If group members have read other novels derived from fairy tale or legendary motifs, some interesting parallels and differences will surely be noted. Arthurian retellings, fairy-tale romances issued by romance houses, and even mainstream novels like John Gardner's Grendel (1989; see separate entry) are possibilities.

Looking at The Firebird alongside Lackey's other fiction will raise some different issues. Is Lackey's frequent use of a "misfit" young protagonist done for dramatic purposes, or because it evokes emotional identification in her readers? Or both?

What is behind the astounding popularity of her books, which are seldom praised or even reviewed for the general public?

Is it possible to tell a story in which conflict is settled by violence, as occurs in The Firebird and most other Lackey novels, and still affirm humanistic or spiritual values? How?

1. Does Ilya's stint as the "household idiot" have any influence on his later...