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Lone Wolf #14
The Captives of Kaag
You are Lone Wolf – Kai Grand Master of Sommerlund. After the demise of the Darklords of Helgedad, the fearsome city-fortress of Kaag became a refuge for the remains of their broken armies. Defeated and powerless, these minions seemed doomed to live in bitter isolation from the rest of Magnamund. But now a new evil is stirring deep within the dungeons of Kaag…
In The Captives of Kaag, you must venture alone into the black heart of Kaag, to free your friend from the forces which imprison him against his will. Will you succeed? Or will you and Banedon fall victom to the evil power which commands this fortress of nightmares?
Using high quality paper and hardbound for durability, this Collector's Edition of the latest Lone Wolf gamebook marks the return of the last Kai Lord.
In The Captives of Kaag, you must venture alone into the black heart of Kaag, to free your friend from the forces which imprison him against his will. Will you succeed? Or will you and Banedon fall victom to the evil power which commands this fortress of nightmares?
Using high quality paper and hardbound for durability, this Collector's Edition of the latest Lone Wolf gamebook marks the return of the last Kai Lord.
282 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
1 person is currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Joe Dever
216 books170 followersJoe Dever was an award-winning British fantasist and game designer. Originally a musician, Dever became the first British winner of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Championship of America in 1982.
He created the fictional world of Magnamund as a setting for his Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. In 1984 he released the first book of the Lone Wolf series of young-adult gamebooks, and the series has since sold over 10.2 million copies worldwide. He experienced difficulty with his publishers as the game books market began to contract in 1995, until publication ceased in 1998 before the final four books (numbers 29-32) were released. Since 2003, however, the series has enjoyed a strong revival of interest in France, Italy, and Spain following the re-release of the gamebook series in these countries.
From 1996 onwards, Dever was involved in the production of several successful computer and console games. He also contributed to a Dungeons & Dragons-style role playing game for Lone Wolf published by Mongoose Publishing (UK) in 2004. Currently he is Lead Designer of a Lone Wolf computer game, and he is writing the final books in the Lone Wolf series. No official publication schedule exists for these works.
He created the fictional world of Magnamund as a setting for his Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. In 1984 he released the first book of the Lone Wolf series of young-adult gamebooks, and the series has since sold over 10.2 million copies worldwide. He experienced difficulty with his publishers as the game books market began to contract in 1995, until publication ceased in 1998 before the final four books (numbers 29-32) were released. Since 2003, however, the series has enjoyed a strong revival of interest in France, Italy, and Spain following the re-release of the gamebook series in these countries.
From 1996 onwards, Dever was involved in the production of several successful computer and console games. He also contributed to a Dungeons & Dragons-style role playing game for Lone Wolf published by Mongoose Publishing (UK) in 2004. Currently he is Lead Designer of a Lone Wolf computer game, and he is writing the final books in the Lone Wolf series. No official publication schedule exists for these works.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 14, 2024
The world of Magnamund has not aligned in perfect harmony even after you, legendary freedom fighter Lone Wolf, struck the miraculous death blow against the undead Darklords of Helgedad. Now that this most worrisome wildfire has been permanently doused, it is up to you, the last Magnakai warrior, to stomp out the little fires that still threaten on the periphery, and these minor blazes have plenty of heat to burn you to a crisp if you're not careful. In the ruined lands of the Darklords, somewhere in the stronghold of Kaag, your friend and ally Guildmaster Banedon is being held captive by the remnants of the Darklords' army. You fear they have already started torturing Banedon to make him give up the secrets of Left-handed magic that have served and protected the peace-loving citizens of Magnamund in the two and a half decades since the Kai monastery was destroyed and you, Lone Wolf, were left as sole survivor. For the secrets of Old Kingdom sorcery to fall into the hands of the enemy could return Magnamund to an era as bleak and nearly hopeless as that of the Darklords. You are the only one capable of sneaking into Kaag and freeing Banedon before his captors extract their pound of flesh, one way or another.
The road to Kaag is full of traps, but your Magnakai and Grand Master disciplines honed through the first thirteen Lone Wolf books should get you to the city. Your foes possess higher Combat Skill and Endurance thresholds than ever, and you will have to use every ounce of Kai acumen at your disposal to hold off the enemy in its multitudinous forms. Once inside the forbidding central fortress of Kaag, the passageways crawl with evil creatures, barbarians and wizards and hybrid monsters that couldn't exist if not for the dark powers that created them. I can't see how you'll make it through the adventure if you don't have the Grand Master discipline of Deliverance, as I had to add those crucial twenty extra Endurance points multiple times in The Captives of Kaag. Avoid combat wherever you can, for the most seasoned of Kai warriors will rank below most enemies in fighting skill and stamina, so you can only endure a few altercations before the disparity catches up with you. You need to find Banedon as quickly as possible and exit the fortress, or there's no way you'll make it out alive.
