status.

His host, Declan Gunn (an anagram of Glen Duncan), is a depressed writer who is preparing to commit suicide. Through the aid of his minions, Lucifer procures a vast amount of money and proceeds to live a rock-and-roll life style, immediately selling the film rights to the Fall of the Angels and his war with Heaven.

The premise of the novel is that Lucifer is writing it on Gunn's computer at the same time as the screenplay. He frequently flashes back to events in both his and Gunn's lives, ranging from the temptation of Eve to the release of Gunn's last novel. As the novel progresses, Gunn's life interferes more and more with Lucifer's, while Lucifer seemingly becomes more human.

The novel itself digresses repeatedly, examining such topics as hypocrisy in the Spanish Inquisition, the humanity in figures that we have come to label as inhuman (using Heinrich Himmler as an example), the circumstances leading to Satan's fall from grace, and how Elton John is a possible descendant of the Nephilim.

Music

A soundtrack album for the novel was released by The Real Tuesday Weld. The album is also called "I, Lucifer". Glen Duncan was staying in Clerkenwell with Stephen Coates of The Real Tuesday Weld while writing the novel, and so "the book and record grew up together". [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/collective/A2692640 BBC - collective - (the real) tuesday weld interview ] ]

The 2003 Biffy Clyro album, "The Vertigo of Bliss", 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 the fictional novel written by Declan Gunn.

Film release

A film version of the book, adapted by David Logan, has been announced, starring Daniel Craig in the title role and Ewan McGregor as Declan Gunn. Dan Harris is set to direct the film. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0444646/ I, Lucifer (2010) ] ] It is unknown whether music from the soundtrack by The Real Tuesday Weld will be used.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Lucifer-Glen-Duncan/dp/0743220137 I, Lucifer reviews at Amazon.com]