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Dungeon Crawler Carl #5
The Butcher's Masquerade
Attention. Attention. The gates are down. The hunters are loose. Run, Run, Run.
A lush jungle teeming with danger. Savage dinosaurs seeking blood. A fallen princess intent on vengeance. A mysterious, end-of-floor celebration for the top crawlers, dubbed “The Butcher’s Masquerade.”
The sixth floor. The Hunting Grounds.
As the remaining crawlers battle for their lives, a new, terrible threat looms. Outside tourists are finally allowed to enter the game, and they are here and ready to hunt. Among them is Vrah, a famed and veteran hunter, intent on collecting the biggest trophy of her career.
But their prey is far from harmless, and this season they are fighting back.
Dungeon Crawler Carl and Princess Donut return in book five of the acclaimed litrpg series.
A lush jungle teeming with danger. Savage dinosaurs seeking blood. A fallen princess intent on vengeance. A mysterious, end-of-floor celebration for the top crawlers, dubbed “The Butcher’s Masquerade.”
The sixth floor. The Hunting Grounds.
As the remaining crawlers battle for their lives, a new, terrible threat looms. Outside tourists are finally allowed to enter the game, and they are here and ready to hunt. Among them is Vrah, a famed and veteran hunter, intent on collecting the biggest trophy of her career.
But their prey is far from harmless, and this season they are fighting back.
Dungeon Crawler Carl and Princess Donut return in book five of the acclaimed litrpg series.
707 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2022
15973 people are currently reading
30519 people want to read
About the author
Matt Dinniman
53 books17k followersMatt Dinniman is the best-selling writer and artist from Gig Harbor, Washington. He is the published author of dozens of short stories and a gaggle of books. In addition, his art publications—from greeting cards to stationery kits to calendars—can be found in boutique and stationery shops around the world. Also, he strongly feels like a pretentious twat when he writes about himself in third person.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,431 reviews
April 13, 2025
FUCK ME SIDEWAYS, I'M TOO EMOTIONALLY ATTACHED TO A MAN WHO USES HIS FEET TO ATTACK, A PRINCESS DIVA CAT THAT CAN’T SING WHO OWNS A DINOSAUR, AND A DECAPITATED SEX DOLL HEAD WHO WANTS TO KILL EVERYONE'S MOTHER 😭😭😭
The absolute worst part of this series, hands down, is that I don't have anyone to SCREAM TO THE FUCKING HEAVENS WITH ABOUT THEM.
I honestly never knew I could feel this way about a series that would sit outside my usual reading scope.
BUT HOLY DAMN, THAT WAS HOW YOU WRITE A FUCKING PLOT TWIST 👏👏👏👏👏
I AM SO GOD DAMN STRESSED FOR BOOK 6! 😭
The lore and politics is ramping up. (shit is seriously about to go down in these last 2 books)
The emotions are ramping up. (I even teared up in one part)
The death and gore are peaking. (hopefully at least)
I PRAY CARL MAKES THEM ALL SUFFER 🙏🙏🙏
Man, I just hope Matt Dinniman is having a raging sex life, his band is performing at 110%, the crowds cheers are extra fucking loud, that he goes to sleep rolling in money, and happiness seeps from his pores like my face after a big hot chippie dinner.
Pre read feelings:
I may as well pre-5 star here, but here we fucking gooooooooo.
Carl is the blue fairy floss, and I am this child.
The absolute worst part of this series, hands down, is that I don't have anyone to SCREAM TO THE FUCKING HEAVENS WITH ABOUT THEM.
I honestly never knew I could feel this way about a series that would sit outside my usual reading scope.
BUT HOLY DAMN, THAT WAS HOW YOU WRITE A FUCKING PLOT TWIST 👏👏👏👏👏
I AM SO GOD DAMN STRESSED FOR BOOK 6! 😭
The lore and politics is ramping up. (shit is seriously about to go down in these last 2 books)
The emotions are ramping up. (I even teared up in one part)
The death and gore are peaking. (hopefully at least)
I PRAY CARL MAKES THEM ALL SUFFER 🙏🙏🙏
Man, I just hope Matt Dinniman is having a raging sex life, his band is performing at 110%, the crowds cheers are extra fucking loud, that he goes to sleep rolling in money, and happiness seeps from his pores like my face after a big hot chippie dinner.
Pre read feelings:
I may as well pre-5 star here, but here we fucking gooooooooo.
Carl is the blue fairy floss, and I am this child.
January 28, 2024
Equal parts wacky, explosive, ridiculous, epic, hilarious, addictive, and FUN!
March 1, 2022
Well worth reading
Honestly this series isn't everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine. But for those of us that love this stuff this is another excellent addition. It's heartbreaking in so many ways to think about this but just like the spectators in this novel I can't get enough of it. It's incredibly well written fiction that can make you feel emotion which is the mark of an excellent author. That's first and foremost on my mind, I find myself rooting for the main characters because while they might always come out on top in the end, it is a harrowing journey of adventure which they didn't choose for themselves. They weren't called, they were simply on of the many unfortunates caught up in this mess. Donut is an amazing foil to Carl, and the supporting cast is really good to. People you hardly know become painful to loose a few chapters later. And make no mistake in good books that's what the characters become, people, real people with hopes and dreams, with tragic stories we might never read or hear. That is what Dinniman gives us each time around and just like the last four books, I am glad I read this. Once more I find that even though I'm physically done with this book I am not done with it at all. I look forward to the next installment in the series and I hope beyond hope that it is just as well written as it's predecessors.
Honestly this series isn't everyone's cup of tea, and that's fine. But for those of us that love this stuff this is another excellent addition. It's heartbreaking in so many ways to think about this but just like the spectators in this novel I can't get enough of it. It's incredibly well written fiction that can make you feel emotion which is the mark of an excellent author. That's first and foremost on my mind, I find myself rooting for the main characters because while they might always come out on top in the end, it is a harrowing journey of adventure which they didn't choose for themselves. They weren't called, they were simply on of the many unfortunates caught up in this mess. Donut is an amazing foil to Carl, and the supporting cast is really good to. People you hardly know become painful to loose a few chapters later. And make no mistake in good books that's what the characters become, people, real people with hopes and dreams, with tragic stories we might never read or hear. That is what Dinniman gives us each time around and just like the last four books, I am glad I read this. Once more I find that even though I'm physically done with this book I am not done with it at all. I look forward to the next installment in the series and I hope beyond hope that it is just as well written as it's predecessors.
September 30, 2025
“This was also something that trauma could do. It could make you blind, and it could open your eyes wider than they’d ever been, all at the same time.”
i think this is my favorite installment yet. there was so much heart in this one, and i really was crying at so much within these pages. i am just becoming too attached to everyone at this point. but yeah, i really loved this one a lot and i am so happy i decided to ask for all these books for my birthday!
okay, we are finally at the sixth level, which is the hunting grounds, where outsiders from the game are able to be hunters and… hunt the crawlers who are being forced to play the game. only eighty-five-thousand crawlers remain, and they have seventeen days to complete this new level. oh, and if you’re in the top fifty for favorite crawlers, you will be able to attend a masquerade at the very end. and yes, it is meant to feel a little menacing, especially when you add the word “butcher” to the front of masquerade in the title.
as i have been saying, one of my favorite aspects of this series is seeing what the new dungeon floor looks like! and the sixth level is just a fantasy lover's dream. (oh, and dinosaurs! i’m not a dino girl myself, but i do think this will be appealing for a lot of other readers!) i also extra loved seeing donut and carl pick specialties on this floor, and i will always love a good performance check!
also, because of the insane ending to the previous book, we also get to see carl get an attorney, which i really did love. i just love seeing more and more ex-crawlers, and just people “working” for the people in charge, in this universe and learning more and more backstory on their histories. i really do think the author is saying a lot in the book about tyrannical government systems that thrive on keeping the oppressed feeling isolated in a game that is set up for them to lose.
lastly, a new entry for people i am cheering so very loudly for: prepotente
trigger + content warnings: slavery, mass killing and death, colonization, gore, violence, vomit, blood, battle, murder, explosions / bombings, fires, abandonment in past, talk of domestic abuse in past, child abuse in past / shitty parent in past, abandonment, drug use, talk of addiction, talk of withdrawal, drinking, smoking, ptsd, talk of loss of family, talk of car accident in past, drugging, one sentence mention of bulimia, needles (tattoo), animal death (dog), loss of a loved one / friend, grief, sacrificial suicide
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1.) Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★★★
2.) Carl's Doomsday Scenario ★★★★
3.) The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook ★★★
4.) The Gate of the Feral Gods ★★★★
April 26, 2025
“Reward: Your reward is advice. Fatherly advice. Don’t be a little bitch. There’s your reward.”
