Rating: 
Summary: Step into the Fantasy Realm
Review: For anyone who's ever dreamed of stepping into that fantasy world they've been reading about, this is a must read. All the realism of normal people in an extraordinary place, the excitement and especially the dangers. And what you could do to change it with knowledge from the "Real World".
Rosenberg takes realistic characters from normal life and thrusts them into a Dungeons and Dragons style world, where their role-playing skills are the difference between life and death. This is the nitty-gritty of Fantasy, where strategy is painstaking and stealth is a long, arduous process. At least, that's the way it is for the characters. For the reader, it's a fast paced adventure that pulls you in through strong connections to characters that seem more like personal friends.
Don't expect any kind of traditional ending. In fact, don't expect any kind of ending. Real people don't get a "Happily Ever After", life simple continues. If you like it, you don't want it to ever end.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent escape. You WILL BECOME one of the characters.
Review: A favorite for all ages. The characters are witty and passionate. I personally enjoy the switching between thought and audible dialogue. Instead of putting fantasy characters into real life settings, it puts real people into heavily detailed fantasy worlds.
Rating: 
Summary: One of my favorite series
Review: An excellent beginning to the Guardians series. I particularly enjoy the way the group of characters interacts with each other. The story is such that it would have been easy to fall into the "They all pulled together and fought the common enemy" sort of line, but especially in this book (and the next one in the series) Rosenberg actually has CONFLICT between the main characters. As if they don't have enough to deal with, what with a young Lordling upset with them, the Slavers Guild offering a bounty, and...well, you get the point.
This was the first of Rosenberg's books that I read, and I still consider it one of my favorites.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, simply wonderful!
Review: As the author of Strike Hard (and an avid gamer), I found this to be one of the best fantasy-fiction books that I have ever read. Joel Rosenberg showed that he could easily blend two totally seperate worlds together into one story and have it flow with ease. I have to admit that there are many things that "pushes" someone to take up writing. This book (and the whole Guardians of the Flame series) gave me the final push to start my own writing career. Karl, Walter, Jason, James, Andrea, Doria, and Lou were easy to relate to, having spent my own share of weekends playing similar games. Their attention to their characters were great, and it was a detail that Mr. Rosenberg did not skimp on. Most people don't realize that when you are gaming, you really do care about a character that has been brought up from a total novice into something that is relatively formidable. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was that Mr. Rosenberg stuck with the harsh realities of gaming. He did not, at any time, make it seem as if the characters were immortal or supermen. Characters suffered, died, and agonized, just like real people. Most of the books in this genre that I read are afraid to take a step toward seriously harming a main character because they develop a fear that it will detract from the story. Mr. Rosenberg tackles this with dignity in that he demonstrates a willingness to "tell it like it is." This book (as well as the series) is a wonderful example of fantasy at its finest.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, simply wonderful!
Review: As the author of Strike Hard (and an avid gamer), I found this to be one of the best fantasy-fiction books that I have ever read. Joel Rosenberg showed that he could easily blend two totally seperate worlds together into one story and have it flow with ease. I have to admit that there are many things that "pushes" someone to take up writing. This book (and the whole Guardians of the Flame series) gave me the final push to start my own writing career. Karl, Walter, Jason, James, Andrea, Doria, and Lou were easy to relate to, having spent my own share of weekends playing similar games. Their attention to their characters were great, and it was a detail that Mr. Rosenberg did not skimp on. Most people don't realize that when you are gaming, you really do care about a character that has been brought up from a total novice into something that is relatively formidable. Another aspect that I really enjoyed was that Mr. Rosenberg stuck with the harsh realities of gaming. He did not, at any time, make it seem as if the characters were immortal or supermen. Characters suffered, died, and agonized, just like real people. Most of the books in this genre that I read are afraid to take a step toward seriously harming a main character because they develop a fear that it will detract from the story. Mr. Rosenberg tackles this with dignity in that he demonstrates a willingness to "tell it like it is." This book (as well as the series) is a wonderful example of fantasy at its finest.
Rating:
Summary: An intruiging read, definite appeal.
Review: Caveats first: This would rightfully be 3 1/2 stars in my estimation, but that's not an option here. Oh well...
Also, I'm a gamer too, so this book had some extra appeal to me, putting it at 4 stars solid. That being out of the way, on with the review. I only found out about the Guardians of the Flame series within the past few years, so I'm a little late getting to the table on this.
