Lloyd of Gamebooks

Entries are now being accepted for the 2026 Lindenbaum competition!

2026-02-16T00:00:00.002+00:00

Entries are now being accepted for the 2026 Lindenbaum competition.

This year, 50% of the weighting for the results will be due to judges and 50% of the weighting for the results will be due to popular vote.

I also won't be hyperlinking any books this year.

Entries are to be sent to lindenbaumprize@gmail.com.

The closing date is 5pm GMT on the 15th May 2026.

Full rules to be found at:

Lloyd of Gamebooks: Lindenbaum 2026 announcement

The Lindennbaum Prize is sponsored by Peter Agapov, contributor to Lloyd of Gamebooks and owner of Augmented Reality Adventure Games who is very generously providing the first prize.

The Lindenbaum Prize is also sponsored by Crumbly Head Games who is providing free licenses to The Gamebook Authoring Tool as prizes and also has a free version of the Gamebook Authoring Tool that goes up to 100 sections.

Many thanks to Tammy Badowski for donating her time to the Lindenbaum Prize.

Judge update for Lindenbaum competition

2026-02-13T18:08:00.002+00:00

Good news, everyone!

Andrew Greene has joined the judge team this year for the Lindenbaum competition.

The line up is now:

Hieronymous J. Doom - presenter of the awesome Fantastic Fights podcast and writer of many gamebooks that you can get if you become his Patreon.

Ashton MacSaylor - 3 time merit award winner of Windhammer, writer of The Good, The Bad and the Undead and other gamebooks (see his blog).

Keith P. Phillips - author of Siege of Sardath and currently writing A Moral Paradox with several young people. Keith is currently doing an Arts Council funded project to make a gamebook video game: Literature Alive - Digital Writes

Peter Agapov - writer of great gamebook analysis blog posts on his blog and mine. He also provides the winning prize money.

Sandor Gebei- RPG and gamebook designer

Andrew Greene - Winner of the 2022 Lindenbaum prize and Commendation award winner of the 2023 Lindenbaum prize.

Lindenbaum AI policy

2026-02-07T16:58:00.004+00:00

Hello gamebookers!

The times, they are a changin'. I mean, they are changing too fast for anyone to keep up with these days.

Now that Lindenbaum '26 is around the corner, the judges and I had a little think about AI. The catalyst for this was last year's winner, Pádraic Henrysson-MacOireachtaigh, who wrote An Island who wrote in his acknoweldgements that he used ChatGPT and Gemini to playtest his book.

Here is his quote about that in the acknowledgements section of the book:

"I used AI tools (ChatGPT and Gemini) as early ‘playtesters’ and occasionally to refine ideas – but the mechanics, story, and words are as much my own as a creative work ever is."

So the wave of AI has hit the Lindenbaum competition and we needed to think about how to deal with it.

My main aim is to make sure that AI generated books don't take part in the competition. Pádraic wrote the book himself and used AI to improve it.

First, I tried to see how good an AI gamebook could be.

I tried to ask Chat GPT to make a gamebook using the Lindenbaum rules as a prompt. Here is its output Lindenbaum 2026 Guide.

If you don't want to read the thread, the gamebook produced was very minimalistic. I tried to ask it for at least 80 sections and it couldn't manage more than 40. Its sections were also very terse.

Basically, if that book was entered, I think it would get no votes from both judges and readers.

So no danger of a pure AI gamebook winning. I still don't want people wading through AI slop entries though.

The trouble is that there is no 100% way of spotting an AI generating book and I don't want a false positive. However, if a gamebook does not function as a gamebook, then I feel that I can disqualify it from entry. What does it need to do to function as a gamebook? It needs section choices that you can turn to and those sections need to be intact.

There are things that just make a good gamebook in general:

Systems where the probability of success and failure are both significant. If it's impossible, it's frustrating because it can't be played fairly. If it's impossible to fail, then it's frustrating because it's a waste of time.

Section links that work.

EDIT: Enough meaningful decisions - Gamebooks need meaningful decisions. This means that most sections should end in 2 or more options that both lead to a meaningful consequence. Of course, some sections will be death sections, some might just be descriptive prose to move between scenes and some might have only 1 option that doesn't lead to sudden death. These are all valid choices.

