1. Although the mysteries that baffle Jonathon are solved by the end of Firegold, quite a few things are still left for readers to wonder about. How is Jonathon going to help reconcile the Valley people and the Dalriadas? Will Rhohar find a new line of fine horses in the Valley? Will Jonathon marry Rosamund, or Athira, or someone else? Pick one of these questions, or another matter that is left open, and write about what you think will happen and why.

2. What did Jonathon's father mean by the North Valley being wild? How much of it do you think is due to Dalriada influences? How much to terrain and weather? Write about how life in the North Valley might differ from that in Stonewater Vale.

3. Jonathon's mixed ethnic heritage brings him trouble, both because of its bodily effects and because...