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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 does Mona say about Michael to Rowen?

2. About what does the call concern?

3. What does Rowan tell Mona Rowan can do?

4. What was Stuart's goal for Tessa?

5. Who is Lasher?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Marklin, Tommy and Stuart discover when they go to the Motherhouse and what do the Talmasca offer Stuart? How does Stuart respond?

2. What does Mona have the habit of doing, and what does she tell Rowan?

3. Who does Yuri call in New Orleans, what does he learn and what conclusion does he draw from the information?

4. What are Marklin and Tommy discussing when they return to the Motherhouse, and how does Marklin feel about entering the house?

5. What do Rowan and Michael find out about Mona's plans for her future?

6. Why is Stuart angry at Marklin and Tommy, how does Marklin respond and what does Tommy say about the situation?

7. What does Ash say is the reason humans want to find a Taltos and what does Yuri say about someone who could bear a Taltos child?

8. What does Ash say about humans' reaction to him?

9. What does Mona find out at the doctor's office, and what does she want to ask Rowan about it?

10. What happens when Ash meets Tessa?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Taltos is one book in a series of novels involving the the Mayfair Witches. Discuss the following.

1. What are some advantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

2. What are some disadvantages of writing a series of novels about the same characters? Use examples.

3. Do you prefer to read a standalone book, or a series of books with the same main characters? Explain your response.

4. Do you think it is easier or more difficult (or about the same) to write a standalone book versus one in a series? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Anne Rice.

2. What in Rice's background may have helped him in writing Taltos? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 3

Taltos belongs to the fantasy genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the fantasy genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a fantasy and a main stream novel? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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