However, if a gamebook has too many sections that just lead to 1 other section, that does not give enough meaningful choices. Also, there are some gamebooks that were clearly written as novels first and then some options were added in later. However, since the "main storyline" has already been worked out, options that deviate from that main storyline either lead to sudden death or find some way to just loop back to the main storyline, which means that it is not a meaningful decision.

Proofreading errors that make the prose hard to understand.

So, if we're not going to stop this wave, I'm just going to have to surf it. For that reason, I'm not banning AI. I'm banning nonfunctioning gamebooks.

So, what can AI be used for, if not for writing?

Here are some suggestions that AI can be used for:

Looking for broken section transitions

To make sure that all of the rules are being used an used as intended

Making sure that the difficulty of the book matches the difficulty that you would like to communicate

Playtesting

Help with translating to English

The aim is that everyone can make their gamebooks the best they can be. The biggest tragedy is an entry that has lots of great ideas, but is let down by poor statistics or proofing or broken links. AI is able to clear up all of those problems and augment peoples' ideas and writing.

I look forward to all the entries in 2026!

Lindenbaum 2026 judges

2026-02-06T23:03:00.002+00:00

Hello gamebookers!!!!!

We have 5 judges for this year's Lindenbaum competition.

They are the same 5 judges as last year.

Here is who they are:

Hieronymous J. Doom - presenter of the awesome Fantastic Fights podcast and writer of many gamebooks that you can get if you become his patreon.

Ashton MacSaylor - 3 time merit award winner of Windhammer, writer of The Good, The Bad and the Undead and other gamebooks (see his blog).

Peter Agapov - writer of great gamebook analysis blog posts on his blog and mine. He also provides the winning prize money.

Sandor Gebei- RPG and gamebook designer

Lindenbaum 2026 announcement

2025-12-20T23:39:00.004+00:00

Dear gamebookers,

I hope you are all well. You might have noticed that I would have announced Lindenbaum by now and that I haven't.

I apologise for this. Adulting is getting in the way of gamebooks at the moment.

However, the Lindenbaum Prize is going to happen - just not at the same time of year as before. The main reason is that myself and most of the judges have jobs in education and so the voting period will be during the summer holiday.

The Lindenbaum Prize is sponsored by Peter Agapov, contributor to Lloyd of Gamebooks and owner of Augmented Reality Adventure Games who is very generously providing the first prize.

Many thanks to Tammy Badowski for donating her time to the Lindenbaum Prize

Hi all! I am excited to announce the 3rd annual Lindenbaum competition!

The award is inspired by the Windhammer competition which ran from 2008-2015. I loved entering my books, seeing other books, voting and getting feedback. To be fair, I loved every aspect of it.

So, when it was discontinued, it left a hole. Between 2016 and now, I was very busy. However, I have a bit more time now and I was also shocked when I was on an online gamebook meetup to learn that almost no one there had heard of the Windhammer competition.

If you look at the list of Windhammer entrants, you will see a few familiar names. This is basically what kickstarted a lot of careers for the new gamebook writing crew.

I would love for that to continue with the new fans we have picked up along the way so that they can have a gateway into the gamebook community. I found the chance to meet new people and get lots of expert feedback invaluable.

So, without further ado, here are the details for the Lindenbaum competition:

Entry requirements for the 2026 Lindenbaum competition

All entries must be in English.

All entries must be original works incorporating unique characters and world settings. This can include real world settings, people and events as long as they aren't the property of someone.

All entries must be previously unpublished works.

All entrants must state clearly on the first page of their entries that they are the authors of the work submitted.

All entries must be in any format that I can edit and turn into a pdf and sent as an attachment and link to lindenbaumprize@gmail.com.

Formats I know I can do this with are: RTF, doc, docx, Google docs, pdf, - leave a comment if there is a format that you want to know about. I don't have access to Apple devices.

All character or status sheets provided with entries must be presented in a simple layout that does not include complex table formats.

All entries must be spell-checked and thoroughly tested prior to submission.

The total length of the entry does not exceed 100 sections and a word count of 25,000 words.

