What do you think?
Rate this book
Interview with the Devil
"Interview with the Devil' is a chilling masterpiece that captivates and terrifies in equal measure. Joseph Banbury's journey is brilliantly conceived, forcing us to confront our deepest fears and beliefs. Truly amazing." - Tom Holland (Fright Night, Chucky)
Scrubs Magazine's 2024 Top Read, "THE BEST HORROR BOOK THIS CENTURY."
Joseph Banbury's life takes an extraordinary turn when he's drawn into an otherworldly dialogue with the Devil himself. Tasked with documenting this unparalleled interview, Joe dives into a narrative that blurs the lines between myth and reality, good and evil. As he navigates the complexities of the Devil's tales, Joe uncovers secrets that challenge the foundations of his beliefs and the world's understanding of the celestial balance. Faced with a prophetic warning about a pivotal choice that could reshape the universe, Joe's journey becomes a testament to the power of questions and the search for truth. "Interview with the Devil" is a compelling tale that invites readers to explore the depths of their convictions and the possibility of redemption in the darkest of narratives. Through a tapestry of philosophical exploration and cosmic intrigue, this novel questions the essence of humanity and the intricate dance of fate and free will.
Scrubs Magazine's 2024 Top Read, "THE BEST HORROR BOOK THIS CENTURY."
Joseph Banbury's life takes an extraordinary turn when he's drawn into an otherworldly dialogue with the Devil himself. Tasked with documenting this unparalleled interview, Joe dives into a narrative that blurs the lines between myth and reality, good and evil. As he navigates the complexities of the Devil's tales, Joe uncovers secrets that challenge the foundations of his beliefs and the world's understanding of the celestial balance. Faced with a prophetic warning about a pivotal choice that could reshape the universe, Joe's journey becomes a testament to the power of questions and the search for truth. "Interview with the Devil" is a compelling tale that invites readers to explore the depths of their convictions and the possibility of redemption in the darkest of narratives. Through a tapestry of philosophical exploration and cosmic intrigue, this novel questions the essence of humanity and the intricate dance of fate and free will.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 10, 2024
1253 people are currently reading
8387 people want to read
About the author
Michael Harbron
9 books120 followersMichael Harbron is an American fiction writer who brings a unique, yet traditional approach to the horror and supernatural genres. From a young age, Harbron was captivated by the eerie and unexplained, a fascination that has deeply influenced his writing. His works aim to unsettle readers through suspense and psychological depth, revisiting the shadowy corners of childhood fears. His debut novel, "Interview with the Devil," exemplifies the blurred lines between reality and the unimaginable. Harbron’s storytelling resurrects dormant fears, proving that true horror lies not in what is seen, but in what is felt.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews
September 2, 2025
OH HELL YEAH!! Just such a different concept. I have to admit I looked into the reviews prior to purchasing it and so many said the first half and more were way too slow. I have noticed a trend by reviewers saying to skip parts of books. Saw one guy say he went straight to the interview chapter after having enough of the slow start. I really think you are gambling and possibly cheating yourself in skipping parts of books. Admittedly I skip a lot of sex scenes in books (and yeah I love sex but the scenes just bore the hell out of me) so do you really lose anything by skipping such scenes as they seldom add to the plot and are basically filler. Yet skipping vital chapters that lay the groundwork in a book, I just don't think so.
So I am an outlier here and was more into the first part of the book. This review may cost me friends. The subject matter is right down my alley with a lot of personal experiences here. I am short a few courses with regard to a religious studies degree and have been really thinking a lot about religion the past few years. I am not sure why but I have real issue's with the Christian right and started thinking why the hell is the old testament a part of Christian faith? Like two diametrically opposed gods. Old testament equals big daddy/punisher in the sky god. New testament and Jesus is all about forgiveness. I remember my grade 8 school teacher calling me a simpleton and a hammerhead when I interpreted a passage about forgiveness in the bible (I went to a Catholic school) and asked does God forgive murderers, because the verse literally implied that? And of late look at all that thinking re forgiveness as depicted in stories like the Shack. Perhaps you Mr. B were the hammerhead in retrospect. I am going to go chapter by chapter basically so as to show the pacing and how it related to me personally.
Prologue and 1 Old Ghosts. We learn that Joe Banbury (main character) and his sister Amy are 10 and have an alter in their basement. Their parents are super religious and they are Catholic and are hell bent on preventing their children from falling prey to evil. The children are made to pray at said alter each night. One night while alone Joe and Amy come face to face with a winged demon and they escape. So my wife never believed me when I told her at 3 I was in my parents first home cement basement. I was riding my red aluminum pedal car around. A crow flew in from whatever type of furnace was there. I lost it of course and when I ran up the stairs yelling and screaming I could not get up the stairs as some very ugly monster man had me by the foot. The crow was going nuts and my voice froze from the sheer ugliness of the monster subduing me. Something odd then happened and I was saved but will not get into it as it is a potential book I will eventually write but the ugly monster man disappeared. My mom already on her way came downstairs and ushered the crow out. I only told my wife this story about 20 years ago but my mom confirmed it all including me being out of my mind about a monster man. And surprise surprise when I saw that ugly mans face when the Freddy Kreuger movies rolled out. I am not fn kidding. I have never forgotten it. So yeah I identified with this chapter.
Ch 2. 1991. Now 11 years old. Joe is always scared at night. Continues to see demons. Like all kids he hides under his bed sheets. I remember mine always having to be so tight. It felt safe that way but cmon, really? Joe is confronted by another demon and as he is saying the our Father the demon mocks him "Hallowed be thy name, Joe". Just a classic line. Again at a personal level I have had night terrors starting at about 12. Sleep where I cannot awake from. Yet aware that I should wake up. They are terrifying but yet in my 20's I started confronting the presence suffocating me and not allowing me to awake. All sorts of images have presented themselves as the demon trying to suffocate me including Mr Kreuger and yes even a storm trooper. Currently, my night terrors relate to my old room and if I go to a corner where the dresser is that evil force grabs me and the fight/massive struggle is on. I even communicate with said force in my dreams and we have a deal if in my dream I need to go in my room I am safe unless I am dumb enough to go close to the dresser. Well just the other week I went to go into my room and thought no, not safe and I was in the hall at the door and the stupid evil force grabbed me anyway. I went nuts pointing out I had no time for such a struggle and he was breaking the rules. I got lucky and was let go. So how many of you have blocked me as of this point?
Ch 3 1995 Joe is 15. He knows he wants to be a writer. The librarian Mrs. Albright can really write and begins to tutor Joe. But Mrs. Albright is not what she appears to be. Such a fun and cool little chapter. Again on a personal note my dad always thought I should be a writer. I actually have a few manuscripts in the works too but I write POV meaning it is easy for me to jump time frames, jump manuscripts depending whatever whacked idea I get for each book. Meaning finishing one may take forever. I think it is clear how this book pulled me in.
