EN T ER T HE WOR L D. COL L EC T A L L FOUR . WA TC H T HE A DV EN T UR E UNFOL D.

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The Dark CityISBN: 978-0-8037-3673-3Ages 12 up • Grades 7 up

The Lost HeiressISBN: 978-0-8037-3674-0Ages 12 up • Grades 7 up

The Hidden CoronetISBN: 978-0-8037-3675-7Ages 12 up • Grades 7 up

The MargraveISBN: 978-0-8037-3676-4Ages 12 up • Grades 7 up

Discussion Questions:• Whatarethecromlechsandwhatroledotheyplayinthestory?• WhoisAlberic?Whatisironicabouthisangeroverthestolengold?• WhoaretheMakersandwhathashappenedtotheirworld?• WhyisGalendeterminedtovisitTasceron,despitehisunderstandingoftheimpendingdangerofvisitingthe“WoundedCity”?• WhoistheCrowandwhatroledoeshe/sheplayinthestory?• WhoisCarysArrinandwhyissheintentonpursuingGalenandRaffi?WhydoesshecometoGalen’srescueattheend?WhatdoesshelearnaboutherownidentityandthetrustworthinessoftheWatch?

• WhatistheHouseofTreesandwhatdoesitsymbolize?• ThefollowingpassageopensChapter11:“Onceyoubelieve,youarelost.Anythingyouseeorhearcanbetwistedagainstyou.”Explainthesignificanceofthispassagetothechapter.HowmighttheWatchusethisconceptasmindcontrol?

• Galencannolongerdream.Raffi,however,does.Explainthesignificanceofhisdreamsinthestory.WhatroledotheyplayintheworldofaKeeper?

• Who isKestandwhat roledidheplay in thedestructionofGalenandRaffi’sworld?Compareandcontrasthim tootherhistoricalorfictionalcharacters.

• Inwhatwaydoesthestoryendonacliffhanger?Whatproblemortopicmightappearinthesecondvolumeofthisseries?

Questions for Further Discussion:• Identify several relics in the text.Whatmodern-day devices do they resemble?Whatword clues help you arrive at yourinterpretation?

• ThecharacterofCarysArrinisintroducedthroughherjournalwriting.Eventsareoftentoldthroughtheeyeofathird-personnarratorandthenfirst-personthroughCaryns’journalwriting.Howdothesetwoviewpointsaidthereaderinunderstandingthestory?Howdothetwoopposingviewpointscomplimentoneanother?

• DoesCaryschangebytheendofthestory?Supportyourresponsewithexamplesfromthetext.• Whatspiritualelementsdoyouseeinthestoryandhowdotheymovethestoryforward?NotethepassageopeningChapter13:“Evenacrossthedark,evenacrosstheloss,evenacrosstheemptiness,soulwillspeaktosoul.”

Discussion Questions:• WhatisthesummoningoftheFlainsdeath?Howdoesthisscenesetuporcontributetothestoryline?• DescribetheUnfinishedLands.WhatmooddotheUnfinishedLandscreate?Identifywordsandpassagesthatcontributetothemood.

• HowmightgoldbecalledtheSekoi’sAchilles’heel?WhatistheGreatHoard?• WhatdoesCarysfindintheTowerofSong?WhoisHarnorandwhatsecretdoeshekeep?HowdoeshehelpCarys?• WhydoGalenandRaffisearchforthelostheiress?• OnemightdescribethejourneytakenbyGalenandRaffiasaquestorpilgrimage.Identifyphysical,emotionalandspiritualchallengesthatRaffiandGalenexperience.

• WhoisTallisandwhatspecialpowersdoesshepossess?HowdoessheassistGalen,RaffiandtheSekoi?• ContrasttheUnfinishedLandswithSarres.HowhasSarresremainedunscathed,protectedfromtheWatch?• WhatareTheOrdeals?HowdoesRaffiviolateTheOrdealsandwhatperildoesheexperienceasaresultofhislackofgoodjudgement?Ishismistakeinlinewithhischaracter?Explain.

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BOOK 2: THE LOST HEIRESS

BOOK 1: THE DARK CIT Y

(QuestionsforBook2:TheLostHeiress,continued...)

• HowdoesCarysreunitewithGalenandRaffi?Whydotheyneedher?• WhatistheWatchhouseandhowarechildrentreated?Whyarechildrenhere?• WhyisBraylwininterestedintheInterrex?• CarysandRaffiaretrappedintheWatchhousewhentheyattempttostealthelostheiress.HowdoesGalencometotheiraid?

Questions for Further Discussion:• Carysisawatchspy,anditisdifficultattimestoknowwhosesidesheison.Bytheendofthestory,however,thereaderclearlyknowsshehasturnedagainsttheWatchandsupportstheOrder.WhateventsinthestoryalterCarys’perceptionsoftheWatch?

• KestisoneoftheMakersand,yet,hecreatesbeaststhatdestroytheworld.Withwhatfictionalorhistoricalcharacterscanhebecompared?How?

• RaffidescribesGalenasdarkanduntouchable.Doyouagreewiththisdescription?UseexamplesinthestorytosupportorrefuteRaffi’sdescription.