Illustrations will not be accepted as a part of an entry except in two specific circumstances.

Exception 1: Maps that are integral to navigation within the gamebook.

Exception 2: Graphics necessary as a part of puzzles or clues integral to the entry's narrative.

Graphics provided for these purposes must be in a format that is compatible with pdfs.

Graphics purely of an illustrative nature will not be accepted.

The entry may either be a complete stand-alone story or a self-contained excerpt from a larger gamebook adventure of your own creation.

The entry can be of any genre except erotica.

There is no entry fee.

All rights remain with the author and the author can withdraw their entry at any time during the course of the competition.

An entrant can submit one entry only.

All participants must have some way of receiving the prize money. I can send Paypal or BACS or a cheque in the post. Any other method will need to be agreed. Account information is not required by the organisers of this competition unless you are one of the winning entrants. Only at the time of winning a prize will you be asked for your details.

Hyperlinking

I will not be doing any hyperlinking of any entries. It is up to the entrant to hyperlink their entries or not.

Competition deadlines for 2026

20th December 2025: Competition guidelines released

16th February 2026: Entry submissions begin

15th May 2026, 5pm GMT: Entry submissions close.

25th May 2025: Voting begins.*

31st July 2026, 5pm GMT: Voting closes.*

14th August 2026: Winners announced.*

* If there are more than 10 entries, these dates will be extended. The length of the extension will depend on how many entries there are.

Winning entries

This year, the winning entries will be decided from a combination of judges' decisions and reader votes. The judges' votes and the readers' votes will have equal weighting when determining the winning entry.

Judges

The judges are still being determined - more on that later.

Things the judges are looking for:

Literary ability

Good writing: i.e. vivid descriptions, believable dialogue, compelling characters and scenarios, etc.

How well the narrative flows

How good the spelling and grammar is

How engaging is the use of language is

The game system

How good the game system is at complementing the theme and setting

How intuitive the game system is

How much the game system encourages strategic thinking and offers hidden tactics that enrich the gameplay.

No blind choices (where you have no information whatsoever about which way to go)

Reasonable odds (no 1 in a 100 chance of survival rolls)

The story

Meaningful consequences of your actions (i.e. the results seem to actually follow from your choices)

How well does the story flow?

How much sense does the story make?

Technical ability

All the section links work

Every scenario, including draws or unexpected events, is adequately addressed.

Miscellaneous

How innovative is the gamebook?

How entertaining is the gamebook?

How experimental is the gamebook?

How well are these ideas executed?

Voting

A valid vote must be forwarded by email to lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. A valid vote must nominate the three gamebooks most favoured by the voter from the competition entrants. A vote with less than three nominations cannot be accepted. A vote forwarded with more than three nominations will only have the first three accounted for in the voting tabulation.

Only one voter email is allowed per reader. All votes will be checked for duplication of email addresses.

Feedback to the authors may be forwarded to the competition sponsors at lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. All feedback given will be provided to authors at the end of competition as a part of the email notification of results.

Prizes

Winning entrant

A cash prize of £100 GBP (Great British Pounds) to be paid within 48 hours.

A desktop licence to the Gamebook Authoring Tool which lasts for 1 year.

A First Prize certificate memorialising their success in the competition.

Merit awards

Two entries are chosen for Merit awards. These entrants receive:

A cash prize of £30 GBP (Great British Pounds) to be paid within 48 hours.

A Merit Award certificate memorialising their success in the competition,

Commendation awards

If there are 10 or more entries, there will be 3 commendation awards. The entrants receive:

A Commendation Certificate memorialising their success in the competition.

Gamebook writing help

If you haven't written a gamebook before, you might think that arranging and randomising the sections might be a problem. However, there are now good gamebook writing programs out there. One is The Gamebook Authoring Tool, which has a free version specifically designed to write a 100 section gamebook and export it to Rich Text Format. You can try it here: About The GameBook Authoring Tool – Crumbly Head Games

Also, for tips on writing gamebooks, take a look at the reading list I have compiled - Lloyd of Gamebooks: Want to write a gamebook? Then here's a reading list (2024 edition)

Also, also, I made a list of lessons to be learnt from last year's award - Lloyd of Gamebooks: Lessons from Lindenbaum 2023/2024

Ashton Saylor would like you to read this post in particular: Ashton MacSaylor: What makes a good gamebook - Part Two: The Game of Narrative Choices

Roll on Adventure - Immortal Reckoning review

2025-08-16T00:53:00.000+01:00

Hello gamebookers. I don't normally do reviews here, but my lovely tutor group bought me this book, so I thought I would review it.