Chapters 4- 10 Joe does not know if he has a hyper imagination (think me here) if he is mentally ill (in no way at all for me) or what is happening to him is in fact all real. He does see a psychiatrist for help. Some entity is prompting him to write his book. A religious book titled the Skeptic which questions organized religion. The entity only leaves him in peace when he writes. Yet it takes ten years for him to complete his book (I am around that mark, lol). So again the subject matter was spot on. I look at Christianity as mentioned when I first started this review. You know why the old testament is part of Christ's teaching - its because you cannot have a religion based on Christ's teachings of FORGIVENESS at any level. Not at a personal level in that people would walk all over you and clearly not at a nation state level. Oh ok, we will gladly give you parts of the Ukraine. So mankind had to perverse the teachings of Christ and keep a lot of that old testament mentality around. Just so organized for obvious reasons.
Joe finds himself on the book tv circuit and on one right wing Christian show someone comes at him with a knife but Joe survives. Joe's book is a smash hit and he is rich and lives in a NY brownstone. Joe confirms with his sister that she too saw the demons while growing up, that they were all around. Amy says he should write a book about the devil. Joe decides that maybe he should and goes to his childhood priest Father O'Hara for counsel. The father tells him the story of Joes mother pregnant with Joe as his father had terminal pancreatic cancer. Joe's mother comes upon a celestial man who she believes is an angel and a deal is struck. When she relays the story to Father O'Hara he explains that God does not work in such ways. Yet we know who does right? His father heals completely. His mother kind of realizes what happened and that's why their religious bent is as it is with the alter and praying all the time and such. So as I am at Chapter 8 I am thinking how can anyone think this is slow. This is so cool but of course I get that I identify with this book at a different level and am quite bias indeed.
So Joe's parent clearly despise his book. Yet he goes home and while there comes across his mothers diary and the events of the day with the angel she believes appeared. The mom's account of that day is so cool and Joe and her realize they have quite a bit more in common than first believed. In around this time Father O'Hara is violently murdered. Crucified in fact. In his mind Joe can see it and hears the devil say "Father O'Hara you spilled the beans and you weren't supposed to. Now I am spilling your guts." Again just awesome.
Chapter 11 - The Introduction. Joe meets the devil. The devil wants Joe to tell his story in a book. The truth. This was just an awesome chapter.
Chapter 12 - Eclectic clarity. Joe tells Amy of his meeting. She feels he needs to write the book but then move to fiction and away from religion.
Chapter 13 - The Interview. The devil can read your mind. He tells Joe that Joe himself is a force to be reckoned with and that the forces of good have been watching him too. Says the main agent on good's side is his psychiatrist. Admits it was him dealing with Joe's mom. The devil says Joe is free to do as he pleases. Joe's soul is Joes. The devil says he has never ever killed a human being. The devil does not believe in religion and despises Satanist. Just such a cool chapter. Devil is awesome looking and witty to boot. Like Lucifer Morningstar in the tv series Lucifer which I just loved.
Chapter 14- Invocation. The devil brings Joe to his home during the interview. It is a mix of Tuscan and Venetian architecture and just beautiful. He tells Joe that he is in fact in hell. Joe is stunned by the beauty of it. And the devil is quite an accomplished painter too.
Chapter 15- Intermission. Joe writes a lot of what he saw. His sister reads it and agrees with me. Joe's book is shit. Very cool chapter in that the reader gets to read Joe's book and to do so the author goes to a first person narrative from Joe's point of view for the first and only time in the book. Like you have all this time to speak to the devil and you write about his home? This is where the book kind of disappointed me. Like if I could speak to the devil I would ask him about his casting out of the heavens. I would ask him about heaven and hell. About demonic possessions and wouldn't my version of the devils response be quite different. The devil now angered "Joe, do you really think I am responsible for possessions? Do I look stupid to you? In what shape or form would that be of any assistance to me in any way at all? Quite the opposite in fact, agreed "? And in this book the devil and God respect each other while battling and so the devil continues "Demonic possessions are not born of me, they are in fact a tool used by the other side to discredit me. The way I am portrayed is well reasoned by the other side and in no way is that portrayal to be flattering". So here I should point out that the devil in the book makes the comment that heaven and hell is decided by oneself. Like where do you think you should go? As a kid scared out of my mind virtually every night I asked God to come to me. To prove he was real. Yeah quite stupid but hey its the truth. One night after being partnered with a religious nut at work I asked God to show me hell. I did not see God but my God what I dreamed that night was nuts. Clearly I think a ton with all kinds of ideas floating around my head dozens of conversations at once too and anyway my hell was a blackness so black and so isolated and the kicker was I had only one single voice one single thought, that's all I was capable of. I could not even talk to myself! Just completely and utterly alone, isolated from myself and everything else. Clearly a perfect hell for me if that's where I belong.
Note too I actually have had a NDE. I rose to the heavens at an exhilarating rate, the earth getting smaller and smaller below me and I came upon the Pearly gates and people dressed biblically behind the gates. Realizing where I was and what was happening I screamed NOOOOO and with that instantly landed with a thud where I started completely unharmed when I should have been literally destroyed. So I often think did that blow my chance at heaven as I did not want it when it was presented? And I question if NDE's are just your mind playing off of a very scary rational and your mind justifying it in any way it can. I have also been thinking of heaven of late too. I am not sure it is what many think it is. Like I love and miss my dad and brother and yet how long would it take us before we are arguing in heaven? And if heaven is just so idyllic do we all turn into something where life is not even really worth living - like no challenges at all? No arguments? How many more blocks did this paragraph earn me :)
So the book continues with Joe being approached by the angel Samuel who does not want him writing the devil's book. He confirms the devil is real and Joe has decisions to make. In looking forward to the books ahead (3 in total) I kind of get a sense where things might be going. I am not sold on it but cannot be convinced that I am right either. I may continue, I may not. I really liked this book and identified with so much of it. It brought out a lot of my thoughts on religion and the like and of the presence of evil and such. My general thinking is why spoil a good thing and as far as I am concerned this was a hell of a book. A solid four stars due to just such a weak interview, the very part that people wanted to run too so disappointed me.
So I am an outlier here and was more into the first part of the book. This review may cost me friends. The subject matter is right down my alley with a lot of personal experiences here. I am short a few courses with regard to a religious studies degree and have been really thinking a lot about religion the past few years. I am not sure why but I have real issue's with the Christian right and started thinking why the hell is the old testament a part of Christian faith? Like two diametrically opposed gods. Old testament equals big daddy/punisher in the sky god. New testament and Jesus is all about forgiveness. I remember my grade 8 school teacher calling me a simpleton and a hammerhead when I interpreted a passage about forgiveness in the bible (I went to a Catholic school) and asked does God forgive murderers, because the verse literally implied that? And of late look at all that thinking re forgiveness as depicted in stories like the Shack. Perhaps you Mr. B were the hammerhead in retrospect. I am going to go chapter by chapter basically so as to show the pacing and how it related to me personally.
