The Devil's Diary

By: Mark Winter

Narrated by: Persephone Rose

What if Satan kept a journal? This is the premise of The Devil's Diary, which includes 40 entries written by the Evil One as he matches wits with his "adversary", the Son of God. Each daily entry begins with a scripture. The entry that follows will reflect Satan's thoughts and actions based on that passage and other scriptural accounts. After every entry, you will find a section that asks, "What's going on?" Here you will gain information relevant to Satan's journal report, such as geography, cultural norms, and word studies.

Finally, "Points to ponder" dig even deeper, leading to questions that are appropriate for individual reflection or group discussion. This is the section where the "rubber meets the road," giving you insight into the wiles of the devil and helping you put on the full armor of God to repel the fiery darts of evil (Ephesians 6:10-18).

©2016 Mark Winter (P)2017 Mark Winter

Only could have been done by a good theologian

Books like this can be a lot of fun. They can bring a fresh perspective or idea to a story that we have heard many times before. They can illuminate Biblical truths. They can remind us of powerful moments in Christ's time walking the earth with us. But, books like this can also be a real mess. I'm probably more critical than most when an author weaves fiction or conjecture in with the Bible. It must be handled very carefully in order not to be sacrilegious or just off-putting. I don't know Mr. Winter's background, but I thought he handled this interesting story superbly.
It took me the first few chapters (they are very short, most around 8-10 minutes) to kind of get into the flow of the book. Once I did, I really enjoyed it. I didn't catch anything that strayed from the Bible. He also did a good job of bringing a lot of relevant facts from that time into the story. The narration was also first rate. I received this book at no charge in exchange for an honest review. However, if you have any interest in this type of Christian book, it is well worth the money.

Excellent format for learning

What made the experience of listening to The Devil's Diary the most enjoyable?

I loved how he wrote the "diary" then had you think about what you learned then apply it to your life.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Devil's Diary?

The devil can do more damage if you don't believe he exists!

What about Persephone Rose’s performance did you like?

Great voice and inflection made Satan come alive.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Dear Diary...

Any additional comments?

"I was voluntarily provided this review copy at no charge by the author, publisher and or narrator.”

Sound biblical teaching with a fun twist . . .

Let me preclude this submission by stating; I was provided a free copy of this audio-book by the narrator in return for my unbiased review. In addition, I do hold an M.Div and consider myself a devout evangelical; just so one knows where i am coming from with this review.

With that out of the way; what a refreshing way to present biblical truths in such a way that one who is familiar with the Scriptures as well as a novice can walk away with new insights as to the battle between good and evil; Jesus and satan.

I anticipated this book as being more of a satire along the lines of C. S. Lewis' classic "The Screwtape Letters" with the devil speaking to the audience. While the author stays close to the actual words and teachings of the Bible, he admits in his introduction that he is taking artistic license by imagining what the devil might say or think in his plan to undo the work of Jesus and separate His followers from Him.

The format is broken up into 40 "entries" revolving around a specific Gospel verse and associated story which all stand on their own. In other words, one does not lose any continuity by pausing the book for a time after each chapter. In fact, one could break in into a 40-day devotional type of reading. Or, as the author suggests/encourages, it could easily be used for a small group discussion or study as the teachings are all based on actual Scripture.

What is added, and makes for a fun listen or teaching approach, is the added voice of what Satan MIGHT have been thinking during each Gospel story. Just as in the Gospels, Satan does not interact with Jesus, the disciples, or any of the biblical characters, but he does talk to himself and sometimes to his minions/demons as to what they are doing behind the scenes in each Bible story. Although these words and actions are imagined, we do know that there was an actual spiritual battle going on between good and evil during the entire ministry of Jesus. What this adds is just an interesting "behind the scenes" perspective that I found enjoyable.

After each encounter between the devil and Jesus, the author takes a minute or two to give some background information on the particular story that just took place. Some of these insights describe the history of the area and peoples involved, or a little background on the disciples themselves. In keeping with a solid teaching he even references Old Testament entries that affirm the Gospel teaching. Then he poses a couple of questions in a "food for thought" type of approach before moving on to the next chapter.

This book is not, nor should it be, listed under Christian fiction or literature; it is loaded with biblical teachings and even the artistic license that is taken to form Satan "voice" is often based on what the Scriptures do tell us about him.

As for the narration: excellent job!!! Not only does he give Satan a believable voice, but he also switches seamlessly between Satan, Jesus, and all the other characters in the stories. In general, an easy voice to listen too. Ironically, when I looked for some other Audible books by the same narrator, most were from genre's at the opposite end of the spectrum which speaks volumes to the professionalism of the narration.

Although I received this book for free, it is certainly worth the member purchase price or a credit. Personally, I will be listening to this audio-book many times to come and may even use is in a small group study. Like I stated in the title of this review, "Sound biblical teaching with a fun twist."

Thanks, and I hope you found this helpful.

The Devil's Diary

Any additional comments?

This book reminds us of the spiritual war going on around us. Don't let satan get a foot hold. Narration was very clear and good.

I received a free copy for my review

Not what I thought it was.

When I heard the sample of this audio book, it sounded great. I thought it would be interesting to see how the devil ponders things. Unfortunately I liked the sample but this felt more like a sermon. Or someone was reading the Bible to me. It did have some interesting parts but like I stated above it was more like being preached to about the word of God then getting into the Devils mind. It's an excellent concept for the book which I thought he could've taken far without constantly throwing in Bible verses and explain what they meant. The narrator did an excellent job.


I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

Thought Provoking

I highly recommend this book it reminds us of the spiritual war going on around us. Don't let satan get a foot hold. Narration was very good. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy by the author, narrator or publisher.

Interesting Listen

What made the experience of listening to The Devil's Diary the most enjoyable?

This book requires serious attention. I typically listen to books that only require half my attention so that I can also work at the same time. I found myself stopping over and over or going back and rewinding so that I could listen to the last sentence again. This was not a "fluffy" book full of nonsense, it's a very serious listen.

Who was your favorite character and why?

This isn't a book of characters, more like insight into what the devil really wants to accomplish.

Which character – as performed by Persephone Rose – was your favorite?

n/a

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Devil's Diary or why we are actually living in hell.