None But Lucifer

None But Lucifer is a fantasy novel written by Horace L. Gold and L. Sprague de Camp. It was first published in the fantasy magazine Unknown in 1939. Despite its good reception by the readership and the prominence of its authors (Gold was the founding editor of Galaxy Science Fiction magazine, and de Camp quickly became a leading light of science fiction and fantasy during those genres' so-called "golden age"), the book remained unpublished in book form for over sixty years, until finally issued as a trade paperback by Gateways Retro Science Fiction in 2002. It is also available as an electronic publication.

Plot summary

The book is a dark fantasy, a version of the Faust legend set in New York City during the Great Depression. A man named Hale makes a deal with the devil and then attempts to cheat his fate of eternal damnation. Ironically, his very success in defeating Lucifer ensures his own undoing.

External links

• Text of the novel at Science Fiction Museum