Prologue and 1 Old Ghosts. We learn that Joe Banbury (main character) and his sister Amy are 10 and have an alter in their basement. Their parents are super religious and they are Catholic and are hell bent on preventing their children from falling prey to evil. The children are made to pray at said alter each night. One night while alone Joe and Amy come face to face with a winged demon and they escape. So my wife never believed me when I told her at 3 I was in my parents first home cement basement. I was riding my red aluminum pedal car around. A crow flew in from whatever type of furnace was there. I lost it of course and when I ran up the stairs yelling and screaming I could not get up the stairs as some very ugly monster man had me by the foot. The crow was going nuts and my voice froze from the sheer ugliness of the monster subduing me. Something odd then happened and I was saved but will not get into it as it is a potential book I will eventually write but the ugly monster man disappeared. My mom already on her way came downstairs and ushered the crow out. I only told my wife this story about 20 years ago but my mom confirmed it all including me being out of my mind about a monster man. And surprise surprise when I saw that ugly mans face when the Freddy Kreuger movies rolled out. I am not fn kidding. I have never forgotten it. So yeah I identified with this chapter.
Ch 2. 1991. Now 11 years old. Joe is always scared at night. Continues to see demons. Like all kids he hides under his bed sheets. I remember mine always having to be so tight. It felt safe that way but cmon, really? Joe is confronted by another demon and as he is saying the our Father the demon mocks him "Hallowed be thy name, Joe". Just a classic line. Again at a personal level I have had night terrors starting at about 12. Sleep where I cannot awake from. Yet aware that I should wake up. They are terrifying but yet in my 20's I started confronting the presence suffocating me and not allowing me to awake. All sorts of images have presented themselves as the demon trying to suffocate me including Mr Kreuger and yes even a storm trooper. Currently, my night terrors relate to my old room and if I go to a corner where the dresser is that evil force grabs me and the fight/massive struggle is on. I even communicate with said force in my dreams and we have a deal if in my dream I need to go in my room I am safe unless I am dumb enough to go close to the dresser. Well just the other week I went to go into my room and thought no, not safe and I was in the hall at the door and the stupid evil force grabbed me anyway. I went nuts pointing out I had no time for such a struggle and he was breaking the rules. I got lucky and was let go. So how many of you have blocked me as of this point?
Ch 3 1995 Joe is 15. He knows he wants to be a writer. The librarian Mrs. Albright can really write and begins to tutor Joe. But Mrs. Albright is not what she appears to be. Such a fun and cool little chapter. Again on a personal note my dad always thought I should be a writer. I actually have a few manuscripts in the works too but I write POV meaning it is easy for me to jump time frames, jump manuscripts depending whatever whacked idea I get for each book. Meaning finishing one may take forever. I think it is clear how this book pulled me in.
Chapters 4- 10 Joe does not know if he has a hyper imagination (think me here) if he is mentally ill (in no way at all for me) or what is happening to him is in fact all real. He does see a psychiatrist for help. Some entity is prompting him to write his book. A religious book titled the Skeptic which questions organized religion. The entity only leaves him in peace when he writes. Yet it takes ten years for him to complete his book (I am around that mark, lol). So again the subject matter was spot on. I look at Christianity as mentioned when I first started this review. You know why the old testament is part of Christ's teaching - its because you cannot have a religion based on Christ's teachings of FORGIVENESS at any level. Not at a personal level in that people would walk all over you and clearly not at a nation state level. Oh ok, we will gladly give you parts of the Ukraine. So mankind had to perverse the teachings of Christ and keep a lot of that old testament mentality around. Just so organized for obvious reasons.
Joe finds himself on the book tv circuit and on one right wing Christian show someone comes at him with a knife but Joe survives. Joe's book is a smash hit and he is rich and lives in a NY brownstone. Joe confirms with his sister that she too saw the demons while growing up, that they were all around. Amy says he should write a book about the devil. Joe decides that maybe he should and goes to his childhood priest Father O'Hara for counsel. The father tells him the story of Joes mother pregnant with Joe as his father had terminal pancreatic cancer. Joe's mother comes upon a celestial man who she believes is an angel and a deal is struck. When she relays the story to Father O'Hara he explains that God does not work in such ways. Yet we know who does right? His father heals completely. His mother kind of realizes what happened and that's why their religious bent is as it is with the alter and praying all the time and such. So as I am at Chapter 8 I am thinking how can anyone think this is slow. This is so cool but of course I get that I identify with this book at a different level and am quite bias indeed.
So Joe's parent clearly despise his book. Yet he goes home and while there comes across his mothers diary and the events of the day with the angel she believes appeared. The mom's account of that day is so cool and Joe and her realize they have quite a bit more in common than first believed. In around this time Father O'Hara is violently murdered. Crucified in fact. In his mind Joe can see it and hears the devil say "Father O'Hara you spilled the beans and you weren't supposed to. Now I am spilling your guts." Again just awesome.
Chapter 11 - The Introduction. Joe meets the devil. The devil wants Joe to tell his story in a book. The truth. This was just an awesome chapter.
Chapter 12 - Eclectic clarity. Joe tells Amy of his meeting. She feels he needs to write the book but then move to fiction and away from religion.
Chapter 13 - The Interview. The devil can read your mind. He tells Joe that Joe himself is a force to be reckoned with and that the forces of good have been watching him too. Says the main agent on good's side is his psychiatrist. Admits it was him dealing with Joe's mom. The devil says Joe is free to do as he pleases. Joe's soul is Joes. The devil says he has never ever killed a human being. The devil does not believe in religion and despises Satanist. Just such a cool chapter. Devil is awesome looking and witty to boot. Like Lucifer Morningstar in the tv series Lucifer which I just loved.
Chapter 14- Invocation. The devil brings Joe to his home during the interview. It is a mix of Tuscan and Venetian architecture and just beautiful. He tells Joe that he is in fact in hell. Joe is stunned by the beauty of it. And the devil is quite an accomplished painter too.
Chapter 15- Intermission. Joe writes a lot of what he saw. His sister reads it and agrees with me. Joe's book is shit. Very cool chapter in that the reader gets to read Joe's book and to do so the author goes to a first person narrative from Joe's point of view for the first and only time in the book. Like you have all this time to speak to the devil and you write about his home? This is where the book kind of disappointed me. Like if I could speak to the devil I would ask him about his casting out of the heavens. I would ask him about heaven and hell. About demonic possessions and wouldn't my version of the devils response be quite different. The devil now angered "Joe, do you really think I am responsible for possessions? Do I look stupid to you? In what shape or form would that be of any assistance to me in any way at all? Quite the opposite in fact, agreed "? And in this book the devil and God respect each other while battling and so the devil continues "Demonic possessions are not born of me, they are in fact a tool used by the other side to discredit me. The way I am portrayed is well reasoned by the other side and in no way is that portrayal to be flattering". So here I should point out that the devil in the book makes the comment that heaven and hell is decided by oneself. Like where do you think you should go? As a kid scared out of my mind virtually every night I asked God to come to me. To prove he was real. Yeah quite stupid but hey its the truth. One night after being partnered with a religious nut at work I asked God to show me hell. I did not see God but my God what I dreamed that night was nuts. Clearly I think a ton with all kinds of ideas floating around my head dozens of conversations at once too and anyway my hell was a blackness so black and so isolated and the kicker was I had only one single voice one single thought, that's all I was capable of. I could not even talk to myself! Just completely and utterly alone, isolated from myself and everything else. Clearly a perfect hell for me if that's where I belong.
