Novel Insights Guide To

Lord Foulgrin's Letters

by Randy Alcorn

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Jump to Chapter 1 - 4 Review

Chapters 01 - 04

Each of the chapters of this book includes a scene from the life of the main character, Jordan Fletcher and his family, as well as correspondence between a demon overlord, Lord Foulgrin, and the underling he is supervising, Squaltaint. The author introduces the characters as Jordan, his wife Diane, seventeen-year-old daughter Jillian and fourteen-year-old son Daniel are experiencing Jordan's latest acquisition - a vacation home. Even in an idyllic setting, it is apparent his relationship with his wife and children is strained and distant. Of course, Jordan is completely unaware of the spiritual warfare that is taking place over his soul. Two demons, Foulgrin and Squaltaint, collaborate on the best strategy to attack Jordan. Foulgrin explains to Squaltaint that they inflict pain on the Creator by inflicting pain on His creation, and Squaltaint has been assigned to Jordan Fletcher. He advises him to lure Jordan into his trap, not allowing him to discover his mistake until it is too late.

On Monday morning, as Jordan gets ready for work, he realizes how much he resents his wife's voice. Comparing her to his secretary Patty, he finds Patty more appealing. On his way to work, he senses another presence in the car, but dismisses the feeling. He feels a nagging emptiness, but does not know what he could be missing. He has everything he has ever wanted. He feels like he can hear warring voices, and turns up the radio to drown them out. In Foulgrin's letter to Squaltaint, he reprimands him for the sketchiness of his report. He also notes that the presence of the heavenly warrior Jaltor means God has a purpose for him. Squaltaint must thwart it. Foulgrin explains how God uses the emptiness humans feel to draw them to Himself. Foulgrin counsels Squaltaint to use chosen passages from the Bible to lure his prey down the road to hell. He emphasizes the importance of gaining the educated and influential unbelievers and Christians. He suggests Squaltaint not allow Jordan to think of hell or the imminence of his death, or let him think he will have fun in hell with his friends.

Alone at the house, Jordan finds himself plunged into darkness and is forced to change a lightbulb. In the process, he discovers his mother's Bible and picks it up. Immediately, the phone rings. Jordan opens the Bible, and reads about putting on the armor of God in order to be able to stand against the devil's schemes. He feels drawn to the Bible and starts to sit down and read it, but suddenly remembers all the things he needs to do. Foulgin continues his mentoring letters to Squaltaint, whining and bemoaning his assignment to "headquarters" where there is a rationing of all things pleasurable. He expresses alarm at Jordan's sudden desire to pick up his mother's Bible, and admonishes Squaltaint to prevent it from happening again. He agrees with Squaltaint that Jordan's weekly basketball game can be used by the demons to bring out the man's natural aggressiveness and anger tendencies. However, he issues a warning to beware of the possibility that this kind of activity could be used to build positive character traits. Returning to the incident with the Bible, Foulgrin instructs Squaltaint to distract Fletcher in any way possible whenever he is drawn toward the Bible. He tells him that distraction is better than argumentation, because arguing too loudly could allow the man to become aware of the spiritual battle raging around him. Even worst, he might hear the quiet voice of God.

Jordan barely looks up from his Newswek as Jillian enters the house with her friend Brittany. Jordan tries to remember the girl's name, then is reminded when Diane calls to her from the kitchen. Jordan asks where Daniel is, and Diane replies he is in his room, probably on his computer. She suggests Jordan check on his son. Reading about a school shooting, Jordan makes no connection between the parents in the article who had no clue their children where sociopaths and what is happening in his own son's life. Feeling he is missing something in his life, Jordan begins to have fantasies of Patty. After reading an article on stock market trends, he announces he is going to play basketball and leaves the house. In his letter to Squaltaint, Foulgrin reprimands him for addressing him without the proper respect, then proceeds to defend his past actions. He has faced charges of heresy in the past, although he was cleared. He goes on to brag of his accomplishments as pagan gods, including having human children sacrificed to him. He intimates he has unflattering information he is holding against Squaltaint which he will hold in confidence as long as Squaltaint serves him well and faithfully. Speaking of Jordan Fletcher, he mentions he finds it amusing Fletcher refers to himself as a "family man." Each member of the family goes in a different direction, involved in his own activities, and Fletcher knows little of what his going on. Foulgrin describes the children in the Fletcher family. Jillian is an athlete with decent grades. Fletcher does not know her friends or who she talks with on the internet. Daniel is immersed in internet porn, violent games and horror novels. He listens to music that is filled with "rage, resentment, blood and self-loathing." He is totally giving himself over to demonic control, and his parents are oblivious to the situation. He encourages Squaltaint to keep Fletcher in the dark concerning his family; to keep him on the sidelines as an uninvolved, self-occupied, passive parent. Squaltaint must keep himself ten moves ahead of the humans in order to make sure they do not give themselves over to the "Carpenter from Nazareth."