Story summary: Group of gamers is transported to the world in which their game is set, and it's not just for fun anymore. Doesn't sound too involving at first glance. But the way the story is told, that's what hit me. The people have a hard time separating themselves from their characters. There are mixed reactions about being in this new world among the main cast, and their reactions are acceptably realistic, bearing in mind that all theater requires the willing suspension of disbelief. There is the realization that things like dental care, emergency rooms and law enforcement aren't what we've come to take for granted, and that makes for an elevated sense of tension in many places.
Joel Rosenberg makes the suspension of disbelief easy for me. From James Finnegan, newly escaped from a life crippled by Muscalar Dystrophy, to Karl Cullinane, always lost and afraid of settling himself on any one thing, Joel gives a solid characterization for each person. There is no "Get Out Of Jail Free" effect, but rather a plausible progression and growth for the characters, requiring sacrifice and effort. Experience leads to good decisions, but experience can only be gained by bad decisions, and not every battle is won. For non-gamers but fantasy fans, this story offers insight into the gamer mindset, and does a good job of explaining some of the whys and what fors.
For gamers, it can raise the question of why we create the people we portray. In addition, I found it pretty entertaining, if more than a little dark. That suits me, but I wouldn't suggest this for anyone under the age of 14 (giving a PG-13 rating, am I? Interesting) or with a sensitive nature. If you liked Glory Road (lot of Heinlein influence with Rosenberg), The Stand or role playing games, you will enjoy The Sleeping Dragon.
Rating: 
Summary: Gamers whisked off to the gaming world; 3 1/2 stars
Review: CONCEPT: A group of gamers are whisked off to an RPG world. After almost slaying each other as their new personalities take over, the group sets out to find a means of returning back to their homeworld at a place known as the Gate Between Worlds. (Holds promise and attraction to gamers in seeing how these fish out of water types react in their new setting.) MARKETING APPEAL: described below. SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F) DIALOGUE: B+/B/C+/C (varies) (B-) STRUCTURE: B+ HISTORY SETTING: C- CHARACTERS: A-/B+/C+ (B) EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: B+ EMOTIONAL IMPACT: B+ SURPRISES: A- MONSTERS: C+ PACING: A- LITTLE THINGS: B OVERALL STYLE: B FLOW OF WORDS: B+ CHOICE OF FOCUS: B TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: A- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: C OVERALL GRADE: B (gamers/ B- (nongamers) DIALOGUE: This ranged from spotty to good. Some of the minor characters sounded alike and it was hard to tell the two thieves apart in the beginning. That may have been why one was killed off. Nobody stands out greatly but overall, it's a good job. They're all middle class college students so their speech patterns don't overlap that much. Probably the best one is the dwarf guy, who has a bit more of his own personality, whereas Karl and Walter do sound alike at times. I must say that everyone has different motivations and that shows but at certain points, some of the dialogue crisscrosses. One way that Rosenberg calls less attention to his similar dialogue passages is through a great deal of interparty conflict. The speakers are passable enough to tell them apart and then when we focus on the fact that they might kill each other and read their inner thoughts, we forget. MONSTERS: I can't really give this much of a score since it was all taken from a homogenous AD&D setting. Outside of AD&D abilities, like night vision and beserking, we learned little of the culture of various creatures. Probably glossed over since Rosenberg figured that most of his readers would be gamers from the AD&D setting. Still, detailing the different species would have been helpful to nongamers and for readers seeking out some type of context to the setting. EVIL SETUP: No real big foe. It was more a series of small obstacles. This could very well be a letdown for readers used to a big climax. Have to agree. However, check out the characters. While there was no great threat, the antagonists, at first, were the players themselves. See below (or above). SETTING: Again, this area was skipped over except to place components in the story that helped the heroes achieve their goal (i.e. a library with a map to locate the Gate Between the Worlds, the arena to get cash together for the trek, etc). The issues of slavery were done well though but this ties more into the theme and characterization matters. PACING: This story moves very well. Right off the bat, the group is heading for the gateway to get back to their own world. And, everything they do is pretty much to get supplies or means to get up there in the first place. One reason I didn't give it a better score than a B+ is because there wasn't a great need for the group to get to the gateway. Basically, they just wanted to get back home but half of them were dissatisfied with home so they were torn. Moreover, since you need to love the characters before you feel the suspense, it wasn't done as well as it could have been (see above). While I cared for the a couple of the characters (Karl and the dwarf), the rest were just icing on the cake with bits of character here and there. Finally, no one was chasing them and there wasn't a deadline so if they got slowed down it didn't end the mission. SURPRISES: There actually were a good deal of surprises in this story. Obviously, being whisked off and learning to adjust to the new world was a big set of surprises in its own regard. CHARACTERS: First off, this heading has some good points and some bad points on the characters. First, the good stuff: Rosenberg does an excellent job of internalizing the sudden problems with a RPG player becoming his character. In a sense, there is a test of wills. There are several times when some of the players turn into their characters, which creates problems. (REST CUT B/C OF SPOILERS) CONCEPT: This is an enticing idea and I believe that Rosenberg was the first author to adapt it well. Just about every gamer has wondered at one point what it would be like to be like the character he created. And, most gamers tend to get attached to their characters as if they were their children. This has a keen attraction to gaming types but I have to admit, that fantasy readers, who don't RPG, and first time readers interested in fantasy would find themselves disappointed. See, there are a number of issues in this story that only gamers would appreciate. For instance, trying to get a bunch of people, who are used to being independent, to work together and hammering out the personality differences. Understanding the gaming system and dice as it's explained in the beginning. Watching how a group of players combat their character personalities and bicker with one another as they try to adjust to these new circumstances. FLAWS: First off, some of the writing was too simple for my tastes. More detail on the setting would have been helpful, although I suppose the author could counter there was little to know since it was a new world. Non gamer types probably wouldn't like this book, b/c of the nuances I described in another section. As already elaborated upon, some of the supporting cast were mediocre at times. I would have liked to have known more about them even if it meant a 100 extra pages. There were a few parts where Rosenberg glossed over GRADE REASON: I am giving this a solid B. Partly because I'm a long time gamer and see the nuances in this storyline that only gamers would understand, and because I appreciate the challenges in writing such a story. I think I can excuse the lack of monster and historical settings, since this is based on an RPGing game which is known more for the goal and treasure and hack and slash than details. Well, most of them. Although it's much more sparse than typical fantasy books which number 600 pages and over, I found it to be an interesting book. Again, there was a mix of the medieval thinking with the 20th century thinking. I had to keep remind myself that the reason they talked like Americans in speech and actions was because they were americans. Major kudos to doing a fine job with a few of the characters, even though some of the others aren't detailed well enough. The whole idea of this fish out of water storyline and the adjustments made by the players are interesting. Moreover, the interparty conflict gives it a lot of texture and in the process, reveals the characters. One other thing I found interesting is the typical gamer stance of might makes right. There were several times when some of the players were getting ready to kick someone's butt or intimidate just because they were ticked off. Typical gamer philosophy and something to chuckle over. But again, you don't see that unless you are a gamer.
Rating:
Summary: Gamers whisked off to the gaming world; 3 1/2 stars
Review: CONCEPT: A group of gamers are whisked off to an RPG world. After almost slaying each other as their new personalities take over, the group sets out to find a means of returning back to their homeworld at a place known as the Gate Between Worlds. (Holds promise and attraction to gamers in seeing how these fish out of water types react in their new setting.) MARKETING APPEAL: described below. SCORING: Superb (A), Excellent (A-), Very good (B+), Good (B) Fairly Good (B-) Above Average (C+), Mediocre (C ), Barely Passable (C-) Pretty Bad (D+), Dismal (D), Waste of Time (D-), Into the Trash (F) DIALOGUE: B+/B/C+/C (varies) (B-) STRUCTURE: B+ HISTORY SETTING: C- CHARACTERS: A-/B+/C+ (B) EVIL SETUP/ANTAGONISTS: B+ EMOTIONAL IMPACT: B+ SURPRISES: A- MONSTERS: C+ PACING: A- LITTLE THINGS: B OVERALL STYLE: B FLOW OF WORDS: B+ CHOICE OF FOCUS: B TRANSITIONS/FLASHBACKS/POV: A- COMPLEXITY OF WORDS/SYMBOLISM/THEMES: C OVERALL GRADE: B (gamers/ B- (nongamers) DIALOGUE: This ranged from spotty to good. Some of the minor characters sounded alike and it was hard to tell the two thieves apart in the beginning. That may have been why one was killed off. Nobody stands out greatly but overall, it's a good job. They're all middle class college students so their speech patterns don't overlap that much. Probably the best one is the dwarf guy, who has a bit more of his own personality, whereas Karl and Walter do sound alike at times. I must say that everyone has different motivations and that shows but at certain points, some of the dialogue crisscrosses. One way that Rosenberg calls less attention to his similar dialogue passages is through a great deal of interparty conflict. The speakers are passable enough to tell them apart and then when we focus on the fact that they might kill each other and read their inner thoughts, we forget. MONSTERS: I can't really give this much of a score since it was all taken from a homogenous AD&D setting. Outside of AD&D abilities, like night vision and beserking, we learned little of the culture of various creatures. Probably glossed over since Rosenberg figured that most of his readers would be gamers from the AD&D setting. Still, detailing the different species would have been helpful to nongamers and for readers seeking out some type of context to the setting. EVIL SETUP: No real big foe. It was more a series of small obstacles. This could very well be a letdown for readers used to a big climax. Have to agree. However, check