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Dungeon Crawler Carl #3
Le Livre de recettes de l'anarchiste
Bonjour, les crawlers ! Bienvenue au niveau 4 ! Nous l'avons baptisé le Nœud de fer.
Que devient le duo de choc le plus suivi de l'univers ?
Les efforts de Carl et Donut ont payé : non seulement ils ont survécu aux trois premiers niveaux, mais leur équipe est l'une des plus célèbres et des plus appréciées du jeu ! Cette popularité qui les a propulsés dans le prestigieux top 10 n'est pas sans revers, une prime en pièces d'or est désormais promise à quiconque les éliminera.
Pour venir à bout du niveau 4, véritable labyrinthe ferroviaire, les crawlers vont devoir unir leurs forces, mais à qui se fier quand votre tête est mise à prix ? Cerise sur le gâteau : le soutien des mécènes présage de nouveaux conflits tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur du donjon. Carl fait alors l'acquisition d'un objet en apparence insignifiant qui pourrait pourtant faire basculer le cours de la saison... et même de l'univers.
Ils l'appellent Dungeon Crawler World. Mais pour Carl et Donut, c'est tout sauf un jeu.
Que devient le duo de choc le plus suivi de l'univers ?
Les efforts de Carl et Donut ont payé : non seulement ils ont survécu aux trois premiers niveaux, mais leur équipe est l'une des plus célèbres et des plus appréciées du jeu ! Cette popularité qui les a propulsés dans le prestigieux top 10 n'est pas sans revers, une prime en pièces d'or est désormais promise à quiconque les éliminera.
Pour venir à bout du niveau 4, véritable labyrinthe ferroviaire, les crawlers vont devoir unir leurs forces, mais à qui se fier quand votre tête est mise à prix ? Cerise sur le gâteau : le soutien des mécènes présage de nouveaux conflits tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur du donjon. Carl fait alors l'acquisition d'un objet en apparence insignifiant qui pourrait pourtant faire basculer le cours de la saison... et même de l'univers.
Ils l'appellent Dungeon Crawler World. Mais pour Carl et Donut, c'est tout sauf un jeu.
592 pages, Paperback
First published March 19, 2021
About the author
Matt Dinniman
58 books26k 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 21,399 reviews
April 4, 2021
Still very well written and I like the characters, but this one didn't really work for me. The book gave me the feeling of running on a treadmill and never really getting anywhere. I understand the intent, but I found it tedious to read about all of the trains, lines, stations which detracted from my enjoyment.
The author goes so far as to say that you don't need to understand the floor, trains, etc. but if so, why bother to put so much effort into them? Hopefully the next one will work better as a reading experience.
The author goes so far as to say that you don't need to understand the floor, trains, etc. but if so, why bother to put so much effort into them? Hopefully the next one will work better as a reading experience.
July 15, 2026
This series is way too much like playing a video game: you think you'll just do one or two quests, maybe a half hour, and then all of a sudden, I've missed lunch and my watch it telling me it is time to move. Dinniman is so very good at leveling his reader up. In the first two books, we have a fairly straight-forward, LitRPG format. In book 3, he changes it up with an unusual tunnel dungeon revolving around trains and stations (I didn't have a great game reference, so my mental imaging filled in with the NYC subway system). Like other books in the series, it has intense emotional moments diluted with a little too much detail about the mechanics. To be fair, I feel the same way when some real-life guilds insist members prepare for playing by going into deep fight mechanics as well. I noticed on second listen that at the end of the section describing the room upgrades, Carl states, "that's enough exposition for now." I appreciated that humor and nod... but I do wish he had followed through with his self-awareness on that one, specifically with some of the Tangle mechanics and they upgrade mechanics. On the other side, I feel like Dinniman has definitely laid out the framework for a real-life linked in video game. I wonder how long before someone takes up that challenge?
Worth noting is that I think there's a lot of hand-wavy stuff, but that's also appropriate for video game. In fact, characters both knowledgeable and not will tell him, 'it doesn't have to make sense,' which probably re-grounds the reader as well. This installment has a deep game that's clever, in a one-trick pony kind of way.
Though a dungeon crawler, Dinniman does his best to bring reflection and shared humanity (for lack of a better word) into the experience for the crew. It's actually a very applicable message for our times.
"But it struck me how someone so different, so alien, could still be so similar to me. Some things were just universal, I guessed."
Some aspects of the emotional plotting don't stick quite as well; It helps when Dinneman reminds us that Donut the cat is at a child-emotion level, which helps rectify some of the inconsistencies between being very smart and very naive.
"I GOT THE MASCOT SKILL! BUT I DIDN’T GET GROUP CHANT OR MOVING RIOT."
The sub-classes of characters continue to be hilarious, obviously. The lewdness of the AI is turned down in this one, but Dinneman's own--cough, um--stereotypical male view shows up in other ways.
"It takes a lot to break the cherry, so to say, and obtain level 1."
The dialogue language is pretty basic, but it's real strength is that Carl talks like people. Like real people. Like me when I'm really tired, or like people you are sharing a beer with, or parents at their wits' end. Depending on your tolerance, this may be a bug or a feature (haha):
“Mongo, stay with Donut,” I yelled as I rushed past. “And stop eating gross shit. You’re going to make yourself sick again.”
But I like that Dinneman keeps grounding Carl in his emotions.
"That was it, wasn’t it? Sleep was my sanctuary. No matter how fucked-up the world now was, I could still get away for part of the day. Now, that luxury was being eroded. Sure, our bodies would no longer be tired. But what about our brains? We were already well past burnout. What was going to happen now?"
Too true, Carl. Too true. We still wake up every day.
Three and a half achievements, rounding down for the parts I scanned.
Listened May 2025. Audio is about as addictive as reading, perhaps even more so.
Worth noting is that I think there's a lot of hand-wavy stuff, but that's also appropriate for video game. In fact, characters both knowledgeable and not will tell him, 'it doesn't have to make sense,' which probably re-grounds the reader as well. This installment has a deep game that's clever, in a one-trick pony kind of way.
Though a dungeon crawler, Dinniman does his best to bring reflection and shared humanity (for lack of a better word) into the experience for the crew. It's actually a very applicable message for our times.
