Which Gamebook to choose? - Guide for Beginners

LAST UPDATED 24,  June 2024

If you just found out about Gamebooks, or you're a returning aficionado after some years of hiatus, this simple guide might help you get into this hobby. If you're a current Gamebook veteran, you might find something new in this list.

Before I start, here is a short disclaimer:

• This list will be updated every couple of months.
• All of the books I show here are IN PRINT and can be bought new at regular prices in most places.
• This list only shows books that I know a lot about or I've read.
• You can suggest other books, and I'll try to add them to this list.
• This entire list is just my opinion.

The gamebooks listed here should be great for someone completely new to this hobby. It doesn't mean they are easy or hard to complete, but, they are easy to understand and progress. But, before we start, consider reading these two guides I've made. One is about what you need to have on hand before you read a Gamebook, and the other is more important since it'll teach you how do to mapping, which will be a useful skill to have in a lot of Gamebooks.

Click here if you want to know what you need to play Gamebooks.

Click here if you want to learn more about mapping.

Classic Gamebooks

These Gamebooks were released or are part of a series that started in the 80's/90's. Their gameplay is now considered traditional, old, and maybe basic. Keep in mind, these Gamebooks are NOT BAD, they're just old.

This series is the grandad of Gamebooks. Created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone in the 80s', it still is a very solid series, which even to this day, gets some new and old releases.

The current reprints of the old books (from publisher Scholastic) have a more graphic novel art style but the new ones, such as Shadow of the Giants, went back to the old "Warhammer" style of art. The reprints are the same as the originals from the 80s' and 90s'. Each book has its own story (in the Fighting Fantasy world of Titan or somewhere else specific to the book), so, you can really choose or read any that interests you in any order.

Here are the ones you should consider as your first adventure.

• Warlock of the Firetop Mountain (The first Gamebook ever)
• City of Thieves
• The Forest of Doom
• Deathtrap Dungeon
• Island of the Lizard King
• Shadow of the Giants (Just a suggestion, to increase lore and immersion, read it only after finishing the Warlock of the Firetop Mountain)

If you want in-depth reviews of Fighting Fantasy, Gamebook Odyssey has a great compilation of reviews of all the classic releases (including out-of-print releases).

Pros

+ Since each book is its own story, it fits a lot of different adventures and themes, like sci-fi or modern times alongside fantasy themes.

+ Some of these books have truly amazing adventures that stood the test of time.

Neutral

o The gameplay is very simple overall for most books

o You need/should map your adventure every time, because...

Cons

- There is perma-death, meaning, you need to start from the beginning of the book each time you die.

The other grandad series of Gamebooks. It also started in the 80s' but it recently got reprints as "definitive editions" with amazing new cover designs but with all the original art intact inside the book, alongside some extra lore-related pages at the end of the books.

The main difference between the Lone Wolf series when compared to Fighting Fantasy is that, Lone Wolf is a single-character story arc (or arcs), across several books. When you finish book 1, you start book 2, with the same character, skills, and items you had at the end of book 1, and so on.

If this interests you, start on the very first book, Flight from the Dark, and if you enjoy it, read the entire Kai story arc that goes until Book 5 Shadow on the Sand. Here are the books to look up for (in this order):

• Book 1 - Flight from the Dark (start here)
• Book 2 - Fire on the Water
• Book 3 - The Caverns of Kalte
• Book 4 - The Chasm of Doom
• Book 5 - Shadow on the Sand

There are many more books and story arcs that continue the journey of your character, but, this is the first story arc, and that's where you should start.

You can check Gamebook Odyssey for in-depth reviews of Lone Wolf books.

Click here for the Lone Wolf Official Website

Also, if you want to try these books for free, you can find them here (this was approved by the original author).

Pros

+ If you enjoy your first few adventures, you'll have a massive campaign in front of you.

+ There are lots of choices regarding the development of your hero, and how to progress through the story.

Neutral

o I recommend you use a D10 (ten-sided die) for rolls, and not the numbered table inside the book.

o Combat might be a hit or miss for some people

o You need/should map your adventure every time, because...

Cons

- There is perma-death, meaning, you need to start from the beginning of the book you're reading each time you die, and you need to reset your character sheet to how it was at the beginning of that book.

