1. The presence of magic, spells, demons, and the like suggests that The Light Beyond the Forest may be read as a fantasy. Do you agree? Why, or why not?

2. Each knight—Bors, Percival, Galahad, and Lancelot—undergoes quite different adventures. Choose one knight, and discuss his strengths and weaknesses. How do his adventures relate to these character traits?

3. The Light Beyond the Forest, based as it is on medieval stories, is filled with religious imagery. Do you think Sutcliff's use of such imagery is successful today? What kind of problems does the use of such imagery pose for modern readers?

4. Sutcliff's novel owes much to Sir Thomas Malory's Morte Darthur. Read one of the versions of Malory aimed at a young adult audience. Compare Sutcliff's treatment of theme and her handling of one of the major characters with...