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The Devil Stood Up
Could the Devil, Himself be our ultimate hero? This is the brutally told story of how the Devil, after countless millennia of strictly doing God’s will of punishing sinners in Hell, decides to lay down a Judgment of his own. Compelled by the horrific case of a young mother who murdered her child and the lawyer who gets her set free, the Devil comes to Earth seeking justice. Lesser Demons, Patron Saints, and seemingly, God, Himself, conspire against him and then, the biggest complication of he meets Kelly, and the Devil, Himself falls in love. But is Kelly, herself more than she seems?
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
25 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
About the author
Christine Dougherty
26 books52 followersChris Dougherty writes from a secluded haven in southern New Jersey at the edge of the Pine Barrens.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 2, 2013
I loved this book - there I said it. It's the story of the Devil, condemned to punish sinners until God decrees otherwise. In this story Satan is more akin to Dante's than Milton's, although still with a will of his own. As part of his duty he experiences the Litany, the lives of all humans and one crime in particular horrifies him.
That same crime horrified me as I read it. I'm a denizen of the internet, including its darker side and I'm not easily horrified, but the simple and effective prose that described the event shocked me. The book is worth reading just for those opening paragraphs alone.
The tale follows a slightly more predictable route after that, but it works well. The language is solid, if a little formal (although in the context it works well). I enjoyed every page and was satisfied by the ending, although I'm hoping there will be a sequel.
A fantastic book - read it now!
That same crime horrified me as I read it. I'm a denizen of the internet, including its darker side and I'm not easily horrified, but the simple and effective prose that described the event shocked me. The book is worth reading just for those opening paragraphs alone.
The tale follows a slightly more predictable route after that, but it works well. The language is solid, if a little formal (although in the context it works well). I enjoyed every page and was satisfied by the ending, although I'm hoping there will be a sequel.
A fantastic book - read it now!
July 18, 2013
Could the Devil, Himself be our ultimate hero?
This is the brutally told story of how the Devil, after countless millennia of strictly doing God’s will of punishing sinners in Hell, decides to lay down a Judgment of his own.
This was a great read from beginning to end. There is not a whole lot of dialogue, but that did not detract from the story at all. It is a different take on Satan, so if your religious, you may not like it.
The Devil wakes in anger at the murder of a 2 year old boy. Why this boy and not the thousands that have died at the hands of loved ones and strangers? You'll have to read the book to see.
I loved the descriptions of the different kinds of spirits and the depiction of the Devil himself.
This is not a preachy book, yet it is straight forward and understandable. I will read more by this Author.
Recommended for all.
This is the brutally told story of how the Devil, after countless millennia of strictly doing God’s will of punishing sinners in Hell, decides to lay down a Judgment of his own.
This was a great read from beginning to end. There is not a whole lot of dialogue, but that did not detract from the story at all. It is a different take on Satan, so if your religious, you may not like it.
The Devil wakes in anger at the murder of a 2 year old boy. Why this boy and not the thousands that have died at the hands of loved ones and strangers? You'll have to read the book to see.
I loved the descriptions of the different kinds of spirits and the depiction of the Devil himself.
This is not a preachy book, yet it is straight forward and understandable. I will read more by this Author.
Recommended for all.
May 29, 2013
Keep an open mind when you read this book. It is not based on the scriptures, bible, etc. It portrays the Devil as Lucifer the fallen angel and a servant of God whose sole purpose is to punish those in hell. I had a difficult time reading the first two chapters which describes the murder of a child which catches the devil's attention. This is definitely a different kind of story which will haunt you for days.
June 28, 2013
Lucifer is always rightly portrayed in books as the Big Bad Guy from Hell, but “The Devil Stood Up” showed a softer, more humane side to him, and that’s great, because even after the Fall from heaven, there must be something good left in this Fallen Angel. And that something was beautifully revealed in this book. I would like to think that what happened was a test to him from his God. First time I feel sympathy for the Devil…. An excellently written book!
December 15, 2013
An innovative story in which the devil is almost a hero. There were times that I thought people as vile as Carrie and Thomas couldn't exist but the doubts were brief as the author continued and I realized that unfortunately people like that probably do exist. They were such twisted characters that they disturbed the devil himself who decides to take matters into his own hands. The story actually elicits sympathy for the devil.