Honestly, this is solid advice for us all 😅
Probably my favorite one so far!!! (besides book 1) The real mvp in this book was Samantha the decapitated sex doll head😅
“Wait for my signal this time or you won’t be allowed to go to the party.” “I will kill your mother!"
“Donut: OH, HONEY. YOU USED TO BE A SEX DOLL. I’M QUITE CERTAIN YOU CAN HANDLE ALL MANNER OF INDIGNITY. Samantha: DON’T SLUT SHAME ME. I’M GOING TO KILL YOUR MOTHER.”
And an honorable mention to the AI with the foot fetish and this extremely creepy yet hilarious line:
“New Achievement! This little piggy made a boom boom! You deployed a bomb with the supple, curved sole of your foot. You took your perfectly-perfect, 30.004861 centimeter-long right foot and compressed it against an explosive device—a device named after me no less—and you gave it a naughty little shove before you pushed it out the door and detonated it. You killed them. You killed them all for your daddy.” Then the AI let out a throaty groan that lasted for an uncomfortable 5 seconds.
Donut and Carl's relationship is the most beautiful and wholesome ever I LOVE THEM SO MUCHHHHHHHHHH
“You’re wearing a mask right now, Donut, and you don’t know how to remove it. That’s okay. You don’t need to. Not yet. That mask is protecting you.”
Honestly, this is solid advice for us all 😅
Probably my favorite one so far!!! (besides book 1) The real mvp in this book was Samantha the decapitated sex doll head😅
“Wait for my signal this time or you won’t be allowed to go to the party.” “I will kill your mother!"
“Donut: OH, HONEY. YOU USED TO BE A SEX DOLL. I’M QUITE CERTAIN YOU CAN HANDLE ALL MANNER OF INDIGNITY. Samantha: DON’T SLUT SHAME ME. I’M GOING TO KILL YOUR MOTHER.”
And an honorable mention to the AI with the foot fetish and this extremely creepy yet hilarious line:
“New Achievement! This little piggy made a boom boom! You deployed a bomb with the supple, curved sole of your foot. You took your perfectly-perfect, 30.004861 centimeter-long right foot and compressed it against an explosive device—a device named after me no less—and you gave it a naughty little shove before you pushed it out the door and detonated it. You killed them. You killed them all for your daddy.” Then the AI let out a throaty groan that lasted for an uncomfortable 5 seconds.
Donut and Carl's relationship is the most beautiful and wholesome ever I LOVE THEM SO MUCHHHHHHHHHH
“You’re wearing a mask right now, Donut, and you don’t know how to remove it. That’s okay. You don’t need to. Not yet. That mask is protecting you.”
March 11, 2026
I'm in absolute awe of this series. I never thought a LitRPG series would end up in my top 3 of all time.
But I also never thought I would start singing Princess Donut version of Wonderwall at loud in the street, after listening to it on repeat, yet here we are.
Matt and Jeff are absolute genius and they make my life better.
2026 reread: I appreciated the complexity of the story and the characters even more this time around.
From one minute to the next, I went from laughing out loud to being punched right in the heart again and again.
But I also never thought I would start singing Princess Donut version of Wonderwall at loud in the street, after listening to it on repeat, yet here we are.
Matt and Jeff are absolute genius and they make my life better.
2026 reread: I appreciated the complexity of the story and the characters even more this time around.
From one minute to the next, I went from laughing out loud to being punched right in the heart again and again.
August 4, 2024
So, I've been recommending this series. It's always a struggle to describe because I need to know my victim pretty well.
For some, "It's like Hunger Games, Battle Royale, Gladiator, and Running Man. It's tragic, gross, funny, horrifying, exhilarating and heart-warming. Sometimes all at the same time."
For the savvy, I add, "It's Cosmic Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction set in a dystopic Dark Forest universe with no chance to avoid being detected, but with a lot of awesome fun and dark, ridiculous humor."
For the gamers, "It's one of the most creative meta-adventures of Dungeons and Dragons you wish your DM was good enough to run with elements of modern video games."
Most people just nod politely and say, "So... did you want cream in that coffee or not?"
For some, "It's like Hunger Games, Battle Royale, Gladiator, and Running Man. It's tragic, gross, funny, horrifying, exhilarating and heart-warming. Sometimes all at the same time."
For the savvy, I add, "It's Cosmic Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction set in a dystopic Dark Forest universe with no chance to avoid being detected, but with a lot of awesome fun and dark, ridiculous humor."
For the gamers, "It's one of the most creative meta-adventures of Dungeons and Dragons you wish your DM was good enough to run with elements of modern video games."
Most people just nod politely and say, "So... did you want cream in that coffee or not?"
October 16, 2023
I'll be honest. This particular LitRPG is getting better as time goes by. Every time I get a better feel for the greater asshole universe, I just want to see it all go boom. Thanks, Carl, for putting things into perspective. Although, perhaps, I ought to give all credit to the most charismatic of the fighting party, that being Doughnut, the former child actor star, aka display cat, animal tamer and penny-pincher supreme.
Or maybe I should just thank the bombs. The many, huge, bombs.
Yeah, I think I'll go with the last one.
I think the story is getting better, honestly. The funny plot items are fine and all, but the real meat is really pushing me along. I can't wait to see what happens to all these assholes running this game. It better be GOOD.
Or maybe I should just thank the bombs. The many, huge, bombs.
Yeah, I think I'll go with the last one.
I think the story is getting better, honestly. The funny plot items are fine and all, but the real meat is really pushing me along. I can't wait to see what happens to all these assholes running this game. It better be GOOD.
March 23, 2025
★★★★★ 6/5
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review is not spoiler-free! Read at your own risk.
The Butcher's Masquerade is book five in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and is officially my favourite so far. I will think of this book for an incredibly long time to come. This review will be a bit different than my usual reviews for this series, there's a single topic I want to talk about on this book other than begging everyone who sees this review to please read this incredible series!
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
I knew it was coming soon—trauma has to take the spotlight in this series at some point. And it did, in this book specifically. And it broke me. Carl's mantra to the dungeon and the Syndicate has always been "You will not break me", but what am I supposed to do when Carl and Donut are the ones breaking me?
There was so much loss in this book, and it shattered me in so many ways to see how it continues to affect both Carl and Donut's mental health. Carl has always been very adamant on not letting this dungeon break him, he would break them instead. And he's doing a damn good job of it so far, but I feel my own heart breaking in the process watching Carl and Donut lose parts of themselves they cannot bear to lose.