These books created by Dave Morris are more of a "Choose your own Adventure" than a full-on RPG Gamebook since there are no dice rolls, and it's mostly just choice-based. This is fine, because, the outcome of the decisions you do make sense depending on the skills of the character you choose (or created) at the start. Heart of Ice is considered by many one of the best Gamebooks ever, so, if you don't know which one to pick up from these four, just go with that one.

• Heart of Ice (recommended) (Sci-fi, Post Apocalypse, Ice Age theme)
• Necklace of Skulls (Maya Civilization theme)
• Down Among the Dead Men (Pirates theme)
• Once Upon a Time in Arabia (Arabian Nights theme)

Pros

+ Very easy to pick up and play, since there is no dice rolling.

+ Stories feel like novels and less "gamey".

Neutral

o Some books might be a hit or miss.

o I think mapping here is very optional, you'll be fine if you don't map.

o There is perma-death, but, every time you restart, you can choose a different set of abilities and have a completely different adventure.

Cons

- They feel short, even with all the replay value.

Fabled Lands is the original open-world Gamebook series, created by Dave Morris and Jamie Thomson. Each book represents a location on the world map, and you can freely explore it, go on adventures, and move back and forth between books. It's recommended you start in Book 1 The War-Torn Kingdom, and then move to Book 2 Cities of Gold and Glory, because difficulty increases between each book. The main downside is that the initial plan was to have 12 books released, and currently, there are only seven, with no indication of a continuation, but, there might be an 8th book in the works. The other downside, at least in earlier books, there isn't a grand story tying everything (as far as I know), you're just going on adventures, which is ok if you're looking for that.

• Book 1 The War-Torn Kingdom (start here)
• Book 2 Cities of Gold and Glory

Pros

+ Open-world with 7 released books, and lots of adventures!

Neutral

o You'll need to map each location you find in each book so you don't get lost, since you'll be visiting previous locations and you'll want to know how to get back to those.

o No big overarching story.

o Perma-death but with some resurrection options.

Cons

- Currently unfinished series, without any release window for book 8.

Modern Gamebooks

These gamebooks have modern standards in mind, be it with better gameplay or the lack of perma-death. The stories also feel less teen-rated, moving towards more of a grown-up audience.

This is usually my main recommendation for people who are thinking of reading a Gamebook. It helps if you've played a board game or videogame before since this one might be a bit heavy on tracking everything going on in the later stages of the books.

DestinyQuest series was inspired by games such as Warcraft and Diablo, and it shows. The lore reminds me of Warcraft, and the gameplay feels as if Diablo was shrunken down into a book.

There are two trilogies and a spin-off in this series. The first trilogy is connected through the lore of each book but you play with a different character in each book. In the second trilogy (lore-wise, happens after the end of the first trilogy), you need to start in book 4 and keep playing the same character in each book.

These are huge Gamebooks, with a bunch of lore/story exposition, and a lot of loot!

In each book, you'll be able to choose a main path (Warrior, Rogue, or Mage), and a career that varies in each book, but expect careers like Assassin for Rogues, Runecaster for Mages, and Dark Templar for Warriors. Your path, career, and equipment will shape your character and abilities, and there can be a lot of strategy during combat because enemies also have abilities to use against you.

Each book will feature 2 to 3 Acts, in each act, you'll have a number of quests. Just choose a quest and off you go on an adventure. Once you finish the quest, go back to the Act's map, and choose a new one, until you defeat the final boss of that Act and move to the next Act. If you die, you can retry the same fight (as many times as you want unless stated otherwise), or choose a different quest from the Act's map.

Each book is filled with secrets, rare loot, puzzles, lore, stories, and fights. I would suggest starting on Book 1 - The Legion of Shadow, but keep in mind the book is a bit unbalanced and Act 1 of that book is not that good, however, it picks up in Act 2 and has a good finale in Act 3. If you want, you can jump right into Book 2 - The Heart of Fire, which is absolutely amazing, and just perfect, however, you'll enjoy Book 2 more if you have played Book 1 previously.

You can also start on the second trilogy, in Book 4 - The Raiders of Dune Sea, keep in mind you can only play Book 5 if you've finished Book 4.

