Lucifer
Books: Graphic Novel | Fantasy | Horror
Devil in the Gateway (2001), Children and Monsters (2001), A Dalliance with the Damned (2002)
Devil in the Gateway (2001) Mike Carey, Scott Hampton, Chris Weston
I'd considered picking up Lucifer since I finished reading The Sandman. I liked the characters of Lucifer and what Neil Gaiman did with him, but I'd hesitated picking up the Lucifer, since it wasn't written by Neil Gaiman, and I've been less than impressed with other characters I'd met The Sandman when they weren't written by Neil Gaiman. Additionally, I've read some other books with Lucifer as the main character, and enjoyed them, so this was going to have to go some to impress me.
So after a couple of years of vacillating, I bought Lucifer: Devil in the Gateway.
Then didn't read it for six months.
I finally broke down yesterday when I wanted something short to read, because I didn't want to start anything big right now.
I was pleasantly surprised. It's not To Reign in Hell, but I wasn't expecting it to be. Lucifer has quit Hell, and is running his bar. Unfortunately for him, a quiet retirement doesn't seem to be in the cards for him. An agent of Heaven has come to Lucifer to ask him to intervene in a situation, and offers him anything he wants in return.
Overall, I thought the story was pretty good. The story arc was completed, although there were story lines that obviously will be continued at a later point in time. Lucifer is an interesting character--somehow, well written bad guys are always more interesting. I continue to have problems, however, with understanding Maziken. I just can't parse what it is she is supposed to be saying, which is extremely frustrating.
I will definitely pick up Volume 2 in the series, to see where the story goes, as this was a very promising start to the series.
Rating: 8/10
Children and Monsters (2001) Mike Carey, Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, Dean Ormston
Children and Monsters is the second book in the Lucifer series. Lucifer has obtained the gate, and has now decided to use it. Now he is looking to get some other objects, for whatever plans he has. We also see that the angel Amenadrel seems to be out to get Lucifer--even if it comes at the cost of the free will of humanity--or some segment of humanity.
I didn't care as much for this volume as I did the first. I'm still not quite sure where things were going, which I found frustrating. But I'm still curious enough that I'll at least read the next volume to see where the story goes.
Rating:6/10
A Dalliance with the Damned (2002) Mike Carey, Peter Gross, Ryan Kelly, Dean Ormston
A Dalliance with the Damned is the third book in the Lucifer series. Maziken is in search of a way to return her face to its proper form, Lucifer has decided to create his own Creation, and there are plots and machinations among the Lords of Hell.
I must be missing something; perhaps I'm in the wrong mood to read this series, because I just could not get into A Dalliance with the Damned. I found the stories interesting--but I just don't seem to care about the story overall. I still like the characters, like Elaine Belloc, but I can't seem to muster up enough interest to care what happens to them enough to want to go out and get the next installment in the series.
There were some stories that I found interesting--the story where Lucifer creates his own Garden as a test was quite interesting--especially the interactions between the man and woman he creates. But although I found the stories interesting, I didn't find them great. And the stories just didn't pull me in enough to care.
We'll see what Michael thinks about this, and then decide whether we'll get the next installment. Or perhaps I'll try and read this later and see how I feel about it then.
Rating: 5/10