Dresden Files: Faith, God, Christians & the Fallen in an Urban Fantasy Series
This entry was posted on Friday, July 13. 2007 and is filed under Posts by Mirtika.
SPOILER ALERT: Some spoilers for the novel series. I'll try to minimize them in this brief post, but, hey, had to say it.
I'm a Dresdenophile. I had enjoyed the first four of the novels in the urban fantasy series prior to getting sick recently. Being stuck with nothing much to do but lay on the couch and remember to suck in oxygen left me in need of intense distractions. So, I ordered up all the rest of THE DRESDEN FILES novels by Jim Butcher, ie #5 through #9, and just read them straight through.
Aside from the mad plotting skillz of Mr. Butcher, the series is intriguing to me because despite not being Christian fantasy, it is fantasy populated with a recurring set of characters who are Christians, the Carpenters. Three members of that family play a significant role in the storyline— two who are clearly strong believers and one who is, well, let's say backslidden. Michael is a Knight of the Cross and wields a mighty sword called Amoracchius (one of three mighty swords assigned to the three Knights, each sword fashioned with one of the nails used to crucify our Lord, the Christ). Charity, his wife, is a woman of not inconsiderable force of personality and gifted with a dose of her own innate magical power. Molly, their dauther, is rebellious youth incarnate and is training to be a wizard. She's got a good heart, but she's immature and doesn't display the devoutness of her parents.
In the Dresden world, faith is powerful. Very powerful. Necessary for wielding magic potently, even. Now, granted, I'm not talking specifically about Christian faith (although that is shown to be quite powerful, especially in Michael Carpenter's case), but any faith. Faith in one's magic, faith in friends, faith in family, faith in laws, etc. But as someone who lives by a spiritual code that also teaches the power of faith (in my case, faith in a Somebody, not a scattergun faith), it's interesting to see it discussed and demonstrated.
Harry, the protagonist, a wizard in contemporary Chicago, a city often inundated by magical beings of the very bad sort whom Harry must battle for the good of humanity and to save his own skin, is not a Christian. In fact, in the books, he's shown time and again that there is a power at work behind the scenes, one that sends Michael (and the other Knights of the Cross) where they need to be at too-coincidental times. But Harry remains "unaffiliated."
Of course, in the Dresden universe, the reader is led to the clear conclusion that God and demons are real and that Christ really was crucified (and by extrapolation, rose from the dead). The Shroud of Turin shows up, and it's not really in doubt that it's powerful. Even more fascinating to me was the storyline that concluded at the end of WHITE NIGHT, where Harry endures an extended temptation by a demon named Lasciel (Lash by nickname), a being he came into contact with in an earlier novel. We are shown how difficult it is to traffic with a demon and not be affected. Evil is corrosive. But self-sacrifice, friendship, loyalty, courage, and goodness are potent, too, and the ongoing temptations are not cliche. I like the non-predictable use of a demon as a character and the conversations that go on as Harry uses the demon's gifts for good, but ultimately realizes that he's just a man and therefore is not benefitting from dabbling with demons.
Two steadfast Christians are kindly portrayed: Michael and Father Forthill (a priest pal of Harry's and spiritual advisor to the Carpenter family). They are depicted as honorable and genuinely good. No pedophilia. No secret mistresses. No scamming parishioners. No skeletons in rectory or homeplace closets. Really good and compassionate and caring and brave. It's very refreshing as a believer to see these characters, allies of Harry's in the cause of fighting evil, but also simply people trying to do the right thing against terrible odds. In fact, Michael's calling is to fight The Fallen (demons) and help those afflicted by demons. (Of course, he does other fighting for good, against rogue ghosts and aiding the wizards at a time of war, but his main mission is to retrieve the blackened denarii, thirty coins associated with Judas the betrayer of Christ, each an object possessed by a dreadful fallen angel that seeks to possess humans.)
In the 8th novel, we get a look into some dysfunction in the Carpenter household, which shows how dangerous and seductive magic can be, particularly to those untrained and not wise in its use, and how even very loving and good Christian parents can end up with frustrated and rebellious kids off dabbling in dark arts, sex, multiple piercings, and horror movie conventions. (grin)
As the last published (so far) novel closes, Harry, who has been entrusted with finding a wielder for one of the swords of the Knights of the Cross (named Fidelacchius), still has not passed on the weapon. It's great fun speculating who might get it. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out there's a patten in the naming of these swords, Fidelacchius, Esperacchius, and Amoracchius: faith, hope, and love. All three virtues "enclosed"or contained (racchius) in the swords. Because each sword has a nail. And each nail pierced a body part of the most virtuous man who ever lived. Faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. Michael Carpenter, the Fist of God, the one knight of the three shown to be fully committed to Christ—a second is an "accidental" Baptist and the other is a Trotskyite agnostic, and yes, I typed those correctly—is the one who wields the sword of the greatest of the theological virtues, Amoracchius. Love.
The series is expected to run at least to 20 novels. I'm more than ready to see how Christian elements will show up and how Michael and kin will evolve as characters.
And maybe even how God continues to bring things into Harry Dresden's life, even if Harry stays unaffiliated.
