English novel John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" (1678) and Aphra Behn's "Oroonoko" (1688) are also contenders, while earlier works such as Sir Thomas Malory's "Morte d'Arthur", and even the "Prologue" to Geoffrey Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales" have been suggested. Another important early novel is "Gulliver's Travels" (1726, amended 1735), by Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift, which is both a satire of human nature, as well as a parody of travellers' tales like "Robinson Crusoe". The rise of the novel as an important literary genre is generally associated with the growth of the middle class in England. Other major 18th-century English novelists are
The Rod of Seven Parts (novel) to maintain the 'live and direct from the tabletop' feel. If your gaming palette has become jaded of late, it's an ideal tonic." The Rod of Seven Parts (novel) The Rod of Seven Parts is a fantasy novel by Douglas Niles, based on the "Dungeons & Dragons" role-playing game, and published in 1996. Kip Kayle, a thief, accidentally gets involved in a quest to restore the Rod of Seven Parts, and as the quest progresses it leads to a vast cosmic battle between the forces of Law and Chaos. Trenton Webb reviewed "The Rod of Seven Parts" for "Arcane" magazine,