Note too I actually have had a NDE. I rose to the heavens at an exhilarating rate, the earth getting smaller and smaller below me and I came upon the Pearly gates and people dressed biblically behind the gates. Realizing where I was and what was happening I screamed NOOOOO and with that instantly landed with a thud where I started completely unharmed when I should have been literally destroyed. So I often think did that blow my chance at heaven as I did not want it when it was presented? And I question if NDE's are just your mind playing off of a very scary rational and your mind justifying it in any way it can. I have also been thinking of heaven of late too. I am not sure it is what many think it is. Like I love and miss my dad and brother and yet how long would it take us before we are arguing in heaven? And if heaven is just so idyllic do we all turn into something where life is not even really worth living - like no challenges at all? No arguments? How many more blocks did this paragraph earn me :)
So the book continues with Joe being approached by the angel Samuel who does not want him writing the devil's book. He confirms the devil is real and Joe has decisions to make. In looking forward to the books ahead (3 in total) I kind of get a sense where things might be going. I am not sold on it but cannot be convinced that I am right either. I may continue, I may not. I really liked this book and identified with so much of it. It brought out a lot of my thoughts on religion and the like and of the presence of evil and such. My general thinking is why spoil a good thing and as far as I am concerned this was a hell of a book. A solid four stars due to just such a weak interview, the very part that people wanted to run too so disappointed me.
May 1, 2024
Very disappointing, not at all what I was led to expect based on reviews. There is some good writing, but a lot of really poor, amateur stuff. Using references to movie characters rather than the author creating his own descriptions is really low grade writing, particularly when the references were to films that weren't particularly memorable to start off with.
Harbron does write well when he chooses to, but what he really needs is a hardnosed editor to tell him when he strays. The "interview" begins too far into the pages, and then the reader is left on hold while Harbron scurries away to write a second volume.
Back in the 1960s I read a book, I am Called Lucifer, in which the Devil recounts his history from its earliest times referencing the various biblical stories of which he was a part. It was a much better book than this one and showed a far greater knowledge of its subject. This one was much more hype than substance. My advice, pass it up.
Harbron does write well when he chooses to, but what he really needs is a hardnosed editor to tell him when he strays. The "interview" begins too far into the pages, and then the reader is left on hold while Harbron scurries away to write a second volume.
Back in the 1960s I read a book, I am Called Lucifer, in which the Devil recounts his history from its earliest times referencing the various biblical stories of which he was a part. It was a much better book than this one and showed a far greater knowledge of its subject. This one was much more hype than substance. My advice, pass it up.
October 6, 2024
WAAAAAYYYYY tooooo slow of a start, I was bored af.
December 8, 2024
“But we keep going back to our roots, jumping at shadows, masochistically plunging ourselves into the same darkness that used to hurt. Pain junkies. It's up to us to break the cycle.”
Ahhh yes.... the controversial discussion of organized religion (Catholic, Christian), the Bible, and if God and the Devil are real. I too, author, was traumatized as a child due to organized religion and the Bible. I am a spiritual person now, not religious. I do not identify with any organized religion.
I don't consider this a Horror book unless you are a person like me who finds the subject of organized religion and the Bible, horrifying. I liked this book, it is the first book in a series of three. I am very interested to see where Michael Harbron takes the story.
Ahhh yes.... the controversial discussion of organized religion (Catholic, Christian), the Bible, and if God and the Devil are real. I too, author, was traumatized as a child due to organized religion and the Bible. I am a spiritual person now, not religious. I do not identify with any organized religion.
I don't consider this a Horror book unless you are a person like me who finds the subject of organized religion and the Bible, horrifying. I liked this book, it is the first book in a series of three. I am very interested to see where Michael Harbron takes the story.
June 30, 2025
Amazing read that makes you think about good vs evil.
Joe Branbury questions his faith by writing a book about his Catholic upbringing. it becomes a best seller, but is challenged to write a sequel.
That sequel covers is that book. Will it be as popular? Will he survive his interview with the Devil or Lucifer or whatever name he pefers to go by.
I await the next in the series.
Joe Branbury questions his faith by writing a book about his Catholic upbringing. it becomes a best seller, but is challenged to write a sequel.
That sequel covers is that book. Will it be as popular? Will he survive his interview with the Devil or Lucifer or whatever name he pefers to go by.
I await the next in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 11, 2024I'm going to call it quits after reaching the 45% mark. I've lost interest and can't bring myself to finish it. I've read some spoiler reviews and the really good stuff doesn't happen til the last 30 pages or so. So, that's what I'm going to do. Skip through to the last of the book. I may still check out book 2 if that one is more action packed.
December 15, 2024
EDIT: Edited to 1 star instead of the 2 stars I gave it originally because "Adam" decided to call me a pretentious feminist. "Adam's" only liked books on Goodreads in his 2 years with an account are by Michael Harbron, which he has rated with 5 stars, and only interacts with reviews on Michael Harbron's books. How pathetic and embarrassing. If "Adam" is really "Adam," the author should get his friends in check, because they certainly aren't helping him look like a better person. Just saying. :)
----
This book should instead be named "The Pretentious Writer," because the vast majority of it is actually about the main character's lifelong journey toward bestseller infamy. The devil plot is a subplot- the hints toward it run through the entire book, but take a backseat to fictionalized renditions of literary agents, advances, incredibly bad poetry, and a parody of a Fox News interview.
There is very little horror to this book, and the most terrifying moment is perhaps when the main character uses his fame to have a one night stand with a 20 year old fan. This is framed as a great success for him, as some of the best reward for Joseph's incredible writing tends to be women throwing themselves on top of him. Yuck.
The absolute shining chapters of this book are the portions about the actual interview, which are thoughtful and present Lucifer as a charming and charismatic figure of exceptional humor and surprising humanity. Its just too bad that we don't get to read these shining chapters until literally the last three chapters of the book. The book says it itself- When someone picks up a book titled "Interview with the Devil," they expect the book to be about the interview. The author must be self-aware about this point, and yet made the artistic decision to place the interview at the tail end of the novel ANYWAY.
To add insult to injury, the book ends very abruptly on a "To Be Continued," RIGHT when things are starting to get good. This entire book feels like a prologue to the content advertised in the synopsis, and I am practically offended by the insinuation that I should pick up the rest of the series in the vain hope that the next book will ACTUALLY contain an Interview with the Devil. You do not get to say "this is only part one" as an excuse to not include the promised content in the first book. You do not get to use the cheap price of your book to justify this bait and switch.
I understand that the author considers his character's backstory and lore to be important worldbuilding, so there are two solutions- either this "trilogy" should have been one book sold at a higher price instead of split into three for better chances at getting on bestseller lists, OR the character's life story should have been spread across all three books so this one had more space for actual content. Too little too late now, but it does contribute to making a much weaker narrative and creates a bait and switch feeling. If your book does not contain the promised plotline, you have failed to deliver what you advertised. True trilogies contain three interwoven storylines, not just a single plot thread broken into three parts.
----
This book should instead be named "The Pretentious Writer," because the vast majority of it is actually about the main character's lifelong journey toward bestseller infamy. The devil plot is a subplot- the hints toward it run through the entire book, but take a backseat to fictionalized renditions of literary agents, advances, incredibly bad poetry, and a parody of a Fox News interview.
