Bearing the ominous subtitle Made by King Shaddai Upon Diabolus, to Regain the Metropolis of the World, Or, The Losing and Taking Again of the Town of Mansoul, this is perhaps the most ambitious work of one of the most extraordinary figures in religious history. Written in 1682, it is an allegorical novel about a town built to the devotion of "the Sovereign of the Universe" whose inhabitants turn their back on their god to serve Diabolus, a cunning deceiver, and must be won back by Shaddai's son, Emmanuel. Considered by some a masterpiece of religious literature, it is essential reading for anyone interested in matters of faith, fantasy, and the authority of Christian mythology in Western civilization. English preacher and writer JOHN BUNYAN (1628-1688) is the author of nearly sixty books, nine of which were written while he was in prison for unlicensed preaching. His works include Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666), The Life and Death of Mr. Badman (1680), and The Pilgrim's Progress (1678-1684).