Guardians of the Flame
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Teflon Billy
Explorer
Since I read that series back in the day, almost every campaign world I have created has had a slavers guild.
Unfortunately, the series is one that seems to really,really degrade as it goes on. The first two books are great fun. From the third onwards they just get sloppier and less inspired.
They read like the books of someone who has told the story he wanted to, and has been asked by his publisher to keep them going becasue they were successful.
Unfortunately, the series is one that seems to really,really degrade as it goes on. The first two books are great fun. From the third onwards they just get sloppier and less inspired.
They read like the books of someone who has told the story he wanted to, and has been asked by his publisher to keep them going becasue they were successful.
theburningman
First Post
Cool!
This is also the first "grown-up" fantasy series I read when I was in middle school. In fact, I can safely say that if I hadn't read the omnibus edition of the first three books of Guardians of the Flame that I recieved as part of my initial membership in the Science Fiction Book Club, I might never have played DnD. After reading the books for the first (of seven) times, I thought I remembered a friend of mine saying that he had some game that you could pretend to be a wizard or a warrior in, and you rolled dice to see if you hit things when you fought. It sounded like the game the group played at the beginning of The Sleeping Dragon and since I thought it seemed cool in the book, I asked my friend if he still had the game.
It turned out that what he had was the ODnD Basic (Red) Boxed Set that took characters from 1st to 3rd level. Man, did we ever have a good time going through the sample dungeon in the Dungeon Master's Guide (although it did take us 3 groups of characters to make it past that first carrion crawler; I still get nervous whenever my character faces one of those suckers). Imagine my excitement when I went to the local Waldenbooks the next week and found the Expert (Blue) and Companion (Turquoise) Boxed Sets. Definitely one of the happier times in my life.
Ah, memories.
Thank you, Joel Rosenberg.
This is also the first "grown-up" fantasy series I read when I was in middle school. In fact, I can safely say that if I hadn't read the omnibus edition of the first three books of Guardians of the Flame that I recieved as part of my initial membership in the Science Fiction Book Club, I might never have played DnD. After reading the books for the first (of seven) times, I thought I remembered a friend of mine saying that he had some game that you could pretend to be a wizard or a warrior in, and you rolled dice to see if you hit things when you fought. It sounded like the game the group played at the beginning of The Sleeping Dragon and since I thought it seemed cool in the book, I asked my friend if he still had the game.
It turned out that what he had was the ODnD Basic (Red) Boxed Set that took characters from 1st to 3rd level. Man, did we ever have a good time going through the sample dungeon in the Dungeon Master's Guide (although it did take us 3 groups of characters to make it past that first carrion crawler; I still get nervous whenever my character faces one of those suckers). Imagine my excitement when I went to the local Waldenbooks the next week and found the Expert (Blue) and Companion (Turquoise) Boxed Sets. Definitely one of the happier times in my life.
Ah, memories.
Thank you, Joel Rosenberg.
I thought the series was fantastic up until the last one ( was it Not Exactly the Three Musketeers?), which wasn't bad but wasn't up to the standard of the others.
OTOH, the book does describe the relationships of the characters extremely well, as did the others in the series.
Some great books, there. And who here hasn't borrowed at least ONE of Slovotsky's Laws?
OTOH, the book does describe the relationships of the characters extremely well, as did the others in the series.
Some great books, there. And who here hasn't borrowed at least ONE of Slovotsky's Laws?
Very good series.
Was the first "Fantasy" novel I read, way back in 4th grade, got it a school book fair right ater I started playing D&D.
As mentioned above a must read.
ALSO for anyone that interested their is another book out in paperback that appears to be continuing with Jason C. and the three characters introduced in Not quite the 3 muskteers.
"Not Quite Scaramuche" ISBN 0812574702
Haven't read it yet, just picked it up on Friday night. Was looking at books and checking on known authers, and their it was.
I'll post a review, if this thread is still around when I finish it, have one or two books ahead of it on my list to read.
JDragon
Was the first "Fantasy" novel I read, way back in 4th grade, got it a school book fair right ater I started playing D&D.
As mentioned above a must read.
ALSO for anyone that interested their is another book out in paperback that appears to be continuing with Jason C. and the three characters introduced in Not quite the 3 muskteers.
"Not Quite Scaramuche" ISBN 0812574702
Haven't read it yet, just picked it up on Friday night. Was looking at books and checking on known authers, and their it was.
I'll post a review, if this thread is still around when I finish it, have one or two books ahead of it on my list to read.
JDragon
Speaker
First Post
Not Quite Scaramouche , yes.
This book follows with the characters mentioned above. While some might not agree, I found it as enjoyable as most of his fiction -- and filled with the same tibits I love adapting to my own games.
I purchased it this summer at a Coles Bookstore, and read it several times through (an odd habit of mine I won't get into here).
If you like his previous work, you'll likely find this book engaging as well. The quest featured in that latter half of the book is very much a D&D adventure.
There's my mini-review of the month.
This book follows with the characters mentioned above. While some might not agree, I found it as enjoyable as most of his fiction -- and filled with the same tibits I love adapting to my own games.
I purchased it this summer at a Coles Bookstore, and read it several times through (an odd habit of mine I won't get into here).
If you like his previous work, you'll likely find this book engaging as well. The quest featured in that latter half of the book is very much a D&D adventure.
There's my mini-review of the month.
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