There is very little horror to this book, and the most terrifying moment is perhaps when the main character uses his fame to have a one night stand with a 20 year old fan. This is framed as a great success for him, as some of the best reward for Joseph's incredible writing tends to be women throwing themselves on top of him. Yuck.
The absolute shining chapters of this book are the portions about the actual interview, which are thoughtful and present Lucifer as a charming and charismatic figure of exceptional humor and surprising humanity. Its just too bad that we don't get to read these shining chapters until literally the last three chapters of the book. The book says it itself- When someone picks up a book titled "Interview with the Devil," they expect the book to be about the interview. The author must be self-aware about this point, and yet made the artistic decision to place the interview at the tail end of the novel ANYWAY.
To add insult to injury, the book ends very abruptly on a "To Be Continued," RIGHT when things are starting to get good. This entire book feels like a prologue to the content advertised in the synopsis, and I am practically offended by the insinuation that I should pick up the rest of the series in the vain hope that the next book will ACTUALLY contain an Interview with the Devil. You do not get to say "this is only part one" as an excuse to not include the promised content in the first book. You do not get to use the cheap price of your book to justify this bait and switch.
I understand that the author considers his character's backstory and lore to be important worldbuilding, so there are two solutions- either this "trilogy" should have been one book sold at a higher price instead of split into three for better chances at getting on bestseller lists, OR the character's life story should have been spread across all three books so this one had more space for actual content. Too little too late now, but it does contribute to making a much weaker narrative and creates a bait and switch feeling. If your book does not contain the promised plotline, you have failed to deliver what you advertised. True trilogies contain three interwoven storylines, not just a single plot thread broken into three parts.
October 15, 2024
This ended up being even better than I expected. I was transfixed from the very beginning. While there are plenty of creepy, hair-raising moments, and even some gore, this isn’t all horror. It’s more intriguing and thought-provoking. There’s also some dark humor that creeps up that made me laugh at times.
As others have said, it’s a slower burn. However, I think it’s very much necessary to build this world and really set everything up for the second book. It couldn’t be rushed. The author takes his time really letting the readers get to know the characters and their backstories, particularly Joe’s. I know that Lilly isn’t a main character but I really like her and find her sense of humor and wit a lot of fun.
It takes quite a while to get to the actual interview. Let me tell you though, it’s well worth the wait! The Devil is absolutely fascinating and I can’t wait to start on the next book. I can’t get enough of this story now! And I can’t get enough of Michael Harbron’s writing style. This book is genius and full of surprises.
As others have said, it’s a slower burn. However, I think it’s very much necessary to build this world and really set everything up for the second book. It couldn’t be rushed. The author takes his time really letting the readers get to know the characters and their backstories, particularly Joe’s. I know that Lilly isn’t a main character but I really like her and find her sense of humor and wit a lot of fun.
It takes quite a while to get to the actual interview. Let me tell you though, it’s well worth the wait! The Devil is absolutely fascinating and I can’t wait to start on the next book. I can’t get enough of this story now! And I can’t get enough of Michael Harbron’s writing style. This book is genius and full of surprises.
November 25, 2024
A slow burn that managed to keep my interest. I have bought books 2. & 3.
October 20, 2024
dnf, 40%; Guy spends 10 years writing a juvenile refutation of religion which is described in terms of nonfiction but is repeatedly called a novel? Its contents are only briefly sketched and are supposed to be earth-shaking:
“As The Skeptic continued to gain traction, it became clear that Joseph had not just written a successful book; he had sparked a cultural conversation, one that extended beyond the pages of his novel and into the core of societal beliefs and values.”
What is so shatteringly insightful & compelling about his “Roman a clef”? And again, there is never a plot or characters described so it is surely nonfiction, but here it is:
“The book did everything he had wanted it to. It offered a deep dive into the complex interplay between religion, governance, and the evolution of human understanding…. The central thesis of The Skeptic examined how religious beliefs and doctrines had historically been utilized by those in power as a means of societal control. Banbury meticulously outlined instances across different civilizations where rulers and religious authorities merged, using the divine to underpin political authority and social hierarchy.”
This is a laughably unoriginal & obvious critique of religion and yet is presented as epoch-changing. “Oh, and the Crusades! The Inquisition!” Author really would have been better off elucidating the “complex characters and …gripping narrative” the book supposedly has.
So, hard to take any of this seriously when the protag’s ideas are unoriginal & uncompelling. That in addition to leaping thru years of the protag’s life in summary form, it all comes off as half-baked. And, even though almost halfway thru, what has happened? What is it building to? An interview with the Devil himself, apparently, which begs/pleads the question: Why would the Devil grant the honor to such a dime store atheist?
Nice cover, I guess?
“As The Skeptic continued to gain traction, it became clear that Joseph had not just written a successful book; he had sparked a cultural conversation, one that extended beyond the pages of his novel and into the core of societal beliefs and values.”
What is so shatteringly insightful & compelling about his “Roman a clef”? And again, there is never a plot or characters described so it is surely nonfiction, but here it is:
“The book did everything he had wanted it to. It offered a deep dive into the complex interplay between religion, governance, and the evolution of human understanding…. The central thesis of The Skeptic examined how religious beliefs and doctrines had historically been utilized by those in power as a means of societal control. Banbury meticulously outlined instances across different civilizations where rulers and religious authorities merged, using the divine to underpin political authority and social hierarchy.”
This is a laughably unoriginal & obvious critique of religion and yet is presented as epoch-changing. “Oh, and the Crusades! The Inquisition!” Author really would have been better off elucidating the “complex characters and …gripping narrative” the book supposedly has.
So, hard to take any of this seriously when the protag’s ideas are unoriginal & uncompelling. That in addition to leaping thru years of the protag’s life in summary form, it all comes off as half-baked. And, even though almost halfway thru, what has happened? What is it building to? An interview with the Devil himself, apparently, which begs/pleads the question: Why would the Devil grant the honor to such a dime store atheist?
Nice cover, I guess?
June 5, 2024
I can’t decide if this book is supposed to be satire or not. The characters are so goofy. You have the over religious, one-dimensional homemaker mother, the father with no backstory, the overbearing, ball-busting lawyer sister with little backstory, and our main protagonist Joe who seems to be plucked out of the run-of-the-mill English lit program at any university replete with equal parts misguided anger and hubris.
His debut novel, The Skeptic, is full of the stock criticisms that anti-religious types love to throw out there without considering any type of real academic scholarship on the matter. Yes, I know it’s a fictional book in a fictional book, but this only lends to our protagonist’s level of pride. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, yet he is lauded as this great visionary in the book, which only made my annoyance grow more.
The dialogue doesn’t even sound modern. “Oh Joseph, my boy,” says the priest, about 20 times in one singular. Has the author himself actually spoken to a priest? This is just one example. Another one that comes to mind is when Joe says, “I go to the gym thrice a week”. Thrice? Or when he’s finally interviewing the man downstairs, he says, “shall we?” Half a dozen times.
The action really doesn’t even start until almost 3/4 of the way into the book where the readers find some inconvenient truths about Joe’s mother. When the Devil does show up, it’s entertaining. It’s a fun ride for the last 30 pages. And somehow, he becomes the most likeable character. Yea, that’s right, you get about 30 pages of the actual interview until things end with a to be continued.