"But it struck me how someone so different, so alien, could still be so similar to me. Some things were just universal, I guessed."
Some aspects of the emotional plotting don't stick quite as well; It helps when Dinneman reminds us that Donut the cat is at a child-emotion level, which helps rectify some of the inconsistencies between being very smart and very naive.
"I GOT THE MASCOT SKILL! BUT I DIDN’T GET GROUP CHANT OR MOVING RIOT."
The sub-classes of characters continue to be hilarious, obviously. The lewdness of the AI is turned down in this one, but Dinneman's own--cough, um--stereotypical male view shows up in other ways.
"It takes a lot to break the cherry, so to say, and obtain level 1."
The dialogue language is pretty basic, but it's real strength is that Carl talks like people. Like real people. Like me when I'm really tired, or like people you are sharing a beer with, or parents at their wits' end. Depending on your tolerance, this may be a bug or a feature (haha):
“Mongo, stay with Donut,” I yelled as I rushed past. “And stop eating gross shit. You’re going to make yourself sick again.”
But I like that Dinneman keeps grounding Carl in his emotions.
"That was it, wasn’t it? Sleep was my sanctuary. No matter how fucked-up the world now was, I could still get away for part of the day. Now, that luxury was being eroded. Sure, our bodies would no longer be tired. But what about our brains? We were already well past burnout. What was going to happen now?"
Too true, Carl. Too true. We still wake up every day.
Three and a half achievements, rounding down for the parts I scanned.
Listened May 2025. Audio is about as addictive as reading, perhaps even more so.
October 20, 2023
Watch my video review by clicking here.
By far my favorite book from this series. Fixed all my little problems from the first book, and took the story in a wonderful direction.
By far my favorite book from this series. Fixed all my little problems from the first book, and took the story in a wonderful direction.
June 26, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
Dare I say this is my favorite in the series so far?
Dare I say this is my favorite in the series so far?
March 4, 2026
okay honestly it took me six months to finish this one because Trains but towards the end Jeff Hays started making screaming goat sounds so I’m right back in and got the fourth audiobook.
May 22, 2026
3.75
Had a rollercoaster of feelings with this one! My first thought diving in was... "oh fun, trains!"
My second thought was... "oh this is a bit tedious"
Then in the second half I thought, "YES we're finally expanding the story!"
Needless to say, I am excited to see where this series goes from here - because I feel like we finally made a great step at expanding our range of perception of this world. Opening up more to what this "game" is really about, and why things are happening. Also expanding our connections to other crawlers I feel like is adding more layered dynamics to our characters and their relationships with one another which I am enjoying. Sort of forcing our characters to grow and face more difficult choices and situations.
I have decided to go full on audiobook for the rest of this series, it truly does work a lot better in this format vs physical read (coming from someone who is a 99% physical reader). I find listening makes some of the more repetitive, tedious bits of litRPG go by easier vs reading it with eyeballs.
Anyways, onto the next!
Had a rollercoaster of feelings with this one! My first thought diving in was... "oh fun, trains!"
My second thought was... "oh this is a bit tedious"
Then in the second half I thought, "YES we're finally expanding the story!"
Needless to say, I am excited to see where this series goes from here - because I feel like we finally made a great step at expanding our range of perception of this world. Opening up more to what this "game" is really about, and why things are happening. Also expanding our connections to other crawlers I feel like is adding more layered dynamics to our characters and their relationships with one another which I am enjoying. Sort of forcing our characters to grow and face more difficult choices and situations.
I have decided to go full on audiobook for the rest of this series, it truly does work a lot better in this format vs physical read (coming from someone who is a 99% physical reader). I find listening makes some of the more repetitive, tedious bits of litRPG go by easier vs reading it with eyeballs.
Anyways, onto the next!
February 23, 2026
The third book in a series that keeps getting better and better.
I found all the great elements of the two previous books, the humour, the action, the fantastic narration and adds higher stakes and more heart.
I'm more attached than ever to the main characters, and was pleasantly surprised by the development of the side characters and even their depth. Even the NPC have a unique voice.
Il be starting the next book soon!
2026 reread:
I've loved it even more this time around, probably in part because I finally made my peace with being unable to get a clear picture of the iron tangle. It's a tangle, after all.
I had forgotten Pony first apparence and I was so happy to rediscover it!!! He's definitely one special boy ❤️
I found all the great elements of the two previous books, the humour, the action, the fantastic narration and adds higher stakes and more heart.
I'm more attached than ever to the main characters, and was pleasantly surprised by the development of the side characters and even their depth. Even the NPC have a unique voice.
Il be starting the next book soon!
2026 reread:
I've loved it even more this time around, probably in part because I finally made my peace with being unable to get a clear picture of the iron tangle. It's a tangle, after all.
I had forgotten Pony first apparence and I was so happy to rediscover it!!! He's definitely one special boy ❤️
October 26, 2023
3.5 stars.
The world building is the highlight of this series. This book was less humorous than the previous books and the plot was tedious to get through because of the whole railway system.
Making the series one floor per book was not a great move either. I just wanted the book to be over. Mordecai wasn’t there for a huge portion of the plot and the AI didn’t show up often enough which sucks because I loved the AI sections.
There’s a slow build up to the backstory. Interested to see how that plays out in the sequels.
The world building is the highlight of this series. This book was less humorous than the previous books and the plot was tedious to get through because of the whole railway system.
Making the series one floor per book was not a great move either. I just wanted the book to be over. Mordecai wasn’t there for a huge portion of the plot and the AI didn’t show up often enough which sucks because I loved the AI sections.
There’s a slow build up to the backstory. Interested to see how that plays out in the sequels.
January 24, 2025
NEW ACHIEVEMENT! YOU'RE ON A TRAIN! CHU CHU MOTHERFUCKER!
4.5 stars!
As usual, this was unhinged, funny and so entertaining! I'm loving how the story is progressing and how their relationships are growing.
As always, some unhinged quotes:
“I don’t understand a word of what the fuck you just said.” The robot sighed. “I apologize, Carl. Let me translate it to earth monkey speak.”
“Miss Beatrice once used scissors to get poop off my butt,” Donut said. “Uh huh,” I said. “Once?” “We’re having a moment here, Carl. Don’t ruin it.”
