Let me start by saying it is not often that I offer a review of a book I have not read completely. This is not an armchair read. It is a reference book which can be used when you hit a passage of scripture you would like more information on.

It is a scholarly work which tackles the Biblical references to Satan and demons. There are copious references and these are listed at the foot of the page which saves having to scan a huge bibliography at the back. It has a scripture index at the back which facilitates this as well as an index that directs you to the appropriate chapter. There is also a seperate index of extra-biblical literature - nice to see it being recognised as distinct from the canon

I had occassion to get it down off the shelf when studying Mark 5 and the Gerasene Demoniac. He dealt well with the different accounts in the Gospels and reconciled them well without any strained explanations, indeed the differences were resolved before you really realised there was a "conflict".

Regretably the book appears to be out of print and second hand copies seem to be going for £70 ($140). I don't think I would recommend it as a book to be read - it is all too easy to give Satan toom uch credit. On the otherhand we cannot ignore him. I would recommend the book as a useful commentary on a specific topic.

Sydney Page is professor of New Testament and academic dean at Edmonton Baptist Seminary.