The Allure of Power

At some point in the narrative all the main characters find themselves drawn to power of one kind or another, power for good and power for evil both, sometimes represented by the same object (i.e. the Shroud of Turin). Protagonist Harry finds himself caught in the most complex consideration of the value and temptations of power. He is drawn to a source of evil power (i.e. a Blackened Denarius) and tempted by the idea of harnessing that power for good, but aware that his fundamental human frailty (manifested by his acting on his desire for Susan) makes him a candidate for corruption by that same power. At the same time, he is drawn to the power of the Shroud for the same reason (i.e. its potential as a source of positive power) but nevertheless allows it to rest, at least for a...