The Roll on Adventure series is written by Phillip Harvey who has written four books in the series. I got book 1, Immortal Reckoning.

I had a great time with this gamebook. It is definitely more game than book as you are an adventurer who decides to explore a dungeon. You go through different locations, facing increasingly powerful opponents and obtaining increasingly powerful items. There were lots of numbers to crunch and lots of options available, which is something I love.

The book has pretty standard stats. Prowess is your combat skill, health is your hit points. Combat is determined by rolling 1d6 for you and adding to your prowess and 1d6 for your opponent and adding to their prowess. The highest score wins and the winner reduces their opponent's health by their damage score.

So far, so familiar.

However, Phillip has decided to add lots of ways of manipulating the rolls. You also start with 20 Prowess points. Before the combat round begins, you can spend any number of Prowess Points to increase your roll and damage by that amount for that round.

You also have lots of die rolls that determine most things, such as which room you go to, which treasure you find and how much damage you receive from hazards. These can be changed by spending Merit points. Merit points go up and down a lot. You get Merit points for almost all locations. You can then spend them to determine which location you go to next. Merit points are designed to be spent a lot as you get a lot of them.

Each location has an illustration and a description. The aim is to make your way through the dungeon to the boss monster. Once I had worked out that spending Merit is really important, I almost got to the end.

I would recommend the book to anyone who loves crunchy resource management type games and I had a great time with it.

Happy gamebooking!

The Ice Wastes of Madness - my Savage Realms gamebook is on Kickstarter!

2025-08-08T10:46:00.006+01:00

Title cover for my book by Tony Hough

Hello gamebookers! Just a quick one to say that I have the privilege of becoming part of Troy Anthony Schermer's Savage Realms series!

The gamebook I have written - The Ice Wastes of Madness - is on Kickstarter now - and it is already fully funded!

I have already written all the text - the funding is for illustrations from the Legendary Fighting Fantasy illustrator, Tony Hough.

Tony Hough (as in this is an illustration he made. He doesn't look like this).

This means that you will definitely get the book if you back it and the more people who back, the more wonderful illustrations there are.

You might have worked out from the title illustration and the title that this book is a Cthulhu mythos book - more specifically, it is inspired by At the Mountains of Madness.

Set in 2027, YOU are a geologist who is sent on an expedition to find out why contact has been lost with all the Antarctic bases. What you find there is more disturbing than you can possibly imagine...

So if you want to back it, you can go here: The Ice Wastes of Madness A CTHULHU MYTHOS GAMEBOOK by Savage Realms Gamebooks — Kickstarter

Also, also, there is another Savage realms book on the go Dread Hollow A FOLKLORIAN HORROR GAMEBOOK by Jonathon Kelly. So back that one as well! Dread Hollow A FOLKLORIAN HORROR GAMEBOOK by Jonathon Kelly by EndGame Gaming — Kickstarter

Happy gamebooking!

Results of the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition

2025-06-09T22:15:00.002+01:00

Logo by Pat ONeill

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum Prize for short gamebook fiction is An Island by Pádraic Henrysson-MacOireachtaigh.

Merit awards go to Jason Romein for Working Ogre-Time and Lewis Amerson for Mochilla.

Commendation awards go to Jonathan Ritter for Nineteen Ninety Nine, Steffen Hagen for The Fall of the Infinite King, Sean Loftiss for Noesis and R.L. Gill for A Golden Opportunity.

I would like to thank everybody who participated, the authors and those dedicated readers who took the time to evaluate all the entries, and also a further thanks to those readers who provided feedback and comment to the authors.

If you intend to write feedback in a public place, please email me the address and I will link to it.

You can find the entries here: Lloyd of Gamebooks: Voting is now open for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition!

