The Official Study Guide for one of my best-selling books, Hostage Lands, set in Roman Britain, AD 211.
I was recently introduced to the headmaster of a classical Christian school in Atlanta, GA. When she heard my name in the introduction, she brightened and said, "Hostage Lands!" HL was one of my most enjoyable and intriguing books to write. In 2014, my then 11 year-old son Giles and I hiked all eighty-four miles of Hadrian's Wall, rereading Hostage Lands on our rest stops along the wall. I will cherish the memory for the rest of my life.
The Study Guide includes 23 pages of questions, map exercises, and a guide to writing a book review. Here is a sample:
Unit I (chapters 1-4)
What is Miss Klitsa’s passion? (pg.9)
Where does Neil live? What wall does he consider to be his own? (pg 15). Research more about the building of the wall: who was emperor, the walls dimensions, how long it took to build, why they built it, how effective was it?
According to Miss Klitsa, why is it so important to learn Latin? Who does she insist is in the nuances? What does Miss Klitsa mean by nuance? (pg 15)
What does Miss Klitsa wish the wall could do? (pg 16) What does her longing have to do with studying Latin? What two Latin phrases does Neil quote. Give their meaning and source. (pg 17ff)
What keeps Neil from skipping school? (pg 20)
What does he think only happens to others? What happens in the next episode that changes his mind? (pg 22)