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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What wars occurred long ago in Velgarth?

2. Where do the humans flee during the wars of long ago?

3. Why does Talia decide to dine at Court?

4. What is one job of a Herald?

5. What troubles Kris about his Companion?

Short Essay Questions

1. What occupies Talia in the three weeks before investiture?

2. What does Talia find on her door when she rises the next morning?

3. What does Kyril teach Talia?

4. How does Talia adjudicate her first case?

5. Why does Alberich have Talia continue to train with Elspeth?

6. What happens to humans during the Sorcerous Wars?

7. How does Kris explain his relationship with Dirk and what he hopes Dirk will find?

8. Why are Talia and Kris being sent to the Northern border?

9. Why does Talia decide to take an apartment at the top of the tower?

10. How does Talia feel as they approach the first village and why does she feel that way?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In most fiction, readers would like all the loose ends to be neatly "tied up." Discuss the following:

1. Do you think Arrow's Flight is successful as a fantasy novel? Why or why not.

2. What about this book would motivate you to read another of Mercedes Lackey's Herald and Companion series? What would discourage you from doing so?

3. Were all the "loose ends" satisfactorily settled for you? Why or why not.

4. Do you think that a reader expects that not all loose ends are tied up in a book in a series, unless it's the last book?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Does the prologue give the reader enough information about what occurs in the first book of the trilogy in order to get the most out of Arrow's Flight, which is the second book in the series.

2. What questions do you still have about the fantasy world of Valdemar?

3. Do your questions motivate you to read the first and third books of the trilogy? Why or why not.

4. Do you think that read just one book in a trilogy is a waste of time? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels end on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Arrow's Flight and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Arrow's Flight is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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