1. Have there been cultures in which people were compartmentalized as they are in Hardfought? What cultures were they? How did they function?

2. Have there been cultures that strictly controlled what people could learn? What was their purpose for the control? What were the results of their control?

3. Hardfought begins with a short account of historical record keeping in Imperial China. How did this practice come about? Who were the people who developed the practice? How well did it work? What were its effects on China's history?

4. Is it possible for scientists to control a person's physical development the way Prufrax's is controlled? What could happen if they did?

5. How are soldiers trained? What are the fundamental principles they must learn in order to be good soldiers? Which of these principles shows up in Hardfought?

6. Compare the lives of the fighters...