Asmodeus<\/em> reads stylistically as a postmodern, poetic rollercoaster. The title demon flings from place to place, sometimes bound by magical rules to be stuck inside of a knife, sometimes seemingly free to wander. The narrative also appears to jump to characters far from Asmodeus, exploring subplots such as the planned robbery of a book depot. But \u201cfar\u201d here becomes an uncertain term, when Asmodeus may in fact be able to teleport instantly. There is also the suggestion that the entire narrative may just be part of Rudy\u2019s creative imagination as he prepares to rejuvenate himself and compose new songs. Or that Rudy has tapped into a collective consciousness through the journeys of Asmodeus and is able to write songs about nearby events he would otherwise be unaware of. This is hard to clearly interpret, but that\u2019s not the point. We\u2019re dealing with spirits and the mysteries of creative inspiration here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The language is often appropriately psychedelic, for instance: \u201cLili la Turbia scraped the edge of the dagger against the concrete floor in a single movement, throwing off sparks, and then placed the tip at the center of Guinea\u2019s forehead. The spell ripped Asmodeus from the knife and shot him toward the sparkling confines of Guinea\u2019s brain. His voice\u2014screaming \u2018damn witch\u2019\u2014streaked across the neuronal sky like a meteorite.\u201d But this is one of the more grounded descriptions, ultimately, compared with entire scenes that may only be hallucinations and the various disturbing visions of a developing witch making her first contact with dark powers. D\u00e9cimas, traditional ten-line poems, also recur through the novel, offering their own cryptic statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The early 1990s were an important time for black metal music as it entered its \u201csecond wave\u201d. Most infamous were the events surrounding the Norwegian band Mayhem. Between 1990 and 1993, the members of Mayhem were involved with serious attempts at devil worship, committing murders, church arsons, and other crimes. Asmodeus<\/em> is not about the band Mayhem\u2014the nonfiction work Lords of Chaos<\/em> is highly recommended for those interested\u2014but the psychic space feels similar, if not quite as realistically grim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is also ambiguous how properly \u201cevil\u201d the character Asmodeus is. At times he is suggested to be a creative principle, albeit only accessible through the double-edged use of cocaine. Double-edged in that the use of the drug has contributed to the decay of Rudy\u2019s body, but also potentially stimulated his best work (this point in itself is ambiguous). Asmodeus<\/em> the novel is deeply immersed in its mythology, but we may take a step back and read a worldview where all thoughts are spirits of sorts, particularly the mysterious sources of creative thoughts. A \u201cnew\u201d fictional idea appears and inspires multiple writers, spreading fast like a virus. Calculus was discovered virtually simultaneously by Leibniz and Newton, living hundreds of miles and even countries apart, long before the internet. Do ideas and thoughts move invisibly through the air, if not some other unknown ether? In Asmodeus<\/em>, certainly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The novel is recommended, with the caveat that the reader be interested in postmodern literature, psychedelia, and horror themes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n FICTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Asmodeus<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n By Rita Indiana<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Graywolf Press<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Published September 1, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/chireviewofbooks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/9781644454107-500x750.webp\")
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