War is present in many facets of Lord of Light. There's good old-fashioned war—i.e. two sides line up on the battlefield and beat each other senseless. There's social conflict, which is sometimes called class warfare. And then there is the war of ideas fought between Sam, the gods, and Nirriti, a war that often manifests in a violent reality. But is war good for nothing? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Before you make your decision, though, we kind of insist you revisit an example at the novel's end. During the final battle, Sam does not fight; he only brings water to ease the suffering of a dying Nirriti. Re-read it before you make up your mind of whether war is good for anything in this book, please and thank you.
Questions About Warfare
- The Big One: Do you think the novel promotes war or discourages against it? Something in the middle? Don't forget those examples.
- Why do you think Sam joins in the Battle of Keenset but not the Battle of Khaipur? What's changed between the two? What does this signify about the theme of warfare?
- Do you think it's important that the Firsts built their human empire on war? If so, why? If not, why not?