May 7, 2013
this is a must read. this book was amazing
October 21, 2015
I think I liked it! Since it took me 2 days. Very cool the way the Devil is portrayed. This was a free selection on Book Bub, glad I picked it up.
May 28, 2013
Boy, I wish there were a three-and-a-half star rating. I liked the book, but I wanted to love it. So, I'm giving it a three.
The concept is fascinating, and the story was told effectively. The author crafts, and then gets inside the head of, two of the most despicable human beings to ever be created in horror fiction. The author takes the character of the Devil and places him into an earth-bound adventure, even endowing him with a sense of humanity. She lays out a brutal crime, step by step, taking what is likely a spin on the Casey Anthony trial and then brings Satan himself up to Earth to mete out his own version of justice... pretty cool.
But, like a lot of self-published books, the editing could use some work. The writing was tight and the pacing was perfect. The problem I had was some specific word choices, a few misused words, and a periodic change of tenses from one sentence to the next - confusing.
I liked the writing. The storytelling was fantastic. But a quality editor could take this book to a whole new level.
I really see promise in the author and will pick up more of her books. This one doesn't really lend itself to a sequel, but you never know.
The concept is fascinating, and the story was told effectively. The author crafts, and then gets inside the head of, two of the most despicable human beings to ever be created in horror fiction. The author takes the character of the Devil and places him into an earth-bound adventure, even endowing him with a sense of humanity. She lays out a brutal crime, step by step, taking what is likely a spin on the Casey Anthony trial and then brings Satan himself up to Earth to mete out his own version of justice... pretty cool.
But, like a lot of self-published books, the editing could use some work. The writing was tight and the pacing was perfect. The problem I had was some specific word choices, a few misused words, and a periodic change of tenses from one sentence to the next - confusing.
I liked the writing. The storytelling was fantastic. But a quality editor could take this book to a whole new level.
I really see promise in the author and will pick up more of her books. This one doesn't really lend itself to a sequel, but you never know.
November 11, 2013
I thought this was a really "wow" book, but I must start with two caveats: 1. the villains are despicable and the murders gruesome (but not any more so than those you read about in your local newspaper on a regular basis.) 2. This fantasy is not theologically correct, so if you are looking for the characters to conform to scripture, you will be disappointed. The evil that catches Satan's notice bears a strong resemblance to the Casey Anthony murder trial. But what really galls him is the attorney who views the child's murder as just a great opportunity to advance his own fame and fortune. Rather than allow the attorney to enjoy the fruits of his victory, Satan takes it upon himself to see to it that he arrives in Hell as soon as possible. The portrayal of the narcissistic psychopaths and their thought-processes at work is an absolute masterpiece. Would love to give it a sixth star for a truly original plot instead of being just a same old/same old re-write of the overdone generic chestnuts.
January 25, 2016
Not what I was expecting!
I feel madly in love with the story this book offers it's reader. I was a little unsure at first, what kind of story could possibly involve the Devil, and be worth reading? I thought to myself. Well, I decided to take a chance and see where the story lead me. I finished a little under four hours. I read the entire story in one sitting! I just had to know what was going to happen. I'm very glad I did. I won't say the story is for everyone, because it isn't. I do not belong to any particular faith, more like I believe a little of each. That could be why In liked this story. The possibility not everything you have read or heard being complete knowledge. Maybe we don't know everything after all. Anyways, the thought of a story of the Devil was a little scary too think about reading. But in the end I thought, why not see what its all about and go from there? I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will be on the lookout for more of this author's work in the future. Hope this review helped.
I feel madly in love with the story this book offers it's reader. I was a little unsure at first, what kind of story could possibly involve the Devil, and be worth reading? I thought to myself. Well, I decided to take a chance and see where the story lead me. I finished a little under four hours. I read the entire story in one sitting! I just had to know what was going to happen. I'm very glad I did. I won't say the story is for everyone, because it isn't. I do not belong to any particular faith, more like I believe a little of each. That could be why In liked this story. The possibility not everything you have read or heard being complete knowledge. Maybe we don't know everything after all. Anyways, the thought of a story of the Devil was a little scary too think about reading. But in the end I thought, why not see what its all about and go from there? I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and will be on the lookout for more of this author's work in the future. Hope this review helped.
