Questions... So many questions

Did you know we have Book Club questions? 

It's true! All 4 Horsemen Publishing books have ten Book Club questions in the back! It's convenient and fun! I admit, it was hard to come up with questions that didn't sound like a true/false quiz from an English Teacher as I wrote these! Still, I enjoyed the challenge of creating questions that would stimulate discussion. Everything from themes to philosophical points, to character development and consequences!

Here are some of my favorites, plus my answers, from across the six books (no spoilers).

Which character did you most relate to? Why?

  So hard to pick one! Every book has its favorite! But overall, it's Sori. Perhaps I'm not as tough as her, but I get her feelings of alienation and cheered for her as she realized she didn't belong but refused to change. She still carries her half-dozen knives when her people expect one on a woman's hip. She couldn't lead, so she moved into the background and got the needed results.
  
There is no magical healing in this world. Does that make the world more or less enjoyable to read about?

  I loved doing this. I didn't want it to be easy. Having the ability to heal wounds lowers the stakes in the books. In Espar, you can't wave a wand and just be cured. When my characters get injured, they either heal slowly naturally or they die. Many carry deep scars. They limp, lose an eye, get disfigured... Consequences are real in these books!

What do you consider the biggest theme in this book? What scenes or characters best demonstrated that theme?

   Whoooo boy. I'll answer for the series. The biggest theme for me is loyalty. Tohmas and Carsh's relationship is my best representation of it, especially a scene in the last book, "Traitor." But there are many more! Lance's character arc. Darknim's. Sori's. Arnika's... 

How did your opinion of Tohmas change over the story?

   This is fun! While I wrote the series, Tohmas started as a neat character with an unknown past. For those who haven't read other posts, I am a pantster (I write by the seat of my pants... meaning I don't plan it all out!). I didn't know who he was or where it was going when we started. I knew he wasn't who he said he was. He was a mystery, but he was well-spoken and collected; he knew what to say to get something done. At first, I respected him. 
   But then I saw more of him and how he would manipulate things, very much an 'ends justifies the means' kind of man. That was spooky. Honestly, by book 3, that man terrified me.

Did the Goddess Inac truly gift SoulBurner, or are you skeptical like Kitable? What evidence do you have for true divine power in the series?

  The answer to this is in Book 6 but no spoilers, so I'll just say I was skeptical. I wasn't a believer. Kitable was my voice coming through, trying to make it untrue. Is Inac real? Does she come to earth? But we have some evidence of true divine power in the books, from Celebrant Calanor's powers to Loni's amazing influence and madness. 

Should all fights be fair fights? Do you feel either side cheated?

 Yes, they cheated. Honestly, both sides cheated. They were underhanded and cruel. But fights don't have to be fair. The shorter the fight, the better... so long as one's on the winning side. That's how I've always seen things. We don't want a fair fight. We want the good side to win, don't we?

Who is the noblest character in the book? Why? 

 I thought this one was easy, but then I followed Lance's arc too far. So which character upholds true character and nobility through it all? You could argue that it's Lance, Darknim, or maybe Barnon, but for me, it's Prince Sol. He didn't stoop when others did. 


There you have it! Examples of the Book Club questions stolen across the six books and answered for the whole series. Every book has them! And even if you're not using them for a Book Club, answer them yourself for a bit of fun! 

Lastly, check out the freebies below, on for one more week. I loaded up on free, so find a new book, get to know a new author, and check it out below!