How does Oliver’s relationship with Roger change over the course of the narrative, and what do these changes have to do with his developing maturity? By the end of the story, how mature does Oliver seem when compared to the other young people around him?

How do the placement and content of the interlude chapters impact the story’s tone? What is their larger function within the narrative?

How does the story incorporate pop-culture references that are meaningful to today’s readers even though it takes place more than two centuries in the future? How does this aspect of the novel reflect the role of science fiction in commenting on the present?

What role does food play in the community life of New Sonora? Consider both the foods that people grow and the foods they make and share. Also consider how the sickness was spread among them. How does this aspect of the narrative support the novel’s discussion of in-group loyalty?

The novel contains several passages that inventory weapons, fighters, and defenses. How do these passages function beyond fulfilling GameLit genre expectations? How do they support characterization, atmosphere, narrative tension, and so on?

The novel’s ending includes an implied threat that Earth’s inhabitants will be wiped out by AI units like Roger at some point in the future. How successfully does the novel use the history of New Sonora and thematic elements related to online gaming, chauvinism, and colonization to imply that this may be deserved?

How does the narrative employ humor to support characterization and temporarily break narrative tension? How does the story’s humor contribute to the novel’s overall tone and meaning?

Many Earthers consider the New Sonorans to be less than fully human. Which elements of the story deliberately reinforce their humanity? How does the argument that this creates relate to the story’s consideration of the sentience of other beings, like Roger?