Lord of the Hunt
by
Ann Lawrence
January 2003
0-8439-5139-7

Dear Reading Group Leader,
     Thank you for selecting LORD OF THE HUNT for your reading group.  To show my appreciation, I invite you to complete the section below about your reading group and send it to me by e-mail.  In return, I’ll send you promotional materials to share with your members.  I’ll also include an autographed copy of one of my books to use as a prize or giveaway at your meeting. 
     Please feel free to e-mail me with any thoughts or ideas you might have to improve the guide (And let me know what your group thinks in answer to question #10!).  If you have never used a reading guide, you will find tips on leading a group and using this guide at the close of these materials.

Happy Reading!

Ann Lawrence

Ann Lawrence’s Contact Information:
E-mail: annlawrence@pobox.com
On the web:  http://www.annlawrence.com

For promotional materials/giveaways send the following Reading Group information to annlawrence@pobox.com:
Number of members in the group:
Meeting date:
Name of leader:
E-mail address of leader:
Mailing address of store/library where reading group meets:

Reading Guide for
LORD OF THE HUNT
by
Ann Lawrence
ISBN: 0-8439-5139-7
January 2003

Theme of the novel:  Finding one’s honor

Summary of the Plot:
	Adam Quintin, a man with a secret past, is given a mission by the crown.  His mission?  Hunt a traitor by pretending to be a suitor to one of England’s most desirable women--the heiress to Ravenswood Castle.  Adam no sooner arrives at Ravenswood than his life is saved by the seductive, but humble, daughter to the keeper of the hounds.
	Joan has her own secret and her own mission--preserve her father’s livelihood.  Her task becomes nearly impossible as suitors arrive at the manor with their own hounds and their own plots to win the heiress.  How can Joan protect her father?  How can she protect her heart once she falls in love with Adam Quintin, a man destined for her lady?
	Will Adam and Joan find a way to serve their king as well as their hearts?

Background Information:
	Adam Quintin is the son of Durand de Marle, hero of LORD OF THE MIST (0-505-52443-0), but you don’t have to have read LORD OF THE MIST to enjoy LORD OF THE HUNT.  It stands alone.
	Historically, LORD OF THE HUNT takes place shortly after the death of notorious King John when the most famous knight of all, William Marshall, is serving as regent to John’s nine-year-old son.  Any time a king dies, there are those who will see it as an opportunity to usurp the throne.  This is particularly true at this time because King John had lost much of the support of his barons right before his death.  Many barons had deserted John for Prince Louis of France who, with his father’s support, hoped to take over England.  A time of flux is a great time to set a novel.  Intrigue abounds and political prizes are ripe for the taking.
	Hunting plays as much a part of this book as politics.  One thing I found when I was researching the medieval hunt, was that there was no way to accurately portray the very complicated aspects of the hunt in a 400 page novel and still have room for a romance!  I hope I have given you a flavor for the hunting life, without overwhelming you with too many details. 
	During my research into hunting, I found that the hunt was often used in poetry and song to represent another kind of chase--that of lovers.  I used the goddess of hunting--Diana--throughout my story to represent not only hunting, but also seduction.  
	The cover art for LORD OF THE HUNT was done by artist, Jon Paul.  He’s a wonderful artist and also did the covers for LORD OF THE MIST and VIRTUAL WARRIOR (0-505-52492-9).  Many of his beautiful covers can be seen at http://jonpaulstudios.com.
	You will find this book dedicated to my sister, Helen.  She was a voracious reader and passed away while I was doing the revisions for LORD OF THE HUNT.  She was one of my biggest fans and supporters.  I will really miss her savvy critiques.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
for
LORD OF THE HUNT
by
Ann Lawrence

1.   This story is very much about honor.  What do you think constitutes honor?
2.   The knight of medieval times was often a brutal, killing machine.  How are the knights, Adam Quintin and Brian de Harcourt, like the men of today?  How are they different?
3.   You may not be a dog person, but how did you feel about Oswald’s care of the hounds?
4.   When Ann Lawrence wrote her first draft, she did not show Oswald’s treatment of the hounds as specifically as she did in the final draft, but her editor wanted to “show” his treatment more graphically.  What Ann put in was a compromise.  Do you feel
you needed a more graphic portrayal of Oswald’s ill-treatment of the dogs?  Explain?
5.   If Adam had not appeared in the story, should Joan have married Oswald to save her father’s place?
6.   Joan feels a need to help Ivo.  What are the pros and cons of Joan using her pennies to help the old man?
7.   Should Joan have been more open with Edwina about her fears for her father?  Why or why not?
8.   Did you feel that the villain received enough punishment at the end?  Explain.
9.   Who did you like better, Brian de Harcourt or Hugh de Coleville?  Why?
10. Should Brian have his own story?  If yes, what qualities should a heroine have to be a good match for him?

Tips for Using a Reading Guide

	The questions in a reading guide can be used in several ways.  If you are a beginner at leading a group, you might want to stick to the questions and present them in order.   However, the questions are meant to be suggestions.  They are meant to stimulate discussion.  You can ask one question or all ten.  If you find the group is really involved in a discussion of the concept of honor, you could make that the focus of the entire book discussion.

	One fun way to use the discussion questions is to give “prizes” to the person who has the most persuasive argument to questions like numbers #5, 7, or 8.  The leader can act as judge or the group could decide.  Prizes can be bookmarks, pens, candy, etc.  (As I stated in my opening letter, I am happy to provide promotional materials for this purpose.)

	Another way to use a reader’s guide is to give the readers one or two questions ahead of time to give them a focus for their reading.  The best questions from this guide for that purpose are #2 and #8.  When the group meets, the focus question should then be the first one you ask.

HAPPY READING!

************************************
Copyright 2002 - Ann Lawrence
The pages of this Reading Guide
for
 LORD OF THE HUNT
may be reproduced by reading groups as an aid to discussion.
All other uses require the permission of the author.

Ann Lawrence’s website: http://www.annlawrence.com
annlawrence@pobox.com

Ann Lawrence’s Novels
Paranormal Novels:
VIRTUAL HEAVEN
0-505-52307-8
VIRTUAL DESIRE
0-505-52393-0
VIRTUAL WARRIOR
0-505-52492-9

Historical Novels:
LORD OF THE KEEP
0-505-52351-5
LORD OF THE MIST
0-505-52443-0
LORD OF THE HUNT
0-8439-5139-7

Awards:
PEARL Award for Best Fantasy/Magical Book of 1999
PRISM Award for Best Fantasy of 2000
Reviewers’ Choice Award for Best Medieval of 2001 (Romantic Times Magazine)
Readers’ Choice Award for Best Medieval of 2001 (Affaire de Coeur)
GOLDEN LEAF - Best Paranormal of 2002