Demian's Gamebook Web Page

Item - The Prisoners of Time

Please log in to manage your collection or post a review.

(Original British (Beaver) edition)
(Original British (Beaver) edition)
(Original British (Beaver) edition)
(British (Red Fox) edition)
(British (Red Fox) edition)
(British (Red Fox) edition)
(American edition)
(American edition)
(American edition)
To see more images, switch to Edition View.

Combined Summary

Online Full Text: Project Aon (Project Aon edition)
Series: Lone Wolf (1984-1998) — no. 11
Lone Wolf, Collector's Edition (2007-) no. 11
Platform: Web Browser (Project Aon edition)
Translated Into: Banduan masa (Malay)
Die Gefangenen der Zeit (German)
I prigionieri del tempo (Italian)
Prisioneros del tiempo (Spanish)
Les Prisonniers du temps (French)
Tidens fångar (Swedish)
Zajatci času (Czech)
Author: Dever, Joe
Illustrators: Fieldhouse, Angus (Original British (Beaver) edition - cover)
Jones, Peter Andrew (British (Red Fox) edition - cover)
McPheeters, Neal (American edition - cover)
Williams, Brian (Original British (Beaver) edition - interior; American edition - interior; British (Red Fox) edition - interior; Project Aon edition - interior)
Dates: December 10, 1987 (Original British (Beaver) edition)
April, 1989 (American edition)
1990 (British (Red Fox) edition)
August 8, 2002 (Project Aon edition)
ISBNs: 009951320X / 9780099513209 (Original British (Beaver) edition, British (Red Fox) edition)
0425115682 / 9780425115688 (American edition)
Length: 350 sections (Original British (Beaver) edition, British (Red Fox) edition, American edition, Project Aon edition)
Number of Endings: 12 (not including failure by loss of points) (Original British (Beaver) edition, British (Red Fox) edition, American edition, Project Aon edition)
Cover Price: US$2.95 (American edition)
Special Thanks: Original British (Beaver) edition, British (Red Fox) edition:
Thanks to Ryan Lynch for the front cover, back cover, spine and title page verso images and Luke Sheridan for the spread scan.
User Summary: Due to a Darklord trap, you (and the remaining Lorestones) are trapped on the Daziarn Plane.
Demian's Thoughts:

This is an extremely disappointing book. Although it does have some merit thanks to the strange environment of the Daziarn Plane, some colorful characters, interesting revelations about Lone Wolf's role in the universe, and a surprising reunion (that's unfortunately spoiled in advance if you accidentally see the wrong illustration), its flaws really outweigh its good points. To an even greater extent than The Cauldron of Fear, it's an extremely linear adventure, with more page-turning than choice-making. It seems that by this point, the author was getting tired and just wanted to force things along to their conclusion. Another flaw shared with The Cauldron of Fear is the fact that this adventure is effectively unwinnable if you bring the Sommerswerd along. I can see how it would be fair to make the book more challenging for Sommerswerd-wielding readers; after all, wielding such a powerful weapon is generally an unfair advantage. However, to make victory impossible for players who have faithfully followed the storyline from the beginning is frustrating and makes no sense plot-wise; after all, why would Lone Wolf ever choose to leave his best weapon behind? Of course, regardless of the Sommerswerd issue, the book ends with not one but two nasty combats in rapid succession. These aren't unwinnable, but to lose them is endlessly frustrating, since the book is so linear that replay is tedious rather than exciting. In any case, this all goes to show that, while I have praised the Lone Wolf game system in the past, it does have major flaws in the area of combat balance -- by this point in the series, most fights are either too easy or completely impossible, and it detracts from the reading experience. I had to cheat to win here, and I really hate having to do that. If you need to visit the Daziarn, try the World of Lone Wolf series instead; this book reminded me of my sadness over the brevity of Grey Star's time in the spotlight.

More reviews by Demian

Special Thanks:Thanks to Marcus Pearse for the Red Fox cover scan that was used here previously; thanks to Ryan Lynch for all of the current British images.
Users Who Own This Item: aehalpin, Alarion, Alatar001, aldinozz (beaver), AlHazred, andyr, angriestmonster, Aniline, Ardennes, auximenes, Avenger (Berkley), B0N0V0X, Barker1952, Belgarath, bookwormjeff (Beaver, Berkley), Braldt, brujeria!, casperthegoth, Citanul, Crazyscotsman, CSquared, c_wickham (physical Red Fox edition + for Kindle), dArtagnan, dave2002a, dblizzard72, DeKoovenWolf (Red Fox edition), Demian (American first printing), demon of the deep lt, desdichado66, devilsboy, Dirk Omnivore, Dronak (US), Eamonn McCusker, Ed, edwebb, EegahInc, egokun, Erikwinslow (US, UK (Beaver)), Ffghtermedic, firaya, firefoxpdm, Gamebook, Gamehorder, Gartax, gnomeza (Red Fox), greyarea13, Haoie, Himynameistony, hoops4ever, Ian2405, jdreller, jeffreylee, jr (Beaver), Jubal, juski, katzcollection (Beaver and American editions), killagarilla, kinderstef, knginatl, Kojiro, Lambchop, le maudit, LordJR, Luke, Malthus Dire, MarcusP, marginal_space, marksmith, marnaudo, mattender, mir1812, mlvoss, Morthynmir, mvstang, nelsondesign, nerelax, nicolau (Spanish ed. Alfaguara), Oberonbombadil (Beaver - 2 copies), outspaced, Pessimeister (first beaver edition), peterm2, Pirrakas, plowboy (Beaver and Red Fox), Pseudo_Intellectual, redeyeball, redpiper05, rpatel1976 (beaver), ryderark (Red Fox), Salpynx (Beaver), Sheridan77, Sir Olli, sireeyore (American), snakefire77 (beaver edition), spragmatic (US), StagQuests (Beaver), Superfro, Surcal (Beaver), Tamerlane1396, ThePaperCrow (Berkley), Threepwud, Treguard, Tremendez, truce57, twar, TWolf, wonderfly, xinuz, Yalius, zat
Users Who Want This Item: bookwormjeff (Red Fox), Cyan, Grifter, Hugues, MasterChief, Mr ?, mrwalker, NEMO (beaver,red fox,american), odo_ital, plutonick, Samus, Surcal (Redfox), yermither
Users with Extra Copies: andyr - Red Fox
DeKoovenWolf - American edition
mvstang
peterm2
Pirrakas - Berkley/Pacer
redpiper05 - Red fox, very good cond.
sireeyore - American
Threepwud

Known Editions

Original British (Beaver) edition
British (Red Fox) edition
American edition
Project Aon edition
Lone Wolf (2007-) edition (in The Prisoners of Time (collector's edition))

Please log in to manage your collection or post a review.

Related Documents

Play Aid

Lone Wolf # 9 / #10 / #11 / #12 Character Sheet (back)

Lone Wolf #11 Character Sheet (front)