If you're looking to start with gamebooks, or use gamebooks as a way to start solo roleplaying games, here's 5 places you could start.
Gamebooks for Solo Gaming
Gamebooks are a great place to start with solo roleplaying games. They only require one book, they have limits on the choices you need to take, and you can enjoy them in physical or digital format.
Some are straightforward with few rules (Nightshift) while others are sprawling complex beasts (Legendary Kingdoms, Expeditionary Company).
Since picking up Fighting Fantasy book Caverns of the Snow Witch at 11, I've been accidently solo gaming. I rediscovered gamebooks when learning Portuguese (with the Portuguese version of Armies of Death) and from there Fabled Lands and all the gamebooks I missed when younger and have been printed since.
Here's a few places beginners can get started. I've tried to keep it to books that are available to buy and easy to play.
For an alternative take Gamebooks Guide has a list of Gamebooks for Beginners and another for Veterans.
1) Flight from the Dark by Joe Dever, Lone Wolf Book 1
Lone Wolf by Joe Dever is one of the two series best known in gamebooks (along with Fighting Fantasy). It has spawned over 30 books, and the original 12 have been modernised and re-released. They are also available for free at Project Aon.
You play the last of the Kai, fleeing the forces of darkness that destroyed your people. In later books the struggle leads you all over the world, eventually taking the fight into the heart of enemy lands.
The fight rules are simple, you get a shopping list of special abilities and you get to keep the same character between books.
2) Heart of Ice by Dave Morris
Heart of Ice is often held up as an example of great gamebook design. It's one of a series of Critical IF Gamebooks.
There is no dice-rolling or randomness in Heart of Ice. The narrative is driven forward by the special abilities you take, the choices you make, people you ally with and equipment you pick up.
The setting is an Ice Age in the 23rd century, where you're after a artifact said to be able to reshape reality.
3) The Clockwork City by Corinna Keefe
Clockwork City has a different presentation to most gamebooks. It uses a map to navigate, has a colourful art style and uses a custom deck of cards for combat and tests.
It's accessible and fun to play, with a light tone. You're on a journey to the Clockwork City, through a land wracked by chaos. It would be my recommendation if you wanted to play a gamebook with a younger gamer.
Your character grows in power through the game, adding new cards to their deck of abilities. It's a fun game with a more tactical combat than many gamebooks.
The path through the game is fairly linear, so I'm not sure about the replayability.
4) Alice's Nightmare in Wonderland by Jonathan Green
This gamebook is one of a series from ACE Gamebooks, based on classic stories such as Dracula, Beowulf and the Wizard of Oz.
This one is a solid gamebook, based on Alice in Wonderland (and sequel to Through the Looking Glass). You have 5 tests and most are 2d6 roll under your stat. Combat is similar to Fighting Fantasy and the gamebook isn't the easiest to complete
The main reason I'm recommending it is the familiarity with the story. Many have read or seen Alice in Wonderland so the characters and setting are familiar. The black and white illustrations reinforce the theme and chaos of Wonderland. As the story progresses there are many scenes from the books, but there is a twist to them all.
5) Highways and Holloways by Martin Barnabus Noutch
This one isn't particularly beginner friendly, but it is the one I would recommend for getting into Open-world Gamebooks. In this type of book you can take the same character(s) from one book to another and back again, keeping track of what has happened through keywords and tickboxes.
Highways and Holloways is the second book of Steam Highwayman, and stands well on it's own. You ride your steam bike (velosteam) around steampunk England (and soon Cornwall and Wales). Holding up steam wagons, annoying the guilds, possibly joining a workers revolution, robbing country houses and building your reputation.
Tests are pretty simple, using 2d6 plus one of your Abilities (the same system as Fabled Lands). There's keywords, friendships, tickboxes and titles to keep track of, but that's standard for any open-worlder. Defeat doesn't mean death although you might spend time in prison or executed if your crimes are severe enough. There are two other books available and another on the way (covering Cornwall and Devon)
I've put this one ahead of other open-worlders for various reasons. Legendary Kingdoms is hard to get hold of, VulcanVerse is excellent but can be a grind and is very puzzle based. Fabled Lands is often recommended but suffers from many insta-deaths and can be extremely hard to get started. Expeditionary Company needs a 3-book investment.
Other Mentions
Fighting Fantasy is probably the best known gamebook series, and has many excellent gamebooks. However I'm not sure it's the best starting place. The books have many insta-deaths, vary wildly in quality and can be incredibly frustrating. I'll do a 5 recommended for FF at some point.
Nightshift by Victoria Hancocks is another contender, as it is diceless and a puzzle. It's also horror and might disturb some readers!
Finishing Up
This list will also be updated as more Gamebooks are read, as books such as Destiny Quest and Escape from Portsrood Forest may belong here.
Happy Gamebooking!
