The City of Magicians Peter Gribble

• The impact of war on him as a child: As a 9-year-old, Peter found himself standing in a field of endless white crosses at the Normandy War Memorial -- how that moment, and the silence surrounding the war in his childhood, shaped his worldview.
• Growing up in France, there were German children in the classroom but he was told never to speak about the war. It was something neither side could discuss.
• How does this early experience of war and silence inform The City of the Magicians?
• The dangers of complacency
• Why does a pacifist society under siege make for a compelling story?
• How The City of the Magicians presents a civilization that rejects traditional warfare, relying instead on intellect, psychological warfare, and telepathic abilities.
• Can pacifism truly stand against brute force?