ALN EPIC Book Club: The Priory of the Orange Tree (Old Town)

For our 2025-2026 EPIC Book Club, we will be reading Samantha Shannon's "The Priory of the Orange Tree!"

We will be hosting this event IN PERSON, outdoors, at Presidio Park in Old Town! We recommend (but do not require) that attendees wear masks and maintain social distance.

We typically meet at the picnic tables in the shade at the end of the loop made by Cosoy Way. Please see the embedded map below for more details.

Content warning: Violence, death, infertility, torture. Details not given here to avoid spoilers. Contact an organizer if you have concerns about the book's content.

Epic fantasy in the spirit of Game of Thrones, with multiple factions interacting across multiple continents. There are prophecies, court drama, queer romance, a secret society of mages, and dragon riders. Plus lots of dragons: eastern dragons, western dragons, good dragons, and evil, notorious dragons.

We hope to see you there!

Discussion Questions:

1. What is your name, and who/what is your favorite dragon from fiction?
2. What were your thoughts on the author’s world-building techniques? Do large-scale stories like this need multiple perspectives, or do you enjoy stories/series that just focus on one perspective throughout?
3. Who was your favorite character to follow?
4. Dragons are a common literary element in the fantasy genre. How did you feel about their depiction in this book, and do you feel like Shannon did anything novel with them and how they fit into this world?
5. The West, East, and South hold vastly different religious beliefs about the history of the world and the nature of dragons. How does the novel demonstrate how history can be warped over a thousand years by politics and religion?
6. This book has been marketed online as a feminist retelling of the tale of St. George and the Dragon. Does that label feel earned?
7. Feminism in fantasy is simplified to the "strong female character" who excels in the traditional “male” role. How well does the book handle different types of female strength—such as Ead’s martial and magical skill versus Sabran’s political fortitude, or Tané’s devotion to duty?
8. What message does the author convey (if any) about the dangers of global isolationism or the necessity of alliances in times of danger? Where can you draw parallels to our modern day? What is our impending “Nameless One?”
9. This year’s Epic Book Club was focused on this one large novel. Do you feel this was an appropriate format to tell this story? Was it fine as is, or would you have rather it be edited down or expanded upon into a duology, trilogy, etc?

Upcoming Events:
September: 2026-2027 ALN Book Selection!