“I think my fans should have a name, wouldn’t that be great? Like the Princess Patrol or something.” I grunted. “How about the Donut Holes?” “Don’t be crude, Carl.”
“There are some pretty weird ones, though. There’s a guy here who is a mushroom. Why would you turn yourself into a mushroom? He looks like a penis.”
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT: They love me, they really love me! You have gained a trillion new followers! People sure do love a good train-wreck! wink."
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT: Cock-Aquaman! You got fucked by a fish!"
“The moment I pulled his head through the hole, Donut snapped off the spell. I let go, and the severed head dropped to the ground, mouth still open wide. “What was that, bitch? I didn’t quite get that last part,” I said.”
_______________________________________________
pre-read
Peep my man Carl's fabulous toe ring 👀
4.5 stars!
As usual, this was unhinged, funny and so entertaining! I'm loving how the story is progressing and how their relationships are growing.
As always, some unhinged quotes:
“I don’t understand a word of what the fuck you just said.” The robot sighed. “I apologize, Carl. Let me translate it to earth monkey speak.”
“Miss Beatrice once used scissors to get poop off my butt,” Donut said. “Uh huh,” I said. “Once?” “We’re having a moment here, Carl. Don’t ruin it.”
“I think my fans should have a name, wouldn’t that be great? Like the Princess Patrol or something.” I grunted. “How about the Donut Holes?” “Don’t be crude, Carl.”
“There are some pretty weird ones, though. There’s a guy here who is a mushroom. Why would you turn yourself into a mushroom? He looks like a penis.”
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT: They love me, they really love me! You have gained a trillion new followers! People sure do love a good train-wreck! wink."
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT: Cock-Aquaman! You got fucked by a fish!"
“The moment I pulled his head through the hole, Donut snapped off the spell. I let go, and the severed head dropped to the ground, mouth still open wide. “What was that, bitch? I didn’t quite get that last part,” I said.”
_______________________________________________
pre-read
Peep my man Carl's fabulous toe ring 👀
March 9, 2026
Never have I ever swooned over a fictional straight man more than the way I do for Carl.
Admittedly, I spent a whole lot of this book confused as fuck with the in-depth workings of the train line system that this dungeon was created around.
But as per usual, the monsters were gross and the author has done a fab job at creating a story that creates VIVID AF head cinema for this made up, OTT world.
The NPC's were fucking awesome, Princess Donut absolutely crushed it and all the craziness sometimes gets pushed to the side for a few sincere cute moments that made me feel teary-eyed.
Carl realising he's found his lil family in a dungeon that's designed to kill him 😭😭😭
Admitting to himself how lonely he'd been all his life. omg. 😭😭😭
The achievement/reward system for killing monsters, and the AI that gives dungeon information is literally the best.
My fave monster warning of book 3:
"Literal fire ants: Level 1 - This is a trap monster.
Just like regular fire ants but with more enthusiasm. Plus, they hate you and want you to die.
They're pretty good at making that happen."
THE GOODREADS SHADE THIS BOOK THROWS IN THE BOOK'S OUTRO/ADVERTISEMENT OF THE AUDIOBOOK IS TOP TIER ALSO. 🤭🤭🤭
It's hard to give context to the outro's of these books, but the below is satire as it's technically part of a script that Carl had to read to make money during the book?
It's like the author is toying with the fourth wall or something, but it's so satisfying hahahaha.
"It really is ridiculous considering most authors spend hours toiling over their stories, painstakingly crafting each and every word, and what do they get? ALCOHOLISM. That's what they get. That and the joy of logging into Goodreads, only to find a new 1 star review where an anonymous dipshit with a winnie the pooh avatar calls your work "lazy writing" after you literally spent 3 years writing it."
🤭🤭🤭
Admittedly, I spent a whole lot of this book confused as fuck with the in-depth workings of the train line system that this dungeon was created around.
But as per usual, the monsters were gross and the author has done a fab job at creating a story that creates VIVID AF head cinema for this made up, OTT world.
The NPC's were fucking awesome, Princess Donut absolutely crushed it and all the craziness sometimes gets pushed to the side for a few sincere cute moments that made me feel teary-eyed.
Carl realising he's found his lil family in a dungeon that's designed to kill him 😭😭😭
Admitting to himself how lonely he'd been all his life. omg. 😭😭😭
The achievement/reward system for killing monsters, and the AI that gives dungeon information is literally the best.
My fave monster warning of book 3:
"Literal fire ants: Level 1 - This is a trap monster.
Just like regular fire ants but with more enthusiasm. Plus, they hate you and want you to die.
They're pretty good at making that happen."
THE GOODREADS SHADE THIS BOOK THROWS IN THE BOOK'S OUTRO/ADVERTISEMENT OF THE AUDIOBOOK IS TOP TIER ALSO. 🤭🤭🤭
It's hard to give context to the outro's of these books, but the below is satire as it's technically part of a script that Carl had to read to make money during the book?
It's like the author is toying with the fourth wall or something, but it's so satisfying hahahaha.
"It really is ridiculous considering most authors spend hours toiling over their stories, painstakingly crafting each and every word, and what do they get? ALCOHOLISM. That's what they get. That and the joy of logging into Goodreads, only to find a new 1 star review where an anonymous dipshit with a winnie the pooh avatar calls your work "lazy writing" after you literally spent 3 years writing it."
🤭🤭🤭
October 25, 2024
As with the first two books, the story, pacing and overall plot is great. Really enjoyed the overall idea as well as the continued progress of Carl and Donut.
The three stars is because I felt the subway setting was just too complex to keep track of. The author did his best to explain it via words, but I never really understood the layout or how the various components fit together. I still enjoyed the book overall, but just couldn't wrap my head around that part of the story. (which is, unfortunately, the largest part of the overall plot)
Still plan to continue with the series and look forward to book 4.
The three stars is because I felt the subway setting was just too complex to keep track of. The author did his best to explain it via words, but I never really understood the layout or how the various components fit together. I still enjoyed the book overall, but just couldn't wrap my head around that part of the story. (which is, unfortunately, the largest part of the overall plot)
Still plan to continue with the series and look forward to book 4.