Pay close attention to which Grand Master disciplines you have earned, and let that inform the decisions you make. Kai-surge and Kai-screen are especially useful if you're likely to face off against supernatural beings; Grand Huntmastery is indispensable in the wild, Grand Nexus if you're in danger from extreme heat or cold, Animal Mastery if you're going to need an advantage over animals. Choices are rarely completely straightforward in Lone Wolf books, but keep an eye on where you are and what disciplines you've attained if you want to make it to the end of The Captives of Kaag. Your flight from the dark is no easy one, even with the enhanced skills you've developed in your adventures so far, but a Magnakai master is capable of anything. On behalf of the Kai who came before you, and all who were slain by the scourge of evil pouring out of Helgedad, fight courageously for peace and freedom against the minions of destruction. Despite overwhelming odds, there is always a way for Lone Wolf to emerge victorious. Find it, brave warrior.
The copy I read of The Captives of Kaag is an American Berkley Pacer. Unfortunately, that means roughly fifty pages of the action has been cut. The same was true for my copy of book thirteen, The Plague Lords of Ruel, but it matters significantly more in The Captives of Kaag because the abridging isn't done well. Depending on which choices you make early in the story, you may be confusingly (and illogically) led back in a loop to the same starting point, so what appears to be a delightful array of choices narrows to far fewer. This is a big disappointment, but can't totally overshadow the excitement of Lone Wolf's continuing quest. However, I would strongly recommend one pick up a British Red Fox edition of The Captives of Kaag instead of the American version, since the narrative is presented in its entirety just as Joe Dever originally wrote it. British copies of Lone Wolf books can be scarce and pricy, but they're worth the hassle to procure. In my opinion, no other gamebook series can touch Lone Wolf at its best.
Joe Dever is an extraordinary fantasy writer, his descriptions brimming with literary quality and fantastic imagination, and he hasn't lost a bit of that wonderful linguistic energy fourteen books into the series. The Captives of Kaag is another high-stakes, high-reward foray into the fascinating dark reaches of an enemy kingdom, and loyal readers of all thirteen books leading up to it are likely to come across some old friends and enemies in these pages. Magnamund rarely fails to yield surprises. The Captives of Kaag isn't the best of the Lone Wolf series, but it moves quickly and offers action in abundance, and I'm looking forward to questing again soon in the fifteenth book, The Darke Crusade. To wicked Magnaarn and his co-conspirators in oppressing the people of Lencia, I say: We're coming for you.
The road to Kaag is full of traps, but your Magnakai and Grand Master disciplines honed through the first thirteen Lone Wolf books should get you to the city. Your foes possess higher Combat Skill and Endurance thresholds than ever, and you will have to use every ounce of Kai acumen at your disposal to hold off the enemy in its multitudinous forms. Once inside the forbidding central fortress of Kaag, the passageways crawl with evil creatures, barbarians and wizards and hybrid monsters that couldn't exist if not for the dark powers that created them. I can't see how you'll make it through the adventure if you don't have the Grand Master discipline of Deliverance, as I had to add those crucial twenty extra Endurance points multiple times in The Captives of Kaag. Avoid combat wherever you can, for the most seasoned of Kai warriors will rank below most enemies in fighting skill and stamina, so you can only endure a few altercations before the disparity catches up with you. You need to find Banedon as quickly as possible and exit the fortress, or there's no way you'll make it out alive.
Pay close attention to which Grand Master disciplines you have earned, and let that inform the decisions you make. Kai-surge and Kai-screen are especially useful if you're likely to face off against supernatural beings; Grand Huntmastery is indispensable in the wild, Grand Nexus if you're in danger from extreme heat or cold, Animal Mastery if you're going to need an advantage over animals. Choices are rarely completely straightforward in Lone Wolf books, but keep an eye on where you are and what disciplines you've attained if you want to make it to the end of The Captives of Kaag. Your flight from the dark is no easy one, even with the enhanced skills you've developed in your adventures so far, but a Magnakai master is capable of anything. On behalf of the Kai who came before you, and all who were slain by the scourge of evil pouring out of Helgedad, fight courageously for peace and freedom against the minions of destruction. Despite overwhelming odds, there is always a way for Lone Wolf to emerge victorious. Find it, brave warrior.
