IMO the Shrike is kind of unimportant to most of the storytelling. You could almost just narrate it and show shadows of a distant figure. It’s the stalking threat that gives mystery and weight to the decisions of the characters to make the pilgrimage.
I always found the physical description of the Shrike to be one of the silliest aspects of the story.
Without the Shrike, the story would not hold as much weight, even though he is not the essence of the problem, only a reflection or manifestation of it.
IMO the Shrike is kind of unimportant to most of the storytelling. You could almost just narrate it and show shadows of a distant figure. It’s the stalking threat that gives mystery and weight to the decisions of the characters to make the pilgrimage.
I always found the physical description of the Shrike to be one of the silliest aspects of the story.
Without the Shrike, the story would not hold as much weight, even though he is not the essence of the problem, only a reflection or manifestation of it.
The Shrike, to me, was a feedback loop.