Guardians of the Flame is a portal fantasy series by author Joel Rosenberg, and arguably his best-known work. The series is about a group of college students who participate in a fantasy role-playing game, and are magically transported to the world of the game by their gamemaster.

It had begun as an evening of fantasy gaming - college students passing the time. Then the impossible the players found themselves transported into the bodies and personae of their game characters - trapped in an alternate world where magic worked all too well, dragons were a fire-breathing menace, and only those quick enough with a sword, or their wits, survived.

The only way back to Earth was a legendary portal called the Gate Between Worlds, but there was no guarantee they'd pass through safely even if they managed to find it. And their new selves had precious little time to devote to the search; they were too busy just trying to stay alive. . .