August 4, 2013
I'm not normally one to read these types of books, nor am I, a very religious person...but this book had me from the beginning. It really makes you think; "What if?"....What if a person that is so EVIL and hateful, made the Devil..SATAN, himself..feel the need to come from the fiery pits of Hell, to lay judgement personally? What are the consequences for innocent bystanders? And what if while amongst us, he falls in Love? This book made me actually feel sad for Lucifer, Satan, the Devil..whatever you may call him...not just in the story..BUT if he truly exists. I look at Satan, demons and even God, Himself in a different way. I HIGHLY recommend this book. I actually CRIED!
Note: There are some editing mistakes in the book, but I did read the EBOOK version, so I just attributed the mistakes to that. I'm basing my 5 star review on the actual story, not the editing.
Note: There are some editing mistakes in the book, but I did read the EBOOK version, so I just attributed the mistakes to that. I'm basing my 5 star review on the actual story, not the editing.
May 16, 2013
Free download on bookbub. This was a very interesting read. The devil/satan/lucifer (called by all 3 names in the book) is living out his punishment from God with no questions asked, giving out punishment to all the sinners that come his way until God decides he's done. One particular sinner makes him take notice and it affects him more than any other. He then decides he must go up and stop this person from doing more harm in the world and deal out his own punishment. He meets a woman along the way that causes him to care for her - something he's not used to. While searching for the person he wants, he comes across other demons and saints who are sent by God to stop him.
May 6, 2013
When i first saw this book i was Leary of reading it,not sure how i felt about the spin this book puts on the Devil. This book was actually a great read. I must warn you though you have to get past the murder that wakes the Devil up and brings him to earth it took me a few to get past it.. Keep an open mind with this book. It is not a religious book though the Devil and God and a slew of demons and angels are mentioned.
January 12, 2013
The premise of this book was fairly interesting and overall it was a fairly good and light read.
I enjoyed the characterization of the Devil and the insinuations made on the structure and rationale of hell and its function vis-a-vis heaven and God (without the burden of what one religion or another may say about it).
Worth the time to read given its overall length and weight.
I enjoyed the characterization of the Devil and the insinuations made on the structure and rationale of hell and its function vis-a-vis heaven and God (without the burden of what one religion or another may say about it).
Worth the time to read given its overall length and weight.
April 15, 2013
This is the first book in a long time that I didn't want to put down. Having never read anything of this genre before, I wasn't sure how well I would like it. It was definitely a page turner, with some characters so despicable, I couldn't wait to see if they got everything that was coming to them. This book didn't disappoint. I own two more books from this author that I will definitely read.
August 22, 2014
I really did enjoy this story. It was an interesting take. The jumping points of view was disconcerting at first but done well enough that I could follow easily.
I desperately want to know what's going on with Kelly. What/Who she is. That's going to drive me a bit batty. Did I just miss it? (It's possible, I had kids clamoring around me all throughout)
I desperately want to know what's going on with Kelly. What/Who she is. That's going to drive me a bit batty. Did I just miss it? (It's possible, I had kids clamoring around me all throughout)
January 6, 2014
The opening chapter will most likely stay with me for at least a year. It was surprisingly powerful (I'm a depressingly seasoned horror reader who finds nothing unsettling anymore), to the point where I just couldn't bring myself to give the book 3 stars despite the occasional sloppiness and shark-jumping I could have well done without.
September 20, 2012
Didn't think this was going to amount to much but I was surprised. A cool little story about the devil coming to Earth, doling out justice, perhaps falling in love, and finding hope. A good single (perhaps two) night read.
May 14, 2013
This was an interesting read. It's not that often I've come across a book that paints the devil in a sympathetic light but compared to the two he's after in this book, he's a saint and the book did the job well of trying to get you to root on the devil to get his quarry.
