Customer Reviews

The Devil's Own Work

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So you want to become a famous writer? One way to achieve this success is to sell your soul to the devil, a price not unheard of since Faust willingly paid that price in works by Marlowe and Goethe. Alan Judd's little novel, THE DEVIL'S OWN WORK, reworks the Faust legend with humor and a literary economy comparable to Hemingway. The novel is a mixture of strangeness and mystery; it was written as an homage to Ford Madox Ford and THE GOOD SOLDIER. This story explores the supernatural nature of creativity and the perils confronted an artist with more ambition than he perhaps has talent. It is a delightful tale that not only examines the nature of the creative act as well as the demon temptations to which an artist may be subjected, but also the vacuous literary elitism that often honors personalities above their literary merit. Alan Judd, author of a critically acclaimed biography on Ford Madox Ford, has also written four previous novels

I was lucky to find Devil's Own Work in a discount bin with Stephen King's praise, "Best novel I read this year" on it. And it was a great novella, so great I wanted to teach it in my English course. But it's out of print. There's no justice in the publishing world. This classic needs to find a reissue--fast!

Its been said that the extraordinary Jack Ritchie wrote entire novels disguised as short stories. Alan Judd seems to be able to do the same thing. This story is "fat-free", stripped of all nonessentials, a taut, high grade piece of work. At 115 pages, this book can not be confused with a door stop, nor would you want to use it as such.

The Devils Own Work is the story of a writer possessed, as told by his closest acquaintance (the author has no real friends--his work is all consuming). This Faustian allegory works as a deal with the Devil story and as a commentary on authorial integrity and control. Either way, it's and engaging little tome, and well worth your time.

A spare but meaningful read. Copies should be automatically sent to all newly-appointed 'literary darlings'. A must read for 'serious readers' as well. Do we settle for too little in the name of contemporary fiction

I didn't even really realize how much I had enjoyed this book until the very end which is strange considering how rocky my start with it was. For one thing this book is really, shall we say, un-intense? I started reading it in bed and I couldn't keep my eyes open, I actually fell asleep while reading it and after waking from my short nap I tried to tackle it again. The writing isn't perfect and sometime's the characters fall into the classic horror genera stupidity needed in order to progress the plot forward. And yet, in between all this is a very scary, highly believable story about a man making contact with a demon. The part about the two of them embracing to complete his contract has haunted me for days even though it was only described in the vaguest of terms. And that to me is this books greatest power, it's ability to imply everything and say nothing. What lays outside the realms of normal human understanding? What if someone close to us suddenly confessed they had made contact with true evil and were now in a battle of wits for their soul? Is the struggle for something intangible any less riveting because of a lack of faith on behalf of the listener? I don't think so, and I have a sneaking suspicion Mr Judd doesn't either.

So while this isn't necessarily the best book I've read all year (as the blurb from Mr King on the front attests), it was a far cry from the worst either, and at just under 100 pages few are left with an excuse to not at least give this a once over.

The Devil's Own Work is a little jewel of a novella: polished, enticing, and beautifully crafted. A modern Faustian tale narrated by the friend of a famous writer, it is at once a straightforward mystery and a moral parable on writing and success. The plot is best left a surprise; its patient unfolding is what makes the novella irresistible. Indeed, this is a remarkably effective work considering its neglect of characterisation, for which it hasn't space. Perhaps this has something to do with Judd's writing which, stylish without wasting words, is pointed, vivid and insightful.