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The Guardians of the Flame Series by Joel Rosenberg

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 2 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #787 in Arts, #15752 overall

Rated G. (Control what you see)

Guardians of the Flame - a 10-book series that chronicles a most amazing adventure.

 

Have you ever played the game Dungeons and Dragons?  If you did, did you ever have a favorite character that you would dream about becoming, and living their life in the gaming world they live in?

What would you do if that really happened to you?

That is the amazing start of "The Sleeping Dragon", which came out in 1983.  It began a 20 year saga of the adventures of a group of college students who find themselves magically transported into another world, and magically transformed into the gaming characters they had created.  At first they are just trying to survive, but later find themself trying to create a new life for themselves in this strange world.

I have the first 7 books of the series, and have read them many times.  Personally I think the first book is the best one of the first 7 - but the story continues to build and grow over the coarse of the series.  I didn't realize that three more books had been added to the series - so I'll be heading to the bookstore ASAP, that's for sure!

Here are books 1 through 5 

of the Guardians of the Flame series

The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $4.99
Used Price: $15.90

The Sword and the Chain (Book Two of Guardians of the Flame)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $3.50
Used Price: $5.99

The Silver Crown (Guardians of the Flame, Book 3)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $3.50
Used Price: $0.60

Heir Apparent (Guardians of the Flame)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $4.99
Used Price: $1.00

The Warrior Lives (The Guardians of the Flame, Book 5)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $4.99
Used Price: $0.01

Here are books 6 through 10 

of the Guardians of the Flame series

I discovered the existence of books 8, 9 and 10 as a result of creating this lens! I went right out and purchased copies and am reading them now!!

The Road to Ehvenor (Guardians of the Flame)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $5.50
Used Price: $0.40

The Road Home (Guardians of the Flame)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $5.99
Used Price: $1.67

Not Exactly the Three Musketeers

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $14.91
Used Price: $79.99

Not Quite Scaramouche: A Guardians of the Flame Novel

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $6.99
Used Price: $2.25

Not Really the Prisoner of Zenda: A Guardians of the Flame Novel

Amazon Price: (as of 07/19/2008)
List Price: $24.95
Used Price: $6.59

Learn more about the main characters from Wikipedia 

They have a good article about Guardians of the Flame

Guardians of the Flame is a long running series by author Joel Rosenberg and is arguably his best known work. The series is about a group of college students sent into a supposed fantasy role-playing game by their DM. After the events of the first book, The Sleeping Dragon, the students shift from merely surviving in the world to destroying the flourishing slave trade.

In the later books, the focus shifts off destroying the (now floundering) slave trade and on to various characters dealing with the world the students (now mostly 40-something's) have created.

You can also find the books on eBay 

and maybe save a bit on price

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So why do I enjoy this series so much? 

First of all, because I am one of those people who dreamed of being my D&D character. My favorite character was Katiyana Swiftarrow - a battle mage archer who shot first, and asked questions later - if you survived. It's from that character that I took my online persona's name.

Second of all, it's an incredible adventure story, freeing the oppressed, fighting slavery, and fascinating to watch the characters try to shut off the 20th Century way of looking at the world. It's also interesting to watch them try to bring as much from their world into this one as they can.

Finally, one of the most poignant parts of the book involve one of the characters who is in a wheelchair in the real world. However, when he travels to the Game World, he becomes a strong Dwarven fighter. There is a lot of twists and turns - but imagine, not being able to even walk and talk normally, to becoming a healthy mobile person (even if your legs were a little bit short *smile*).

There are some adult themes later on in the series (a rape of a main character, slavery is one of the sub-plots), however overall the series is a good read, and definitely one of those you-can't-put-it-down kind of books IF you like adventure fantasy novels.

That you have a story evolving over 10 books allows you to have multiple generations of characters, and really watch the world change as a result of what they accomplish there.

Have you read this series too? 

If not, do you want to know that you've read my lens? Definitely check it out!

Evelyn_Saenz

What a great lens!
The Rats and Mice came over to check out your fantastic lens and to leave you a virtual Cup of Coffee to hang on your wall.

Posted May 01, 2008

GypsyPirate

I hadn't even heard of these books before reading your lens. But now I am very intrigued to read them. The story line sounds like something I would like very much. Thanks for sharing!!

Posted January 17, 2008

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