A recommendation to the Dutch "precursor" to Paradise Lost: Vondel's "Lucifer" is a tight five-act play along the same lines. It's about a century older than Paradise Lost, with a contemporary energy that's quite fun and punchy, and a quick read.

Noel Clark's translation gives it a modern air of office politics as Lucifer and Beelzebub quarrel with Gabriel on how to behave in their shared workplace.