It's always been a prime point in Donut's personality that she is very grandeur and confident for show, but in reality, she is very sensitive to loss, change, and stress. Yet she experienced all of this and more. Bea making an appearance and forcing Donut to come face-to-face with the woman who she believed to be her person was so heartbreaking. She held so much within herself—knowing Bea planned to get rid of her for a younger cat, for never truly loving her or Carl, and to let all of it out on live TV for a galaxy of people who watch and take your misery as their source of entertainment was so brave of her and Matt Dinniman, you are an asshole for destroying me like this (but also, you are incredible sir). I am so proud of Donut for standing her ground against Bea and telling her off and accepting that it hurts but she is ready to move on and spend the rest of her days alongside Carl.
My next pain is the end of the book. When Donut experiences a panic attack while sitting atop a severely injured Carl. When she acknowledges the loss of their dear friends to Queen Imogen isn't hurting her or making her as sad as she should feel. Panicking because she feels like a terrible cat for feeling so little for the brutal death of her friends and Carl comforting her. I genuinely wept for her and Carl, this broke me in so many ways. I have never experienced loss to the extent donut, carl, and all of these other crawlers have felt, but in these moments, their grief feels like my own and I bear the same pain and heaviness as they do. The wave of grief and upheaval is so visceral, I realize I really have connected to these characters so deeply over these last 5 books. It takes a lot for books to make me feel the way this series does. I feel so attached to these characters and love them all so dearly. It is incredible how Matt has brought all of these crawlers to life, giving each of them their own backstories, personalities, struggles, and experiences pre- and post-dungeon.
I cannot believe I picked up this series thinking, "oh, this is going to be sooo funny! I'm so excited to see the chaos that ensues in this hilarious series about a dude in his boxers and his ex-girlfriend's persian cat as they make their way through this dungeon!" and now here I am, crying over said man in heart-covered boxers and a talking/singing cat. Truly a journey.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
Is anyone really expecting me to rate any book in this series less than 5 stars? Cause I don't think it's possible. I love every second of this journey, even if it's ripping my heart to pieces.
: ̗̀➛ Series Reviews
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Dungeon Crawler Carl : Book 1
Carl's Doomsday Scenario : Book 2
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook : Book 3
The Gate of the Feral Gods : Book 4
The Butcher's Masquerade : Book 5
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride : Book 6
This Inevitable Ruin : Book 7
“Wait for my signal this time or you won’t be allowed to go to the party.”
“I will kill your mother.”
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review is not spoiler-free! Read at your own risk.
The Butcher's Masquerade is book five in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and is officially my favourite so far. I will think of this book for an incredibly long time to come. This review will be a bit different than my usual reviews for this series, there's a single topic I want to talk about on this book other than begging everyone who sees this review to please read this incredible series!
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
“Trauma does that, I thought. It’s an explosion with your heart at the center. It changes everything all at once.”
I knew it was coming soon—trauma has to take the spotlight in this series at some point. And it did, in this book specifically. And it broke me. Carl's mantra to the dungeon and the Syndicate has always been "You will not break me", but what am I supposed to do when Carl and Donut are the ones breaking me?
There was so much loss in this book, and it shattered me in so many ways to see how it continues to affect both Carl and Donut's mental health. Carl has always been very adamant on not letting this dungeon break him, he would break them instead. And he's doing a damn good job of it so far, but I feel my own heart breaking in the process watching Carl and Donut lose parts of themselves they cannot bear to lose.
It's always been a prime point in Donut's personality that she is very grandeur and confident for show, but in reality, she is very sensitive to loss, change, and stress. Yet she experienced all of this and more. Bea making an appearance and forcing Donut to come face-to-face with the woman who she believed to be her person was so heartbreaking. She held so much within herself—knowing Bea planned to get rid of her for a younger cat, for never truly loving her or Carl, and to let all of it out on live TV for a galaxy of people who watch and take your misery as their source of entertainment was so brave of her and Matt Dinniman, you are an asshole for destroying me like this (but also, you are incredible sir). I am so proud of Donut for standing her ground against Bea and telling her off and accepting that it hurts but she is ready to move on and spend the rest of her days alongside Carl.
“And I was so stupid, because I thought since I loved you, that meant you loved me.”
My next pain is the end of the book. When Donut experiences a panic attack while sitting atop a severely injured Carl. When she acknowledges the loss of their dear friends to Queen Imogen isn't hurting her or making her as sad as she should feel. Panicking because she feels like a terrible cat for feeling so little for the brutal death of her friends and Carl comforting her. I genuinely wept for her and Carl, this broke me in so many ways. I have never experienced loss to the extent donut, carl, and all of these other crawlers have felt, but in these moments, their grief feels like my own and I bear the same pain and heaviness as they do. The wave of grief and upheaval is so visceral, I realize I really have connected to these characters so deeply over these last 5 books. It takes a lot for books to make me feel the way this series does. I feel so attached to these characters and love them all so dearly. It is incredible how Matt has brought all of these crawlers to life, giving each of them their own backstories, personalities, struggles, and experiences pre- and post-dungeon.
“What we went through just now was only a taste of what’s coming, especially on the ninth floor. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. We’re going to lose more friends. We’re going to have to do some pretty horrible things just to survive. So I need you to keep that mask on. But one day... One day you’ll find yourself someplace safe and without worries and without everyone watching, and it’ll just fall right off. And it will hurt. You will cry for Firas and Gwen and Yolanda and Brandon and everybody else we’ve lost along the way, and you’ll be glad you had it on the whole time.”
I cannot believe I picked up this series thinking, "oh, this is going to be sooo funny! I'm so excited to see the chaos that ensues in this hilarious series about a dude in his boxers and his ex-girlfriend's persian cat as they make their way through this dungeon!" and now here I am, crying over said man in heart-covered boxers and a talking/singing cat. Truly a journey.
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
Is anyone really expecting me to rate any book in this series less than 5 stars? Cause I don't think it's possible. I love every second of this journey, even if it's ripping my heart to pieces.
“Reward: Your reward is advice. Fatherly advice. Don’t be a little bitch. There’s your reward.”
: ̗̀➛ Series Reviews
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Dungeon Crawler Carl : Book 1
Carl's Doomsday Scenario : Book 2
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook : Book 3
The Gate of the Feral Gods : Book 4
The Butcher's Masquerade : Book 5
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride : Book 6
This Inevitable Ruin : Book 7
April 6, 2025
3.5 Stars
I figure at this point in the series, most readers will know if they were invested in this series for the long run. The list sequel is consistent with the earlier work.
At this point, the story and its characters are familiar and comfortable. The story balances witty dialogue with action. For my personal tastes, this series isn't destined to be an all time favourite. I find it fun but don't have the same obsession as my fellow reviewers.
If you enjoy stories that play around with the familiar elements of video games. It's a fun series that keeps me coming back for more. A good escapist read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I figure at this point in the series, most readers will know if they were invested in this series for the long run. The list sequel is consistent with the earlier work.
At this point, the story and its characters are familiar and comfortable. The story balances witty dialogue with action. For my personal tastes, this series isn't destined to be an all time favourite. I find it fun but don't have the same obsession as my fellow reviewers.
If you enjoy stories that play around with the familiar elements of video games. It's a fun series that keeps me coming back for more. A good escapist read.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
June 3, 2024
This is my favorite in the series so far. I laughed, I actually cried?! It happened. I'm so emotionally invested in these books.
Also, I cannot stop praising the audiobooks. Currently listening to the end credits. Absolutely hilarious.
If you haven't started reading these books yet, what are you waiting for? Do I have to beg?
Also, I cannot stop praising the audiobooks. Currently listening to the end credits. Absolutely hilarious.
If you haven't started reading these books yet, what are you waiting for? Do I have to beg?
January 20, 2025
Mongo deserved the W.
Best book of the series so far (out of 7).
Best book of the series so far (out of 7).
September 8, 2025
oh. my. goodness.
June 21, 2025
✨Book Review in 10 words or less✨
This series has me in a chokehold. Best book yet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This series has me in a chokehold. Best book yet.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 18, 2025
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio format 🎧
I would give this book 1000 stars if I could.