January 2, 2014
An unusual tale of Satan. There are some graphic moments but it fits the story and the book is worth going through the discomfort. I've enjoyed the books by this author and will continue to explore her work
July 31, 2017
Beautiful
This story is thought provoking. You will experience many emotions throughout. And delight you with its originality. You will cheer for the righteousness in the Angel Lucifer
This story is thought provoking. You will experience many emotions throughout. And delight you with its originality. You will cheer for the righteousness in the Angel Lucifer
March 8, 2012
Excellent read!
January 4, 2013
Liked it
January 8, 2014
After all, Lucifer was an angel first.
November 25, 2014
so i loved this book. i would have been fine without the romance slant. as a Christian, i've always been a "devil's advocate"
September 21, 2019
I totally enjoyed this book. I never thought I'd read a book that presented The Devil as a being that has a threshold for evil that two humans could actually exceed by doing something so wicked and evil that even The Devil decided that these humans were TOO evil. So, The Devil must come to earth to find them and punish them because they don't deserve a good life in the time that they have until Hell receives them. In doing so, memories of his time as an angel in Heaven stir and feelings of love and compassion emerge....yet he remains The Devil and this Devil is on a mission to punish two wicked humans and to save one. A great read. Awesome characters. I loved The Devil, Kelly and Sitri. Thomas and Carrie was deplorable and easy to hate. The murder of the small child is written very well, in that it does describe the horror of that scenario in such detail that I could picture it and feel so badly for the little boy. Some may find it gruesome or over the top. I would disagree. I didn't think that the scene was gratuitous. I felt that it needed to be there to show why this event caused The Devil to take notice and say, "No way!" I also feel it's an important message to everyone that if you suspect child abuse you have to report it. Children DO go through what this boy goes through in the book. That is the only really disturbing scene in the book. The book ends, not with more darkness...but with light. A wonderful book.
May 7, 2020
Good story and a very easy read, not loaded with excess amounts of descriptions that would make it a daunting/slow read.
Yes, it's about the Devil, so many could be offended by the way the author betrayed him, but it was an interesting take, but a warning to all, the first few chapters, and the character Carrie, were the most disturbing to me.
While I like this story, it's one of those that I wouldn't find myself 'ordering' my friends to read it, but if they asked, I would say to give it a try.
Yes, it's about the Devil, so many could be offended by the way the author betrayed him, but it was an interesting take, but a warning to all, the first few chapters, and the character Carrie, were the most disturbing to me.
While I like this story, it's one of those that I wouldn't find myself 'ordering' my friends to read it, but if they asked, I would say to give it a try.
February 2, 2022
Th re devil's job
I purchased book in 2013. Everyone should read this book. This book has it all amazing character development, an unlikely hero and a great story line . This book was hard to put down and very interesting. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.
I purchased book in 2013. Everyone should read this book. This book has it all amazing character development, an unlikely hero and a great story line . This book was hard to put down and very interesting. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end.
October 19, 2012
*1/2
I really hate to give a low rating to an underground horror novel; it doesn't make me happy to do so, but in this case, the words on the page just didn't connect with me at all.
Christine Dougherty's "The Devil Stood Up" opens with the premise that the Devil is not an underworld sadist, but simply a fallen angel who wishes he was still in heaven, who carries out his task of eternal punishment with no particular pleasure. Chugging through his head is a constantly evolving Litany of sins, the crimes the denizens of hell have committed in order to get them where they currently reside. One particular item jumps out from the Litany and catches his attention: the murder of a young child by its mother, and the woman's subsequent freedom from jail thanks to the workings of her greedy lawyer.
Inspired (I'm assuming) by the recent Anthony case, wherein a selfish degenerate murdered her baby because it was getting in the way of her good time, the book's opening gets off to a good start. The passages dealing with the woman's crime are detailed and upsetting, as they should be, and I was with the story up until the point that the Devil possessed the body of a suicidal man, in order to find the murderous woman and her lawyer.
It isn't a bad setup, but unfortunately, the characters are hard to care about. The child-murdering woman is despicable and appropriately unlikeable, but also very undeveloped, never more than a generalization of a character. Same goes for her attorney. They're both so wicked and selfish, with no other characteristics ever showing through, that it's hard to buy them as real people.