April 3, 2026
Carl and Princess Donut’s survival journey continues, on to Level 4, which is all about trains… and honestly, it’s a bit of a mess. Trying to keep track of everything going on with the trains was a little challenging, but Matt handled it well. He even says not to stress too much about it, that it will all come together in the end, and it really does. In the end, I didn’t mind not keeping track of every detail.
I’m still rooting hard for these characters, and with a lot more being introduced, it just made things even more fun. Brandon… what the hell, Matt? Like Carl, I felt like punching something. Ella was a standout for me, I loved her, all that frosty attitude and that sharp mouth, even though she’s in her 60s or something! Imani is growing on me too. I didn’t really connect with her in the first book, but now I can really picture her, especially with those wings. Katia might not seem like the perfect fit for Princess Donut’s party, but I think she adds something to the group, and I’m interested to see where her story goes.
Mordecai being banned for seven days actually felt like the best thing for Carl and Donut. It forced them to stand on their own two feet, or four, and really pushed Carl to step up. This felt like an important moment for him, becoming the kind of leader the series needs. And thank you, Matt, for still having him run around in his heart boxers, no pants or shoes yet!
This was a great book. It flowed really well, and I still love how it feels like you’re right there, actively playing the game with them. I did notice some repetition in the explanations, which made it feel a bit longer than needed, but overall it was still awesome.
Going into the next book, I’m really hoping to see Zev again. I am a little nervous about the new rules though, with people being scattered away from your main party. Does that mean we won’t see Elle, Imani, Bautista and the others as much? Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
I’m still rooting hard for these characters, and with a lot more being introduced, it just made things even more fun. Brandon… what the hell, Matt? Like Carl, I felt like punching something. Ella was a standout for me, I loved her, all that frosty attitude and that sharp mouth, even though she’s in her 60s or something! Imani is growing on me too. I didn’t really connect with her in the first book, but now I can really picture her, especially with those wings. Katia might not seem like the perfect fit for Princess Donut’s party, but I think she adds something to the group, and I’m interested to see where her story goes.
Mordecai being banned for seven days actually felt like the best thing for Carl and Donut. It forced them to stand on their own two feet, or four, and really pushed Carl to step up. This felt like an important moment for him, becoming the kind of leader the series needs. And thank you, Matt, for still having him run around in his heart boxers, no pants or shoes yet!
This was a great book. It flowed really well, and I still love how it feels like you’re right there, actively playing the game with them. I did notice some repetition in the explanations, which made it feel a bit longer than needed, but overall it was still awesome.
Going into the next book, I’m really hoping to see Zev again. I am a little nervous about the new rules though, with people being scattered away from your main party. Does that mean we won’t see Elle, Imani, Bautista and the others as much? Guess I’ll have to wait and see.
December 18, 2025
4⭐️
These books just keep getting better and better!! While my ratings are still generally the same, my actual feelings about the books just have me more and more invested and I swear, I will never be the same after each of these books. IT'S JUST SOO GOOD!!
I have so many amazing things to say about this series, but in this book especially the characters were pretty damn incredible. Carl and Princess Donut's character development just keeps growing and their care for all the others in the dungeon never ceases to amaze me. The bigger presence of Katia was really enjoyable, and I liked how the book went out without the big show of Mordecai. It showed the adaptability and crazy actions between all the main characters! It just made it that more unpredictable and insane.
The plot itself of this book focused on a subway system for the floor and I have to admit, it was extremely confusing. The author did his best to explain it but most of the time you're just kind of there for the journey even if it's not that easy to understand. The betrayal and deaths in this book were so unexpected and had me audibly gasping at several points; if I had one word to describe this series, it'd be completely unpredictable...and I love it. The gore, the humor, the action, it comes together and addictive and wild and I will eat it up every single time.
Overall, I had a bit more fun with this book audio wise compared the the previous ones. There were a lot more unique events and battles that just made the book impossible to put down. Obviously, it's a bit harder to review since it's the third book in the series and I don't wanna spoil anything. But let me just say that if you're looking for a fun, addictive RPG action series? THIS is the one to start. I can promise you that there is nothing else like this. The appealing writing? The crazy characters? The intense action? It's got it all, and I can't wait to start the 4th book!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 👾💣
After a much needed break, I'm so excited to get back into these audiobooks 😈
These books just keep getting better and better!! While my ratings are still generally the same, my actual feelings about the books just have me more and more invested and I swear, I will never be the same after each of these books. IT'S JUST SOO GOOD!!
I have so many amazing things to say about this series, but in this book especially the characters were pretty damn incredible. Carl and Princess Donut's character development just keeps growing and their care for all the others in the dungeon never ceases to amaze me. The bigger presence of Katia was really enjoyable, and I liked how the book went out without the big show of Mordecai. It showed the adaptability and crazy actions between all the main characters! It just made it that more unpredictable and insane.
The plot itself of this book focused on a subway system for the floor and I have to admit, it was extremely confusing. The author did his best to explain it but most of the time you're just kind of there for the journey even if it's not that easy to understand. The betrayal and deaths in this book were so unexpected and had me audibly gasping at several points; if I had one word to describe this series, it'd be completely unpredictable...and I love it. The gore, the humor, the action, it comes together and addictive and wild and I will eat it up every single time.
Overall, I had a bit more fun with this book audio wise compared the the previous ones. There were a lot more unique events and battles that just made the book impossible to put down. Obviously, it's a bit harder to review since it's the third book in the series and I don't wanna spoil anything. But let me just say that if you're looking for a fun, addictive RPG action series? THIS is the one to start. I can promise you that there is nothing else like this. The appealing writing? The crazy characters? The intense action? It's got it all, and I can't wait to start the 4th book!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭: 👾💣
After a much needed break, I'm so excited to get back into these audiobooks 😈
August 4, 2024
The railways were a bit tedious, but otherwise this candy is delicious and I'm on cruise control. Sometimes surprisingly emotional, especially the situations involving the NPCs like the demon mother living in the steam engine's firebox. I had a little extra water in my eyes.