Best one of the series so far! How does this series keep getting better and better?! 👏
The characters, the plot, the world building, the action, the suspense….
I could keep going on and on.
I actually get emotional when someone dies in this.
Good grief, how am I going to make it through the whole series without curling up in a fetal position at this point?
Princess Donut, I get you girl. I too love Wonderwall.
🎶🎵 Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall 🎵🎶
Also, I think Jeff Hays has ruined me for all other narrators. Not a lie. It’s amazing how he can do ALL THE VOICES!
Audio format 🎧
I would give this book 1000 stars if I could.
Best one of the series so far! How does this series keep getting better and better?! 👏
The characters, the plot, the world building, the action, the suspense….
I could keep going on and on.
I actually get emotional when someone dies in this.
Good grief, how am I going to make it through the whole series without curling up in a fetal position at this point?
Princess Donut, I get you girl. I too love Wonderwall.
🎶🎵 Because maybe
You're gonna be the one that saves me
And after all
You're my wonderwall 🎵🎶
Also, I think Jeff Hays has ruined me for all other narrators. Not a lie. It’s amazing how he can do ALL THE VOICES!
December 23, 2025
It was hilarious.
And dark.
And deep.
This series lures you in with the laughs, and keeps you coming back for the heartbreak and rage.
I listen to audiobooks on my exercise walks so my neighbors must think I'm a psychopath for the random explosions of laughter and the weird faces these audiobooks inspire.
This is definitely my favorite in the series so far!
I need more Pony screen time, though!
5 Things I loved about this book
1) Prepotente.
I NEED someone to tell me how to make his scream my notification sound.
2) Miriam. So much depth here. I love her, and she is from my general area.
3) Easier to follow compared to the previous, due to a less complex map/setting
4) Carl & Donut relationship is wonderful
5) Jeff Hayes is the most incredible narrator. I'm more impressed with each book.
Can we talk about that closing scene of Donut singing?? The black metal bit and the much better 'Wonderwall' version??💯
Prepotente getting all butt hurt after Carl tells him to "suck his d***k", and then getting some sort of brocrush after Miriam makes them apologize and hug is just my new favorite thing 😂
Why is this so Funny! 😂
“New Achievement! This little piggy made a boom boom! You deployed a bomb with the supple, curved sole of your foot. You took your perfectly-perfect, 30.004861 centimeter-long right foot and compressed it against an explosive device—a device named after me no less—and you gave it a naughty little shove before you pushed it out the door and detonated it. You killed them. You killed them all for your daddy.” Then the AI let out a throaty groan that lasted for an uncomfortable 5 seconds.
I'm not crying, i got cat fur in my eyes
Villain 1.01
This is so realistic 🤣
Enthusiastic Double Gonorrhea.
The ai might be pervert, but it has some standards
I'd watch it.
I feel like we should talk about this line. A lot.
Better than nothing, i guess.
So tender and Wholesome 🥹
This was absolutely great! The best one so far!
Pre-read
Here we gooo!
And dark.
And deep.
This series lures you in with the laughs, and keeps you coming back for the heartbreak and rage.
I listen to audiobooks on my exercise walks so my neighbors must think I'm a psychopath for the random explosions of laughter and the weird faces these audiobooks inspire.
This is definitely my favorite in the series so far!
I need more Pony screen time, though!
5 Things I loved about this book
1) Prepotente.
I NEED someone to tell me how to make his scream my notification sound.
2) Miriam. So much depth here. I love her, and she is from my general area.
3) Easier to follow compared to the previous, due to a less complex map/setting
4) Carl & Donut relationship is wonderful
5) Jeff Hayes is the most incredible narrator. I'm more impressed with each book.
Can we talk about that closing scene of Donut singing?? The black metal bit and the much better 'Wonderwall' version??💯
Prepotente getting all butt hurt after Carl tells him to "suck his d***k", and then getting some sort of brocrush after Miriam makes them apologize and hug is just my new favorite thing 😂
“Pony,” Miriam said. “We are not fighting Carl.”
“I have been insulted! This will not stand! Mother. Princess Donut. Both of you, stand back while I defend my honor!”
“Suck my dick, Pony,” I said, standing up and facing the goat.
Prepotente burst into tears. He jumped into the cart and wrapped his hands around Miriam, who took him into a tight hug.
“Now Carl, that wasn’t very nice,” Miriam said, her voice gentle yet scolding. “We did save your life.”
Why is this so Funny! 😂
“New Achievement! This little piggy made a boom boom! You deployed a bomb with the supple, curved sole of your foot. You took your perfectly-perfect, 30.004861 centimeter-long right foot and compressed it against an explosive device—a device named after me no less—and you gave it a naughty little shove before you pushed it out the door and detonated it. You killed them. You killed them all for your daddy.” Then the AI let out a throaty groan that lasted for an uncomfortable 5 seconds.
I'm not crying, i got cat fur in my eyes
"You're not my person anymore, Carl is. He always has been."
Villain 1.01
Donut: "Carl, hurry up, you are doing the bad guy soliloquy thing. You always say to never do the soliloquy thing!"
This is so realistic 🤣
"Not that one, Carl. Up higher. And on the other side. If I’m going to be permanently disfigured further, it might as well be on the top right. And hurry it up and get it over with. The last thing we need is more Carl and Princess Donut sexy time fan snicks floating around.”
“More?” I asked.
“You know what, I don’t want to know. Okay, I’m going to count to three."
Enthusiastic Double Gonorrhea.
"I imagine flying while your genitals were on fire had to slow you down somewhat."
The ai might be pervert, but it has some standards
"This apotropaic talisman looks like something a goth teenaged girl would shoplift from a Hot Topic. A girl who dreams about one day meeting a hundred-year-old predator and making him fall in love with her.
Remember, it’s not a crime if he’s handsome or rich or looks like a teenager."
I'd watch it.
"Oh my god, Carl! This is just like the plot of Footloose! They are stealing storylines now."
"I don't remember the part where the girl turns into a murderous dinosaur after her dad tells her she can't dance."
"Maybe that was in part two."
I feel like we should talk about this line. A lot.
The goat's demeanor had greatly changed from the first time I've met him.
Trauma does that, I thought.
It's an explosion with your heart at the center.
It changes everything all at once.
Better than nothing, i guess.
"The moment anybody becomes a citizen, the Syndicate bends them over and fucks them.
I can’t stop you from getting fucked. But I am the condom. You guys have condoms on your world? Of course you do. Everybody has condoms.
Your ass is gonna hurt no matter what, but at least you won’t have tryptic genital mites after."
So tender and Wholesome 🥹
“You’re wearing a mask right now, Donut, and you don’t know how to remove it. That’s okay. You don’t need to. Not yet.
That mask is protecting you.”
This was absolutely great! The best one so far!
Pre-read
Here we gooo!
July 3, 2023
Dinniman might not be your J. K. Rowling or Robert Jordan, but he has created a fantasy world as valid and consistent as either of them.
Furthermore he has the writing chops to pull it off, where so many others fail.
By that I mean:
He is able to juggle an immense cast of characters without losing track of any or making mistakes of inconsistency.
He has set himself a great challenge which now spans six books (of which this is number five).
The number of species, personalities, puzzles, environments, magical objects and spells far exceeds the competition.
He goes beyond that tropes of RPG
His sense of humor is often sophomoric, but not to the extent that it overwhelms the tragedy in his drama.
He has not succumbed to any writer's slump so far.....and now the sixth book has dropped!
My thanks to friend, David F, for his recommendation.
4.5*
Furthermore he has the writing chops to pull it off, where so many others fail.
By that I mean:
He is able to juggle an immense cast of characters without losing track of any or making mistakes of inconsistency.