I am going to read the second novel because I want to know how the story ends. I wish the author went full bore with his religious allegory instead of tiny illusions (Dr. Raph being the incarnate of the Archangel Raphael, for instance). I wish there was more horror and creepy stuff. I’m a little disappointed. The last creepy moment was the murder of the priest and it played upon this fear that Joe didn’t know what was reality or in his own mind, did he do the murder while in another state of consciousness? That was a piece of tension that I thought would’ve been utilized more. For a debut book, it wasn’t that bad. It’s definitely a fun filler read intended for the weekend.
His debut novel, The Skeptic, is full of the stock criticisms that anti-religious types love to throw out there without considering any type of real academic scholarship on the matter. Yes, I know it’s a fictional book in a fictional book, but this only lends to our protagonist’s level of pride. He doesn’t know what he doesn’t know, yet he is lauded as this great visionary in the book, which only made my annoyance grow more.
The dialogue doesn’t even sound modern. “Oh Joseph, my boy,” says the priest, about 20 times in one singular. Has the author himself actually spoken to a priest? This is just one example. Another one that comes to mind is when Joe says, “I go to the gym thrice a week”. Thrice? Or when he’s finally interviewing the man downstairs, he says, “shall we?” Half a dozen times.
The action really doesn’t even start until almost 3/4 of the way into the book where the readers find some inconvenient truths about Joe’s mother. When the Devil does show up, it’s entertaining. It’s a fun ride for the last 30 pages. And somehow, he becomes the most likeable character. Yea, that’s right, you get about 30 pages of the actual interview until things end with a to be continued.
I am going to read the second novel because I want to know how the story ends. I wish the author went full bore with his religious allegory instead of tiny illusions (Dr. Raph being the incarnate of the Archangel Raphael, for instance). I wish there was more horror and creepy stuff. I’m a little disappointed. The last creepy moment was the murder of the priest and it played upon this fear that Joe didn’t know what was reality or in his own mind, did he do the murder while in another state of consciousness? That was a piece of tension that I thought would’ve been utilized more. For a debut book, it wasn’t that bad. It’s definitely a fun filler read intended for the weekend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2024
I found this book to be a fascinating concept. The concept of the devil and the dwelling were interesting and not what I expected. I am not sure which character is more vain, Joe or the devil. I am looking forward to the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2024
disappointed
Chose this book based on reviews and the cover description.
There were sections that seemed like it was going somewhere, but so many stagnant sections.
…and the end?!pfft! not happening
Chose this book based on reviews and the cover description.
There were sections that seemed like it was going somewhere, but so many stagnant sections.
…and the end?!pfft! not happening
March 18, 2025
I just want to give a big thank you to @michaelharbron for gifting me a copy of this book.
I have seen this one posted quite a few times recently and I was immediately intrigued. I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but I can truly say this is one of the most interesting and best horror books I have read in a while.
This one had me glued from the very beginning. This book has a mix of horror, creepiness, a bit of dark humor and will have you delving into the battle between good and evil. We follow Joe, who is a journalist who was granted the opportunity to interview the devil himself. Normally when we think of the devil, he is portrayed as an evil being, but in this tale, he is both intelligent, yet manipulative and wants to tell his side of the story and how he perceives life, some tough philosophical arguments and human behavior.
The character development and world building was phenomenally done. I love that this story did not seem rushed and held a steady pace throughout. I’ve read books in the past that felt too fast paced and had holes in the plot, but this is the complete opposite. Michael’s writing style is truly one of a kind.
Once you get to the actual interview, it will blow your mind. The dialogue between our main character and the devil is intriguing and thought-provoking and will have you questioning your own existence.
This is a three book series, and I will definitely be reading the next two books.
I have seen this one posted quite a few times recently and I was immediately intrigued. I didn’t know what to expect going into this, but I can truly say this is one of the most interesting and best horror books I have read in a while.
This one had me glued from the very beginning. This book has a mix of horror, creepiness, a bit of dark humor and will have you delving into the battle between good and evil. We follow Joe, who is a journalist who was granted the opportunity to interview the devil himself. Normally when we think of the devil, he is portrayed as an evil being, but in this tale, he is both intelligent, yet manipulative and wants to tell his side of the story and how he perceives life, some tough philosophical arguments and human behavior.
The character development and world building was phenomenally done. I love that this story did not seem rushed and held a steady pace throughout. I’ve read books in the past that felt too fast paced and had holes in the plot, but this is the complete opposite. Michael’s writing style is truly one of a kind.
Once you get to the actual interview, it will blow your mind. The dialogue between our main character and the devil is intriguing and thought-provoking and will have you questioning your own existence.
This is a three book series, and I will definitely be reading the next two books.
November 19, 2024
This was interesting. After Joe Banbury writes a controversial book about religion it becomes a bestseller, although it pretty much estranges him from his parents and sister. He then meets a mysterious stranger who tells Joe he’s the Devil and he thinks Joe should give him equal time. Joe agrees. There is some violence in this story, but I thought the writing was good and I even got a couple of chuckles out of it. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
December 7, 2024
I wanted to like it, but the devil didn’t make an appearance until 80% into the novel. The rest was just the author stroking his own ego, adding words, paragraphs, PAGES of unnecessary fluff. The characters are all shallow, and lack believability. (A poor adolescent in a strict religious household is reading Ulysses? Cmon already.)
Once we hit the 95% mark, the devil was being interviewed—abysmally—by the now adult Ulysses-reader who is a successful author. (We are given samples of his published works: No structure, no research. It’s more of a late show monologue than best-seller material. And yet the Joey character is hailed as a genius, a top-talent, a voice of the masses. See, more ego stroking here.)
The one horror element in the story is when the parish priest dies. Nothing more happened with that thread, I assume it’ll be addressed in the second volume. But I’m not vested enough in that one thread to continue reading any more books in this series.
Cannot recommend.
Once we hit the 95% mark, the devil was being interviewed—abysmally—by the now adult Ulysses-reader who is a successful author. (We are given samples of his published works: No structure, no research. It’s more of a late show monologue than best-seller material. And yet the Joey character is hailed as a genius, a top-talent, a voice of the masses. See, more ego stroking here.)
The one horror element in the story is when the parish priest dies. Nothing more happened with that thread, I assume it’ll be addressed in the second volume. But I’m not vested enough in that one thread to continue reading any more books in this series.
Cannot recommend.
May 7, 2024
This isn’t my usual trope, I just needed a bit of a palette cleanser and this looked interesting. What a great book! A didn’t realize it was going to end in a cliffhanger and that there would be another book to come. I was wondering why the main action was happening so late in the book! Either way, the writing is masterful and keeps you sucked in. Worth a read, can’t wait for book 2!
September 6, 2024
Based on the description and title, I figured I was going to get something interesting like the movie Nefarious. Unfortunately, it's boring with a bland cast and bland dialogue.
June 29, 2025
4⭐️
A hooking horror and brilliant start to a series! 🙌
I don’t tend to step into the horror genre regularly, but I can appreciate a brilliant book and this read really fits the brief. Harbron playfully teases the macabre and writes with real profundity of the horror genre, whilst also demonstrating his own flair.
