Seveneves

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of Seveneves? Did the book’s blend of technical science and human drama work for you, or did one element resonate more strongly than the other?

2. What character’s arc struck you as most compelling, and why?

3. How does Seveneves compare to other works of hard science fiction you’ve read? Did it remind you of other books by Neal Stephenson, such as Anathem or Snow Crash?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The novel suggests that survival depends on rapid adaptation. How do you respond to crises in your own life—through careful planning, improvisation, or another method?

2. Dinah’s relationship with her father, Rufus, relies on coded Morse messages. Did this strike you as an authentic way to show intimacy during a crisis? How do you stay connected with family during stressful times?

3. Dubois balances scientific truth with human empathy as he communicates the coming Hard Rain to the public. Have you ever had to balance delivering difficult truths with protecting someone’s feelings? What helped you navigate this?

4. Many Ark characters, especially Ivy and Markus, wrestle with the pressure of leadership. What qualities do you consider essential for leadership during a crisis?

5. In Part 3, Ty reflects on the “Purpose,” humanity’s impulse to seek meaning beyond survival. Do you find yourself looking for a larger meaning in difficult times?

6. Kath Two gradually transforms into Kathree, a name that marks both her physical adaptation and her symbolic role in humanity’s future. Have you ever experienced a moment (whether through trauma, growth, or new responsibility) in which you felt that you became a “different version” of yourself? How does Kathree’s transformation resonate with your own sense of personal change?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. How does Seveneves reflect real-world concerns about climate change, nuclear war, or other existential risks?

2. Amistics is the deliberate decision to adopt or reject technologies. Can you think of modern parallels in which societies debate the ethics of new technologies?

3. What do the divisions between Arkies and the General Population suggest about class, privilege, and fairness? Do these dynamics remind you of any current political or social debates?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does the novel’s narrative structure (leaping forward from the crisis to 5,000 years into the future) affect your understanding of survival and legacy?

2. The novel portrays Julia and Aïda as complex but often antagonistic. How does the lack of access to their points of view influence their characterization?

3. How does Seveneves use satire in its portrayal of media figures like Tavistock Prowse or its depiction of political rituals? Did this undercut the seriousness of the crisis or highlight its absurdities? If so, how?

4. Consider the motif of color coding in the Habitat Ring. How does the division into Red and Blue blocs symbolize both inherited bias and enduring ideological conflict?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that you’re designing your own Arklet for the Cloud Ark. What three features (whether scientific, cultural, or personal) would you prioritize, and why?

2. Imagine that you’re responsible for promoting the Cloud Ark project to a terrified global population. What message strategies would you use to inspire hope without crossing into manipulation? Do you think propaganda, in this context, could be justified, or does it risk undermining trust in the long term?