RPG and TTRPG Novels?

Hey, I was just reading GRAYSHADE by Gregory Wilson, a novel set in the grimdark (but with glimmers of hope and redemption) universe of the Grayshade TTRPG.


(I was inspired to pick it up by the MIDNIGHT/PF 1E RPG game by HeroOfSometimes that is currently recruiting on GP, a grimdark setting if ever there was one, with players more or less fugitives from an oppressive evil-god-driven regime.)


I don't usually read about assassin main characters but it's entertaining and twisty so far.

And I thought, perhaps others have enjoyed some fic set in an RPG universe, or at least have a few on their To-Be-Read pile?

I've read severe litrpg recent, Eric Ugland has a couple series that are in parallel called The Good Guys and The Bad Guys. Another good series are Antimage , Battle Mage Farmer and Tower

I enjoyed many of the Legend of Drizzt books. They are set in Forgotten Realms, the default setting for Dungeons and Dragons. The story follows an outcast drow trying to find his place in the world above, and ultimately, into legend.Is it cheating if a game was made after the story? If not, I enjoyed the Dresdan Files. Urban Fantasy setting with plenty of magic and mystery.

Does Dragonlance count? I remember liking the novels as a teen, although I do have some reservations about how much I would enjoy them nowadays. :D It did spawn a lot of curious media in general, too - I especially enjoy the music about it.

there is a great 1980s steampunk RPG called Space: 1889, that stemmed a much later series of novels set in that universe, that were quite fun. Victorians in space!

The setting was later adapted for Savage Worlds.

Victorians in outer space would be a blast! I'll have to get my hands on that SW setting.

There's a series of LitRPG novels from Rob Steiner that I enjoyed. Basic Premise: Five friends get sucked into a fantasy game and inhabit the bodies of their characters. They have to beat the game in order to survive and escape back to the real world. Along the way, there's some personal character growth, so it's more than just hack and slash.

The Tomb of Angelus is the first book in the series. Then...
The Haunt of Angelus
The Shade of Angelus
The Storm of Angelus

Full Disclosure: I'm friends with the author and a proofreader of his. While I didn't care for posting character sheet updates, Rob explained to me that it was part of the genre. I just skimmed those parts.

Character updates get tedious in audiobook format. I prefer when authors keep them at the end of the chapter

There's a cool book called The Poison Eater by Shanna Germain of Monte Cook Games fame. It's set in MCG astounding TTRPG world of Numenera. What I liked about it was an insight from someone who's played Numenera with the writers of that game/setting. It wasn't entirely what I expected, and got a little strange and hard to follow later in the book, but I loved the depiction of that world and society.

Here are a couple I thought worked well that haven't been mentioned,

Strangeness in Proportion by Joshua Alan Doetsch (World of Darkness)

I, Strahd by P.N. Elrod (Ravenloft)
Vampire of the Mists by Christie Golden (Ravenloft)
Knight of the Black Rose by James Lowder (Ravenloft, but this is a continuation of the story of Lord Soth, a character from Dragonlance)

*I posted links, but if you use the referral link at the bottom, GP gets money.

@Everyone, thanks for the recs and I hope they'll keep coming!
Oooh, I liked the Drizz't trilogies too! (With the exception of Spine of the World which focused on Wulfgar's brutal experiences without his party and got a little too dystopian for me.) I liked that some of the villains (or at least morally grey characters) ended up being protagonists of later books too.
Still counts to me! I've read I think the first 14 or 16 or so Dresden books before I had to take a break because (sorry, I am that reader) some of my favorite characters died in a way that made me like the direction the story was turning less, and I've read many Terry Pratchett books whom Jim Butcher has said at conventions people should study if they want to learn how to set up a joke....but of the two, I've only played in the GURPS Discworld not the Dresden RPG.

Heirs of Ash, book one is the first in a series of 3 that will give an exciting introduction to the Eberron setting

The Warhammer fantasy novels of the 80s and 90s were especially good, in particular those by ‘Jack Yeovil’ (Pen name of horror writer , Kim Newman) and Steven Saville.

I've only had the somewhat privilege to read solely in the D&D universe. With Dragonlance, Drizzt, and whathaveyou. Nothing too impressive compared to others. I suppose if you considerd Star Wars I could get another pass, but that's about it.

One of my favorite series was the Black Company back in the day, but while I think there was some game media I don't think a tabletop game came of it.

I tend to read Warhammer Fantasy Novels for inspiration and guidance as a WFRP GM. I rarely read fantasy novels beyond that limited shelf preferring historical fiction of authors like Bernard Cornwell, Alexander Kent and C.S. Forrester.

I recently bought the humble bundle for all the Shadowrun novels, so been working my way through them during my lunch break at work. The quality has been variable, but they've all been quick reads.

I also read a lot of the Eberron novels and a back in the day, as well as the first couple of Drizzt triologies.