Whilst this book started slow and took a while to really build up, I liked the moments of palpable fear scattered throughout. Harbron emulates reality whilst also venturing into the realm of the supernatural and I loved the visceral and intense visions Joseph had.
The book is very heavily focussed on character to really understand Joseph, before the interview with the devil occurs, but I loved the tampering of biblical adversary and the exploration of religion, secularisation and the darkness of humanity.
Is it crazy to say I actually enjoyed the interviews? Like the devil seems pretty decent! Yes absolutely terrifying, but also very intriguing. I need more of this atypical presentation. As written in this book ‘Good literature is meant to comfort the disturbed and disturb the ones who are comfortable.’ - I must already be disturbed then!
I’m not the biggest fan of the cliffhanger ending, however, I appreciate its impact and look forward to continuing with the series as I’m sure it can only get darker!
A huge thank you @michaelharbron for this copy of Interview with the Devil! 😈
I recommend this book!
💬: ‘There’s the Devil you know and the Devil you don’t.’
⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️
A hooking horror and brilliant start to a series! 🙌
I don’t tend to step into the horror genre regularly, but I can appreciate a brilliant book and this read really fits the brief. Harbron playfully teases the macabre and writes with real profundity of the horror genre, whilst also demonstrating his own flair.
Whilst this book started slow and took a while to really build up, I liked the moments of palpable fear scattered throughout. Harbron emulates reality whilst also venturing into the realm of the supernatural and I loved the visceral and intense visions Joseph had.
The book is very heavily focussed on character to really understand Joseph, before the interview with the devil occurs, but I loved the tampering of biblical adversary and the exploration of religion, secularisation and the darkness of humanity.
Is it crazy to say I actually enjoyed the interviews? Like the devil seems pretty decent! Yes absolutely terrifying, but also very intriguing. I need more of this atypical presentation. As written in this book ‘Good literature is meant to comfort the disturbed and disturb the ones who are comfortable.’ - I must already be disturbed then!
I’m not the biggest fan of the cliffhanger ending, however, I appreciate its impact and look forward to continuing with the series as I’m sure it can only get darker!
A huge thank you @michaelharbron for this copy of Interview with the Devil! 😈
I recommend this book!
💬: ‘There’s the Devil you know and the Devil you don’t.’
⚠️ Please check out the trigger warnings! ⚠️
December 28, 2024
This could've had 5 stars but the beginning 50-75% of this book was so slow. The interview didn't start until maybe 70% if I'm remembering correctly. And unfortunately once we got into the actual interview, it was cut short by the book ending. I honestly couldn't believe that the book ended when it did. I expected the whole book to be based on the interview, but the beginning 50-70% was following the main character's life from a child up until the point of his life when he conducts the interview. If the author either cut the beginning part a bit shorter or extended the end of this book, the story would've really benefited.
All of that being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this. There are a lot of horror author references in this book too which if you're like me, you'll probably also enjoy.
I also appreciated how this book handled the discussion about religion. I thought it was interesting and well done.
All of that being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed this. There are a lot of horror author references in this book too which if you're like me, you'll probably also enjoy.
I also appreciated how this book handled the discussion about religion. I thought it was interesting and well done.
December 20, 2024
Okay I thought more of the book as the night went on and actually it was really good lol 4 star read because it did actually scare me in some parts
October 23, 2024
If you notice, it's all you'll see
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, the author is clearly incredibly enamored with Stephen King. Even Stephen King isn't enamored with Stephen King in the same way the author is. He mentions King and his writing several times throughout, he has a character mentioned by name only (Enslin) which seems to me a direct homage to SK.
The author may be pleased to know this reader thinks he shares a quality with Mr. King, one he mentions often, a certain "tin ear for dialogue," though he does not seem as strongly afflicted as SK.
There is so much potential in this author, if he would step out of the shadow and glamour of an author he clearly idolizes and wishes to emulate. This reader offers that there are many ways to make enjoyable stories without writing a subpar SK attempt.
Jason Pargin is a great example of someone writing in the vein of a style but not a direct emulation/homage while still keeping things fresh.
You have written multiple books. Reach deep and find your voice. YOUR voice. I cannot wait to read the things you write when you do. The talent is there. Find your voice to go with it. You don't want to be the next Stephen King. You want to be Michael Harbron.
I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately, the author is clearly incredibly enamored with Stephen King. Even Stephen King isn't enamored with Stephen King in the same way the author is. He mentions King and his writing several times throughout, he has a character mentioned by name only (Enslin) which seems to me a direct homage to SK.
The author may be pleased to know this reader thinks he shares a quality with Mr. King, one he mentions often, a certain "tin ear for dialogue," though he does not seem as strongly afflicted as SK.
There is so much potential in this author, if he would step out of the shadow and glamour of an author he clearly idolizes and wishes to emulate. This reader offers that there are many ways to make enjoyable stories without writing a subpar SK attempt.
Jason Pargin is a great example of someone writing in the vein of a style but not a direct emulation/homage while still keeping things fresh.
You have written multiple books. Reach deep and find your voice. YOUR voice. I cannot wait to read the things you write when you do. The talent is there. Find your voice to go with it. You don't want to be the next Stephen King. You want to be Michael Harbron.
January 27, 2025
Reviewing this book and giving it a start rating is surprisingly difficult.
I genuinely enjoyed this book and think the concept has SOOO much potential but to be fair with other criticisms here, only the last 20% of the book actually matches the book's description.
This is just part one of a series and this book drops off right when the "interview" starts to get meaty. At the same time, I understand why Harbron would spend so much time devoted to developing the main character and his back story. Speaking for myself, as a reader who may dive straight into an interview like this would feel unbelievable and potentially confusing given that the description of the devil doesn't match traditional Christian views. So the back story is absolutely necessary to set the stage for book two.
I don't know how welcome advice on editing is, but besides some simple cutting and slashing in the text, I think an edit of the books description and title ("Interview with the Devil: Beginnings"... "The story of an author who as a boy...") would do wonders to improve reviews and ratings here.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series in the next week or so.
I genuinely enjoyed this book and think the concept has SOOO much potential but to be fair with other criticisms here, only the last 20% of the book actually matches the book's description.
This is just part one of a series and this book drops off right when the "interview" starts to get meaty. At the same time, I understand why Harbron would spend so much time devoted to developing the main character and his back story. Speaking for myself, as a reader who may dive straight into an interview like this would feel unbelievable and potentially confusing given that the description of the devil doesn't match traditional Christian views. So the back story is absolutely necessary to set the stage for book two.
I don't know how welcome advice on editing is, but besides some simple cutting and slashing in the text, I think an edit of the books description and title ("Interview with the Devil: Beginnings"... "The story of an author who as a boy...") would do wonders to improve reviews and ratings here.
Looking forward to reading the rest of the series in the next week or so.
