King Javan's Year would fit well into a larger discussion of Kurtz's work. As the middle book of a trilogy, much is lost without background knowledge from the Camber of Culdi novels (19761981) and The Harrowing of Gwynedd. As indicated above, a discussion comparing Javan's story to that of Kelson in The Quest for Saint Camber would also be lively and provocative.

Another approach might be to discuss the book along with accounts of life during religious, political, or racial persecutions in our own era.

1. Is there anything Javan might have done differently to increase the chances for him and Rhys to prevail?

Or was their fate sealed no matter what they did?

2. In the preceding novel, The Harrowing of Gwynedd, Evaine's spiritual and magical pursuits make up at least half the book. Javan's story, in this novel, stays firmly in the mundane world. Is this simply...