Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel opens with a myth from Anjiin. What kind of tone did this opening set for you? How did the novel’s fragmented structure, with its multiple viewpoints and archival entries, shape your overall reading experience?

2. For those who have read the authors’ other work, how did The Faith of Beasts compare to The Expanse series? Did you see similar themes or narrative styles, or did it feel like a significant departure for you?

3. What was the single most memorable or shocking moment in the book for you? What made that scene so powerful?

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

1. Dafyd is forced to make a series of morally compromising decisions for what he sees as the greater good. Think about a time when you were in a leadership position and faced a choice with no easy answer. How did you navigate the pressure, and what did you learn from this experience?

2. Rickar initially succumbs to hopelessness, feeling that human actions are meaningless. Have you ever faced a situation that felt overwhelmingly out of your control? What helps you find a sense of agency or purpose when things seem bleak?

3. Tomos is tasked with creating a secret culture of resistance through stories and myths. What stories from your own life or culture have shaped your understanding of resistance, resilience, or hope?

4. The swarm must build an entirely new identity as Clae after its previous forms are rejected. Share a story about a time in your life that required a major personal transformation, like starting a new career or moving to a new place. 

5. When Jessyn is forced into the field, she discovers a ruthless and capable side of herself that she never knew existed. Has an unexpected situation ever revealed a surprising strength or a new aspect of your own character?

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

1. The story parallels the biblical Book of Daniel and the Babylonian Exile. How does this literary framework enrich the novel’s exploration of cultural survival, assimilation, and resistance under an oppressive empire?

2. The Carryx view other species as “animals of use” (358), tools to be managed for the empire’s benefit. Where do you see similar forms of dehumanization in society either historically or in the present day?

3. Dafyd’s plan for rebellion is designed to unfold over generations, with the understanding that he may never see its outcome. What does the novel suggest about the nature of long-term social and political change? How does this compare to modern movements for justice?

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

1. The theme of The Erosion of Identity as the Price of Survival is embodied by the swarm. In what ways do the human characters, particularly Dafyd and Jessyn, also experience a deep loss or transformation of their core selves under the pressure of captivity and war?

2. Discuss the “lamb sacks” and the nursery. How does this project function as a motif of The Moral Cost of Leadership?

3. What is the significance of the motif of broken limbs? How does its meaning shift from an alien ritual of dominance to a tool that Dafyd himself wields to maintain control?

4. How does the scientific principle of convergent evolution operate as a metaphor for the social strategies that different characters and species develop to survive under the empire?

5. The Faith of Beasts is a classic space opera, a genre known for galactic empires and rebellion stories. How does this novel use, and perhaps subvert, the familiar conventions of the genre?

6. The narrative is split among many different characters and locations, often leaving the reader with incomplete information. How did this fragmented storytelling style impact the story’s pacing and suspense for you? Did it enhance the feeling of dislocation that the characters experience?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re part of Tomos’s team, which is tasked with creating a secret culture of rebellion. What kind of story, song, or game would you design for the nursery children to teach them about subversion and freedom?

2. If you were casting a screen adaptation, who would you choose to play Dafyd, Jessyn, and Clae? What qualities would make them perfect for capturing these complex and evolving characters?