The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England

Examine the structural function of the excerpts from The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook for Surviving Medieval England. How does the handbook’s satirical, corporate tone create dramatic irony and serve as a meta-commentary on the tropes of the portal fantasy genre and the ethics of escapism?

Trace the evolution of John’s cybernetic augments and platings as a symbol throughout the novel, exploring how their meaning shifts from a representation of past trauma to a tool for a new form of heroism.

The novel establishes that travelers from John’s world act as a “poison” to the dimension’s magic. Analyze the implications of this concept. How does this metaphysical incompatibility deepen the novel’s exploration of the clash between scientific materialism and a reality governed by myth?

By contrasting Ulric Stromfin’s technologically driven power with the inspirational authority developed by John and Sefawynn, what argument does the novel make about the nature of true leadership?

The premise of a modern individual transported to a past historical era is a staple of speculative fiction, from Mark Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889) to the contemporary Isekai genre. How does Sanderson both utilize and subvert the conventions of this trope to explore themes of failure, competence, and the contextual nature of knowledge?

Analyze the competing roles of language in the novel, contrasting the oral power of Sefawynn’s boasts, the divine danger of forbidden runes, and the mundane, commercialized text of the handbook.

Explore how Ryan Chu functions as a foil for John West. Beyond their differing pasts, how do their respective approaches to problem-solving, their worldviews, and their moral codes highlight the novel’s nuanced definition of heroism?

Discuss the dimension of The Frugal Wizard’s Handbook as an active agent in the narrative rather than a passive backdrop. How do the wights, the probability-altering “wyrd,” and the direct intervention of gods like Logna shape the plot and challenge the protagonists’ sense of agency?