The Satanic in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Satan Dracula Sauron Lord Foul Darth Vader. The motif of the Satanic Dark Lord is ever-present in science fiction and fantasy a malign intelligence seeking to thwart the Chosen One.In the literature of the 1980s and 90s the Dark Lord is always defeated. However post-millennium there are signs that he has finally begun to get the upper hand as we witness his change from anti-hero to hero.In this enthralling study prize-winning author A J Dalton considers how our understanding and characterisation of Satan has developed over time. From early depictions of Satan as a brutal dragon in the Bible to the playfully seductive friend in the works of Chaucer and Marlowe to the sympathetic and sensitive vampire of the modern-day to the alien and unknowable artificial intelligence of tomorrow.This book provides a starting point for researchers writers and fans of science fiction and fantasy interested in the development of one of the biggest tropes in speculative fiction.