If you want to know more, here is the DestinyQuest Official Website

• Book 1 - The Legion of Shadow (If you want to start at the beginning)
• Book 2 - The Heart of Fire (If you want one of the best Gamebook experiences)
• Book 3 - The Eye of Winter's Fury
• Book 4 - The Raiders of Dune Sea (If you want to skip the first trilogy)
• Book 5 - The Wrath of Ragnarok (Do not start here)

Pros

+ A lot of character customization, which makes the book replayable.

+ Each book starts off easy and increases its difficulty gradually, including gameplay mechanics.

+ Big adventure with lots of characters, interactions, combats, and puzzles.

Neutral

o There is a lot of story and lore exposition, be prepared to be "rewarded" with "walls of text" in each major story event.

o You will roll a lot of dice a lot of times.

Cons

- Book 1 is not bad, but it doesn't represent what the series has become. Even if unbalanced, I recommend it, just be sure to focus on the speed attribute for that specific book.

DestinyQuest Raiders is a spin-off series from DestinyQuest, the reason why this is not alongside the other books, is because the gameplay is completely different. The only thing they have in common is the fact that it's the same author, and it happens in the same world of DestinyQuest.

In this book, you will control a full party of 2 to 4 members, each with their own skills and interests, instead of the lone hero in DestinyQuest.

This book was created to be an accessible entry into Gamebooks. It has a diceless combat system, in favor of more puzzle-like gameplay, where each hero has specific abilities they can use during combat and it's up to you to choose which ability makes more sense in any given situation.

Here is a Video Tutorial of the combat gameplay.

Unlike the original series, there is perma death here, but it's not immediate. You'll have a couple of crystals you can use to revive and continue your adventure. However, even if you perish, the book includes an achievement system, which will give you permanent boons in future playthroughs.

• DestinyQuest Raiders: Tides of Terror (This is the book you should buy)
• DestinyQuest Raiders: Tides of Terror Combat Pad (This book only includes extra copies of the combat charts, so you don't write on the main book)

Pros

+ DestinyQuest narrative in a new format.

+ Story and party progression systems add replayability.

+ Achievement system to enhance future playthroughs.

Neutral

o Diceless Gameplay, more puzzle-like. Some will love it, some might not love it.

Cons

- There is perma-death but is not as severe or common as other books. It might also add to the replayability of the book.

Written by Fighting Fantasy and Gamebook veteran, Jonathan Green, Ace Gamebooks brings literature classics into a Gamebook format! If you want to play your childhood favorites with a twist, you should consider one of these books.

The gameplay is similar to Fighting Fantasy (but I'm not sure if all of them are like that).

The first book in the series might be easier to find, which is, Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland, and a good start. Keep in mind, that some of these books have a horror theme, and can be considered adult!

If you want to know more, here is Ace Gamebooks Official Website

Here are some of the titles that you can consider:

• Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland (based on Alice in Wonderland)
• The Wicked Wizard of Oz (based on The Wizard of Oz)
• NEVERLAND - Here Be Monsters! (based on Peter Pan)
• Beowulf Beastslayer - (based on Beowulf)

Pros

+ Based on famous classic literature books

Neutral

o Some might have a horror/adult themes

o You need/should map your adventure every time, because...

Cons

- Some of the books, if not all, have perma-death.

This is another easy-to-recommend Gamebook. Swen Harder has published two Gamebooks in English, this one, Rider of the Black Sun, and Metal Heroes and the Fate of Rock. I haven't played Metal Heroes yet, but check it out if you like rock/metal and want something different.

Rider of the Black Sun story starts off with a bang but with almost no gameplay instructions! This was a surprise, and the book is divided into chapters, so, for example, Chapter 1 goes from entry 1 to 50, Chapter 2 from 50 to 100... and so on, meaning, it'll be easier and faster to flip through the pages. Also, if you die during a chapter, you restart at the start of that chapter, and the book even has a very well-thought-out save system, so you can "reload" the start of the chapter where you died very easily.

Regarding the gameplay, you will get gameplay instructions when you get to certain points in the story, similar to video games when you encounter a new game mechanic and a window pops up explaining what that mechanic does.

I really don't want to spoil too much here, but the book has a lot of surprises, secrets, and intrigue. It's considered one of the best Gamebooks ever by a lot of people, and since the game mechanics are introduced very gradually, it's great for beginners, everything inside the book is very well organized!

