"the day after judgement", which follows in the series, develops and extends the characters from the first book. it suggests that god may not be dead, or that demons may not be inherently self-destructive, as something appears to be restraining the actions of the demons upon earth. in a lengthy miltonian speech at the end of the novel, satan mekratrig explains that, compared to humans, demons are good, and that if perhaps god has withdrawn himself, then satan beyond all others was qualified to take his place and, if anything, would be a more just god. however, the defeat of satan is complete. he cannot take up this throne and must hand the burning keys to man, as this is the most fell of all his fell damnations. he never wanted to be god at all, and so having won all, all has he lost.