The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel blends science fiction, portal fantasy, and comedy, with excerpts from a satirical handbook. What was your overall experience reading this unique mix of genres and formats? Did you find the humor and the dramatic stakes balanced well?

2. How did you feel about the premise of a technologically advanced person dropped into a historical setting? This concept has a long history in literature, from Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889) to many modern stories. How does Sanderson’s take on this trope feel fresh or different from others you may have encountered?

3. What was your initial reaction to John West when you first met him as an amnesiac? How did your opinion of him change as his true, complicated past was revealed throughout the story? Did you find him a sympathetic protagonist from the start, or did that develop over time?

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

1. John’s past is defined by failures, from dropping out of art school to being forced to throw a boxing match, leading him to feel he has a “zero-out-of-five life.” Have you ever felt like an imposter or that a past failure defined you? How does John’s journey of self-reinvention resonate with the idea that we can be more than our past mistakes?

2. In his home dimension, John’s artistic skill was a sign of failure, but in Weswara, it’s seen as a form of powerful magic. Think about a skill or interest you have that might be valued very differently in another context or culture. How does the novel’s exploration of worth being context-dependent make you think about your own talents?

3. Sefawynn and John build a relationship based on their shared feeling of being “screw-ups” and frauds. Why do you think acknowledging their flaws allows them to connect so deeply? Have you found that being vulnerable can sometimes create stronger bonds than projecting confidence?

4. John spends much of the early story pretending to be a powerful wizard, a performance that eventually helps him become a genuinely heroic figure. Think about a time you had to “fake it till you make it” in a challenging situation. Did playing a role help you grow into the person you needed to be?

5. When facing the Hordamen, John’s police and combat memories fail him, and he reacts with the fear of an “art student” instead of a warrior. What do you think this moment says about the difference between theoretical knowledge and practical experience under pressure?

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

1. The handbook revises Arthur C. Clarke’s idea that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Where in our current world do you see technology that might seem magical to someone from just 50 or 100 years ago? How does our society grapple with technologies we don’t fully understand?

2. Ealstan tells John that a strong society is one that can “live without killing.” How does this perspective contrast with the power structures of Ulric’s cartel and even our own world, where strength is often associated with military or economic dominance?

3. What does the Frugal Wizard corporation, with its condescending handbooks, legal disclaimers, and “Earth-lite™” packages, suggest about modern consumer culture and tourism? Does the novel’s satire feel like a fair critique of how we sometimes commodify experiences and other cultures?

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

1. John begins the story by constructing a heroic identity as a cop, only to have it completely dismantled. How does Sanderson use the amnesia trope to explore the theme of self-reinvention? Is John’s final identity a return to who he was, or the creation of someone entirely new?

2. What is the significance of John’s cybernetic augments and platings being divided into functional and disabled parts? How do these physical enhancements symbolize his internal conflict between his misused strength and his imposed vulnerability?

3. Sefawynn believes her power as a skop is a fraud, yet her final, defiant boast against Woden turns the tide of the battle. What does her character arc reveal about the nature of power, faith, and the role of language in shaping reality?

4. How do the excerpts from The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook affect your reading experience? In what ways do they provide satirical commentary, world-building, or a meta-commentary on the portal fantasy genre itself?

5. The clash between science and magic is central to the novel, particularly in the contrast between Ryan Chu’s attempts to explain everything with quantum physics and the undeniable existence of gods and wights. How does the story resolve this conflict? Do you see the ending, with Logna studying portal schematics on a laptop, as a victory for one side or a synthesis of both?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you work for Frugal Wizard, Inc.Ò and are tasked with creating a marketing brochure for the “Earth-lite™” Anglo-Saxon dimension. Based on John’s experience, what would you highlight in your pitch, and what warnings would you bury in the fine print?

2. If you could give John one piece of advice at any point in his journey, what would it be and when would you give it to him? For instance, what might you have told him right after Quinn revealed his true past in Wellbury?

3. The Epilogue ends with the goddess Logna accessing files on how to repair dimensional portals. What do you imagine her ultimate goal is? Is she planning to visit John’s world, bring more people to hers, or something else entirely?