The copy I read of The Captives of Kaag is an American Berkley Pacer. Unfortunately, that means roughly fifty pages of the action has been cut. The same was true for my copy of book thirteen, The Plague Lords of Ruel, but it matters significantly more in The Captives of Kaag because the abridging isn't done well. Depending on which choices you make early in the story, you may be confusingly (and illogically) led back in a loop to the same starting point, so what appears to be a delightful array of choices narrows to far fewer. This is a big disappointment, but can't totally overshadow the excitement of Lone Wolf's continuing quest. However, I would strongly recommend one pick up a British Red Fox edition of The Captives of Kaag instead of the American version, since the narrative is presented in its entirety just as Joe Dever originally wrote it. British copies of Lone Wolf books can be scarce and pricy, but they're worth the hassle to procure. In my opinion, no other gamebook series can touch Lone Wolf at its best.
Joe Dever is an extraordinary fantasy writer, his descriptions brimming with literary quality and fantastic imagination, and he hasn't lost a bit of that wonderful linguistic energy fourteen books into the series. The Captives of Kaag is another high-stakes, high-reward foray into the fascinating dark reaches of an enemy kingdom, and loyal readers of all thirteen books leading up to it are likely to come across some old friends and enemies in these pages. Magnamund rarely fails to yield surprises. The Captives of Kaag isn't the best of the Lone Wolf series, but it moves quickly and offers action in abundance, and I'm looking forward to questing again soon in the fifteenth book, The Darke Crusade. To wicked Magnaarn and his co-conspirators in oppressing the people of Lencia, I say: We're coming for you.
August 3, 2012
Much easier than the previous instalment, The Plague Lords of Ruel, this is typical Lone Wolf adventure in the infiltration of the enemy stronghold style. It was a lot of fun trying to sneak in and avoid needless fights, and then to get out alive. One strange loop section which I am not sure was either intentional or some kind of typo was a bit irritating, but otherwise it fun.
It was also interesting to see what was happening with the bad guys after the fall of the Dark Lords. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues to develop.
It was also interesting to see what was happening with the bad guys after the fall of the Dark Lords. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story continues to develop.
May 24, 2018
Realistically this one is just OK, but it's notable for not really having anything wrong with it. The previous ones that have been good have mostly been "good, but..." whereas this one is really just OK. I don't for one second believe that Dever actually mastered game balance, but whether by intent or by chance this one is actually almost reasonable.
June 29, 2021
Joe Dever's Lone Wolf gamebooks were a consistent presence during my formative years and have had a big influence on my reading and gaming interests. I first started reading them in 1989 and continued to do so until 1999. With the resurgence of new Lone Wolf material in recent years, I've decided to revisit these nostalgic gems of my youth.
Book 14: The Captives of Kaag
(published 1987, first read 1989)
Story: 4/5
Game: 4/5
Replayability: 5/5
Book 14: The Captives of Kaag
(published 1987, first read 1989)
Story: 4/5
Game: 4/5
Replayability: 5/5
will-probably-never-read
October 13, 2008this is interesting. a RPG style novella. part of the Lone Wolf series?
looks like Choose your Own Adventure combined with Dungeons and Dragons
checking Wikipedia, it looks like there's a whole series of gamebooks. cool.
looks like Choose your Own Adventure combined with Dungeons and Dragons
checking Wikipedia, it looks like there's a whole series of gamebooks. cool.
March 20, 2015
Très bon livre. Beaucoup d'action, des créatures originales et monstrueuses et surtout une fin fort intéressante!
January 2, 2020
Another smaller-scale story, our protagonist is looking for a kidnapped friend, the location is new and the prose is as good as the previous book, a small reduction in needless complexity and a great increase in the quality has resulted in two very good books so far, I'm really liking the Grandmaster series of books so far.
August 25, 2022
Ho trovato l’espediente e alla fine la vera motivazione del cattivo molto debole: unica pecca che a mio avviso ha questo libro. Comunque è stato d’intrattenimento, con la giusta dose di enigmi, combattimenti e tiri di fortuna. Un boss finale un po’ difficile da buttare giù ma è andata anche stavolta.
June 4, 2025
A decent Lone Wolf with an interesting premise. However, the story itself offers nothing special until you save Banedon. There's little exposition to what's actually going on within the fortress, but a few nice touches that allow the reader to figure out who took over Kaag.
On the matter of game balance though, I feel Joe Dever did a much better job this time. No fights feel undoable anymore unless you're using a certain sword, which leaves enough room to wield less powerful weapons while still standing a chance. The balance around old Magnakai disciplines and the new Grandmaster ones is handled in a much better way.
On the matter of game balance though, I feel Joe Dever did a much better job this time. No fights feel undoable anymore unless you're using a certain sword, which leaves enough room to wield less powerful weapons while still standing a chance. The balance around old Magnakai disciplines and the new Grandmaster ones is handled in a much better way.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews