Demons once haunted the pages of religious texts and the odd horror movie, and that was it. They were welded to religion and faith as much as angels were. It didn’t matter what religion, either. Demons appear in some shape or form in every major religion in the world.

But even though their roots can’t be denied, the religious connotations are loosening as demons — and angels — are fast becoming the new sexy in genre fiction.

Curiously, demons aren’t all black and nasty.

They can even be reluctant heroes, as Crowley become on the Supernatural series.

Wikipedia says of the ancient Greeks treatment of Demons:

“The Greek term does not have any connotations of evil or malevolence…it should be duly noted that the term referred only to a spiritual force, not a malevolent supernatural being,” and of demons in general that “Many of the demons in literature were once fallen angels”

Which implies that redemption is possible?

In other-words, they’re bad personified…and they could be good, because they used to be. It’s that possibility that makes them some of the more interesting characters in urban fantasy these days.

Do you know of some great demon characters in the urban fantasy you’ve read lately? Hit the comments and tell me about them!