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Guardians of the Flame #5
The Warrior Lives
The word arrives that Karl Cullinane is dead. Jason, his son and heir, assumes command. He leads the inner circle of warriors and the dragon Ellegon against the evil Slaver's Guild. Then Jason learns his father still lives. When a dwarf appears, signaling death, Jason faces a choice and the full weight of kingship.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
39 people are currently reading
569 people want to read
About the author
Joel Rosenberg
85 books237 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Note: This is a different person than the political/thriller author, Joel C. Rosenberg
Joel Rosenberg was the author of the bestselling Guardians of the Flame books as well as the D'Shai and Keepers of the Hidden Ways series. He made his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Note: This is a different person than the political/thriller author, Joel C. Rosenberg
Joel Rosenberg was the author of the bestselling Guardians of the Flame books as well as the D'Shai and Keepers of the Hidden Ways series. He made his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 12, 2017
What I was dreading was going to happen, dreading, dreading, never happened kudos to Rosenberg for keeping the series fresh.
April 22, 2010
What I loved about this series was that it was the anti-high fantasy. In the very first book of the series, seven role-playing college students are transported to the world of their game as their alter egos. Those who survive stay and bring technology--and a crusade against slavery to their new home. I did adore the idea of those college kids from contemporary America shaking up that brutal world, trying to bring to it the Industrial Revolution, democracy, and with it the end of slavery. And I liked the characters--Karl, Walter, Lou, Ahira, Andrea--and the conflict contemporary people brought to this medieval fantasy setting. So, the end of the last book killed off Karl. In a way I do feel it takes guts to have a Jossian ruthlessness towards your characters, that Rosenberg makes it clear no one is safe. On the other hand, somehow this did break the momentum for me. With this book, Jason and his generation born into this world of elves, dwarves and dragons take up the dreams of their parents. Though still readable and enjoyable, the series was just not the same. After this I lost interest in the series.
August 2, 2011
The 5th book in the Guardians of the Flame Series
No ... really he doesn't live. The author half hearted attempt to make you believe he didn't kill him in the previous book doesn't work. It makes for a decent coming of age for Jason, following in HUGE footsteps his father left. But this book would have been better attacted to the end of book 4 in my opinion. It is slow, not alot ... actually hardly any action. This book I believe is a bridge between the Flame series and the series that is to follow. They left alot of that old stuff behind, tied up some loose ends and get you ready to move forward with a new story ... I hope.
No ... really he doesn't live. The author half hearted attempt to make you believe he didn't kill him in the previous book doesn't work. It makes for a decent coming of age for Jason, following in HUGE footsteps his father left. But this book would have been better attacted to the end of book 4 in my opinion. It is slow, not alot ... actually hardly any action. This book I believe is a bridge between the Flame series and the series that is to follow. They left alot of that old stuff behind, tied up some loose ends and get you ready to move forward with a new story ... I hope.
August 21, 2010
Read bits and pieces of this series over the years. The original dungeon players from college now have grown kids who are taking over in the alternate world. Not bad. Bought for plane ride back to HI at small bookstore in OR--couple in front of me and the clerk were from Hawaii or had lived there.
November 25, 2024
Even though I've read these many times before and love this series this book and the last one really get me. In the last one he comes up against overwhelming odds and you know he is Carl Fing Cunningham the man, the myth, the one that Slovotsky turns to when he knows there is no why to win. He even knows that it's a no win situation that only someone like Slovotsky could pull off so he will obviously pull back. There is no way that our favorite hero will get killed off when Arta Myrdhyn's revenge plot hasn't been fully comprehend and shown to us.
Then this book makes you hope with its title and the way slaves are being killed by someone that has to be Carl. Obviously he survived or Arta Myrdhyn did something to save him. He will of course make him promise to give the sword to his son and help him with his quest that has been so long in the planning and staging of pieces. This is before GoT so no killing off main characters right...
I still love this series with the only complaint being that it's not in Audiobook format.
Then this book makes you hope with its title and the way slaves are being killed by someone that has to be Carl. Obviously he survived or Arta Myrdhyn did something to save him. He will of course make him promise to give the sword to his son and help him with his quest that has been so long in the planning and staging of pieces. This is before GoT so no killing off main characters right...
I still love this series with the only complaint being that it's not in Audiobook format.
December 2, 2025
Well, as the saying goes "You can't go back."
This applies to this book in more than one way. I originally read this in my early twenties, and loved the story premise, characters, and the concepts.
TImes change, and so did I. This story has become somewhat dated. Although true to the author's intent, now its themes are no longer those that resonate with me, and I find some of the characters moving now in directions I would no longer prefer.
It is sad to say goodbye to this old friend.
This applies to this book in more than one way. I originally read this in my early twenties, and loved the story premise, characters, and the concepts.
TImes change, and so did I. This story has become somewhat dated. Although true to the author's intent, now its themes are no longer those that resonate with me, and I find some of the characters moving now in directions I would no longer prefer.
It is sad to say goodbye to this old friend.
February 3, 2026
This feels like the second half of "The Heir Apparent". It is almost entirely concerned with tying up the various hanging threads from that book and does not tell its own story.
That said, we do get some excellent character development for Jason and some interesting changes for various supporting characters. Within the restrictions of the plot noted above, the narrative flow is good and the resolution of the story is strong.
I have really liked this series since it was first published, and I'll happily recommend both the series and this book.
That said, we do get some excellent character development for Jason and some interesting changes for various supporting characters. Within the restrictions of the plot noted above, the narrative flow is good and the resolution of the story is strong.
I have really liked this series since it was first published, and I'll happily recommend both the series and this book.