He has set himself a great challenge which now spans six books (of which this is number five).
The number of species, personalities, puzzles, environments, magical objects and spells far exceeds the competition.
He goes beyond that tropes of RPG
His sense of humor is often sophomoric, but not to the extent that it overwhelms the tragedy in his drama.
He has not succumbed to any writer's slump so far.....and now the sixth book has dropped!
My thanks to friend, David F, for his recommendation.
4.5*
July 26, 2025
Another dark and hilarious entry in the Carl series.
The end credits are especially funny in this one.
#teamdonut #princesspossie
The end credits are especially funny in this one.
#teamdonut #princesspossie
January 1, 2026
Best one yet
February 3, 2025
This is fifth in a LitRPG series and you really need to read them in order.
The sixth level. We've been hearing about this (in conjunction with the 9th, 12th, and mythical 18th) from the beginning. This floor has a thousand or so aliens who have bought into the "game" to hunt the crawlers for their treasure (to supply the armies that will do the factional combat on the 9th floor). Carl decides to take this as a challenge along the lines of "I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me". Because he has learned that the hunters who die here don't have a backup or out in order to "make things fair". So dead is dead for the hunters, too, and Carl wants that to be an opportunity.
And I loved this right from the start where Carl goes in hard and opens up by killing literally dozens while they think they're safe in their starting city waiting for the countdown timer to expire for open season. Plus, Dinniman has built up a couple real antagonists of aliens who Carl has provoked into hatred—taking on actual galactic factions and taunting them to humiliation.
In this one, we complete Carl's turn to solidifying his hatred for the game. He has developed a talent for wrecking stuff, and that only goes double when he finds the aliens are cheating (and how they're cheating). His talent for chaos is a thing of beauty, and moreso when you consider the imaginative chops of Dinniman for pulling this all together in a believable and organic way.
I'm still deeply into this story, despite a serious gut-punch in the epilogue. I hate . This alone has nearly tanked my desire to continue reading the series. Dinniman has earned some trust here, so I'll probably snap up the next when it drops. But I admit that I'm worried.
A note about Chaste: So this world has dinosaurs. They're all female. Mongo, Donut's pet mongoliensis, is male. Mating happens, much to the hilarious distress of mommy Donut. It's all off-page, but only because Dinniman illustrates those scenes through Donut's distress. Which was hilarious. But also chaste in an oblique way. So you could argue it's steamy, but it'd be a bit silly to do so.
The sixth level. We've been hearing about this (in conjunction with the 9th, 12th, and mythical 18th) from the beginning. This floor has a thousand or so aliens who have bought into the "game" to hunt the crawlers for their treasure (to supply the armies that will do the factional combat on the 9th floor). Carl decides to take this as a challenge along the lines of "I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me". Because he has learned that the hunters who die here don't have a backup or out in order to "make things fair". So dead is dead for the hunters, too, and Carl wants that to be an opportunity.
And I loved this right from the start where Carl goes in hard and opens up by killing literally dozens while they think they're safe in their starting city waiting for the countdown timer to expire for open season. Plus, Dinniman has built up a couple real antagonists of aliens who Carl has provoked into hatred—taking on actual galactic factions and taunting them to humiliation.
In this one, we complete Carl's turn to solidifying his hatred for the game. He has developed a talent for wrecking stuff, and that only goes double when he finds the aliens are cheating (and how they're cheating). His talent for chaos is a thing of beauty, and moreso when you consider the imaginative chops of Dinniman for pulling this all together in a believable and organic way.
I'm still deeply into this story, despite a serious gut-punch in the epilogue. I hate . This alone has nearly tanked my desire to continue reading the series. Dinniman has earned some trust here, so I'll probably snap up the next when it drops. But I admit that I'm worried.
A note about Chaste: So this world has dinosaurs. They're all female. Mongo, Donut's pet mongoliensis, is male. Mating happens, much to the hilarious distress of mommy Donut. It's all off-page, but only because Dinniman illustrates those scenes through Donut's distress. Which was hilarious. But also chaste in an oblique way. So you could argue it's steamy, but it'd be a bit silly to do so.
April 29, 2024
Second time through it is better. I went into this right after re-reading book #4 and I had a much better sense of what was going on with the secondary characters, of which there are many. I still think that the floor mechanisms are overly complicated and their explanations are often rushed through, but that is not something that ruins the book.
------
The plot continues to be over complicated, but the core characters are fantastic, so I'll probably continue reading.
My biggest issue is that it seems as though the author has a ridiculously complex world fleshed out in his mind and a vast array of characters that he knows incredibly well...and he doesn't realize that the reader doesn't have that same familiarity with world or those characters. There are lots of very detailed passages about alien races and universal politics that the reader will struggle to fully comprehend because there is very little prior context, which is pretty annoying.
Also, there are characters mentioned books ago for a single scene and the author expects the reader to know exactly who all of these people are. This is not a spoiler: there was a big "reveal" near the end of this novel where someone was shown to be "[Character A] the dead girlfriend of [Character B]" and I knew that it was supposed to be dramatic but all I could think was, "Wait, who? Who's girlfriend?" and it the scene ended up having no impact.
Again, I'll keep reading because of Carl and Donut, but I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment.
------
The plot continues to be over complicated, but the core characters are fantastic, so I'll probably continue reading.
My biggest issue is that it seems as though the author has a ridiculously complex world fleshed out in his mind and a vast array of characters that he knows incredibly well...and he doesn't realize that the reader doesn't have that same familiarity with world or those characters. There are lots of very detailed passages about alien races and universal politics that the reader will struggle to fully comprehend because there is very little prior context, which is pretty annoying.
Also, there are characters mentioned books ago for a single scene and the author expects the reader to know exactly who all of these people are. This is not a spoiler: there was a big "reveal" near the end of this novel where someone was shown to be "[Character A] the dead girlfriend of [Character B]" and I knew that it was supposed to be dramatic but all I could think was, "Wait, who? Who's girlfriend?" and it the scene ended up having no impact.
Again, I'll keep reading because of Carl and Donut, but I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment.
November 18, 2023
4.5 stars.
Man, I love this series. The world building is just excellent and I love how our characters are holding up. It’s harrowing and quite heartbreaking at times.
Loving the intergalactic politics. I love all the different monsters, aliens, spells and stories. It’s honestly so fun to read. It’s quite lengthy but entertaining nonetheless.
0.5 stars less cuz the butcher’s masquerade was kinda messy and a lil disappointing.
Man, I love this series. The world building is just excellent and I love how our characters are holding up. It’s harrowing and quite heartbreaking at times.
Loving the intergalactic politics. I love all the different monsters, aliens, spells and stories. It’s honestly so fun to read. It’s quite lengthy but entertaining nonetheless.
0.5 stars less cuz the butcher’s masquerade was kinda messy and a lil disappointing.
April 30, 2025
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
4.5 stars
“Read Dungeon Crawler Carl”, they said. “It’ll be fun”, they said. Okay but can someone then please explain to me why The Butcher’s Masquerade had me choked up multiple times? Why my anxiety was just running wild the entire time? Why this silly ass book made me FEEL so damn much?!?!? Truly, what a fun time, I am totally fine…
Now, I have truly enjoyed every single instalment in the DCC series so far (way more than I ever thought I would honestly), but I can’t deny that The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook and The Gate of the Feral Gods were both a bit of a chaotic, bumpy ride for me despite their high entertainment factor. I mean, I was almost starting to worry that I was losing my passion for this crazy series… and then The Butcher’s Masquerade entered the chat. We have now (safely?) arrived at the Hunting Grounds, and so Dinniman apparently decided it was time to turn into a Hunter himself and come for all our hearts. This book is pure GAS, no notes, perfection.
