Satanic Bargain Horror
Explore books, themes, and recommendations in Satanic Bargain Horror.
What is the Satanic Bargain Horror Subgenre?
A subgenre of satanic horror that was popular enough to get its own subgenre, satanic bargain horror is filled with tales of human protagonists who are ambitious or desperate or just looking to make a deal with demonic forces who are only too happy to oblige. Though often associated with satanic horror and the devil as seen in Christianity, any sort of demon or trickster god can stand in for Satan's side of the bargain.
This subgenre will always involve the plot element of a satanic bargain, which can be known by many names, most notably, a deal or pact with the devil or a Faustian bargain. This refers to the legendary character of Faust, a scholar who sells his soul to a demon named Mephistopheles for unlimited knowledge and worldly pleasure. Often, there is a catch to these bargains that acts in favor of the evil entity, as well as a steep price that the human protagonist must pay. As in the legend of Faust, that price is generally the soul of the human protagonist who is making the bargain, but other prices can include loved ones, children, eternal servitude, or a service to be provided in exchange. The human protagonist will often trade these precious items as a means of improving or prolonging their time on Earth.
The deal in this subgenre is often deceptively one-sided as the supernatural entity will always pay up, though not necessarily in the manner that the protagonist expects. Often, the plot will revolve around the human character's realization of the terror of their arrangement as well as their attempts to escape it. Themes such as "be careful what you wish for" are extremely prevalent in this subgenre.
Satanic Bargain Horror Characteristics
Level of Plot: The level of plot in satanic bargain horror is generally low to moderate as the plot revolves around the Faustian bargain and its consequences.
Level of Characterization: Expect moderate amounts of characterization in this subgenre. Pride is often a defining characteristic of the protagonists, and character development is generally brought about by the realization that the bargain is flawed.
Level of Supernatural: The level of supernatural in satanic bargain horror is high as an evil supernatural entity is necessary to strike the bargain.
Level of Scary: Scares will be moderate to high in this subgenre depending on the level of involvement of the supernatural entity.
Level of Violence: Violence is generally moderate to low in satanic bargain horror as the aim of the evil protagonist is often only the soul of the protagonist, and not a high body count.
Typical Setting: In this subgenre, the setting is not a main focus of the work. As such, settings are typically varied.
Related Horror Subgenres
Satanic horror is related to satanic bargain horror because the latter is an offshoot of the former. Also related to satanic bargain horror are witchcraft horror, supernatural horror, and religious horror which often deal with similar evil and supernatural antagonists.
Don't Read Satanic Bargain Horror If You Dislike…
Deals with the devil. As a main element of this subgenre is a deal or pact with the devil, if this is something that you dislike or are uncomfortable with, this may not be the subgenre for you.