February 15, 2020
This book follows immediately on the action of the previous book, The Heir Apparent. Karl Cullinane is presumed dead, but rumors abound that the Warrior lives and the slavers are terrorized. Karl's son Jason embarks on a mission to determine if his father survived. A solid book, but the fantasy elements are quite muted (except for the dragon of course).
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October 23, 2025The word arrives that Karl Cullinane is dead. Jason, his son and heir, assumes command. He leads the inner circle of warriors and the dragon Ellegon against the evil Slaver's Guild. Then Jason learns his father still lives. When a dwarf appears, signaling death, Jason faces a choice and the full weight of kingship.
July 4, 2014
There's something to be said for a quick and easy book. Some positive things, in fact. It's entertaining and light without ever becoming a burden on your time. I read this one on a train trip from Maryland to New York (or almost to New York) and enjoyed it quite a lot.
The Warrior Lives is largely the story of Jason, son of a renowned hero, who is dealing with a terrible loss that happened in a previous book. It's put a lot of things on his shoulders - a legacy, an expectation, a concern. He has to fill his father's shoes, but he also needs to address that death himself and face his own hurt and worry.
It's sort of hard to describe the plot because there's not much of one. He's trying to deal with his new responsibilities when rumors start circulating that against all odds, maybe his father is still alive and kicking. So he and a group of people of varying loyalty join him on a journey to find the truth. And the rest of the story is just moving from place to place, asking after rumors, having small adventures, and moving on to the next place. It's not bad, it's just not terribly complex, which I think suited it.
The characters were interesting even if they occasionally strayed into the one-dimensional territory. This is a fifth book in a series, which might be part of the problem there. But that fact doesn't negatively impact the story. It was about the best way a later book in a series could be - clearly stuff for ongoing readers but clear enough for newcomers. Enjoyable.
The Warrior Lives is largely the story of Jason, son of a renowned hero, who is dealing with a terrible loss that happened in a previous book. It's put a lot of things on his shoulders - a legacy, an expectation, a concern. He has to fill his father's shoes, but he also needs to address that death himself and face his own hurt and worry.
It's sort of hard to describe the plot because there's not much of one. He's trying to deal with his new responsibilities when rumors start circulating that against all odds, maybe his father is still alive and kicking. So he and a group of people of varying loyalty join him on a journey to find the truth. And the rest of the story is just moving from place to place, asking after rumors, having small adventures, and moving on to the next place. It's not bad, it's just not terribly complex, which I think suited it.
The characters were interesting even if they occasionally strayed into the one-dimensional territory. This is a fifth book in a series, which might be part of the problem there. But that fact doesn't negatively impact the story. It was about the best way a later book in a series could be - clearly stuff for ongoing readers but clear enough for newcomers. Enjoyable.
January 15, 2008
Volume 5 of a series that went on too long. I don't get this book. It is just a bunch of heroes running around and not meeting each other until the end. It really hurts the book that its main plot point was already resolved in the previous book in the series. ??? I just don't get it.
July 31, 2016
Good transition in the series to the next stage.
UPDATE (2/24/15): reread to refresh the memory because I aim this year to read the last three in the series that I could never get into. This go around concurs with the "good transition", but I can see Rosenberg starting to get tired
UPDATE (2/24/15): reread to refresh the memory because I aim this year to read the last three in the series that I could never get into. This go around concurs with the "good transition", but I can see Rosenberg starting to get tired
February 15, 2012
Not my favorite book in the series. I just didn't have the same investment in Jason suceeding as I did with Karl. I don't know, it's a decent book, but after finishing it I couldn't really summon up any strong feelings either way. Hence, 3 stars.
October 31, 2012
While not as good as the previous books (and a little too short), this was still a good read. I feel bad about the loss of a main character but I liked the idea of what they did to keep his legend alive.
April 3, 2013
Continuing the series' downhill slide. This one has a plot that's paper-thin. *Nothing* happens for the first half of the book, then the second half is a big, obvious snipe hunt. Good characterization and an exciting very end are all that save the book.
September 1, 2016
This book switches to the son of the previous protagonist, and the writing seems more mature and assured, but very little actually happens. The entire book is wondering about what will happen in the end, and when we get there all the plot plays out in about ten pages.
October 30, 2008
Not quite as good as the first trilogy. I did not like the whole "Elvis is still alive" vibe.
November 26, 2009
5th book. not as good as others. should have been extension of 4th book
April 22, 2010
Spent the whole book trying to figure out if Karl was still alive. I am still mad at the author for killing him.
November 19, 2013
adventure in a Dungeons and dragons inspired series of books
October 3, 2011
How could the author do it? That's all I'm going to say. Read it and you'll know what I mean.
April 22, 2013
One of the slower books in the series, not bad, but still ended up enjoying it.
December 2, 2014
Joel Rosenberg likes to throw twists into his books. This one has a couple small twists making it a little more interesting.
February 19, 2015
Blegh....
I can't keep reading this crap
I can't keep reading this crap
March 15, 2015
donated to smith family charity march 2015
July 5, 2015
One of the best in the series!
February 15, 2016
Fantastic fantasy series. Modern day gamers get transported and inhabit the bodies of their fantasy characters. Excellent storyline. Highly recommended
July 17, 2016
Another solid addition to this series.
June 11, 2018
Book 5 in the Guardians of the flame novels is consistent as the first 4 books. As I stated on the other books in the series it has great dialogue but the stories are very rushed.
June 26, 2018
A good, adventurous, fun read. If you've made it this far in the series you know what to expect.I have twenty more words to use up so I'm just going to write a bunch of crap from here you can
If you've made it this far in the series you know what to expect. I really like the series and am looking for the download of number 6. If you can help me find it that would rock!
If you've made it this far in the series you know what to expect. I really like the series and am looking for the download of number 6. If you can help me find it that would rock!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews