Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall thoughts on Easton’s role as a narrator? How does Easton’s narrative style impact their characterization?

2. Which primary theme—trauma, personhood vs. monstrosity, industrial exploitation, or American conformity—resonated with you the most? Why?

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

1. Denton’s desperate attempt to kill Fragment reflects his past trauma. Is there time when past experiences informed your reaction to a challenging situation?

2. Denton and Ingold’s relationship underscores the novella’s exploration of American Conformity Versus Otherness. Have you ever had to hide parts of your identity or conform to social norms to deflect prejudice or preserve your energy?

3. Easton is uneasy with Fragment’s differences, yet they consistently treat Fragment with respect, just as they would a person. Is there a moment from your own life when you’ve pushed past your initial impression of someone with positive results?

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

1. In the setting of What Stalks the Deep, Kingfisher highlights the environmental and economic consequences of the mining industry. How does the setting reflect the real-world consequences of environmental degradation?

2. In What Stalks the Deep, Easton and Denton confront their second emergent, sentient life form in the Sworn Soldiers series. How does Kingfisher’s treatment of the Wholeness, Fragment and Thunder contribute with contemporary discussions of non-human intelligence?

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

1. Discuss the role of community in What Stalks the Deep. How do Elijah and Roger represent the aftermath of industrial exploitation? In what ways does the novel juxtapose this exploitation with local resilience?  

2. Examine the relationship between economic and personal vulnerability as presented in the narrative. How does Roger’s condition reflect the broader consequences of industrial exploitation and abandonment? How does the American setting influence these elements?

3. Analyze how the first-person narrative perspective influences moral judgment in the novel. How does Easton’s trauma-informed narration shape the reader’s interpretation of Fragment and the Wholeness before their true nature is revealed? How does their narration impact the portrayal of Thunder/the Sentry? Is Easton a reliable narrator?

4. Examine how understatement and irony impact the tone of What Stalks the Deep. What is the function of Kingfisher’s prominent use of dry and dark humor?

5. Compare the Sentry’s isolation to Denton’s trauma. How do their experiences alter their perception and decision-making? In what ways does the novella suggest that isolation can distort ethical judgment? Why does Denton refrain from killing Fragment while the Sentry refuses reintegration?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine What Stalks the Deep was adapted for film. Pick a scene and select a song you might use as a soundtrack for that moment. What moment and track did you select, and why?

2. Imagine that Ingold and the Wholeness, now equipped with Fragment’s knowledge of the English language, begin a correspondence. Choose a partner, with each of you adopting one perspective, and write letters to one another.