Quiz The Olympian Affair Jim Butcher

The Olympian Affair Quiz: Test Your Knowledge

Quiz Questions

  1. What is the name of the Auroran dreadnought that pursues the Predator after the destruction of Spire Dependence?

    • A. Stormmaiden
    • B. Conquistador
    • C. Mistshark
    • D. Belligerent

  2. What phenomenon destroys Spire Dependence?

    • A. An Auroran etheric bomb
    • B. A swarm of silkweavers
    • C. A mistmaw controlled by Madame Cavendish
    • D. A volcanic eruption

  3. What is the term for a duel fought only to first blood? (Short answer)

  4. What type of creature ambushes Bridget and Benedict on the surface of Spire Albion?

    • A. Diremoth
    • B. Sword mantis
    • C. Platecreeper
    • D. Mistshark

  5. What does Madame Cavendish create from the sick crew members of the Mistshark? (Short answer)

  6. Where does Captain Grimm mortally wound Rafe Valesco?

    • A. In the Great Hall of Commerce
    • B. On the dueling platform at Spire Olympia’s skyport
    • C. Aboard the Belligerent
    • D. On the surface of Spire Albion

  7. What is the name of the Albion fast courier that brings Bridget to Spire Olympia? (Short answer)

  8. How does the Predator’s final battle end?

    • A. It is captured by the Auroran Armada
    • B. It crashes after Grimm and most of the crew evacuate, leaving Gwendolyn behind
    • C. It escapes into the mist with no damage
    • D. It is destroyed by the mistmaw

  9. Why does Abigail Hinton poison Commodore Bayard?

    • A. To prevent him from fighting Valesco and dying
    • B. To force him to marry her sooner
    • C. To weaken Albion’s military command
    • D. To blackmail Lord Lancaster

  10. What is Colonel Espira’s central internal conflict regarding his mission? (Short answer)

  11. What motivates Benedict Sorellin to join Bridget on the surface?

    • A. He is ordered by the Spirearch
    • B. He wants to prove himself worthy of marrying Bridget, as arranged by the cats
    • C. He seeks to capture a diremoth
    • D. He is fleeing from the Auroran attack

  12. Why does Captain Grimm agree to duel Rafe Valesco? (Short answer)

  13. What is Rowl’s primary motive throughout the book?

    • A. To become the chief of the Swift Slayers
    • B. To protect Bridget and advance the interests of the cat tribes
    • C. To capture the Predator
    • D. To destroy the Auroran Armada

  14. In the triangle symbol associated with the Spectral Congress and Crimson Guard, which group is placed at the bottom?

    • A. The warriorborn
    • B. The common people
    • C. The aristocracy
    • D. The etherealists

  15. What does the mistmaw symbolize in the context of the novel? (Short answer)

  16. Master Ferus tells Grimm that the Predator is fond of him. This suggests a theme of:

    • A. The unreliability of etheric technology
    • B. The consciousness and loyalty of airships
    • C. The danger of personifying machines
    • D. The superiority of Auroran design

  17. How does the Arrangement between humans and cats reflect a central theme of the book? (Short answer)

  18. Compare the duels of Abigail Hinton and Captain Grimm. How do their outcomes reflect different definitions of victory? (Short answer)

  19. Suppose you were advising Colonel Espira at the moment he opens the sealed orders. What argument would you make for or against rebellion? (Short answer)

  20. The epilogue reveals that Gwendolyn Lancaster and Madame Cavendish form a truce on the surface. What does this suggest about potential alliances in future books? (Short answer)

Answer Key

  1. B. Conquistador – The dreadnought appears in Chapter 1, pursuing the Predator after the destruction of Spire Dependence (Outline Ch. 1).
  2. C. A mistmaw controlled by Madame Cavendish – In Chapter 32, the Spirearch reveals that Cavendish used a mistmaw to destroy Dependence (Outline Ch. 32).
  3. Protocol Sanguis – This term appears in Chapter 29 when Abigail describes dueling options (Outline Ch. 29).
  4. B. Sword mantis – In Chapter 27, Bridget and Benedict fight a pair of sword mantises on the surface (Outline Ch. 27).
  5. Crystal revenants – In Chapter 43, Cavendish transforms sick crew into crystalline undead creatures (Outline Ch. 43).
  6. B. On the dueling platform at Spire Olympia’s skyport – In Chapter 42, Grimm kills Valesco during their Protocol Mortis duel (Outline Ch. 42).
  7. Sunhawk – Bridget travels aboard the ACS Sunhawk in Chapters 37 and 44 (Outline Ch. 37).
  8. B. It crashes after Grimm and most of the crew evacuate, leaving Gwendolyn behind – In Chapter 58, the Predator is lost; Gwen stays at the helm and survives the crash (Outline Ch. 58).
  9. A. To prevent him from fighting Valesco and dying – In Chapter 30, Abigail’s act is motivated by love and the certainty that Bayard cannot defeat Valesco (Outline Ch. 30).
  10. His duty to King Tuscarora clashes with his conscience over Cavendish’s plan to destroy a civilian colony – Espira wrestles with this from Chapter 20 onward (Outline Ch. 20, Ch. 28).
  11. B. He wants to prove himself worthy of marrying Bridget, as arranged by the cats – Rowl coordinates with other cats to give Benedict this chance (Outline Ch. 12, Ch. 15).
  12. To protect his friend Bayard and fulfill the Spirearch’s mission to disrupt Aurora’s plan – Grimm acts as Bayard’s second and eventually substitutes in the duel (Outline Ch. 22, Ch. 35).
  13. B. To protect Bridget and advance the interests of the cat tribes – Rowl negotiates with cat leaders and guides Bridget throughout the story (Outline Ch. 7, Ch. 26).
  14. B. The common people – Master Ferus explains this in Chapter 10 (Outline Ch. 10).
  15. The mistmaw symbolizes ancient, uncontrollable power and the terrifying consequences of using etheric forces for mass destruction – It is a weapon that devours entire Spires, reflecting the dangers of unchecked ambition (Outline Ch. 27, Ch. 60).
  16. B. The consciousness and loyalty of airships – Master Ferus claims the Predator is sentient and cares for its captain, reinforcing the bond between crew and vessel (Outline Ch. 10).
  17. The Arrangement shows that coexistence and diplomacy between different species (humans and cats) are possible, contrasting with the destructive ambition of Aurora – Cats provide intelligence and territory negotiations are central (Outline Ch. 7, Ch. 26).
  18. Abigail’s victory (first blood, sparing her opponent) strengthens Albion’s political standing, while Grimm’s victory (killing Valesco) costs him a permanent injury and his ship. Both achieve goals but define victory differently: one through honor and alliance, the other through sacrifice and survival.
  19. Sample reasoning: Morality should outweigh duty when orders demand mass murder. Espira has already witnessed the horror of destroyed colonies; breaking the seal is a necessary step to prevent greater tragedy. (Open‑ended; credit arguments that reference the sealed orders and Civilians at risk.)
  20. It suggests that former enemies may unite against a greater common threat—the Tyranima—and that survival can override past enmity. The truce between Gwen and Cavendish sets up potential future alliances.