It is no small thing to as entrants to write original gamebooks. To write a gamebook (even one that must be limited to 100 sections) requires considerable time and creative effort. It is the type of writing project that can take months to accomplish and I appreciate greatly the work done by all the authors who entered this year's competition.

Many thanks for helping make this year's competition such an excellent competition with a wide variety of gamebook genres and styles. This was the second year I ran the competition and you continued to help me make it as brilliant as it was.

I would also like to extend thanks to Peter Agapov who sponsored the competition, Tammy Badowski who donated her time and talent to the competition and Crumbly Head Games who has donated free subscriptions to GBAT for the top 3 entrants.

I would also like to thank the judges - Peter Agapov, Sandor Gobei, Keith P. Phillips, Ashton Saylor and Hieronymous J. Doom for all of the time and effort they have put in to read the entries and write feedback for them.

I feel very lucky to have so many people make this competition wonderful.

Looking forward to next year!

Voting has closed for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition

2025-06-02T21:14:00.002+01:00

Logo by Pat ONeill

Hello all!

Voting has now closed for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition.

If you would like to leave feedback to any of the entrants, you may do so by emailing lindenbaumprize@gmail.com.

The winners will be announced on the 10th June.

Voting is now open for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition!

2025-03-10T06:02:00.011+00:00

Hello all!

Image by Pat ONeill

Voting is now open for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum Prize. Voting is open until 5pm GMT on the 31st May 2025.

Voting

The Lindenbaum prize is awarded to the entrant who receives the greatest number of reader votes. This prize relies on votes provided by readers who have read enough of the entries to make a considered choice as to the relative merits of the gamebooks submitted. It is expected by the sponsor of this competition that votes will be provided on this basis. For 2024-2025, the voting system applied as follows:

A valid vote must be forwarded by email to Lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. A valid vote must nominate the three gamebooks most favoured by the voter from the competition entrants. A vote with less than three nominations cannot be accepted. A vote forwarded with more than three nominations will only have the first three accounted for in the voting tabulation.

Only one voter email is allowed per reader. All votes will be checked for duplication of email addresses.

Feedback to the authors may be forwarded to the competition sponsors at Lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. All feedback given will be provided to authors at the end of competition as a part of the email notification of results.

Voting will close on the 31st May at 5pm GMT!

Entries

All of the entries in a zip file

Scopes by A.E. Johnston The House on Happy Hill by Andrew Wright

The Last Song of the Homura by Elie Merle Working Ogre-Time by Jason Romein

Chirality by Jeremy Johnson Be Her Mirror by Joi Massat

Nineteen Ninety Nine by Jonathan Ritter Lost in the City by Joseph Fry

Voyage to Venus by Kieran Coghlan Mochila by Lewis Amerson

The Quiet Arcology by Per Jorner Noesis by Sean Loftiss

Fall of the Infinite King by Steffen Hagen The Trickster by Thomas J. Betsworth

The Hunt for the Holder by Tiago Filipe Costa Bound by Steel by Tom Perrett

Under the Stones by Shaun Hately A Golden Opportunity by R.L Gill

An Island by Pádraic Henrysson-MacOireachtaigh

Sponsorship

The Lindennbaum Prize is sponsored by Peter Agapov, contributor to Lloyd of Gamebooks and owner of Augmented Reality Adventure Games who is very generously providing the first prize.

Many thanks to Tammy Badowski for donating her time to the Lindenbaum Prize.

Submissions are now closed for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition

2025-02-28T16:27:00.004+00:00

EDIT: Sorry, I can't count - we have 17 19 entries!

Hello all!

Submissions have now closed for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition.

I am excited to say that we have 19 ~~17 16~~ entries for this year's competition.

The entries will be made available on the 10th March when voting opens.

Votes need to be sent to lindenbaumprize@gmail.com. Each voter must submit 3 books. If they submit less than 3, their votes won't count. If they submit more than 3, the first 3 will count.

As there are 16 entries, I have extended the voting deadline to the 31st May. The winners will be announced on the 10th June.

Happy gamebooking!

