1. Read another science fiction novel with an imagined near-future setting, such as Wolf and Iron by Gordon Dickson (1990). Compare its "world" with that of A Memory of Dragons. Show how each book's author(s) make you believe in the setting and events even if they are not factually accurate. (If these are not believable, try to explain why not.)

2. The secession movement fails in this story. The one time it was tried in American history, it ultimately failed too, albeit after a long and bloody Civil War. Suggest some reasons the United States has stayed together, while many other countries have broken up. Use research to back up your reasons.

3. Thea Sanderson believes that dragon legends reflect memories of a time when dinosaurs and people coexisted.

Can you think of another convincing theory to explain the near-universality of dragon stories...