Which is the king of gamebooks?

Pictured: irrelevance

Autumn has broken in and I'm as happy as a cat with a ball of yarn the size of the Death Star. What does Autumn mean for me? Playing games - of course! Well, that and gorging myself on comfort food until I become the very definition of gout. Games games games!

Also, Autumn means having these guys fed to me on a drip

A perfect way to pass the time, especially if you're looking for a bit of quiet time, is with a gamebook, yes? Remember, kids: regular books suck compared to ones where you can die in a variety of hilariously brutal ways (I'm looking at you, everything Ian Livingstone has done).

So I got to pondering, as I am wont to do when I'm bored: what is the best gamebook ever made? Yes, marvel at my ingenious questioning. Honestly, I can't say because I've not played every gamebook in existence but from the ones I have played through I might have to go with Fabled Lands: The War-Torn Kingdom. It was the first book I played that made me feel I had full agency over my character and therefore could allow me to be completely dick people over. Be warned, gamebook NPCs: I will waste no time in betraying and most likely killing you, even if it's just for a few pennies and a roast chicken.

Go on, challenge me. I bloody dare you!

Clearly, I have a very specific criteria when it comes to judging what makes a great gamebook, but I love FL:TWTK for many more reasons than the fact I can bomb around the country being an utter douchenugget to all and sundry. It's the freedom to create your own story and play your own way that really tickles my pickle. If I wanted to become a naval merchant (which I did before I was knobbed over by the weather, rendering my ship as useful as trousers for fish) then I can totally do that.

So I'm interested to hear what you think the king of gamebooks is and why. Have a good one, chums.