Sponsor's Award Lindenbaum Competition 2023/2024

2025-01-30T02:36:00.001+00:00

I am glad to announce that Operation "Dead Dawn" by Tom Perrett is awarded the Sponsor's Award for the 2023/2024 Lindenbaum Competition.

You can download this gamebook in PDF format here

I came up with the idea about this award, because I felt it was very unfair that such a great gamebook didn't win any of the first three places in the competition. My personal analysis for this phenomenon is that most fans of the genre LOVE fantasy. I am assuming that the subject of fighting zombies didn't appeal to the judges as much simply because it diverts away from the traditional focus of this genre.

There are no current plans to make the Sponsor's Award an annual thing, but I do reserve the right to give an award if I do like a gamebook more that the rest and I feel that it was unfairly left without recognition.

along with the Certificate, the author received
a monetary award in the amount of 40.00 USD

The gamebook "Dead Dawn" was my favorite for winning the prize this year by a lot. This short gamebook is a piece of art in every way - writing, twists and turns, difficult choices, battle mechanics and so on. I've never been a fan of zombies in books, movies or games, but this adventure was so well done, I couldn't put it down.

Here is what I praise Operation "Dead Dawn" for.

1. Very well done encounter mechanics. I would have preferred to have simpler rules, but I don't have a good suggestion on how this could have been accomplished here. Given the nature of the adventure and the specific focus on zombies, it probably couldn't be any easier on mechanics.

2. Excellent literary style, story line, and suspense. I was masterfully kept on my toes by getting enough foreshadowing without giving away any specifics. This made me keep turning to the next paragraph, rushing to find out what happens next.

3. I enjoyed having the difficult choices that didn't have a positive outcome either way. Example, shoot the Female Scientist when she got infected or try to carry out my orders and bring her home dead or alive. Also, when one of my soldiers died at the end, this evoked strong feelings of loss. I found myself mourning a friend and wondering if I could have saved him somehow. Love the way it was done.

4. Presence of Resource Management. I think this is an aspect that is overlooked in many gamebooks. Making decisions how to preserve resources during encounters always creates more suspense and gives the player choices outside of the narrative. Well done!

5. This brings me to the Battle Mechanics. Very well thought out with plenty of decision making, risk management and damage control. Combined with limited resources, the battle mechanics create a game within the actual game. Excellent work there!

6. Perfect balance between traditional literature and gamebook mechanics.

Final words.

What a great gamebook! It diversifies the traditional focus of fantasy into a completely different subject. Given the combination of suspense, great style, excellent choices and well done encounter mechanics, Operation "Dead Dawn" would be a perfect introduction to gamebooks for new, younger fans.

I, personally, can't wait for the next issue of the Lindenbaum Competition to see Tom Perrett's next gamebook.

If you have not yet played this gamebook, you can download the PDF from here

Special thanks to Stuart Lloyd for allowing me to go ahead with this award. And most importantly, thank you Stuart for running the Lindenbaum Competition and for keeping our beloved gamebooks alive!

P.S. Tom, if you have anything else published, please share it with us in the comments below! I am already a huge fan of your work.

Peter Agapov
Contributor at LloydOfGamebooks.com
Game Designer at AugmentedRealityAdventure.com
President and Chief Executive Officer of American Limo Naperville
Former Road Captain of Marine One at Operation "Welcome You Home"

Entries are now being accepted for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum Prize

2024-12-16T00:00:00.010+00:00

Entries are now being accepted for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition.

This year, 50% of the weighting for the results will be due to judges and 50% of the weighting for the results will be due to popular vote.

I also won't be hyperlinking any books this year.

Entries are to be sent to lindenbaumprize@gmail.com.

The closing date is 5pm GMT on the 25th February 2025.

Full rules to be found at:

Lloyd of Gamebooks: 2024/2025 Lindenbaum Prize announcement

The Lindennbaum Prize is sponsored by Peter Agapov, contributor to Lloyd of Gamebooks and owner of Augmented Reality Adventure Games who is very generously providing the first prize.

Many thanks to Tammy Badowski for donating her time to the Lindenbaum Prize.

I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.

2024-12-08T14:31:00.006+00:00

What Makes a Memorable Villain in Gamebooks?

