Silver Under Nightfall by Rin Chupeco

1. There’s an element of mystery and intrigue in the story. What were the biggest surprises of the book while you read? What connections were you able to make along the way?

2a.As a second-world fantasy, there is a ton of world building in this book. Familiar concepts like vampires and magic get some new lore and rules, and the political structure plays heavily into the story. What did you think of the science-based magic system? Did it make sense? Was the pacing of our understanding as readers given at the right time? What about the effectiveness of the bloodwakers Remy takes as a Reaper, and his father’s experiments?

2b. In what ways did the vampire lore feel familiar and what was new or different about it? Given the state of the political landscape, do you think Xiaodan and Malekh’s goal to make peace between their courts and Aluria has a chance?

3. There is quite a lot of action in the story. What did you think of Chupeco’s prose in general and in describing fast-paced fighting? Can you think of an example that stood out?

4. Although it is very much a second-world fantasy, Chupeco is not ambiguous about the real-world influences in the creation of their peoples. Xiaodan clearly comes from a Chinese-coded background, whereas Remy’s mother’s side is Filipino-coded. Did this translate as you read? Did your imagining of the characters change at any point?

5a. All right, here’s the elephant in the room: We have a major, high-focus queer polyamory relationship at the center of the book! Arguably, it’s the glue of the entire plot. So this first question highlights: What did you think? When did you start to realize that was explicitly where the book would go? How do you feel about the build-up between Xiaodan and Remy and Remy and Malekh? Does the trio play out in a way that makes sense? How about the tensions between Remy and Malekh? How did Remy’s emotional hang-ups play into the relationship? Did the portrayal of a burgeoning polyamorous relationship feel realistic?

5b. Let’s talk about sex. As ever when it comes to vampires, lust and forbidden desire play a key role in the relationship dynamics. Remy admits to using sex as a tool in his spy craft, and thus has a complicated relationship with sex in general. Malekh is more than 900 years old and thus has a long history, which comes into play when his former lover Vasilik makes himself a menace to the trio. Xiaodan is lustful and open about it, both delicate and demanding in her desires. Once the dam breaks, the three tend to be insatiable with each other. What did you think about the ways sex was portrayed in the book? Did you feel there was enough explicit description, or too little? What about the differences in how Remy felt attraction to Xiaodan versus Malekh? How does the concept of “familiars” complicate the dynamics?

6. How does the book explore themes such as love, loyalty, regret, and heroism? How do the characters embody these ideas? Did you have a favorite character?