One of our fellow blog tourers - tourists? - mentioned shared similarities The Strange Man with some of the Ray Bradbury stories. A few brain cells clicked, and movie scenes from Something Wicked This Way Comes came to mind. Both stories mention an ill-wind blowing in with an evil man who walked slowing down the middle of a small town street. Both stories involve an evil being using temptations and misdirections to bring suffering. Bradbury's tale occurs in Greentown, Illinois after a carnival travels into town.
Greg Mitchell's story begins in the forest outside Greensboro then picks up steam as the winds of change billow and boil the darkened sky. Dras' older brother, Jeff, is afraid of the darkened sky when the storm first appears, and with good reason. The scene where Dras is chased by a billowing tempest of imps made me wonder in a later scene if these same small evil creatures first appeared to the townspeople as a boiling, black cloud in the sky. The imp cloud roars through Greensboro like a speeding freight train howling wind as they chase their prey, Dras, through town. This tumbling wind and roaring sound were mentioned in yesterday's blog of I Peter 5:8 and the sound of a roaring lion. The author's description of a tumbling, torrent of grinning imps washing away cars, buses and small buildings in their wake created a strong visual as I read.
Now, when thunderstorms rumble outside, I'm sure The Strange Man story will come to mind. Tomorrow I will discuss more about the characters. One of the things that puzzled me most of the book was the reason why The Strange Man was determined to capture Rosalyn for his own.
Tomorrow: Rosalyn, Appearances Can Be Deceiving
3 comments:
Greentown - Greensboro. Now I get it!
I really loved this book as it reminded me of a Stephen King without all the swearing.
Perhaps the strange man could be tempted? Or perhaps Rosalyn's beauty was innocently opposite that of the stranger.
The Strange Man is only tempted to take actions that will lead to greter suffering. The short flashback at the end of the book explains The Strange Man's obsession with Rosalyn, and why he wants her for his own.
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