Satan On My Path
by Daniel DiFranco
Style: Literary / Music / Occult & Supernatural
ISBN: 9781963115307
Print Size: 342 pages
Writer: Unsolicited Press
Reviewed by Lauren Hayataka
A collision of music and fable leads one musician down a path the place riffs and redemption intertwine.
Daniel DiFranco’s Satan on My Path is a rock and roll fairytale about soul-bartering, cosmic riffs, and the supernatural forces lurking behind music historical past. The novel’s premise—a guitarist unintentionally summoning the Satan by taking part in a forbidden chord—might have simply fallen into predictability, however DiFranco spins it into an creative, high-octane journey that bridges the worlds of rock legends, occult lore, and cosmic mischief.
On the heart of the novel is Marc, an aspiring guitarist who, in a second of reckless taking part in, unlocks a secret solely a handful of rock legends—Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, and even Keith Richards—have ever recognized: a chord so highly effective it calls forth the Satan himself.
A whirlwind journey follows as Marc scrambles to gather legendary musical artifacts to organize for the inevitable showdown with Lucifer. By Marc’s aspect are his pop-culture-obsessed drummer Bollocks, rock journalist Maybelline, the occult skilled Tanner, and his ghostly mentor, Keith Richards.
DiFranco units his stage with equal components humor, mythology, and music lore, as Marc’s highway journey turns into a fantastical journey by means of the annals of rock historical past. Armed with a magical guitar, a leather-based jacket rumored to have belonged to Elvis, and a guitar choose from Johnny Newman, Marc battles private and literal demons in his try to outplay the Satan.
Marc, as a protagonist, is a relatable everyman pushed by a lifelong obsession with music. His backstory—dropping his mother and father, discovering solace in his Fender Stratocaster, and being raised by an uncle who launched him to the chaotic world of The Rolling Stones—provides depth and a nostalgic edge to his character. His difficult relationship with music is likely one of the highlights of the novel. Marc finds freedom within the electrical guitar, but he’s haunted by whether or not it’s price risking his soul to pursue creative greatness—a dilemma that resonates with anybody chasing a dream in any respect prices.
Keith Richards, who offered his soul years in the past for rock immortality, takes on a twin position as mentor and cautionary story. Richards’ ghost, continually dropping in with a sardonic quip or cryptic lesson, is likely one of the novel’s most memorable characters, and his remorse for buying and selling his soul provides a poignant undercurrent to the in any other case high-energy plot. The humor in Satan on My Path is biting and will be sacrilegious, from references to Colonel Sanders being on the Satan’s listing of soul-sellers to the operating gag that the Satan doesn’t settle for Venmo.
The novel’s pacing is sharp, with DiFranco deftly alternating between Marc’s childhood reminiscences and his present-day, reality-bending quest. The solid of characters is colourful—Maybelline, the African American journalist whose personal ambitions lead her to Rolling Stone, and Tanner, a witch whose information of the occult provides Marc a combating likelihood.
But it surely’s the inclusion of music lore that makes the world of Satan on My Path enthralling for music lovers. From Easter eggs about legendary musicians to an impromptu pilgrimage to the positioning of Jeff Buckley’s tragic dying, the novel is steeped in a reverence for the uncooked and sometimes surreal energy of rock and roll.
Behind the humor and chaos lies an exploration of deeper themes. DiFranco questions the value of fame, the damaging attract of creative ambition, and the lengths folks will go to depart a legacy. Marc’s inner battle is mirrored by his journey to reclaim Keith Richards’ soul, including emotional weight to an in any other case rollicking plot. It’s not nearly dealing with off with the Satan—it’s in regards to the sacrifices made to pursue greatness and whether or not these sacrifices are price the associated fee.
In the end, Satan on My Path celebrates music, fable, and misfits, a fast-paced, irreverent experience by means of rock historical past’s most iconic moments and past. DiFranco expertly mixes humor, coronary heart, and soul (actually), crafting a novel that’s as rebellious and unpredictable as rock and roll.
For anybody who’s ever obsessed over the legends of music or questioned if there’s extra to the chords we strum than meets the ear, Satan on My Path is a head-banging, thought-provoking journey you gained’t need to miss.
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