This reading group guide for The Ark includes an introduction, discussion questions, ideas for enhancing your book club, and a Q&A. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group find new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book. Introduction When archaeologist Hasad Arvadi''s quest to uncover the truth and power behind one of the Old Testament''s most mysterious artifacts, Noah''s Ark, ends in his brutal murder, his daughter Dilara assembles a team of super-engineers to help connect the dots and pick up the pieces. Meanwhile, mastermind Sebastian Ulric has unearthed the secrets behind what caused the Genesis catastrophe, and is ready to cleanse the world once again; only this time, he plans to decide who lives--and who dies. Dilara, along with engineer Tyler Locke and his best friend, former Army Ranger and pro-wrestler Grant Westfield, begin a frantic quest to save humanity. But they only have seven days to do it. Their quest takes them to the holy peaks of Mt.
Ararat, where the discovery of the Book of the Cave of the Holy Treasures reveals the location of the greatest man-made wooden structure the world has ever known. They don''t have much time to revel in their success, however, as their awe-inspiring discovery soon turns into a cat-and-mouse game of survival in the depths of the ancient ship. Questions for Discussion 1. After hearing Tyler''s credentials Dilara imagines him as a "bald, paunchy man in his fifties wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and a pocket protector." (p. 36) We quickly learn, however, that he is nothing like what she imagines. What were your first impressions of Tyler Locke? Did you think he''d be any more significant than Hayden and Coleman, the other names Sam Watson mumbled as he was poisoned early in the book? 2. Do you think Ulric''s idea to test Arkon-B on Rex Hayden''s private jet was a sound plan, or did he allow his grudge against Hayden to cloud his judgment? What other possible blunders did Ulric make leading up to the maiden voyage of the Genesis Dawn ? 3.
Howard Olsen, a member of the Church of the Holy Waters, is described as having "little hope for the future of the human race after what he''d seen in Iraq and Afghanistan," (p. 88). Despair seems to be a common thread in many of the Diluvian personal stories throughout the book. How would you summarize the philosophy of the Church of the Holy Waters? Would you call them a religion? Sect? Cult? 4. The assassination attempt on Tyler and Dilara in Seattle was one of the first signs of Ulric''s desperation to be rid of them. Do you think this episode upped the stakes at all? What do you make of the assassin''s decision to die rather than be captured alive? Was he motivated more by his dedication to the cause of the Diluvians, or his fear of facing Ulric having failed? 5. Tyler and Dilara represent two different approaches to religion, as demonstrated by Tyler''s thoughts at the close of the final chapter, "He looked up and wondered what Dilara would make of the phenomenon arcing across the sky. It had a perfectly rational scientific reason for existing, but she might think it had greater significance, given their recent experience.
" (p. 415) What do you think of this juxtaposition between science and religion? Do you think Tyler is too cynical, or does he admire Dilara''s faith? Does either view negatively or positively affect their approach to stopping Ulric and saving humanity? 6. Tyler''s relationship with his father, General Locke, provides some great moments of tension. It humanizes the seemingly superhuman Tyler, and gives him yet another chip on his shoulder. What do you make of General Locke? Is he a good father? How do you think their relationship evolves throughout the novel? Will it ever be the same after their joint effort to thwart Ulric? 7. As a techno-thriller, The Ark has a heavy emphasis on engineering and technology, often explaining in detail the weapons and machines used to aid the characters. Discuss some of your favorite gadgets and weapons in the book. How were they used? Do they really exist or are they fictional? 8.
The book is broken into five sections Hayden , Coleman , Genesis Dawn , Oasis , and Noah''s Ark . Each works to fill in back-story hinted at earlier in the novel, as well as advancing the plot forward. Which section do you think was the most suspenseful? Which was your favorite? If you could add a sixth section, what would it be called and where would you add it? 9. There were many personal vendettas in the book: Dan Cutter''s for Grant Westfield, Dilara''s for Svetlana Petrova, and of course, Tyler''s for Sebastian Ulric. Which hero/villain pair did you find the most intriguing? Were there any cases in which you found yourself sympathizing with the villain? 10. The FBI and the military were often seen as barriers to the progress of Tyler, Grant, and Dilara. Tyler and Grant were both ex-military, but as employees of Gordian Engineering they were they free to take matters into their own hands. Do you think anyone working within the confines of a government-run institution like the military or FBI could have stopped Ulric? How would it have changed the way you felt about Tyler, Grant, and Dilara if they had been working for the government? 11.
The relationship between Dilara and Tyler evolves in very interesting ways throughout the book. While it seems inevitable at times that they will become romantically linked, Tyler''s memories of Karen and Dilara''s quest to avenge her father''s murder complicate things. How do you imagine Tyler and Dilara''s relationship unfolding in the future? Do you think they''re a good match that will stand the test of time, or are there factors that could tear them apart? 12. If Ulric''s vision for his New World had ever been realized, what do you think that world would have looked like? Would it have been sustainable beyond a couple of generations? 13. Did Tyler do the right thing in destroying the last known traces of Arkon instead of preserving it for scientific research? With Ulric dead, do you think it still would have been used for evil inevitably? 14. The discovery of Noah''s Ark at the end of the book challenges our conventional wisdom of the story of the Ark and the Flood. The monastery''s priest is concerned that faith in the Bible will be undermined, but Dilara argues that the Ark''s discovery supports the Bible''s status as not only a religious work but also as an historical document. How would an archaeological find such as this affect our understanding of the Bible? Enhance Your Book Club 1.
Go straight to the source of of the story of Noah''s Ark: Genesis chapters 6-8. See if reading it after finishing The Ark gives you a slightly different perspective on the epic Bible story. 2. This story reads like a movie. If you were to cast the main characters in this book which actors/actresses would you chose to play the role of Tyler Locke? Dilara Kenner? Sebastian Ulric? Svetlana Petrova? Grant Westfield? General Locke? Sam Watson? Create your own cast list and chose a director, then compare notes with your friends and see how many names you have in common. 3. Delve a little into the stories of actual expeditions for the historical Noah''s Ark. Scores of westerners have searched for the coveted archaeological prize.
In the early 19th century one of the first was Dr. Friedrich Parrot who wrote a book called Journey to Ararat . Recently, Hawaii-based businessman and Christian activist Daniel McGivern made quite a splash with his attempt. Read about it online or in the April and September 2004 editions of National Geographic magazine. 4. Learn more about Boyd Morrison on his website www.boydmorrison.com.
You can peruse his blog, get more information on his upcoming books, and even link to the questions and answers that were featured on his two Jeopardy! appearances. A Conversation with Boyd Morrison 1. You were one of the first authors to self-publish on Kindle and turn your electronic success into a multi-book deal with a major publisher. What motivated you to try this non-traditional approach? Would you recommend it as an avenue for burgeoning young writers to explore? When my agent, Irene Goodman, first submitted The Ark to publishers in 2008, I received what I call "wonderful rejections." Editors often praised the storyline, pacing, and characters, but they just didn''t see a market for the novel for one reason or another. I was actually encouraged. I thought my books would find readers if given the chance, so with Irene''s unwavering support, I made all three of them available for download from my web site and for the Kindle. No one was reading them anyway, so what did I have to lose? My main goal was to get attention for my books.
I briefly considered self-publishing print books, but without bookstore distribution, it would have been much harder to sell paper copies of my books on my own. Print-on-demand books can be expensive to the consumer, so unless I planned to do a lot of handselling, I didn''t see how I was going to convince readers to take a chance.