The Dark Zone
Page 26
4. In chapter 2, Taresh comments that “The path that we’ve all taken is a part of who we are. How can you appreciate what you have if you have nothing to compare it to?” While he is referring to historical events, how does Taresh take this belief to the personal level? Do you think he is right? What guidance might you offer Taresh in terms of his relationship with Channy?
5. Compare and contrast Taresh’s thoughts about honoring his ancestry with Triana’s connection to memories of her father and Dr. Zimmer. Can one character be right and the other wrong about the connection between their pasts and present-day decision making? Explain your answer.
6. Why does Triana initially decide not to warn the crew about the vultures? In what other instances in the novel does she choose to share limited information about this situation and related events? How might you relate these decisions to the tension between brain and mind?
7. Throughout the story, which characters struggle with relationships in which they feel romantic attraction and those in which they feel connected in other ways? How does Channy’s “Dating Game” offer a window into these differences? How would you describe the value of these different types of relationships?
8. Describe the impact of Alexa’s death on Triana, Gap, Channy, Lita, and Bon. For whom do you think this death has been the greatest loss? How has Alexa’s death changed some Council members’ sense of their roles and their outlook on the Galahad mission?
9. Early in the novel, Triana notes that “Every horror movie fan knew that the terror didn’t come when the monster jumped out at you; no, the real panic lurked in the shadows, torturing you with what might be there.” Do you agree? Does this apply only to the vultures or to the entire Galahad mission? And if so, how can the crew survive the journey to Eos emotionally?
10. As the story draws to a close, what opinions have you formed about the vultures? Do you think they are connected to other galactic life-forms? Are the vultures friend, foe, or something else? Do you support Triana’s decision to tell Lita not to autopsy the dead vulture and instead to send it back through the wormhole intact?
11. In chapter 27, Bon explains his relationship with Alexa to Triana. “It wasn’t the freakish experiences that we had. It was the fact that those experiences meant that we, more than anyone else … needed to connect with someone on a basic level, maybe more than anyone else on this ship. We needed to reassure ourselves that we were still human, that we weren’t freaks.” Why might Triana be particularly able to understand Bon’s words? How might Bon’s feelings be relevant to kids who have exceptional intellect, unusual talents, or even unique experiences? How might Bon’s notion make sense for all human beings?
12. Has Triana made the right decision to venture into the wormhole? How might her emotional state have affected her decision? Can a rational argument be made for her actions? Do you think a crew member venturing into the wormhole is the best “next step” for Galahad? Do you think Triana will find her way back to Galahad? Explain your answers.
About the Author
DOM TESTA of Denver, Colorado, has been a radio show host since 1977 and currently is a cohost of the popular Dom and Jane Show on Mix 100 in Denver. Find out more about Dom at www.DomTesta.com.
Tor Teen Books by Dom Testa
GALAHAD
The Comet’s Curse
The Web of Titan
The Cassini Code
The Dark Zone
Cosmic Storm (forthcoming)
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
THE DARK ZONE
Copyright © 2011 by Dom Testa
Cosmic Storm excerpt copyright © 2011 by Dom Testa
Reader’s Guide copyright © 2011 by Tor Books
All rights reserved.
A Tor® Teen eBook
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
ISBN 978-0-7653-2110-7
First Edition: May 2011
eISBN 978-1-4299-5433-4
First Tor Teen eBook Edition: April 2011
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