Book Club Discussion Guide – The Telos Gambit
The Telos Gambit resists the trope of “Kill all the monsters!” science fiction novels. At its core, it is a love story. Fitz cherishes his family and is willing to risk his life to get to their apartment. Even when he is involuntarily conscripted, he promises he will return to his family. As the story unfolds for Fitz (and for Rachel and Tomos), their shared love provides an anchor in the midst of chaos and uncertainty. Each of them grows under pressure, and achieves personal goals.
As decades pass, Rachel and Tomos must come to grips with the reality that, even if Fitz can keep his word, he will not be able to return until long after they have died. Simultaneously, mere months pass for Fitz, and his longing for his family remains his north star.
General Questions
- What was your favorite part of The Telos Gambit? Were there any stand out scenes or sections for you?
- How did you experience the book? Did it intrigue, amuse, disturb, alienate, irritate, or frighten you?
- Who was your favorite character? What made them particularly relatable? People have complicated lives. How did they grow or change that you could relate to?
- Who would you most like to meet? What would you ask or say to them?
- If you could insert yourself as a character in the book, what role (protagonist or antagonist) would you play? Would you be a new character or take the place of an existing one?
- The Telos Gambit is a love story at its core. Can you relate to it personally? Do you have a similar love in your life?
- The book is dedicated to Gene. Who has opened your eyes to strange new worlds? Who has caused you to dream differently?
- How did the book remind you of your own life, event or situation, or particular person?
- Did you learn anything unexpected about yourself reading this book?
- Did you relate to themes—such as heroism, loyalty, destiny? Did they reflect your personal experiences? Do you see them reflected in society today?
- Friendship is an important theme throughout the book.
- Were there aspects of these friendships that you admire, or that surprised you?
- Did they cause you to reflect upon your personal friendships?
- Forgiveness appears as a theme from time to time.
- Did the book change the way you think about offering forgiveness?
- Have you ever forgiven someone to be personally free of the stress or is it safer to hold onto grudges?
- Were there other themes, bits of advice, or passages you found personally compelling, or resonated with your experience? Did you find yourself reflecting on these after you finished the book?
- What emotions did the “sorting scene” at the space port evoke? Did it evoke thoughts of historical events? How does it relate to the present?
- How do you feel about the book’s implications about our actual world?
- Is it optimistic about our potential future? Is it a cautionary dystopian tale?
- How far into our own future would you place the story, and is it inevitable?
- Would you react to the book’s world the same way the characters react? What would you have done differently in these circumstances?
- Fitz risks his life trying to reach his family. Have you ever taken similar risks? What lengths would you go to?
- Staff Sergeant Lance kills a wounded soldier claiming she was already dead. Was his action justified? Ethical? Was it simply toxic masculinity?
- Have you ever received a treasured antique as a keepsake? In what ways did its meaning grow over time for you? How did the gift change the way you reacted to circumstances?
- How do you think you would react to a world-wide conscription? What could cause people to be so willing to follow such authoritarian directives?
- How would living under of constant surveillance affect your personal sense of safety?
- Do you agree with Bishop’s assertion that, “There is only one kind of human—the sinful kind”? How does his belief relate to your own faith tradition?
- If you were adapting this book for the screen, who would you cast in it?
- If you could share an idea with the author, what would it be? Feel free to share these thoughts with the author at paulschreck.com.
Enhance Your Book Club Experience
- Contact the author at paulschreck.com to arrange a Zoom visit during your book club meeting.
- See if any club members have telescopes. Plan a night to use them to locate some of the constellations mentioned in the book.
- Have a “Petri®Beef” tasting party with cultured proteins. In the U.S. consider chicken from Good Meat and Upside Foods, or salmon from Wildtype. In Israel try kosher steak from Aleph Farms. In Europe consider pork and beef from Meatable. Discuss what the experience is like.
- Create a time capsule with the goals and dreams of book club members to be revisited in five years and discuss how the passage of time has influenced them.