First of all, Princess Donut absolutely fucking steals the show in The Butcher’s Masquerade. Okay yes, she always steals the show, but this is just some next level shit. She’s SO much more complex and clever than anyone, including Carl, could ever have expected, and some of her lines in this book are so iconic that I’d consider tattooing them on my body. Viva la revolución, babyyy!
But it’s not just Donut who gets her time to shine, it’s the entire cast of these messy, weird, and broken (but not defeated) characters who just absolutely rock here. See, the set-up of this level of the dungeon is still insanely wild and crazy in the best way possible, but I feel like Dinniman really struck the perfect balance between the action and the emotion in The Butcher’s Masquerade. For me, this series has always been about the characters, and I think that this instalment objectively has the best character moments with the biggest emotional weight and pay-off in the entire series so far.
Especially the reunion with a certain special someone from Carl and Donut’s past (that I had been waiting for since book 1) had me all in my feels and turned out to be even more wickedly satisfying than I ever could have imagined. But then there were also some truly brutal moments that came out of absolutely nowhere and somehow had the audacity to get me way more emotional than I would probably like to admit (Miriam… Prepotente!!). Dinniman just keeps surprising me with the level of depth and nuance that is to be found in this silly series, and the exploration of trauma, loss, sacrifice, resilience, rebellion, oppression, loyalty and love in all its complicated glory is way more hard-hitting than I ever could have imagined. Again, I thought I was here to have fun… help?!?!?
Okay no but really, The Butcher’s Masquerade might be the most tragically sad instalment in the series so far, but at the same time it’s arguably also the most hysterically funny one, and I love that this story never loses its heart and ridiculously high fun factor. I mean, we’ve got Donut becoming a Legendary Diva and entering her singing career, Mongo’s promiscuous adventures with other dinosaurs (“That hussy took advantage of my Mongo!”, I DIED), a comic con segment with the most wildly insane interactions, and a true shitshow of a masquerade party that goes absolutely tits up, to no one’s surprise. Oh and I don’t want to talk about how or why a decapitated sex doll head is one of my favourite characters in this series; if Samantha has no fans, I am dead.
And sure, there were still some moments of absolute chaos where Carl’s crazy scheming and unhinged problem solving abilities had my brain cracking from confusion, but ultimately I just can’t deny that The Butcher’s Masquerade was one hell of an engaging emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. This is easily my favourite book in the series so far, and the diabolical ending once again left me equal parts distraught, nervous and wildly excited to see where things go next. The stakes really are higher than ever before now, and I am so ready for the emotional turmoil. Can’t stop, won’t stop, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series has my heart.
4.5 stars
“Read Dungeon Crawler Carl”, they said. “It’ll be fun”, they said. Okay but can someone then please explain to me why The Butcher’s Masquerade had me choked up multiple times? Why my anxiety was just running wild the entire time? Why this silly ass book made me FEEL so damn much?!?!? Truly, what a fun time, I am totally fine…
Now, I have truly enjoyed every single instalment in the DCC series so far (way more than I ever thought I would honestly), but I can’t deny that The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook and The Gate of the Feral Gods were both a bit of a chaotic, bumpy ride for me despite their high entertainment factor. I mean, I was almost starting to worry that I was losing my passion for this crazy series… and then The Butcher’s Masquerade entered the chat. We have now (safely?) arrived at the Hunting Grounds, and so Dinniman apparently decided it was time to turn into a Hunter himself and come for all our hearts. This book is pure GAS, no notes, perfection.
First of all, Princess Donut absolutely fucking steals the show in The Butcher’s Masquerade. Okay yes, she always steals the show, but this is just some next level shit. She’s SO much more complex and clever than anyone, including Carl, could ever have expected, and some of her lines in this book are so iconic that I’d consider tattooing them on my body. Viva la revolución, babyyy!
But it’s not just Donut who gets her time to shine, it’s the entire cast of these messy, weird, and broken (but not defeated) characters who just absolutely rock here. See, the set-up of this level of the dungeon is still insanely wild and crazy in the best way possible, but I feel like Dinniman really struck the perfect balance between the action and the emotion in The Butcher’s Masquerade. For me, this series has always been about the characters, and I think that this instalment objectively has the best character moments with the biggest emotional weight and pay-off in the entire series so far.
Especially the reunion with a certain special someone from Carl and Donut’s past (that I had been waiting for since book 1) had me all in my feels and turned out to be even more wickedly satisfying than I ever could have imagined. But then there were also some truly brutal moments that came out of absolutely nowhere and somehow had the audacity to get me way more emotional than I would probably like to admit (Miriam… Prepotente!!). Dinniman just keeps surprising me with the level of depth and nuance that is to be found in this silly series, and the exploration of trauma, loss, sacrifice, resilience, rebellion, oppression, loyalty and love in all its complicated glory is way more hard-hitting than I ever could have imagined. Again, I thought I was here to have fun… help?!?!?
Okay no but really, The Butcher’s Masquerade might be the most tragically sad instalment in the series so far, but at the same time it’s arguably also the most hysterically funny one, and I love that this story never loses its heart and ridiculously high fun factor. I mean, we’ve got Donut becoming a Legendary Diva and entering her singing career, Mongo’s promiscuous adventures with other dinosaurs (“That hussy took advantage of my Mongo!”, I DIED), a comic con segment with the most wildly insane interactions, and a true shitshow of a masquerade party that goes absolutely tits up, to no one’s surprise. Oh and I don’t want to talk about how or why a decapitated sex doll head is one of my favourite characters in this series; if Samantha has no fans, I am dead.
And sure, there were still some moments of absolute chaos where Carl’s crazy scheming and unhinged problem solving abilities had my brain cracking from confusion, but ultimately I just can’t deny that The Butcher’s Masquerade was one hell of an engaging emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. This is easily my favourite book in the series so far, and the diabolical ending once again left me equal parts distraught, nervous and wildly excited to see where things go next. The stakes really are higher than ever before now, and I am so ready for the emotional turmoil. Can’t stop, won’t stop, the Dungeon Crawler Carl series has my heart.
December 13, 2025
It's settled. The very best character in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series is, undeniably, ...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Just kidding. It's Samantha.
I must say, I have been re-reading this series aloud to my boy at bedtime, and each volume makes it increasingly challenging to alter the text where necessary to keep it, not appropriate, precisely, but at least less inappropriate, for a young one's ears. This entry, of course, ramps up that difficulty level yet again. It's not so much the individual words; it's easy enough to change 'fuck' to 'damn' although many times now he catches a hitch in my narration or is otherwise sufficiently hip to the game to realize when a change has been made, and demands to see the text for himself; it's not like he doesn't know the words or hasn't said worse himself in an "incident" at school. It's more that I have to modify entire sequences or situations on occasion, and these need to be considered before reaching that spot so I can establish continuity seamlessly. For example, in book 2, there was an entire "dead hookers falling from the sky" quest. These became maids. Dead maids falling from the sky. In book 4, it became necessary to provide a suitable definition of a prostitute: it's someone you can pay to be your girlfriend.
This book provides some new challenges, but I think the concept of animals mating will be saleable. As will the concept of gonorrhea.
Lest any pearl-clutchers fear I'm ruining a child's mind, he's older than you would typically imagine someone being read to at night, but he's such a reluctant reader I'm happy to keep it up, and he's such a reluctant reader that even choosing books to have read to him is a challenge; the promise of gore and mayhem is the convincing point here. If the alternative is NOT reading, hell yeah I'll spoon-feed him this edge material while I can provide parental guidance, and heck, maybe he'll want to read these books on his own afterwards for the unedited experience. I will always be available for questions.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Just kidding. It's Samantha.