August 29, 2025
only three hundred eighty-nine thousand are entering the massive subway station that is level four of the dungeon! we soon get to see carl and crew make a customizable base, filled with work stations and crafting tables. we also get to see enchantments, attaching gems (and other things) to items, the new ability to link things in chat, oh, and deities that certain classes are able to worship! and on this floor, we also get to learn about bounties - which are amounts that you are worth if other crawlers choose to kill you!
and, as the title of this third book would suggest, carl finds himself in possession of the anarchist’s cookbook, which is a book that many crawlers before carl have written their stories in. it is filled with crafting recipes, but also just advice ranging from class and spec stuff to what to expect going deeper into the dungeon. i really loved this aspect of the story, and as i am writing this review, i am a few more books ahead, and i am still very in love with this mysterious tome.
sadly, i am just not a train loving girl. i truly just kept picturing myself, every time i am in chicago, trying to memorize all the different color lines. one of my favorite aspects of this series is getting to see a brand new world unfold at each and every level, but i just didn’t feel that same magic, because i don’t love trains! But the end of this really did have me gooped and gagged, i won’t lie. and i really am loving katia more and more. and donut will forever be my favorite, and her little misty step puddle jump is just so cute, too! carl, i still like, but i was about to teleport inside the dungeon myself and remove that ring lol.
trigger + content warnings: slavery, mass killing and death, colonization, gore, violence, blood, battle, murder, explosions, fires, talk of cheating in past (on the mc), abandonment in past, child abuse in past / shitty parent in past, drug use, talk of addiction, talk of withdrawal, drinking, inebriation, loss of friend, grief, anxiety, vomit, torture, a fatphobic comment, talk of suicide, self sacrifice, bullying, talk of childbirth, talk of loss of children, talk of a deepfake / ai fake sex video
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1.) Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★★★
2.) Carl's Doomsday Scenario ★★★★
and, as the title of this third book would suggest, carl finds himself in possession of the anarchist’s cookbook, which is a book that many crawlers before carl have written their stories in. it is filled with crafting recipes, but also just advice ranging from class and spec stuff to what to expect going deeper into the dungeon. i really loved this aspect of the story, and as i am writing this review, i am a few more books ahead, and i am still very in love with this mysterious tome.
sadly, i am just not a train loving girl. i truly just kept picturing myself, every time i am in chicago, trying to memorize all the different color lines. one of my favorite aspects of this series is getting to see a brand new world unfold at each and every level, but i just didn’t feel that same magic, because i don’t love trains! But the end of this really did have me gooped and gagged, i won’t lie. and i really am loving katia more and more. and donut will forever be my favorite, and her little misty step puddle jump is just so cute, too! carl, i still like, but i was about to teleport inside the dungeon myself and remove that ring lol.
trigger + content warnings: slavery, mass killing and death, colonization, gore, violence, blood, battle, murder, explosions, fires, talk of cheating in past (on the mc), abandonment in past, child abuse in past / shitty parent in past, drug use, talk of addiction, talk of withdrawal, drinking, inebriation, loss of friend, grief, anxiety, vomit, torture, a fatphobic comment, talk of suicide, self sacrifice, bullying, talk of childbirth, talk of loss of children, talk of a deepfake / ai fake sex video
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1.) Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★★★
2.) Carl's Doomsday Scenario ★★★★
June 20, 2025
Thanks, Matt, I hated it.
Why, why, why do we have to read so much about this godforsaken train system, the Iron Tangle, if, according to the author, it doesn’t matter and you as the reader have no ability to figure it out for yourself? That’s just cruel and unusual.
This would have been a 1 star read but what saved it is getting to see Katia’s character growth, the stuff at the end with Hekla was bonkersssss, and I appreciate Donut’s character progression as well. Oh my god plus the mantaur(s) actually made me laugh until I cried, so hilarious, so horrifying. An actual funny bit that wasn’t weird dude humor and it was in the worst book of the series so far, go figure. I will be continuing on because I still really dig the story itself but this book was genuinely painful. Please, no more trains, no more hundreds of pages about a level you’re literally not supposed to understand. I genuinely hope this series inspires more mainstream LitRPGs though because this genre is so much fun!
God they’re going to downvote me straight to hell over on Barnes & Noble.
Why, why, why do we have to read so much about this godforsaken train system, the Iron Tangle, if, according to the author, it doesn’t matter and you as the reader have no ability to figure it out for yourself? That’s just cruel and unusual.
This would have been a 1 star read but what saved it is getting to see Katia’s character growth, the stuff at the end with Hekla was bonkersssss, and I appreciate Donut’s character progression as well. Oh my god plus the mantaur(s) actually made me laugh until I cried, so hilarious, so horrifying. An actual funny bit that wasn’t weird dude humor and it was in the worst book of the series so far, go figure. I will be continuing on because I still really dig the story itself but this book was genuinely painful. Please, no more trains, no more hundreds of pages about a level you’re literally not supposed to understand. I genuinely hope this series inspires more mainstream LitRPGs though because this genre is so much fun!
God they’re going to downvote me straight to hell over on Barnes & Noble.
July 28, 2025
ALL HAIL PRINCESS DONUT
June 9, 2026
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (9/10)
Para mí, este es el mejor de los tres libros hasta ahora. Llegaba con expectativas altísimas de los dos anteriores, y mantener ese nivel no era nada fácil… pero lo consigue con creces. Además, me ha parecido mucho más original.
El planteamiento de esta Dungeon como una inmensa red de metro es una idea brillante. Entre colores de líneas, andenes, tipos de trenes y estaciones, el lector acaba tan desorientado como los propios personajes. Se nota que aquí el autor se lo ha currado especialmente: es una planta más compleja, mejor pensada y con mucha más profundidad. Y deja claro que lo importante no es aprenderse el camino hasta las escaleras, sino entender el concepto y la lógica de la planta, marcada por el Delírium Tremens.
Carl sigue siendo mi lectura de confort, y Donut continúa funcionando como el complemento perfecto. El tono del libro me parece muy bien equilibrado: más serio que el primero, pero también más épico que el segundo, lo que hace que la experiencia sea especialmente satisfactoria.
Si la saga sigue por este camino, tengo claro que los siguientes libros también serán de cinco estrellas.
