1. Many of Christopher's novels are concerned with the temptation to submit to authority rather than accept the sometimes painful responsibility of freedom. How is this theme worked out in The Guardians? Compare or contrast the way Christopher handles the theme here and in his Tripods Trilogy or The Lotus Caves.

2. Identify some of the more fantastic elements in the world of The Guardians.

What do these imaginary touches add to the story?

3. In this story, the climax comes in the last few pages, when Rob discovers that the apparently separate worlds of Conurb and County are both controlled by the Guardians. What is the effect of Christopher's withholding this information from Rob and the reader for so long?

4. The Guardians is a form of Utopian fiction often termed dystopian, in that it extrapolates present-day trends into an alarming world of...