Here are a few gripes I have, that are not story related...
- The constant use of the expressions "God, Himself" and "The Devil, Himself", including inappropriate commas between God/The Devil and their modifier.
- Occasional shifts from past to present tense, in the middle of the book. If this was meant as an artistic decision, it doesn't come across, and is sometimes pretty jarring.
- A little (sometimes a lot) of analysis of characters' thoughts, when their actions display them perfectly well.
I won't lie, I had a hard time enjoying this book, and I really, really wanted to. The grammar issues are distracting, and it's an interesting premise, but the way the story plays out, it doesn't work.
I really hate to give a low rating to an underground horror novel; it doesn't make me happy to do so, but in this case, the words on the page just didn't connect with me at all.
Christine Dougherty's "The Devil Stood Up" opens with the premise that the Devil is not an underworld sadist, but simply a fallen angel who wishes he was still in heaven, who carries out his task of eternal punishment with no particular pleasure. Chugging through his head is a constantly evolving Litany of sins, the crimes the denizens of hell have committed in order to get them where they currently reside. One particular item jumps out from the Litany and catches his attention: the murder of a young child by its mother, and the woman's subsequent freedom from jail thanks to the workings of her greedy lawyer.
Inspired (I'm assuming) by the recent Anthony case, wherein a selfish degenerate murdered her baby because it was getting in the way of her good time, the book's opening gets off to a good start. The passages dealing with the woman's crime are detailed and upsetting, as they should be, and I was with the story up until the point that the Devil possessed the body of a suicidal man, in order to find the murderous woman and her lawyer.
It isn't a bad setup, but unfortunately, the characters are hard to care about. The child-murdering woman is despicable and appropriately unlikeable, but also very undeveloped, never more than a generalization of a character. Same goes for her attorney. They're both so wicked and selfish, with no other characteristics ever showing through, that it's hard to buy them as real people.
Here are a few gripes I have, that are not story related...
- The constant use of the expressions "God, Himself" and "The Devil, Himself", including inappropriate commas between God/The Devil and their modifier.
- Occasional shifts from past to present tense, in the middle of the book. If this was meant as an artistic decision, it doesn't come across, and is sometimes pretty jarring.
- A little (sometimes a lot) of analysis of characters' thoughts, when their actions display them perfectly well.
I won't lie, I had a hard time enjoying this book, and I really, really wanted to. The grammar issues are distracting, and it's an interesting premise, but the way the story plays out, it doesn't work.
July 20, 2014
Dark, forbidding and violent but also full of kindness, goodness and hope. It's a tale about Lucifer who has been thrust into the role of punishing sinners for eternity and is currently feeling overwhelmed and tired of The Litany (the flow of knowledge of every sin mankind commits). And so, when a young woman kills her baby son and an ambitious upcoming lawyer manages to get her acquitted of her crime, he decides he doesn't want to wait for them to die to punish them and goes up to Earth inside a suicider's body (Mark) to find and bring their souls to Hell sooner. On Earth he meets Kelly, Mark's adopted sister and falls in love.
...
This is not a HEA. They do not end up together happy ever after. Kelly is thrust in a very violent world full of demons and barely manages to survive and Lucifer leaves right after doing what he came to do in the first place. He resigns himself to live his existence as God wanted him to since God gave him Kelly's life. There's is no kiss, no coming together or tearful goodbye. Simply a story told and I liked it. It was very well achieved, very well written. Amazing characters and amazing depth. There is a heavy hand regarding religion, so be forewarned. The devil also plays a good part or as good as the Devil ever could so if you're set in your religious ways..better give this a wide berth.
...
This is not a HEA. They do not end up together happy ever after. Kelly is thrust in a very violent world full of demons and barely manages to survive and Lucifer leaves right after doing what he came to do in the first place. He resigns himself to live his existence as God wanted him to since God gave him Kelly's life. There's is no kiss, no coming together or tearful goodbye. Simply a story told and I liked it. It was very well achieved, very well written. Amazing characters and amazing depth. There is a heavy hand regarding religion, so be forewarned. The devil also plays a good part or as good as the Devil ever could so if you're set in your religious ways..better give this a wide berth.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews