The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame) [Paperback]

Joel Rosenberg (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Roc (September 5, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451148339
• ISBN-13: 978-0451148339
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 3.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,454,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An intruiging read, definite appeal., December 3, 2003

By 

K. Weld "Kaltros, Bandit King and General Nui... (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame) (Paperback)

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.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have, March 25, 2003

By 

Aaron Gwinn (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame) (Paperback)

Originally, I received this book from my parents who bought it from a used bookstore on a whim. Offhand I thought it was a generic fantasy novel and thus was of no interest to me. It sat on a shelf for about four months before I gave it a read. I wish I hadn't waited so long. This immediately became one of my all time favorite books. The best way to review this book is to break it down into parts.

Story: The story begins with seven college students and a professor gathering to play a game similar to Dungeons and Dragons. Little do they know that the professor will magically teleport the seven students to the very world the game takes place in, and they will possess the bodies and minds of the characters they played as. Perhaps a bit cliché, but it is so well executed that it feels completely original.

Plot: The plot progresses at a steady pace taking some time to allow for intriguing character development, and feels all-round satisfying.

Characters: One of the greatest achievements of this novel is the characters. They act and talk like real people, and just like real people, have a fair share of flaws. Some of which they acquired from their game persona. Kudos to Joel Rosenberg.

Overall: This is a must read for any fan of fantasy novels, and should be at least given a chance by everyone else.

Side Note: I think the reason Joel uses the phrase sitting "tailor fashion" so much is because he wanted to be politically correct by not calling it "Indian style," and because most of the time there just isn't anything other than the ground for the characters to sit on.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, simply wonderful!, August 1, 2001

By 

Kevin P. Grover (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sleeping Dragon (Guardians of the Flame) (Paperback)

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.