⚠️ A partir de aquí hay spoilers ⚠️
Carl y Donut ya me tenían completamente ganado, pero en este libro quien realmente me ha sorprendido ha sido Katia. Al principio parecía no terminar de encajar en el grupo, y podemos como capítulo a capítulo se vuelve más punk, claramente influenciada por Carl y Donut, y el momentazo con Helka es, sin duda, uno de los grandes aciertos del libro. Por no hablar del modo Hulka.
Mención especial al momento en casino, y al premio de una puñalada del encargado, algo muy representativo del humor cruel de la saga.
La secuencia de tener que matar a Gary doce veces también me hizo reír bastante y encaja perfectamente con ese tono entre lo grotesco y lo cómico que tan bien maneja el autor.
Otro punto que me ha encantado es todo lo relacionado con el anillo de Frank y Maggie. Da sentido retrospectivo a decisiones muy duras, como la de matar a su hija, y explica por qué van tras Carl desde el primer libro.
Ese cierre de hilos narrativos aporta mucha más profundidad a la historia.
En conjunto, una lectura divertidísima, más ambiciosa y mejor construida que las anteriores.
Nos vemos en la quinta planta.
Para mí, este es el mejor de los tres libros hasta ahora. Llegaba con expectativas altísimas de los dos anteriores, y mantener ese nivel no era nada fácil… pero lo consigue con creces. Además, me ha parecido mucho más original.
El planteamiento de esta Dungeon como una inmensa red de metro es una idea brillante. Entre colores de líneas, andenes, tipos de trenes y estaciones, el lector acaba tan desorientado como los propios personajes. Se nota que aquí el autor se lo ha currado especialmente: es una planta más compleja, mejor pensada y con mucha más profundidad. Y deja claro que lo importante no es aprenderse el camino hasta las escaleras, sino entender el concepto y la lógica de la planta, marcada por el Delírium Tremens.
Carl sigue siendo mi lectura de confort, y Donut continúa funcionando como el complemento perfecto. El tono del libro me parece muy bien equilibrado: más serio que el primero, pero también más épico que el segundo, lo que hace que la experiencia sea especialmente satisfactoria.
Si la saga sigue por este camino, tengo claro que los siguientes libros también serán de cinco estrellas.
⚠️ A partir de aquí hay spoilers ⚠️
Carl y Donut ya me tenían completamente ganado, pero en este libro quien realmente me ha sorprendido ha sido Katia. Al principio parecía no terminar de encajar en el grupo, y podemos como capítulo a capítulo se vuelve más punk, claramente influenciada por Carl y Donut, y el momentazo con Helka es, sin duda, uno de los grandes aciertos del libro. Por no hablar del modo Hulka.
Mención especial al momento en casino, y al premio de una puñalada del encargado, algo muy representativo del humor cruel de la saga.
La secuencia de tener que matar a Gary doce veces también me hizo reír bastante y encaja perfectamente con ese tono entre lo grotesco y lo cómico que tan bien maneja el autor.
Otro punto que me ha encantado es todo lo relacionado con el anillo de Frank y Maggie. Da sentido retrospectivo a decisiones muy duras, como la de matar a su hija, y explica por qué van tras Carl desde el primer libro.
Ese cierre de hilos narrativos aporta mucha más profundidad a la historia.
En conjunto, una lectura divertidísima, más ambiciosa y mejor construida que las anteriores.
Nos vemos en la quinta planta.
February 20, 2025
I still really dug this one but the mechanism of the fourth floor is about 300% too complicated. I believe the author understands it but when you have to start your book with a disclaimer that reads “don’t bother trying to figure any of this out” that’s probably a sign the draft needed some more work
February 22, 2026
*Finished audio reread 2.22.27. I might’ve had even more fun this time around! *
Original review:
I thought it might start to get boring. I was wrong, because it did not.
The ideas are fun and fresh, the narrator is a revelation, and the politics of what is happening behind the scenes became a little more clear. And more dark. And Carl does not like it.
Original review:
I thought it might start to get boring. I was wrong, because it did not.
The ideas are fun and fresh, the narrator is a revelation, and the politics of what is happening behind the scenes became a little more clear. And more dark. And Carl does not like it.
July 31, 2025
3.5 ✨
Goodreads PLEASE let me give half stars PLEASE!
Anyway, this one is my lowest-rated DDC book solely because the subway, train, or noodle, whatever system was too complicated to understand, and I had to rewind my audiobook twice, thrice, and even four times to understand what was happening.
It literally made me question if it was my skill issue or if everyone thought it was not very easy 😭
Now, shit went down in this book too, and it's safe to say I DID NOT expect certain things to happen (Katia, I see you <3)
The series is taking a turn, the second book started it, and we continue it here. The players are fighting together, everything seems more than just a game, and our lovely Carl is here to burn everything down! Also, the shit he pulled in this book is literally gonna come bite him in his ass very soon...and I'm excited to read that lol
Goodreads PLEASE let me give half stars PLEASE!
Anyway, this one is my lowest-rated DDC book solely because the subway, train, or noodle, whatever system was too complicated to understand, and I had to rewind my audiobook twice, thrice, and even four times to understand what was happening.
It literally made me question if it was my skill issue or if everyone thought it was not very easy 😭
Now, shit went down in this book too, and it's safe to say I DID NOT expect certain things to happen (Katia, I see you <3)
The series is taking a turn, the second book started it, and we continue it here. The players are fighting together, everything seems more than just a game, and our lovely Carl is here to burn everything down! Also, the shit he pulled in this book is literally gonna come bite him in his ass very soon...and I'm excited to read that lol
June 2, 2026
As unhinged as ever!! I love these characters so much
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: tried to be responsible and read an arc. got bored immediately. sooo, back to this series i go 🤷♀️
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: tried to be responsible and read an arc. got bored immediately. sooo, back to this series i go 🤷♀️
December 23, 2025
This was a wild ride. Pun intended.
I cannot say that I was always able to follow the complex game dynamics, but to quote Katia:
“Just pretend like you half understand.” as it didn't make it any less fun!
There is lots of character growth here, especially for Katia, and the book keeps going deeper on heavier and darker themes while maintaining the levity needed to digest it without it becoming preachy.
