I read book 1 of Paradise Lost because the exam question was easy (nobody ever bothered reading it). Then I got hooked and read the rest. You have to check out Book 5 where the Angels in heaven have a massive row and chuck mountains at each other.

I know what you mean about Milton's God - I noticed in the tutorial on Milton I did there were a lot of Northern Protestants - and I wondered briefly if I were selling out, if Milton himself would spit on me if I were on fire.