• ThenarratordescribestheUnfinishedLandsas“thewreckageofaworld.”Findotherexamplesofexemplarywordchoice.Whatmeaningdotheyaddtothestory?

• Whatroledoesgreedplayinthestory?Whatcomparisonscanyoumakewithotherstoriesthathavegreedasatheme?

Discussion Questions:• WhydoGalenandRafficonnectwithMajellaClaxton?Whatsurprisedotheyfindwhentheyarriveatherhouse?• WhydoesGalennottellSolontheCrowhasrisenearlyinthestory?Didheusesoundjudgmentbynotdoingso?Explain.• WhatistheCoronetandwhyisitimportantthatGalenandRaffifindit?• WhydoesGaleninsistontravelingtotheobservatory?• WhatdoesCaryslearnintheDrownedPalace?• HowdoesGalenchangeastheplotmovesforward?Whataccountsforthischange?Whydoeshethreatentoburntheapse?• IstheSekoiloyaltoGalenandRaffiortotheGreatHoard?Explain.• HowareCarysandMarcoalike?Howaretheydifferent?• IsCarysfriendorfoe?Supportyouranswerwithexamplesfromthestory.• InwhatwayisMarcoanironiccharacter?• HowisthepoweroftheCoronetharnessedintheend?Whatdoesthisexampleofteamworksayaboutmankind?• GalenandRaffiaretrickedbySolon.Explain.• LikeGalenandRaffi,theSekoiraceknowstheplanetischanging.Whatattitudedotheyhavetowardthischange?Howwilltheybeimpacted?

• DoestheSekoimakehimselfanoutcastamonghisownpeople?Explain.

Questions for Further Discussion:• Isthisstoryfantasyorsciencefiction?Explain.• AretheSekoitreatedasaninferiorgrouponAnarabytheWatch?BytheOrder?Explain.• Thestoryhasseveralshockingtwists.Identifyonesuchtwistandexplainhowitcarriestheplotforward.Whatforeshadowing,ifany,orgroundworkdidtheauthorlaytopreparethereaderforthissurprise?

BOOK 3: THE HIDDEN CORONET

Discussion Questions:• WhydoesGalenseekrevengeontheMargrave?Whatisthepurposeinsettingupthesense-gridandpreparingRaffiforaDeepJourney?

• WhatistheWallanddescribeitspurpose.WhatironyexistsinthebuildingoftheWall?• WhoisAlysVarroandwhatroledoessheplayinthestory?• WhydoestheMargravewantRaffi?WhatcluesspeaktoaconnectionbetweenRaffiandtheMargrave?• Whydoesthewarlord,Alberic,aidGalen?Inwhatwaymighthebecalledcomicrelief?• GalenwarnsAlbericthatheistotreattheprisonerswellandgivethemmercy.WhydoesGaleninsistonthiskindness?Whatmessagedoesthistreatmentconveyaboutthetreatmentofreal-worldprisonersofwar?

• WhoisSilasandwhydoeshedeceiveRaffi?IsSilasatraitor?Whyorwhynot?• RaffienterstheRoomofMirrors.Whatdoesheseehereandhowdoesthisexperienceforeshadowtherestofthestory?• HowdoesGalenchangeinthestory?WhatdoeshelearnabouthimselfandhisrelationshipwithRaffi?• HowdoestheauthorcreatesympathyfortheMargrave?

Questions for Further Discussion:• Theauthorsetsupaninterestingprospectiveonthedestructionoftheplanet.Ononehand,theOrderarguesthattheMargraveandtheWatchareaccountableforthedecayingworld;ontheotherhand,theMargravearguestheMakerscorruptedanentireecologyandcouldnotstopit.Whichpositionseemsmostplausible?Howmightthisstoryrelatetoourcareandabuseofourownplanet?

• Whatmessage(s)doesthestorysendabouttheimportanceofworkingtogethertosolvecomplexproblems,whetherproblemsareglobalorclosertohome?

• Inwhatwaysmightthisstorybereadasanallegory?

Dial Books • A division of Penguin Young Readers Group • www.penguin.com/teachersandlibrariansThe discussion questions and activities featured in this guide meet the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts grades 7-12.

Born inNewport,Wales,CatherineFisher earned a degree inEnglish from theUniversity ofWales and has taught creativewriting at theUniversity of Glamorgan andworkedasaprimaryschoolteacherandarchaeologist.Sheisanacclaimedpoetandnovelistwho haswonmuch critical acclaim for herwork. Her futuristic novel, Incarceron,wontheMythopoeicSocietyofAmerican’sChildren’sFictionAwardandwasa New York Timesbestseller,aswasitssequel,Sapphique.The Oracle,thefirstvolumeintheOracletrilogy,wasshortlistedfortheWhitbreadChildren’sBooksprize,andThe Snow-Walker’s SonwasshortlistedfortheW.H.SmithAward.Herworkreflectsherfascinationformythandhistoryandher remarkablesenseof imagination.Sheconductsworkshops for teachers, librariansandlivesinNewport,Gwent.Shehaswrittenapproximatelytwentynovels,andherworkhasbeentranslatedintomorethanadozenlanguages.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BOOK 4: THE MARGR AVE