• Rider of the Black Sun (Great Gamebook!)
• Metal Heroes and the Fate of Rock (Don't have enough info to recommend, but veterans should take a look at it)

Pros

+ Gradual introduction of game mechanics.

+ Finding secrets is very rewarding.

+ The start of the book will grab you immediately.

Neutral

o There is perma-death but you start at the beginning of the chapter you died in.

Cons

- The English translation of the book (from German), is good, but, sometimes, it might feel a little bit off.

One of the biggest successes in modern Gamebooks. Legendary Kingdoms is the "evolution" of Fabled Lands. This is a big open-world Gamebook, currently with six books planned, two of them already released, with a third coming later this year (2024). Each book represents a location on the world map and everything can become interconnected. Including learning about characters or quests in one book, and meeting those characters or completing those quests in another book. Each book contains smaller self-contained stories, but there is also a big overarching story happening in the background that includes all of the books and will see its conclusion in Book 6.

You start your adventure by choosing four of the six premade characters with different backgrounds and skills that will be relevant to your journey. You can begin the adventure in any of the books, but, it's highly recommended you start in Book 1 - Valley of Bones, since each book increases its difficulty.

If you want to experience a light Dungeons & Dragons Campaign solo, I can easily recommend this series. It can become heavy, with a lot to decide, note down, and control, so, if you've never played a board game or a tabletop RPG Campaign, maybe try another Gamebook before playing Legendary Kingdoms.

• Book 1 - Valley of Bones (Start here)
• Book 2 - Crown & Tower

Pros

+ Big and detailed world to explore, if you enjoy campaign games.

+ A lot of decision-making and your party can impact some outcomes.

+ There is "no perma-death", but...

Neutral

o You need to always play with a party of four. If one of the characters dies, you need to replace them with a new remaining premade character or create one yourself (which is not recommended because the player-created character doesn't have special story events).

o You need to map some dungeons, or you'll get lost.

Cons

- The release schedule of the books has been extremely slow. Hopefully, this series will see its conclusion.

I think this is an amazing recommendation for kids over 10 years of age. This book's narrative and visual style reminded me a lot of Cartoon Network series like Samurai Jack (it is not Asian-themed), but the main attraction is the gameplay, it's a solo card game.

Nothing in this book is complex, everything is very simple, but, well crafted. Don't go in expecting a deep solo card game, or this overarching narrative with tons of choices and play interaction, just expect something basic, simple, and fun, that's why I think younger audiences will love this, even if I'm sure most adults will also enjoy this if they temper their expectations.

The narrative is as simple as you can get, you arrive on this land to investigate why the clockwork city stopped ticking, this will take you on a journey through four different maps, each with its own small stories that are interconnected to the main narrative. I know it might sound big and epic, but each location you choose to visit on the map is very short, and the narrative mostly adds lore to the main story. In certain places, you'll be able to level up, which will increase your life points but more importantly, you'll be able to choose one gold border card (which is more powerful) and add it to your main deck of cards. This feels very impactful and rewarding.

If you want a different spin on a gamebook, you should really try this one for the card-based gameplay alone, it is that good, and even if the main narrative has no replay value, the card game alongside the gear/cards you choose as you go might add some replayability.

• Endless Destinies: The Clockwork City

Pros

+ Very simple, enjoyable, and accessible card-based gameplay.

+ Rewarding and impactful character progression choices (new cards/gear).

Neutral

o The narrative is simple and acceptable, good for younger readers.

Cons

- The book is very linear and there really isn't that much choice or player interaction in the narrative.

- Locations within each map are very small, with many of them only having a single short event.

Community Suggestions

Since there are so many Gamebooks that I haven't heard or read, here are some community suggestions that were recommended to me for beginners. Once I know more about them, I'll be sure to update the list above. I'll also update the list below with more books as I find them.

Usborn Adventure Gamebooks

From what I know, this is a simple series, and great for kids.

• Shadow Chaser
• Curse Breaker
• League of Thieves
• The Goblins Revenge

Sword of the Bastard Elf

More of a Gamebook making a parody of Fantasy stories. It's also pretty big.

Gamebooks for Veterans

If you're a seasoned reader, you can also check out this list - Which Gamebook to choose? - Guide for Veterans

Please, comment below if you have any questions or feedback, or if I've written some wrong information!