The Companion: Reader's
Guide
1. Is this book erotic? Erotica? Why or why
not?
2. Are Vampires erotic in and of themselves? Why or why not?
3. To what romance subgenre do you feel this book belongs? Regency? Historical?
Paranormal? Are those labels useful for readers?
4. This book was influenced
by the work of Patrick O’Brian. What did Patrick O’Brian write? Where do you see
the influence operating? (It’s in more places than you think!)
5. The
Regency was an extremely structured age, in manners, art, society, etc. How does
that backdrop affect a vampire story?
6. In some ways the Regency age
was yearning for drama (remember, it was the birth of the romantics movement too!).
In some ways the vampire world in this book is longing for structure (the Rules
of Rubius and the Elders). Discuss.
7. Would this story have worked if
it was set in a modern age?
8. Discuss the role of women in this time
period. What were a woman’s options if she didn’t marry?
9. Is the theory
about erosion on the Sphinx real? What does that say to you?
10. This
story takes place at the dawn of archeology. What role did the Rosetta Stone play?
Where was it found?
11. Is Asharti a satisfying villain? Why or why not?
12. How much historical detail do you like in a book?
13. Can a hero who
drinks blood be sympathetic? How?
14. Discuss the role played by Fedeyah
and Beatrix Lisse in the story.
15. The story of which character in the
book do you think should be told next?
16. If you could become immortal,
and the price was drinking blood, would you?
17. How does this book flout
vampire “conventions”? Does that bother you? | |