Wielding A Red Sword: Piers Anthony

Book IV of Incarnations of Immortality. This was a world where both science and magic worked and where magic carpets competed in the market with shiny new cars. The Incarnations of Death, Fate, Time, War, and Nature were real beings caught up in a continuing effort to defeat the wiles of Satan. Mym was prince of a province in still-divided India - a dutiful son, but when the Rajah interfered in his love life for the third time, it was just too much. Rather than give in to the Rajah's wedding plans, he agreed to assume the office of War and wield the Red Sword. For a time he was quite happy, believing that his efforts in the constant petty Earth wars could ameliorate some of the injustice and suffering. But he soon became aware that behind all his involvement were the traps of Satan, designed to lead him astray. Working in secret, he organised a great rebellion among the Damned, and Satan seemed to capitulate. But he soon learned that the episode was just another snare of Satan...Cover art by Michael Whelan.