out the characters. While there was no great threat, the antagonists, at first, were the players themselves. See below (or above). SETTING: Again, this area was skipped over except to place components in the story that helped the heroes achieve their goal (i.e. a library with a map to locate the Gate Between the Worlds, the arena to get cash together for the trek, etc). The issues of slavery were done well though but this ties more into the theme and characterization matters. PACING: This story moves very well. Right off the bat, the group is heading for the gateway to get back to their own world. And, everything they do is pretty much to get supplies or means to get up there in the first place. One reason I didn't give it a better score than a B+ is because there wasn't a great need for the group to get to the gateway. Basically, they just wanted to get back home but half of them were dissatisfied with home so they were torn. Moreover, since you need to love the characters before you feel the suspense, it wasn't done as well as it could have been (see above). While I cared for the a couple of the characters (Karl and the dwarf), the rest were just icing on the cake with bits of character here and there. Finally, no one was chasing them and there wasn't a deadline so if they got slowed down it didn't end the mission. SURPRISES: There actually were a good deal of surprises in this story. Obviously, being whisked off and learning to adjust to the new world was a big set of surprises in its own regard. CHARACTERS: First off, this heading has some good points and some bad points on the characters. First, the good stuff: Rosenberg does an excellent job of internalizing the sudden problems with a RPG player becoming his character. In a sense, there is a test of wills. There are several times when some of the players turn into their characters, which creates problems. (REST CUT B/C OF SPOILERS) CONCEPT: This is an enticing idea and I believe that Rosenberg was the first author to adapt it well. Just about every gamer has wondered at one point what it would be like to be like the character he created. And, most gamers tend to get attached to their characters as if they were their children. This has a keen attraction to gaming types but I have to admit, that fantasy readers, who don't RPG, and first time readers interested in fantasy would find themselves disappointed. See, there are a number of issues in this story that only gamers would appreciate. For instance, trying to get a bunch of people, who are used to being independent, to work together and hammering out the personality differences. Understanding the gaming system and dice as it's explained in the beginning. Watching how a group of players combat their character personalities and bicker with one another as they try to adjust to these new circumstances. FLAWS: First off, some of the writing was too simple for my tastes. More detail on the setting would have been helpful, although I suppose the author could counter there was little to know since it was a new world. Non gamer types probably wouldn't like this book, b/c of the nuances I described in another section. As already elaborated upon, some of the supporting cast were mediocre at times. I would have liked to have known more about them even if it meant a 100 extra pages. There were a few parts where Rosenberg glossed over GRADE REASON: I am giving this a solid B. Partly because I'm a long time gamer and see the nuances in this storyline that only gamers would understand, and because I appreciate the challenges in writing such a story. I think I can excuse the lack of monster and historical settings, since this is based on an RPGing game which is known more for the goal and treasure and hack and slash than details. Well, most of them. Although it's much more sparse than typical fantasy books which number 600 pages and over, I found it to be an interesting book. Again, there was a mix of the medieval thinking with the 20th century thinking. I had to keep remind myself that the reason they talked like Americans in speech and actions was because they were americans. Major kudos to doing a fine job with a few of the characters, even though some of the others aren't detailed well enough. The whole idea of this fish out of water storyline and the adjustments made by the players are interesting. Moreover, the interparty conflict gives it a lot of texture and in the process, reveals the characters. One other thing I found interesting is the typical gamer stance of might makes right. There were several times when some of the players were getting ready to kick someone's butt or intimidate just because they were ticked off. Typical gamer philosophy and something to chuckle over. But again, you don't see that unless you are a gamer.
Rating:
Summary: B R I L L I A N T !!!!!!
Review: COOL, EXCELLENT, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS, Its got everything action, romance, betrayal, Well developed characters, an engaging storyline that is totally enjoyable, for those out there who like fantasy, this series is an absolute must!!!!! Thanks Mr Rosenberg for such a wonderful, well planned sequence of excellent stories, please dont ever stop writing or Ill cry!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: definetely one for the permanent library
Review: Has to be one of the best plots, and storylines, ever to flow through the veins of heroic fantasy. Who among us that reads this type of genre hasn't fantsized of being transported to a world where we become the invincible hero? Add to that the totally believable interplay between the group's human alter-egos, and you have a book that has earned a place next to Tolkien, Stasheff, and Moorcock in any true neophytes bookshelf. Just be careful who you lend it to.
| 