November 1, 2024
What I really enjoyed about this book were the insights on how to read and write well and does so in an interesting and engaging fashion. I find that most people read very simply, meaning they do so on a very basic level seeking only the enjoyment of the story. Most completely miss the underlying messages and themes the authors painstakingly imbed into their writing. One has simply to attend common book club reviews to see this. I do the same myself at times when simple distraction is the goal. Some books, however, beg the reader to look deeper in order to discover something of themselves or the world around them though the author's lens. While I think Mr Harbron has some things wrong in his theology (perhaps a bit more in-depth research?), there are several ideas here worth exploring. If you get nothing else of value from this book, and you should, I am hoping it encourages readers to dig a bit deeper when digesting a work worthy of the effort. There are many such works!
May 20, 2024
I read Interview with the Devil on the recommendation of a friend. I don’t read reviews prior to diving into a book, they tend to cloud the reading experience. At least for me they do. Interview with the Devil is well written, moves along at a good pace, and not rushed in any way. Character development is well done, though I would like to know a little more about Joe’s dad, and I feel like his sister could have had a little bigger role in the overall storyline. Those are minor nits and more personal opinions than criticism.
Stories like these need a great deal of setup and back story, otherwise you end up with all these holes in the story and just feels incomplete. Not so here! The writing is well done and will keep you reeled in. The second book in the series is out now.
Stories like these need a great deal of setup and back story, otherwise you end up with all these holes in the story and just feels incomplete. Not so here! The writing is well done and will keep you reeled in. The second book in the series is out now.
Read
May 13, 2024DNF at 14%
This started out so well, had a great premise, but then it’s like the author just completely forgot the story he was telling, or couldn’t figure out how to properly pace it. It went from a decent horror, which was delivering on the premise, to a self-indulgent, trite, and overly-meta commentary on writing, where it felt like the author just wanted to flex his knowledge, or show off his astute attention to 90s pop culture. Basically all of chapter 3 could have been cut. Found myself skimming by chapter 4 and asking “WHERE IS THE CATALYST? WHERE IS THE HORROR?” What this needed was an editor, someone familiar with story structure, and some discipline on the author’s part to tighten things up.
This was a miss for me. :(
This started out so well, had a great premise, but then it’s like the author just completely forgot the story he was telling, or couldn’t figure out how to properly pace it. It went from a decent horror, which was delivering on the premise, to a self-indulgent, trite, and overly-meta commentary on writing, where it felt like the author just wanted to flex his knowledge, or show off his astute attention to 90s pop culture. Basically all of chapter 3 could have been cut. Found myself skimming by chapter 4 and asking “WHERE IS THE CATALYST? WHERE IS THE HORROR?” What this needed was an editor, someone familiar with story structure, and some discipline on the author’s part to tighten things up.
This was a miss for me. :(
October 24, 2024
Wow this is really bad. How rarely DNF and always give a book 50% but this is unreadable. Also the author has trolls like the person who commented below who have fake accounts and attack any criticism. So sad that this author doesn’t have a ticker skin. @Jenna is either a troll or a very ignorant person who has read 7 books 5 by this author. 🙄🙄🙄
October 16, 2024
Disappointed I had to wait for the good stuff til the last 40 pages. I feel like I was deceived by the synopsis completely.
November 17, 2024
The author self insert is wild in this.
July 21, 2025
This book was extremely disappointing, underwhelming, and odd (but not in any good ways); where the positive reviews come from, and the blurb, just make no sense.
It was not chilling, a masterpiece, or terrifying. The author does not bring "a unique, yet traditional approach to the horror and supernatural genres." There is no subtle horror here, and really no horror at all, unless you believe the summary of the books.
*** Very minor spoilers below ***
As for subtlety and building to the horror without showing it... well, the first few pages go right into a kid seeing a vision of a cliche demon, and any subtlety or nuance go out the window immediately. When the titular interview with the devil does finally begin (way towards the end of the book), it is full of more cliches, while the reader is constantly told that these are not cliches and wow, so unexpected!
The book then ends seemingly randomly, essentially mid conversation, just to go "to be continued", in a spot that makes no narrative or dramatic sense. It reads like the author listened to some writing podcasts or took one of those online courses that say that you need to put out 6 books to make a living as a self-published Kindle author, and rather than creating six works that stand on their own OR can create a greater narrative, literally just picked a random spot to end the first book (novella, really), with no narrative cohesion, just to split up one minor story into multiple parts.
As for everything in between, it reads amateurish and just... odd. Dialogue reads as though written by someone who has never actually had conversations with other people. The brother/sister relationship makes no sense, like written by someone that never had siblings or has never met anyone who did. The one thing a brother is for is to give his sister massages??? WTF?
The main character generally reads like a self-insert by the author, to a ridiculous degree, where he writes a book that has literally, in the real world, been written by hundreds of people, but we're told that it is revolutionary and sparking whole new psychological and religious movements and has changed the course of human society.... oh, and his literary agent insists on sleeping with him before she signs him, because his manuscript has turned her on so much, and she just needs this sexy, intellectual male specimen.
Most of the rest reads as though an editor was severely lacking. Things are brought up that the author forgot to mention before, and chapters (at least one in the last 10% of the book) switch between first person and third for no reason.
I guess that it has a really cool cover though, and that's why so many people bought it.
I know that this review reads very harsh, but there is just so much misplaced in this book, and I think that I would be more kind if the author were not so self-assured about his prowess, both in his fictional self-insert, and in his own real world bio.
It was not chilling, a masterpiece, or terrifying. The author does not bring "a unique, yet traditional approach to the horror and supernatural genres." There is no subtle horror here, and really no horror at all, unless you believe the summary of the books.
*** Very minor spoilers below ***
As for subtlety and building to the horror without showing it... well, the first few pages go right into a kid seeing a vision of a cliche demon, and any subtlety or nuance go out the window immediately. When the titular interview with the devil does finally begin (way towards the end of the book), it is full of more cliches, while the reader is constantly told that these are not cliches and wow, so unexpected!
The book then ends seemingly randomly, essentially mid conversation, just to go "to be continued", in a spot that makes no narrative or dramatic sense. It reads like the author listened to some writing podcasts or took one of those online courses that say that you need to put out 6 books to make a living as a self-published Kindle author, and rather than creating six works that stand on their own OR can create a greater narrative, literally just picked a random spot to end the first book (novella, really), with no narrative cohesion, just to split up one minor story into multiple parts.
As for everything in between, it reads amateurish and just... odd. Dialogue reads as though written by someone who has never actually had conversations with other people. The brother/sister relationship makes no sense, like written by someone that never had siblings or has never met anyone who did. The one thing a brother is for is to give his sister massages??? WTF?
The main character generally reads like a self-insert by the author, to a ridiculous degree, where he writes a book that has literally, in the real world, been written by hundreds of people, but we're told that it is revolutionary and sparking whole new psychological and religious movements and has changed the course of human society.... oh, and his literary agent insists on sleeping with him before she signs him, because his manuscript has turned her on so much, and she just needs this sexy, intellectual male specimen.
Most of the rest reads as though an editor was severely lacking. Things are brought up that the author forgot to mention before, and chapters (at least one in the last 10% of the book) switch between first person and third for no reason.
I guess that it has a really cool cover though, and that's why so many people bought it.
I know that this review reads very harsh, but there is just so much misplaced in this book, and I think that I would be more kind if the author were not so self-assured about his prowess, both in his fictional self-insert, and in his own real world bio.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 175 reviews