The Transall Saga

Part 1, Chapters 1-10

Reading Check

1. Mark is bitten by a snake. (Chapter 1)

2. Mark calls his monkey-bear friend Willie. (Chapter 4)

Short Answer

1. Mark manages to escape the dangerous buffalo-like creature by climbing a tree and manages to pull himself out of quicksand. (Chapter 2) This illustrates his quick thinking. Furthermore, Mark manages to find a food source by watching the monkey-bears (Chapter 3) and erects a safe shelter for himself in the trees. (Chapter 6)

2. Willie the monkey-bear illustrates how to open the tree rocks. Mark imitates this lesson using his knife, giving him a source of food. Furthermore, Willie communicates that Mark should sleep in a tree, which keeps Mark safe from further attacks from the buffalo-like creature. (Chapter 3)

Part 1, Chapters 11-20

Reading Check

1. Mark kills The Howling Thing to save Leeta. (Chapter 11)

2. The Tsook attack the arrow people village and enslave Mark and Leeta, among others. (Chapter 20)

Short Answer

1. Mark is disgusted by the arrow people’s raid on a neighboring village, and surprised that they did so for a few weapons and some food (Chapter 18). He decides that he would rather live a solitary life in his tree house than with the arrow people, who thrive on war. (Chapter 19)

2. Mark finds the Tsook violent and cruel, as they chase and stab those who try to escape their raid, and set fire to the arrow people village (Chapter 20). Furthermore, they imprison many people, including Mark and Leeta, who are tied by the neck to the Tsook’s mounts and towed away from their home. (Chapter 20)

Part 2, Chapters 21-28

Reading Check

1. Dagon’s daughter is named Megaan. (Chapter 23)

2. Megaan mentions the Merkon. (Chapter 24)

Short Answer

1. The Tsook attach a large iron bar on a chain to Mark’s leg in order to inhibit his movement and reduce his chances of escaping again. (Chapter 24)

2. Mark returns to the Tsook town to warn the inhabitants of an incoming Rawhaz attack, as the Rawhaz are known cannibals. Despite this decision risking his own freedom and life, Mark is a principled person who wishes to protect others. (Chapter 26)

3. Dagon frees Mark after he risks his life to warn the Tsook of the Rawhaz attack (Chapter 26). He also inducts Mark as a Tsook warrior. (Chapter 28)

Part 2, Chapters 29-35

Reading Check

1. Megaan takes in Leeta after Leeta’s enslaver dies. (Chapter 29)

2. Barow gives Mark a Coca-Cola bottle at his induction ceremony. (Chapter 35)

Short Answer

1. The Coca-Cola bottle prompts Mark to realize that he is on a future version of Earth, rather than another planet. The bottle is old and worn, indicating a passage of time. It also symbolizes humankind’s technological regression, as it is celebrated as a beautiful, mysterious object rather than trash. (Chapter 35)

Part 3, Chapters 36-45

Reading Check

1. Mark and Sarbo journey to Trisad. (Chapter 37)

2. Short Man’s enslaved person is named Yonk. (Chapter 39)

3. Mark and Sarbo are captured by the Samatin. (Chapter 42)

Short Answer

1. Pet tells Mark that an illness devastated Earth years ago; it caused “waste and destruction.” Those who contracted the illness—called the “blood sick”—“suffered through the long death” and “so many died that the bodies were piled up.” (Chapter 40)

Part 3, Chapters 46-56 and Epilogue

Reading Check

1. Mark is engaged to Megaan. (Chapter 51)

Short Answer

1. The Merkon tells Mark that the “blood sick” (as described by Pet) killed millions of people, and was thought to have been a strain of Ebola. Furthermore, nuclear weapons were fired by terrorists, leading to further destruction. (Chapter 48)

2. Mark leads Mordo and his forces to the area of Transall where he was first transported by the tube of blue light, including the jungle and the arrow people village. (Chapter 54)

3. Mark is a scientist working to develop cures for various strains of the Ebola virus. He tries to attain funding for his projects and convince the government of the importance of this work. (Epilogue)