I must say, I have been re-reading this series aloud to my boy at bedtime, and each volume makes it increasingly challenging to alter the text where necessary to keep it, not appropriate, precisely, but at least less inappropriate, for a young one's ears. This entry, of course, ramps up that difficulty level yet again. It's not so much the individual words; it's easy enough to change 'fuck' to 'damn' although many times now he catches a hitch in my narration or is otherwise sufficiently hip to the game to realize when a change has been made, and demands to see the text for himself; it's not like he doesn't know the words or hasn't said worse himself in an "incident" at school. It's more that I have to modify entire sequences or situations on occasion, and these need to be considered before reaching that spot so I can establish continuity seamlessly. For example, in book 2, there was an entire "dead hookers falling from the sky" quest. These became maids. Dead maids falling from the sky. In book 4, it became necessary to provide a suitable definition of a prostitute: it's someone you can pay to be your girlfriend.
This book provides some new challenges, but I think the concept of animals mating will be saleable. As will the concept of gonorrhea.
Lest any pearl-clutchers fear I'm ruining a child's mind, he's older than you would typically imagine someone being read to at night, but he's such a reluctant reader I'm happy to keep it up, and he's such a reluctant reader that even choosing books to have read to him is a challenge; the promise of gore and mayhem is the convincing point here. If the alternative is NOT reading, hell yeah I'll spoon-feed him this edge material while I can provide parental guidance, and heck, maybe he'll want to read these books on his own afterwards for the unedited experience. I will always be available for questions.
June 3, 2022
I'm so glad I waited for the audiobook release of this. Donut's little performance at the end of the book was such a treat! I guess my attention did start to drift a little towards the end but it was still a fantastic read. I love this series!
February 20, 2026
… And now, our continuation of something different. Something really satirical, funny, escapist and really out there. A completely different kind of reading experience than you have ever had before. The closest thing that I can even come closest to with this one is a combination of Douglas Adam’s “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and Monty Python’s comedy troupe. Only this time in an Americanized trailer park version on steroids…
Trust me. You have never (really – never) read anything like the “Dungeon Crawler Carl” books and that is turning out to be a really good thing. Carl will never be mistaken for literature or serious reading, but if you want to enjoy some seriously sarcastic, imaginative, and downright laugh-out-loud funny, you’ve come to the right place. Carl may be listed as a science fiction and fantasy adventure in the rather new LitRPG (literature role-playing game) genre. But don’t worry. You need not be a gamer to enjoy the heck out of this unique blend of creative storytelling – an open mind and a willing imagination is all you need.
“The Butcher’s Masquerade” is the fifth novel in what is currently projected to be a 10-book series that Matt Dinniman originally self-published, then were bought by Ace books in 2024, and now are being enjoyed on a largescale level of popularity and strong word of mouth.
Carl is a former member of the Coast Guard and a generally nice guy. He was living in an apartment in Seattle, Washington with his ex-girlfriend’s Persian show cat named Princess Donut when aliens arrive and attack earth, and all of the humans in any enclosed space is instantly killed when the aliens collapse all of the buildings and shelters (even tents) on the planet.
The remaining survivors, including Carl and Princess Donut are given the choice to try on and survive on the planet’s surface or to become contestants in a gladiatorial game show - Dungeon Crawler World – that is livestreamed to billions of planets throughout the galaxies. It is like participating in a real-life first-person shooter video where danger and death is absolutely real.
“The Butcher’s Masquerade” picks up immediately where the fourth book – “The Gate of the Feral Gods” – left off. Carl, Princess Donut, Katia and other survivors have entered the sixth level of Earth’s Dungeon called “The Hunting Grounds” because outside tourists allowed to pay their way into the game to hunt the contestants for fun. If facing off against the game’s challenges and other contestants isn’t enough to deal with, let’s throw in some additional hunters who want to make a name for themselves to amplify the danger…
There is so much happening in this book that I am not sure where to even start. As most readers note, each volume gets bigger and longer, but never at the cost of maintaining the absurdly frantic and unbelievably fast-paced speed of storytelling. Trust me. Dinniman keeps things moving at breakneck speed throughout.
To be honest, I just don’t know he pulls it off, but it’s a skill or talent that borders on creative insanity. Like I saif, this is nothing you’ve ever seen before. I am not even sure how to explain it. I will say that there are many, and I mean many, storylines to keep up with, as well as a large cast of characters. There are recurring characters. Returning characters. New characters and even several character surprises which I will not give away and only say wow – there are some seriously evil villains that are easy to hate, as well as bring new meaning to the phrase “keeping it in the family”. I will also admit to changing my opinion about one character who goes through a seriously big change brought on by extreme personal loss, which brought an unexpected personal moment of emotion that I didn’t see coming and turned him/her from a sidebar comedy relief character to a serious bad ass.
Dinniman throughs in so many plot twists and turns that you just don’t know what will happen next. There are several wow moments in this one, and he just keeps on bringing conflict throughout the entire book. I don’t think that he believes in the concept of letting anyone rest and recover. Carl, Donut and the other crawlers have one impossible challenge after another thrown at them. There was so much going against them that I was looking for a kitchen sink to physically show up at some point.
I am not sure how Dinniman keeps raising the bar. Each book gets bigger, longer, and better, as the Dungeon world gets more expansive and more elaborate with every floor. Even at a full 687 pages in length, Carl’s fifth outing is an intensely fast-paced, enjoyable read that delivers an escapist treat as long as you don’t take its extreme Hungers Game world too seriously. Which reminds me that I should be sure to mention again that this is an adult-oriented novel, including violence, swearing, and strategically placed sexual innuendos. Be forewarned, it thrives on shock humor that delivers outright chuckles and laughs from the readers than you can imagine.
As I described in my review of the last book, a subtle but important shift continues to take place, especially in this series as it moves forward. While the worldbuilding continues to expand physically, politically, and even historically, it has moved from just being something creative and different. A funny thing has happened along the way. As a matter of fact, several things have. The characters have become personal to the reader. Their relationships, interactions, and growth have become important. Their humanity, and at times the lack of it, have connected with us and their outcomes matter.
In addition, the gaming world that they are entrapped in has moved from superficial escapism to a complex and layered on the level that rivals a Fyodor Dostoevsky Russian classic. I’m absolutely serious about this comment. I know it sounds crazy, but Matt Dinniman has raised the bar beyond anything that anyone could have expected when they started reading this series. He’s turned the political and historical elements into his own warped version of the Roman empire. The characters have become real. Their challenges while trying to survive the dungeon, human and non-human enemies, as well as with themselves, has become a massive drama that reflects our own human values, fears, and weaknesses. For example, Carl has so many ongoing sub-plots that are rich and engrossing, that you need a scorecard to keep up with them, and Dinniman adds to their richness with ongoing storylines that continue and build over multiple books. I don’t know how he juggles so many interconnected and moving parts all at the same time. It's downright insane how he pulls it off. Honestly, I’m almost afraid that he’s building up to an almost impossible ending. But for now, my mantra is “In Dinniman we trust”.
Overall, this fifth book in the series is not just another guilty pleasure, it is a well-spent afternoon escape from reality, and wonderful new type of reading experience that lifts your spirit. Dinniman has elevated the LitRPG, Science Fiction, and Fantasy genres into something new and unique that is all his own creation. A completely whole new type of reading experience that is an immersive experience like no other.
My advice is to get yourself something to drink and snack on, grab a notepad to use as a scorecard to keep up with the multiple inter-connecting storylines and characters as needed, curl up on the couch, and simply enjoy the ride of reading what is an unexpected and delightful treat that will capture your heart… Come drink the Kool-Aid with us…
For me, this added complexity and emotional attachment to a ridiculous fun journey of our dungeon crawlers, and I am giving it a very worthy 4.5 to 5-star rating.
