Gary Gygax Books In Order

Publication Order of Dangerous Journeys Books

Publication Order of Greyhawk Books

Publication Order of Greyhawk: Gord the Rogue Books

Publication Order of Dungeons & Dragons Books

Publication Order of Dungeons & Dragons Game Books

Gary Gygax was an American game designer and author of reference, fantasy and science fiction books. He is best known for co-creating with Dave Arneson a role-playing game known as Dungeons & Dragons and also co-founding with Don Kaye a company known as Tactical Studies Rules (TSR, Inc). After quitting his role in TSR, Gary continued to create role-playing games independently including another popular gaming system known as Lejendary Adventure. He received more than ten awards and honors. He is remembered as the father of role-playing games and has received many honors, tributes, and awards related to gaming.
Gary Gygax became a published author in 1978 when his first gamebook Monster Manual was published. The author went on and published more than twelve gaming books and contributed to Greyhawk series and Greyhawk: Gord, the Rogue. However, Gary’s notable works of literature was Dangerous Journeys series debuting in 1989 with The Anubis Murders and concluding in 1992 with The Necropolis.

The Anubis Murders

The Anubis Murders the first book in Gary Gygax series Dangerous Journeys is a great way to begin a line about classic science fiction writers many of them still unknown to the common science fiction fans. But as James Sutter and Erik Mona exposed, there is a reason. Gary with his new role-playing game (not new any longer and famously known to most of us) and his novels which had a great impact and influenced classic authors exposed the readers to fantasy in different ways that had been forgotten in time

It’s true that science fantasy and fantasy still existed way before Gary became an author. However, the source that influenced these stories and the hobby in which the readers participate were all abandoned in the past. When reprinted, these stories lost much of their worth.

In The Anubis Murders, the author presents his readers to a world not so distinct from ours during the classical era. A world where Merlin is just a prominent wizard, where Camelot socialized with ancient Egypt, a land where ancient evil stirs and the gods influence the world. But why did the author begin with the Anubis Murders? Well, it’s because it’s an excellent place to start with.

The Anubis Murder story opens up with the assassination of a very potent sorcerer. An air elemental summoning backfires, and a demon consumes the magician. With the scene set, the reader is transported to Rachelle and Setne’s vacation where the wizard is interrupted by the arrival of three people from Avillon. They need his help to fight a blackmailer known as The Master of Jackals. At first, Setne is skeptical, but when the master of jackals is linked to ones of Setne’s native pantheon gods: Anubis, he feels compelled to fight for his honor.

The Anubis Murders is a refreshing read giving a refreshing look of the world, one of the first stories ever written where the main character is a cleric/wizard-priest. It’s unlikely to see a cleric play the main character role especially in a novel set during the classical era. Most of the books set in this period feature a sword-bearing man leading his people against their enemies or an adventurous character exploring the world. On the contrary, this is quite the opposite in Gary’s series debut novel.

The main character in the series debut novel is Setneh Inhetep, a wizard-priest, servant of the pharaoh, a man with a rich background, and a clever detective. What makes him human is the not only he has virtues but also because he has shortcoming behaviors that he understands, accepts and if possible can change. He takes the readers on an epic journey full of danger while studying his surrounding, seeing beyond the reader’s sight, and giving very few clues so that the readers can make their own conclusions.

In the end, The Anubis Murders is a pulp era detective story in a world not so different from ours, where magic should have simplified everything to an early conclusion. Gary Gygax wasn’t a mystery writer but was one of the finest imaginations where magic is the center stage of the crimes committed.

Saga of Old City

Saga of Old City is the first book in Greyhawk series by Gary Gygax. The main character is Gord the Rogue, a professional thief whom we follow from his humble beginnings as a beggar-thief in the city of Greyhawk. The first few chapters of the novel we see him in his early encounters, his involvement in a turf war, fleshing out of the city and he comes out as a likable character. He is a man with strong wit and charm, and his scam tricks make the book an easy read.
The middle chapters of the book we see Gord romancing, adventuring and find his way out of the Greyhawk city traveling across the Bandit Land, and through another city to the Great Kingdom. Throughout the story, we get to see Gord develop as a character and a decent in depth into his adventures.

The real purpose of Gord in addition to picking up some great skills, finding cool weapons makes this book an exciting read. the story has a patched up episodic feel which emulates pulp fantasy the original inspiration of DnD game.

In the last third of the Saga of Old City, we see Gord establish links with other important characters such as Cher, Gellor, and Curly. We also see him on his trip to a dungeon, and his encounter with a nasty demon. The first book in Greyhawk series is an interesting read. Gary Gygax has added a good balance of purpose, action, humor, and character. It’s a great story that falls in the fantasy category and reads like Grey Mouser. Just like Fafhrd the barbarian, Gord also adds companions to his adventures which make the story an interesting read. As with the sorcery and sword genre, no spanning events take place in this story, adventure, and survival. There are forest adventures, cities, and an actual dungeon.