1. Does Vesper Holly change during the course of the narrative? Does she mature or develop in any way?

2. Vesper is occasionally close to tears, but she does not actually cry until near the end of the novel, when she bids farewell to Nilo. Is she a cold person? Why does she cry on this occasion?

3. Why does Brinnie, after all of the harrowing adventures and narrow escapes, say at the end that he wants to join Vesper on her next adventure?

4. At the end of the novel, King Osman and Nilo finally shake hands, symbolically ending the long feud between their peoples. Explain whether you think that peace will immediately ensue or that time will be needed to make the new accord work.

5. There are several villains in the story, some obvious and some not.

Who do you think is the single greatest villain...