5 Things
1) My crush on Carl is worsening
2) The darkness hidden in the jokes OMG
3) This was Katia's time to shine! SLAY girl! (she did)
4) I keep laughing every time I think of Prepotente's screech/scream
5) This is now officially a favorite series
Link to IG quotes reel (with pics)
This AI's foot fetish is still horribly endearing
You'll never think about your grandma the same again
Of all the weird things in here...
I stand with Carl here
Having body parts cut off doesn't exactly help, Carl
This part hit hard.
More Zippy, you said?
I need a clip of Prepotente's scream to use against people irl
So satisfying.
Review also available on my new Bookstagram account ❤️
Pre-read
I thought this must be getting boring after a couple of books, but here I am, thinking we are still munching on the starters with no idea of what the main course will be.
I cannot say that I was always able to follow the complex game dynamics, but to quote Katia:
“Just pretend like you half understand.” as it didn't make it any less fun!
There is lots of character growth here, especially for Katia, and the book keeps going deeper on heavier and darker themes while maintaining the levity needed to digest it without it becoming preachy.
5 Things
1) My crush on Carl is worsening
2) The darkness hidden in the jokes OMG
3) This was Katia's time to shine! SLAY girl! (she did)
4) I keep laughing every time I think of Prepotente's screech/scream
5) This is now officially a favorite series
Link to IG quotes reel (with pics)
This AI's foot fetish is still horribly endearing
Birds have ugly feet. Disgusting feet, really. Still, there’s something sensual about
the sight of a hawk swooping down upon its prey, talons out, and slashing.
It’s so sudden, so unexpected, so explosively violent.
Such violence. Sweet, sweet violence.
You'll never think about your grandma the same again
“Look at how beautiful she is,” Donut whispered. “She’s like a vision of pure elegance.”
“Yo,” Elle cried at the bartender. “Whose d*ck do I gotta suck to get another drink? Christ.”
Of all the weird things in here...
Of all the ‘taurs out there, from Centaurs to Bisontaurs to Rhinotaurs, the ManTauR is one of the weirdest. Half human, and, uh, half human, the ManTauR has been genetically engineered for both strength and dexterity, making them perfect for the often-grueling and thankless job of Tangle Train Engineer.
I stand with Carl here
“I think my fans should have a name, wouldn’t that be great? Like the Princess Patrol or something.”
I grunted. “How about the Donut Holes?”
“Don’t be crude, Carl.”
Having body parts cut off doesn't exactly help, Carl
"You're still you. No matter how much they change, even if they carve everything else away, you're still you. You can't let them break you."
This part hit hard.
"She was beautiful you know, on the inside I mean. She didn't have that anger in her not like her mother... Or dad. When she ran away it wasn't because she was a bad kid, it was self defense.
Kids aren't always a product of their parents, but sometimes that doesn't matter.
Sometimes parents can cast a shadow so thick you can drown in it."
More Zippy, you said?
“What the hell color is chartreuse?”
“It’s between yellow and green. It’s named after a French liqueur. Actually, there’s some controversy on what the exact shade should be. It’s very interesting.”
“I’m sure it’s riveting,” I said.
Katia stuck her tongue out at me.
And then her tongue formed into a little hand with a tiny middle finger pointing up.
I need a clip of Prepotente's scream to use against people irl
"I will kill you tonight as you sleep!" Prepotente said to Miriam as he rubbed his head.
"No you won't, sweetie" she said. She reached over and kissed the goat on the top of the head where she whacked him.
"Do it again! It still hurts."
So satisfying.
Glurp, glurp motherfucker!!
Review also available on my new Bookstagram account ❤️
Pre-read
I thought this must be getting boring after a couple of books, but here I am, thinking we are still munching on the starters with no idea of what the main course will be.
January 5, 2025
BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
Wow the pace ramped up with this one!
Dungeon Crawler Carl continues its chaos and carnage, but it expands in this third instalment. The twists and turns had far more weight than the previous instalment in my opinion, and I cared far more about a wider range of characters. Regarding the main cast, I felt a great deal more attachment to Carl, who finds himself entangled in even more webs, many that he cannot share with his wonderful furry friend, Princess Doughnut. There is a tension building that I feel is going to culminate wonderfully.
Whilst the end did slow down a bit, my investment continues to soar with each instalment in this series and I cannot wait to see where it goes next.
4.25/5 STARS
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
Wow the pace ramped up with this one!
Dungeon Crawler Carl continues its chaos and carnage, but it expands in this third instalment. The twists and turns had far more weight than the previous instalment in my opinion, and I cared far more about a wider range of characters. Regarding the main cast, I felt a great deal more attachment to Carl, who finds himself entangled in even more webs, many that he cannot share with his wonderful furry friend, Princess Doughnut. There is a tension building that I feel is going to culminate wonderfully.
Whilst the end did slow down a bit, my investment continues to soar with each instalment in this series and I cannot wait to see where it goes next.
4.25/5 STARS
May 23, 2026
I feel so sad to be giving this 3 stars because I loveee love love this book series and its characters so much. However what the fuck was that? You can’t write a book that is so confusing to the point it is completely unenjoyable to read and justify it by writing a little note at the beginning saying ‘don’t worry if it’s confusing just enjoy the ride’.
My man I was NOT enjoying the ride because I was completely zoned out for 80% of this book. I get the floor being a puzzle the crawlers need to figure out and you realise at the end with them what really has been going on. However that doesn’t mean that the reader should constantly go: wait what does this even mean? Where are they? How did they get here? Who are these people? What is this random portal cart that suddenly showed up? Why do I need to read this sentence 43 times and it still doesn’t make any sense?
That is not fun!!!!
I rated this 3 starts purely for my love of the characters and the growing found family vibes, otherwise it would have been 2.
Okay rant over. You should treat this review like I am admonoshing a child that I really love but needs a reality check. Because I do love these books. Book 4 please don’t disappoint me
My man I was NOT enjoying the ride because I was completely zoned out for 80% of this book. I get the floor being a puzzle the crawlers need to figure out and you realise at the end with them what really has been going on. However that doesn’t mean that the reader should constantly go: wait what does this even mean? Where are they? How did they get here? Who are these people? What is this random portal cart that suddenly showed up? Why do I need to read this sentence 43 times and it still doesn’t make any sense?