I'm a Dresdenophile. I had enjoyed the first four of the novels in the urban fantasy series prior to getting sick recently. Being stuck with nothing much to do but lay on the couch and remember to suck in oxygen left me in need of intense distractions. So, I ordered up all the rest of THE DRESDEN FILES novels by Jim Butcher, ie #5 through #9, and just read them straight through.
Aside from the mad plotting skillz of Mr. Butcher, the series is intriguing to me because despite not being Christian fantasy, it is fantasy populated with a recurring set of characters who are Christians, the Carpenters. Three members of that family play a significant role in the storyline— two who are clearly strong believers and one who is, well, let's say backslidden. Michael is a Knight of the Cross and wields a mighty sword called Amoracchius (one of three mighty swords assigned to the three Knights, each sword fashioned with one of the nails used to crucify our Lord, the Christ). Charity, his wife, is a woman of not inconsiderable force of personality and gifted with a dose of her own innate magical power. Molly, their dauther, is rebellious youth incarnate and is training to be a wizard. She's got a good heart, but she's immature and doesn't display the devoutness of her parents.
In the Dresden world, faith is powerful. Very powerful. Necessary for wielding magic potently, even. Now, granted, I'm not talking specifically about Christian faith (although that is shown to be quite powerful, especially in Michael Carpenter's case), but any faith. Faith in one's magic, faith in friends, faith in family, faith in laws, etc. But as someone who lives by a spiritual code that also teaches the power of faith (in my case, faith in a Somebody, not a scattergun faith), it's interesting to see it discussed and demonstrated.
Harry, the protagonist, a wizard in contemporary Chicago, a city often inundated by magical beings of the very bad sort whom Harry must battle for the good of humanity and to save his own skin, is not a Christian. In fact, in the books, he's shown time and again that there is a power at work behind the scenes, one that sends Michael (and the other Knights of the Cross) where they need to be at too-coincidental times. But Harry remains "unaffiliated."
Of course, in the Dresden universe, the reader is led to the clear conclusion that God and demons are real and that Christ really was crucified (and by extrapolation, rose from the dead). The Shroud of Turin shows up, and it's not really in doubt that it's powerful. Even more fascinating to me was the storyline that concluded at the end of WHITE NIGHT, where Harry endures an extended temptation by a demon named Lasciel (Lash by nickname), a being he came into contact with in an earlier novel. We are shown how difficult it is to traffic with a demon and not be affected. Evil is corrosive. But self-sacrifice, friendship, loyalty, courage, and goodness are potent, too, and the ongoing temptations are not cliche. I like the non-predictable use of a demon as a character and the conversations that go on as Harry uses the demon's gifts for good, but ultimately realizes that he's just a man and therefore is not benefitting from dabbling with demons.
Two steadfast Christians are kindly portrayed: Michael and Father Forthill (a priest pal of Harry's and spiritual advisor to the Carpenter family). They are depicted as honorable and genuinely good. No pedophilia. No secret mistresses. No scamming parishioners. No skeletons in rectory or homeplace closets. Really good and compassionate and caring and brave. It's very refreshing as a believer to see these characters, allies of Harry's in the cause of fighting evil, but also simply people trying to do the right thing against terrible odds. In fact, Michael's calling is to fight The Fallen (demons) and help those afflicted by demons. (Of course, he does other fighting for good, against rogue ghosts and aiding the wizards at a time of war, but his main mission is to retrieve the blackened denarii, thirty coins associated with Judas the betrayer of Christ, each an object possessed by a dreadful fallen angel that seeks to possess humans.)
In the 8th novel, we get a look into some dysfunction in the Carpenter household, which shows how dangerous and seductive magic can be, particularly to those untrained and not wise in its use, and how even very loving and good Christian parents can end up with frustrated and rebellious kids off dabbling in dark arts, sex, multiple piercings, and horror movie conventions. (grin)
As the last published (so far) novel closes, Harry, who has been entrusted with finding a wielder for one of the swords of the Knights of the Cross (named Fidelacchius), still has not passed on the weapon. It's great fun speculating who might get it. But it doesn't take a genius to figure out there's a patten in the naming of these swords, Fidelacchius, Esperacchius, and Amoracchius: faith, hope, and love. All three virtues "enclosed"or contained (racchius) in the swords. Because each sword has a nail. And each nail pierced a body part of the most virtuous man who ever lived. Faith, hope, and love, and the greatest of these is love. Michael Carpenter, the Fist of God, the one knight of the three shown to be fully committed to Christ—a second is an "accidental" Baptist and the other is a Trotskyite agnostic, and yes, I typed those correctly—is the one who wields the sword of the greatest of the theological virtues, Amoracchius. Love.
The series is expected to run at least to 20 novels. I'm more than ready to see how Christian elements will show up and how Michael and kin will evolve as characters.
And maybe even how God continues to bring things into Harry Dresden's life, even if Harry stays unaffiliated.
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Friday, July 13. 2007
debi wrote:
I love the books, and the tv show as well. If you want to help make sure that the Sci-Fi channel renews the series, pplease come check out our campaign websites.
http://home.comcast.net/~zarina43/wsb/index.html
http://maenad.tripod.com/saveharrydresden/index.html
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Friday, July 13. 2007
Elliot wrote:
Sounds pretty cool! I've ordered the first one from the liberry. Sounds a bit like Randall Garrett's Lord D'Arcy, and "Constantine," and a lot of other things, but it also sounds fresh and interesting.
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