Up next is Book #6 – “The Eye of the Bedlam Bride”. Another crazy title that I am sure will make sense when I read it…
Trust me. You have never (really – never) read anything like the “Dungeon Crawler Carl” books and that is turning out to be a really good thing. Carl will never be mistaken for literature or serious reading, but if you want to enjoy some seriously sarcastic, imaginative, and downright laugh-out-loud funny, you’ve come to the right place. Carl may be listed as a science fiction and fantasy adventure in the rather new LitRPG (literature role-playing game) genre. But don’t worry. You need not be a gamer to enjoy the heck out of this unique blend of creative storytelling – an open mind and a willing imagination is all you need.
“The Butcher’s Masquerade” is the fifth novel in what is currently projected to be a 10-book series that Matt Dinniman originally self-published, then were bought by Ace books in 2024, and now are being enjoyed on a largescale level of popularity and strong word of mouth.
Carl is a former member of the Coast Guard and a generally nice guy. He was living in an apartment in Seattle, Washington with his ex-girlfriend’s Persian show cat named Princess Donut when aliens arrive and attack earth, and all of the humans in any enclosed space is instantly killed when the aliens collapse all of the buildings and shelters (even tents) on the planet.
The remaining survivors, including Carl and Princess Donut are given the choice to try on and survive on the planet’s surface or to become contestants in a gladiatorial game show - Dungeon Crawler World – that is livestreamed to billions of planets throughout the galaxies. It is like participating in a real-life first-person shooter video where danger and death is absolutely real.
“The Butcher’s Masquerade” picks up immediately where the fourth book – “The Gate of the Feral Gods” – left off. Carl, Princess Donut, Katia and other survivors have entered the sixth level of Earth’s Dungeon called “The Hunting Grounds” because outside tourists allowed to pay their way into the game to hunt the contestants for fun. If facing off against the game’s challenges and other contestants isn’t enough to deal with, let’s throw in some additional hunters who want to make a name for themselves to amplify the danger…
There is so much happening in this book that I am not sure where to even start. As most readers note, each volume gets bigger and longer, but never at the cost of maintaining the absurdly frantic and unbelievably fast-paced speed of storytelling. Trust me. Dinniman keeps things moving at breakneck speed throughout.
To be honest, I just don’t know he pulls it off, but it’s a skill or talent that borders on creative insanity. Like I saif, this is nothing you’ve ever seen before. I am not even sure how to explain it. I will say that there are many, and I mean many, storylines to keep up with, as well as a large cast of characters. There are recurring characters. Returning characters. New characters and even several character surprises which I will not give away and only say wow – there are some seriously evil villains that are easy to hate, as well as bring new meaning to the phrase “keeping it in the family”. I will also admit to changing my opinion about one character who goes through a seriously big change brought on by extreme personal loss, which brought an unexpected personal moment of emotion that I didn’t see coming and turned him/her from a sidebar comedy relief character to a serious bad ass.
Dinniman throughs in so many plot twists and turns that you just don’t know what will happen next. There are several wow moments in this one, and he just keeps on bringing conflict throughout the entire book. I don’t think that he believes in the concept of letting anyone rest and recover. Carl, Donut and the other crawlers have one impossible challenge after another thrown at them. There was so much going against them that I was looking for a kitchen sink to physically show up at some point.
I am not sure how Dinniman keeps raising the bar. Each book gets bigger, longer, and better, as the Dungeon world gets more expansive and more elaborate with every floor. Even at a full 687 pages in length, Carl’s fifth outing is an intensely fast-paced, enjoyable read that delivers an escapist treat as long as you don’t take its extreme Hungers Game world too seriously. Which reminds me that I should be sure to mention again that this is an adult-oriented novel, including violence, swearing, and strategically placed sexual innuendos. Be forewarned, it thrives on shock humor that delivers outright chuckles and laughs from the readers than you can imagine.
As I described in my review of the last book, a subtle but important shift continues to take place, especially in this series as it moves forward. While the worldbuilding continues to expand physically, politically, and even historically, it has moved from just being something creative and different. A funny thing has happened along the way. As a matter of fact, several things have. The characters have become personal to the reader. Their relationships, interactions, and growth have become important. Their humanity, and at times the lack of it, have connected with us and their outcomes matter.
In addition, the gaming world that they are entrapped in has moved from superficial escapism to a complex and layered on the level that rivals a Fyodor Dostoevsky Russian classic. I’m absolutely serious about this comment. I know it sounds crazy, but Matt Dinniman has raised the bar beyond anything that anyone could have expected when they started reading this series. He’s turned the political and historical elements into his own warped version of the Roman empire. The characters have become real. Their challenges while trying to survive the dungeon, human and non-human enemies, as well as with themselves, has become a massive drama that reflects our own human values, fears, and weaknesses. For example, Carl has so many ongoing sub-plots that are rich and engrossing, that you need a scorecard to keep up with them, and Dinniman adds to their richness with ongoing storylines that continue and build over multiple books. I don’t know how he juggles so many interconnected and moving parts all at the same time. It's downright insane how he pulls it off. Honestly, I’m almost afraid that he’s building up to an almost impossible ending. But for now, my mantra is “In Dinniman we trust”.
Overall, this fifth book in the series is not just another guilty pleasure, it is a well-spent afternoon escape from reality, and wonderful new type of reading experience that lifts your spirit. Dinniman has elevated the LitRPG, Science Fiction, and Fantasy genres into something new and unique that is all his own creation. A completely whole new type of reading experience that is an immersive experience like no other.
My advice is to get yourself something to drink and snack on, grab a notepad to use as a scorecard to keep up with the multiple inter-connecting storylines and characters as needed, curl up on the couch, and simply enjoy the ride of reading what is an unexpected and delightful treat that will capture your heart… Come drink the Kool-Aid with us…
For me, this added complexity and emotional attachment to a ridiculous fun journey of our dungeon crawlers, and I am giving it a very worthy 4.5 to 5-star rating.
Up next is Book #6 – “The Eye of the Bedlam Bride”. Another crazy title that I am sure will make sense when I read it…
December 18, 2024
This series just keeps getting better.
[4.5 stars, rounded up because you will not break me]
[4.5 stars, rounded up because you will not break me]
March 2, 2025
These books are filled with violence, death, and betrayal, so a nice respite from the news
Read
November 3, 2025Despite my 'ehh' experience with this series, I keep forging forward. Why? I’m addicted to the audiobook. Not the plot or the characters, but the narrator, Jeff Hays, and the production team behind it.
We get the famous Princess Donut song at the end of this, which was the highlight for me.
However, I do think the plot was more engaging than books 2-4.
Despite still never feeling the emotional stakes or tension, I did appreciate the deeper character work and rapport between Carl and others. Moreover, Princess Donut, Mongo, and Carl definitely delivered more on the weird found family-esque vibes.
The AI storyline is getting interesting and I think that’s being set up to be the climax of the story.
The question is, will I continue?
I haven’t rated the last two books as I go in knowing I’m here for the production and voices rather than the story.
Maybe I will. It’s not at the top of my list at all, but if I’m waiting for a library hold to come in, I’m sure I’ll remember I have book six thanks to my brothers’ love of the series.
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We get the famous Princess Donut song at the end of this, which was the highlight for me.
However, I do think the plot was more engaging than books 2-4.
Despite still never feeling the emotional stakes or tension, I did appreciate the deeper character work and rapport between Carl and others. Moreover, Princess Donut, Mongo, and Carl definitely delivered more on the weird found family-esque vibes.
The AI storyline is getting interesting and I think that’s being set up to be the climax of the story.
The question is, will I continue?
I haven’t rated the last two books as I go in knowing I’m here for the production and voices rather than the story.
Maybe I will. It’s not at the top of my list at all, but if I’m waiting for a library hold to come in, I’m sure I’ll remember I have book six thanks to my brothers’ love of the series.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
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