That is not fun!!!!
I rated this 3 starts purely for my love of the characters and the growing found family vibes, otherwise it would have been 2.
Okay rant over. You should treat this review like I am admonoshing a child that I really love but needs a reality check. Because I do love these books. Book 4 please don’t disappoint me
July 16, 2026
« Don’t be silly, Carl. I can’t sleep without you, and you know it. Now get into bed. »
This is the only one I haven’t rated 5 stars yet & it’s mostly because I felt that it didn’t have enough heartfelt moments. The previous instalments had more heart-to-heart moments but this one only had one or two. Kinda felt sad that Princess Donut confided in Imani instead of Carl too :( it accentuates the fact that she’s a child and needs more guidance on her feelings.
« Really, Katia, if you need to borrow a sanitary napkin, just ask. » 😂
There was A LOT of character growth in this one! I was so happy to see Katia evolve so much. Can’t wait for the rest! I’m obsessed with this series. When I was 350 pages in, I went to bed and ended up dreaming I had to save Princess Donut lol.
« Kids aren’t always a product of their parents. but sometimes that doesn’t matter. Sometimes parents can cast a shadow so thick, you can drown in it. »
🎶 Machine - Imagine Dragons 🎶
This is the only one I haven’t rated 5 stars yet & it’s mostly because I felt that it didn’t have enough heartfelt moments. The previous instalments had more heart-to-heart moments but this one only had one or two. Kinda felt sad that Princess Donut confided in Imani instead of Carl too :( it accentuates the fact that she’s a child and needs more guidance on her feelings.
« Really, Katia, if you need to borrow a sanitary napkin, just ask. » 😂
There was A LOT of character growth in this one! I was so happy to see Katia evolve so much. Can’t wait for the rest! I’m obsessed with this series. When I was 350 pages in, I went to bed and ended up dreaming I had to save Princess Donut lol.
« Kids aren’t always a product of their parents. but sometimes that doesn’t matter. Sometimes parents can cast a shadow so thick, you can drown in it. »
🎶 Machine - Imagine Dragons 🎶
June 10, 2026
4.5 rounded up.
Holy moly, this book was intense, dark, and downright hilarious.
In this book Donut, Carl, and Mongo face the toughest floor yet, which is the Iron Tangle. This floors theme is trains, so the party is faced with trying to navigate a very complex and confusing Train system, with very little knowledge of how it works.
This book continues to bring the same elements the other two books did. This one in particular seemed to have more action than the others, especially against different creatures. I also noticed that the battles were much longer in some cases, which I struggled with a little, but they were entertaining nonetheless. I also found that this book brought a lot more heart and really started to show how the different characters outside Carl and Donuts party, care for and help each other. We also get way more Ellie, which for me is a huge bonus! She's a hoot.
There was also one scene in this book where my husband and I gasped at the same time and turned to look at each other, going wtf just happened!? What followed was the wildest scene to date in the series. It was super intense, yet somehow managed to be hilarious at the same time.
The only thing that didn't work for me was all the information about the different train lines and stations, which didn't actually provide a super great understanding of the massive system. Many of the long discussions regarding these aspects did make me feel a little bored and seemed a little tedious.
Onto book 4!! Also, if you're thinking of checking out this series, I highly recommend you listen to the audiobook! jeff Hayes is the narrator and he does a fantastic job. He is the best narrator I have ever encountered in an audiobook.
Holy moly, this book was intense, dark, and downright hilarious.
In this book Donut, Carl, and Mongo face the toughest floor yet, which is the Iron Tangle. This floors theme is trains, so the party is faced with trying to navigate a very complex and confusing Train system, with very little knowledge of how it works.
This book continues to bring the same elements the other two books did. This one in particular seemed to have more action than the others, especially against different creatures. I also noticed that the battles were much longer in some cases, which I struggled with a little, but they were entertaining nonetheless. I also found that this book brought a lot more heart and really started to show how the different characters outside Carl and Donuts party, care for and help each other. We also get way more Ellie, which for me is a huge bonus! She's a hoot.
There was also one scene in this book where my husband and I gasped at the same time and turned to look at each other, going wtf just happened!? What followed was the wildest scene to date in the series. It was super intense, yet somehow managed to be hilarious at the same time.
The only thing that didn't work for me was all the information about the different train lines and stations, which didn't actually provide a super great understanding of the massive system. Many of the long discussions regarding these aspects did make me feel a little bored and seemed a little tedious.
Onto book 4!! Also, if you're thinking of checking out this series, I highly recommend you listen to the audiobook! jeff Hayes is the narrator and he does a fantastic job. He is the best narrator I have ever encountered in an audiobook.
June 1, 2026
Donut chatting in all caps is everything.
· Book 1: Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★
· Book 2: Carl's Doomsday Scenario ★★★★
· Book 4: The Gate of the Feral Gods ★★★★
· Book 5: The Butcher's Masquerade ★★★★★
· Book 1: Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★
· Book 2: Carl's Doomsday Scenario ★★★★
· Book 4: The Gate of the Feral Gods ★★★★
· Book 5: The Butcher's Masquerade ★★★★★
June 28, 2026
Sendo sincero, um 3,75 arredondado pra cima. Divertido como sempre, mas longo demais, às vezes cansativo e esse em específico tem uma ambientação extremamente confusa, bem difícil de visualizar.
April 10, 2021
Exactly what I feared. The authors idea to make each book a long read about one floor of an 18 floor dungeon makes this an extremely tedious read. You can summarize the few hundred pages I read into 'Train system confusing, what do we do?!'.
The self sacrificing "I know this plan is fucking stupid but no other plan risks my life like this" increasingly idiotic and irrational protagonist somehow manages to makes this boring entry even worse.
The 5 star bots who write the exact same review for
every book they 'read' really showcases the author's integrity.
-Dropped Ch 17/35
The self sacrificing "I know this plan is fucking stupid but no other plan risks my life like this" increasingly idiotic and irrational protagonist somehow manages to makes this boring entry even worse.
The 5 star bots who write the exact same review for
every book they 'read' really showcases the author's integrity.
-Dropped Ch 17/35
Displaying 1 - 30 of 21,399 reviews