The Complete Book of Devils and Demons by Leonard R. N. Ashley (September 2011, Skyhorse Publishing) is a reprint of a book first published in 1996, but resurrected here in a revised edition that presents a sociological study of those angels who have gone bad, as the author puts it, who he thinks deserve more attention than just the “good” angels. If you’re expecting a dictionary of fallen angels similar to the ones that Gustav Davidson and Rosemary Ellen Guiley did, that’s not quite what Ashley’s book is. If you’re expecting a guide to demons that acts as a guidebook to the underworld and reveals names, pentagrams, ranks, personal histories within Hell, that sort of thing, then you should look at the previously mentioned books. This text is more along the lines of Anthony Masters and The Devil’s Dominion, providing more of a look into traditional views and philosophies on the Devil in particular.

The Complete Book of Devils and Demons is a great resource for those looking for more a historical background into the Judeo-Christian traditions and mythologies that permeated through the popular consciousness across time, particularly in the Middle Ages, when people didn’t know (or read) quite as much and as a result, let the clergy have a field day with the masses, controlling where they got their information, scaring them into becoming believers, preying on their superstitions, etc.

The book also offers some useful quotations relating to Hell and demons and from a variety of sources, including The Bible, Dante’s Inferno, the works of Percy Shelley, Shakespeare, and many others. There are also a number of rare reproductions of woodcuts that are taken from such texts as De Lamiis et phitonicis muleribus. Some discussion of demons in popular culture is interspersed throughout the book, but it would have been helpful if the author organized things a bit more coherently as some of the topics feel mixed together like a jumble.

As well, in the middle of the book, there is a listing of some of the most prominent demons and who they are, which is also essential to a book like this. The author also goes into a detailed exploration of demons in different cultures, as in Sumerian, Egyptian, Chinese, which lends some diversity to the information. Some sections on mysticism and magic, including witchcraft, are also included. Historical figures don’t go unnoticed, as one of the latter parts of the book deals with such famous faces as Vergil, C.S. Lewis, and Nostradamus to name a few. Fairy tales and discussions of Arthurian myth also find their way between the book’s pages, with Morgan Le Fay being given some page time.

Still, for those looking for more insights into the origin of demons, at least in organized religion and through the minds of thinkers throughout the ages, The Complete Book of Devils and Demons will deliver on its promise.

Also for your consideration, we have A Field Guide to Demons, Vampires, Fallen Angels and Other Subversive Spirits by Carol K. Mack and Dinah Mack (September 2011), also a reprint originally from 1998. This book is meant to be used as more of the “dictionary” type variety that I was referring to above, which includes sections on different types of magic beasts broken out into sections (a wise editorial decision), including water, which goes into different mermaid myths including Tiamat of Mesopotamia, the Kelpie (Scotland), and the Nixie (Teutonic), all of which are appropriate for the category, which seems complete except for the omission of the Selkie, also a valid entry.

The “Mountain” esction deals mostly with vampiric type creatures, including some obscure ones such as the Duergar (Great Britain), Akvan (Ancient Persia) and the Gwyllion (Wales). Of course, Dracula is the final entry in the section. Next, we get into the “Forest” critters, starting off with Pan (Greece), the Wendigo (Canada), and Rakshasas (India) among the more notable creatures, which seem to be in the “beast” category more than anything. Interestingly, the Shedim (Judaism) are included here, which is a nice addition as Jewish folklore has its fair share of beasties, which many mythology and lore enthusiasts don’t always remember (it’s not just the Golem )

In the “Desert,” we get such offerings as the Djinn (Arabian desert), Ahriman (Iranian desert), and Satan himself, attributed to Negev. Such fan favorites as Set (Sahara desert), Azazel (Judean Wilderness), and Iblis (Arabian desert) are also included to round off the set.

In “Domocile” (that one was new to me, too), we get the Aswang (Philippines), Asmodeus (Judaism), one of my personal favorites, Lilith (Judaism), and even the Al attributed to Armenia (even though it’s also commonly found in the folklore of the Caucasus, Iran, Central Asia, and southern parts of Russia), which is quite an obscure entry, but nevertheless fascinating. These creatures seem to be demons for the most part, the focus of my interest.

The final section, entitled “Psyche” deals with popular creatures, both monsterly and psychological, including the Seven Deadly Sins from Christianity, the Dybbuk (Judaism), the Loup Garou (North America and France), werewolves, zombies, and even Freud’s Id as well as Jung’s Shadow, both very interesting concepts.

I found the entries to be detailed, well-researched, and most importantly, containing new insights and/or confirming things that I already knew about the creatures, which is always what I’m looking for from books like this. The entries aren’t overly long either, which is actually a good thing, because those can be cumbersome to read and easy to skim over. The Macks have a real gem for any lover of demonology and monster lore, and it makes the perfect gift for a speculative fiction writer who wants to learn more about mythology and the monsters from different cultures but doesn’t necessarily have the time to scour a hundred different texts.

The book also contains a wonderful biography, which can be used to find out more about a particular creature of interest, and the beginning section includes a part on how to identify the common fairy as well as how to identify a basic demon, which both act as supplements to an already wonderful resource.

So there you have it–two books on supernatural creatures, both offering different advantages depending on the kind of text you want to consult, but both well worth your time.

Happy Reading!