10. Who is Philomena Moffett and why is the League so intent on achieving her capture? How does this goal require the League members to divide and how do they do so? Compare and contrast the ways the League teams defeat the Mangleborn they encounter.
11. Throughout the novel, human characters, such as Hachi and Fergus, humanlike (or partially human) characters, such as Archie and Martine, and technology-based characters such as Mr. Rivets and Senor X, interact. How might readers see The Monster War as a story about the limits of the way ordinary human beings can understand history? What insight and value might artificial intelligence or other types of perception lend to our world view and to keeping peace in the future?
12. Describe the relationships between Archie and his friends as the story progresses. What forms the core connection between each of these characters? Do you think the other League members fear Archie “most”? Why or why not?
13. Here, Hachi says of Archie that his “weakness” is his human brain. Do you agree? Is this a weakness? What do you think the author is trying to show about humanity’s relationship to technology and to the powers of nature and the planet on which we live?
14. Here, Archie observes that, “There didn’t seem to be a great deal of difference sometimes between the Mangleborn and the heroes who fought them…” If this is the case, how might you define the difference between a villain and a hero?
15. Why does Archie feel sorry for Philomena Moffet? How can he relate especially well to Moffett? Why do you think Hachi, who has had to forgive Archie for so much, seems to be the friend who most empathizes and most helps Archie see the differences between himself and Philomena?
16. At the close of the novel, what does the League come to realize about the Septemberists and their own role in history? How do they decide to change the future? To what risks might they be subjecting the world by deciding to make this change?
17. Early in the novel, Hachi tells Archie, “You have to live a life worthy of a hundred lives. You have to fight for all the people who died to create you.” (Here) How might this be viewed as a central theme of the novel? Do you find this instruction to be valuable to readers today and/or to your own life? Explain your answers.
Supports Common Core State Standards: RL.5-8.1-5; RL.9-10.1-5; SL.5-8.1, 3; SL.9-10.1, 3.
Developing Research & Writing Skills
JOURNAL. Archie often feels like an outcast, although he is also an integral part of the League. From the perspective of Gonzalo, Hachi, Fergus, or another character, write at least three journal entries, including one reflecting on your history with Archie, one considering your feelings about being part of the League of Seven and its mission, and one discussing both the dangers and values of befriending Archie Dent.
BIOGRAPHY. From Harriet Tubman to General Grant to Jesse James, Alan Gratz brings real historical figures to life in fictional ways throughout his story. Go to the library or online to discover the real identities of these historical figures. Create a “Biographical Guide to The Monster War,” identifying at least five historical characters with facts about their real contributions to history and brief explanations of why you believe the author chose to include them in his novel.
DESIGN. Select a scene in which Archie and/or his League friends encounter a Mangleborn creature. Study the text for clues to the creature’s appearance. Then, using a computer design program or traditional art materials, create a portrait of your selected Mangleborn. If desired, create a larger display of portraits made by friends and classmates.
SYNESTHETIZE. Martine senses relationships between letters and colors which might, in our world, be interpreted as a form of synesthesia. Learn about the concept of synesthesia. Discover famous synesthetes from the worlds of art and literature. Imagine that you are a character in The Monster War. Using your research, write a speech in which you explain Martine’s unusual perceptions, and their potential value, to the other members of the League.
MYTHOLOGIZE. Go to the library or online to learn about the legend of Uktena. Review chapter 23, in which Senor X describes First Men who were “… the first to understand that everything that happens … will happen again and again, like a snake eating its own tail.” What is the relationship between Uktena and this observation? Write a short essay answering this question and explaining why the snake image recurs in discussions of this topic.
RHYME WITH SCIENCE. What is the relationship between Humpty Dumpty and the Second Law of Thermodynamics? Go to the library or online to find the answer to this question. Is Archie’s existence as the Jandal a Haad connected to this nursery rhyme-scientific theory metaphor and, if so, how? Share your answers via a poster, PowerPoint, or other visual presentation.
ADDRESS YOUR CLASS. Go to the library or online to learn the true history of the Gettysburg address. Read it aloud in your class. Discuss how the address changes for the events and characters of the League of Seven world, and how its message remains valuable to readers in both contexts.
ROLE-PLAY. Archie struggles with his role in the League because he feels different, unworthy, and like an outsider. Have you ever felt this way in your own life? When and how? Invite a friend or classmate to play the character of Archie. Role-play a conversation between “Archie” and yourself in which you share your own perspectives on feeling different and brainstorm ways to handle these feelings.
WRITE A SEQUEL. The Monster War is an alternate history, mixing historical facts and real people with fictional characters and outcomes, particularly 19th century American history and Native American legends. Go to the library or online to learn about a famous Native American from this period who has not already appeared in a League of Seven book. As author Alan Gratz fictionally turns Jesse James from outlaw to hero, what “alteration” would you make to your historical character, and how might you connect him or her to members of the League to begin a new book in the series? What title would you give the book? Write 2-3 paragraphs describing your ideas, followed by an outline of the first 5-10 chapters of the story.
REFLECT & CELEBRATE. Here, Hachi tells Archie that “… only you can make yourself a monster.” Create a poem, set of song lyrics or visual art composition interpreting this statement as it might apply to the lives of people throughout literature, history, and even yourself.
Supports Common Core State Standards: RL.5-8.1-5; RL.9-10.1-5; SL.5-8.4-6; SL.9-10.4-6; W.8.1-4, W.8.7-8; W.9-10.1-4, W.9-10.7-8.
JOIN THE
SEPTEMBERIST SOCIETY!
www.septemberistsociety.com
BY ALAN GRATZ
The League of Seven
The Dragon Lantern
The Monster War
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan Gratz is the author of Samurai Shortstop, an ALA 2007 Top Ten Book for Young Adults. He began writing The League of Seven series by listing all the things that ten-year-old Alan would have thought were awesome, including brass goggles, airships, tentacle monsters, brains in jars, windup robots, secret societies, and superpowers. (In fact, he still thinks all those things are awesome.) When he’s not writing books like The League of Seven, The Dragon Lantern, Samurai Shortstop, The Brooklyn Nine, and Prisoner B-3087, he’s usually reading other people’s books or creating an awesome new costume for science fiction/fantasy conventions. Visit his website at www.alangratz.com. Or sign up for email updates here.
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CONTENTS
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Map of the North Americas
Frontispiece
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter
3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Frontispiece
Acknowledgments
Septemberist Society
By Alan Gratz
About the Author
Copyright
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 MONSTER WAR: A LEAGUE OF SEVEN NOVEL
Copyright © 2016 by Alan Gratz
Reader’s Guide copyright © 2016 by Tor Books
All rights reserved.
Cover art by Brett Helquist
Interior illustrations by Brett Helquist
Map by Jennifer Hanover
A Starscape Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com
The Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request.
ISBN 978-0-7653-3824-2 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4668-3852-9 (e-book)
e-ISBN 9781466838529
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First Edition: July 2016