Character Sketch: Friedrich Recker (Fiend)



Friedrich Recker has a past which is shrouded in mystery.  His age is unknown, and it's possible he is immortal.  At the start of the story, he is weak and appears to be an old man, but as his strength comes back he seems to get younger until he appears to be around 40 years old at the height of the story.  It becomes clear that a previous incarnation of him means he must be very old indeed.

His known history was that he was picked up from the sea near Bremerhaven in the late 1940s and brought back to his first reign of terror.  By some mechanism, he was defeated and trapped in an old church.  Although charming and charismatic, with endless enthusiasm which draws in the unwary, his actions always escalate in a spiral of violence.  He doesn't care for consequences, and he doesn't care who he hurts in the process.

What he does want is for Jacob to join him.  He sees in him the capacity for a kindred soul, and the offers the temptation of living like him if only Jake would allow the beast to emerge.  Unfortunately for him, Jake's character progression means he moves farther away from him in the course of the novel, and eventually Fiend is defeated by him.


Recap of Character Dimensions

Motivational	Urges them to reconsider coming to his side, prevents people interfering
Purpose	Self-aware, extrapolates events into the future
Methodology	Tendency to be a self-starter, seeing benefits that others don't
Evaluation	Acting on circumstantial evidence,  takes calculated risks

Reasons for each of these

Urges them to reconsider coming to his side - it seems that Fiend is lonely in his path, he wishes like-minded company on his journey.  This makes him go to a great effort to get Jake and others to reconsider their actions and look at it in ways which benefit him.

Prevents people interfering - as a master manipulator, he acts swiftly to counter anyone interfering with his plans.  This comes from a vast experience of failing plans and being thwarted, and he can see the consequences of people's influence long before they do.

Self-aware - Fiend knows what he is, he has come to terms with it.  He no longer questions or tries to change himself to fit in with society.  Maybe he once tried, and failed, but he knows what he is, and he knows that the only way out of being lonely is to find a like-minded companion.

Extrapolates events into the future - he has had a lot of time to think, and he has plans and ambitions which are barely hinted at.  Like a chess player, he takes every move and runs forward in time again with it to see what the possible outcomes will be.

Tendency to be a self-starter - completely secure in himself, and having spent a lot of time incarcerated, he wasted no time implementing plans of action and requires no introspection.  This is appealing to William (and Jake et al) at the beginning.

Seeing benefits that others don't - this is related to his immensely detailed planning and knowledge of human nature.  Things which appear small on the surface, he has calculated will have a big impact in the fullness of time, and this makes him seem prescient.

Acting on circumstantial evidence - he depends totally on his own intuitions and trusts these implicitly.  This fits in with his planning capabilities, he as already expected certain behaviours and is ready to react when they start to manifest, before they are secure.

Takes calculated risks - again, he has looked at all the scenarios in advance, so that even when surprised, he has contingencies he can fall back on.  This makes him appear cocky and risk-taking, because behind the scenes he has all bases covered.


My thoughts about Fiend at the start of the story

As a reader/writer, I go through the same feelings for Fred as does Jacob.  At the very start, I am concerned that an old man is living in squalor in an abandoned building.  These feelings or concern turn to satisfaction as he recovers his health.  When he gets involved with the gang, they turn to admiration and excitement as Fiend unlocks a new level of activity and success.  At the apex of the story, he starts to scare me as things are spiralling out of control, and I see just how far his tentacles have spread.


My thoughts about Fiend by the end of the story

After the death of William, I want to see him defeated.  I see him as a monster who has hurt those around him.  But during the discovery and final scenes, I see that he is desperately lonely, and this one remaining human trait is unfortunately what gets him defeated.  It am left with the sad feeling that his one remaining thread of humanity is what keeps him failing through the ages.