Religion in fiction…
With the somewhat limited pomp and circumstances despite his wishes, the Catholic Church and many thousands of admirers and curiosity seekers, Catholics or not, said their goodbyes to a decent man who’ll surely be remembered as one of history’s most memorable popes, the Argentine Jesuit Pope Francis, although some well-known politicians who probably believed he stole their time in the spotlight will be naysayers. Many probably thought of their own mortality and what it means live moral lives.
Because good fiction must reflect reality, one is led to ask: What role should religion play in fiction? Obviously, good vs. evil is a common theme in fiction whether explicitly religious or not. Many readers will enjoy a story containing a clever villain, if only for the challenge he presents for the protagonists. Few stories without the eternal battle between good and evil will resonate, in fact. But including specific references to religion? Why not? If those references add to the storyline, they might be indispensable!
For example, in my sci-fi thriller Soldiers of God, various religions come into play as well as the unconsummated love between an FBI agent and a Catholic priest. In the sci-fi thriller Muddlin’ Through from the “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries,”, the protagonist’s religious upbringing plays a big role. And in Son of Thunder, the plot actually revolves around the life story of St. John the Divine, although it’s an “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” mystery/thriller. (By the way, Esther’s paramour and Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden maintains a close relationship with Father Jean, a Jesuit priest, and often consults with him. I admire Jesuits and celebrated the election of Pope Francis. They’re wise fellows who aren’t just politicians dressed in priestly garb.) All these example of religion in my prose are essential elements.
The stories we tell in fiction are best when commenting on the human condition. Authors shouldn’t be afraid to include religious and spiritual themes appropriate to their stories. They can add depth and meaning to a plot.
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Son of Thunder. As in Rembrandt’s Angel, Esther Brookstone, now retired from Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques Division, becomes obsessed yet again, this time to prove that the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli never traveled to what’s present-day Turkey. She’s proven wrong, very wrong, and solving this mystery leads her to the tomb of St. John the Divine. Available in ebook and trade paperback versions from Penmore Press or your favorite book dealer. (Two complete novels in this nine-book series are free PDF downloads; see the list on the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page.)
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!
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