In the world of gamebooks, a great villain isn’t just a plot device; they’re the linchpin that turns a good adventure into an unforgettable one. But what makes a villain memorable? Let’s explore the key ingredients that elevate a gamebook antagonist from a generic adversary to someone who lingers in the reader’s mind long after the final page.

1. A Villain with Purpose

The most compelling villains have a clear, understandable purpose. Whether they’re a sorcerer bent on immortality, a warlord seeking revenge, or a demon driven by chaos, their goals need to feel real and significant. A memorable villain isn’t evil for the sake of it—they’re pursuing their own twisted version of what they see as "right."

Take Balthus Dire from The Citadel of Chaos, for example. His ambition to overthrow the local rulers isn’t just about power; it’s about reshaping the world in his image. You may not agree with his methods, but you understand his motivations. That relatability makes his villainy more nuanced and engaging.

2. Memorable Traits and Appearance

A great villain sticks in the reader's mind because they’re larger than life. Their appearance, mannerisms, or even their voice (as described in text) should stand out. Think of villains like Zagor, the Warlock of Firetop Mountain, with his fiery domain and menacing aura, or the cold, calculating villain from Necklace of Skulls. These characters feel vivid and distinct.

This doesn’t mean every villain needs to be dripping with melodrama, but a unique quirk—a scar, a cryptic speaking style, or a signature weapon—helps cement their image. Readers might forget an ordinary thief or warlord, but they’ll remember the necromancer who wields a staff carved from dragon bone.

3. The Villain’s Role in the Story

A villain is only as good as the story allows them to be. They need to feel present throughout the gamebook, even if they don’t make a direct appearance until the end. Building anticipation is key—whether it’s through minions, traps, or whispered rumors of their deeds.

For instance, in The Forest of Doom, you’re constantly reminded of the stakes and the shadowy presence of the evil threatening the land. By the time you face the villain—or their influence—it feels like the culmination of a journey, not an afterthought.

4. A Villain Who Challenges the Player

What’s the point of a villain if they’re a pushover? A memorable antagonist must challenge the reader, both in terms of the gameplay and the story. This could be through a tricky combat encounter, an intellectual puzzle, or moral dilemmas that force the player to think beyond stats and dice rolls.

However, it’s important to strike a balance. A villain who’s impossible to defeat or whose defeat relies purely on luck will frustrate readers. The challenge should feel fair—demanding, but achievable for those who’ve made good choices along the way.

5. Shades of Gray

Finally, the best villains aren’t wholly evil. They have moments of humanity, vulnerability, or even twisted logic that makes the reader pause and think. Perhaps the villain’s actions are a reaction to a personal tragedy or a betrayal. Maybe their goals align with the hero’s, but their methods diverge.

When readers can empathize with a villain, it makes defeating them bittersweet. In some cases, it might even lead to a choice where the player decides the villain’s fate—a much more satisfying and complex outcome than a simple “kill or be killed” scenario.

Conclusion: Villains Who Linger in the Mind

A great villain is the heart of a great gamebook. They push the player to grow, drive the story forward, and leave a lasting impression. They’re not just obstacles; they’re characters with depth, flair, and presence. So, the next time you’re writing or reading a gamebook, take a moment to appreciate the villain. After all, they’re the ones who make the adventure worth having.

What’s your favorite gamebook villain, and why do they stand out to you? Let’s keep the conversation going!

2024/2025 Lindenbaum Prize announcement

2024-11-18T04:44:00.006+00:00

The Lindenbaum Prize is sponsored by Peter Agapov, contributor to Lloyd of Gamebooks and owner of Augmented Reality Adventure Games who is very generously providing the first prize.

Many thanks to Tammy Badowski for donating her time to the Lindenbaum Prize

Hi all! I am excited to announce the 3rd annual Lindenbaum competition!

The award is inspired by the Windhammer competition which ran from 2008-2015. I loved entering my books, seeing other books, voting and getting feedback. To be fair, I loved every aspect of it.

If you look at the list of Windhammer entrants, you will see a few familiar names. This is basically what kickstarted a lot of careers for the new gamebook writing crew.

So, without further ado, here are the details for the Lindenbaum competition:

Entry requirements for the 2024/2025 Lindenbaum competition