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Dungeon Crawler Carl #1
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The apocalypse will be televised!
A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.
In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth - from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds - collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground. The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over.
In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big. You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game - with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.
A man. His ex-girlfriend's cat. A sadistic game show unlike anything in the a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible.
In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth - from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds - collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground. The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe. Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over.
In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style. You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big. You gotta fight with vigor, with excitement. You gotta make them stand up and cheer. And if you do have that "it" factor, you may just find yourself with a following. That's the only way to truly survive in this game - with the help of the loot boxes dropped upon you by the generous benefactors watching from across the galaxy. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. But for Carl, it's anything but a game.
466 pages, Paperback
First published September 21, 2020
49375 people are currently reading
284944 people want to read
About the author
Matt Dinniman
34 books15.8k 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 34,414 reviews
February 4, 2024
What an absolutely absurd, bizarre, and outlandishly fun read this turned out to be - could it be that progression fantasy is the genre I never knew I needed!
Final Rating: 4.8/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Talk about a surprise – this book is completely absurd, and somehow, I'm all for it. I mean, I never thought I'd enjoy something so outlandish. I'm usually drawn to stories with depth and complexity, yet here I am, totally taken aback by how much fun I had with this one. It's zany, it's ludicrous, and against all expectations, I found myself absolutely loving it. It turns out this kind of book might just be the secret ingredient I never knew was missing in my reading life.
A quick heads-up before we go any further: this book might not click with everyone. My usual go-tos are sophisticated, multi-layered fantasy and sci-fi novels. But on the flip side, I've got a big soft spot for the quirky and humorous (big nod to the likes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams) - although I should note that the humour is of a very different style to those two legends. If a book can make me chuckle, it's usually a winner in my eyes. Plus, I've been into video games for ages, particularly RPGs.
So, if your preference leans heavily towards the more serious, traditional fantasy and sci-fi, then this may not be your thing. However, if you're into gaming, enjoy progression fantasy or LITRPGs, and appreciate some light-hearted, even absurd humor, then this book is definitely worth checking out. It's a unique mix, and you might find it as surprisingly enjoyable as I did.
Also. Listen to the Audiobook. This would be a top 3 of all time audio narration for me.
Plot Summary
This truly-bizarre story revolves around the main character, Carl, who finds himself in a bizarre and dangerous situation where Earth has been turned into a massive dungeon. Players are forced to navigate this dungeon, facing various challenges and enemies, with their progress watched by alien viewers. Think Diablo the computer game told in a story format, and with jokes thrown in along the way - and you’re most of the way there.
Plot: 5/5
This was my first dive into progression fantasy, and I must say, I quickly got hooked.The book cleverly integrates video game-like elements: characters leveling up, acquiring better loot, and enhancing their gear and stats. This progression makes them increasingly powerful, a concept I found captivating as the challenges Carl faces escalate in intensity and complexity. It's a thrilling survival tale (with tinges here and there of dystopian power struggles beyond “the game”), and I couldn't get enough of it.
“Question: What’s the only thing standing between an innocent child and a happy, fulfilling life? Answer: You. The answer is you.”
The plot is inherently dark, but it's the overlay of juvenile humor that sets it apart. This humor transforms what could be disturbing moments into something unexpectedly funny, provided you're willing to let go of your critical and analytical mind and just immerse yourself in the fun. And trust me, there's a lot of fun to be had here. Humour of course a very subjective beast, and so it may or may not work for you.
One final point of praise: the originality and inventiveness of the scenarios Carl encounters. Not only does the episodic nature of the challenges keep the pace and momentum going. The creativity in these situations is remarkable, making me think, "I would love to play this as a video game!" It's a testament to the author's imagination and ability to craft a story that's as entertaining as it is unique.
World building: 5/5
When it comes to world-building, I usually have a pretty structured approach. I look for coherence: does the magic system make sense? Does the story naturally emerge from the world that's been built? Are the magical elements consistent across different contexts? Normally, these are my benchmarks. But with this book, sticking to this framework just doesn't do it justice. If I did, it'd probably end up with a one-star rating in this department. And that would be missing the point entirely.
“Cats are assholes. I get it. But do you know why people like cats, despite their asshole-ness? It’s because they don’t fucking talk. If they did, and they were all like you, they’d all be extinct because we’d have killed you all by now.”
This book throws conventional world-building out the window. It's not about coherence or predictability - it's about embracing the ridiculous. And this is where it shines. The unpredictability, the over-the-top weapons and magic, the ludicrous skills - they're not meant to be balanced or make sense in a traditional way. That chaos is the heart of its charm.
The world here is, frankly, fantastic in its absurdity. Stats, levels, and experience points seem to be handed out with no rhyme or reason. The powers, weapons, and the world itself are bonkers. Fire-spitting llamas, a magic cat armed with magic missiles, Carl's inexplicably powerful bare feet - it's all part of the wild ride. And that's exactly why I found it so captivating. It's a world where the usual rules don't apply, and that's what makes it such a blast
Characterisation: 4.5/5
How can one not start a section on characters with Princess Donut - i.e. Carl’s pet cat turned sidekick. She is flipping amazing. And I'm not even the biggest cat fan. Perhaps that's why I loved her so much. She’s not just a sidekick; she's a character in her own right, with a distinct personality that provides a perfect foil to Carl. Her sarcastic remarks and magical abilities add a layer of humor and unpredictability to the story. She also "literally" develops as a character. Great stuff.
Princess Donut
Carl, our protagonist, stands out with his blend of pragmatism and wit. He’s not your typical hero; he’s more of an everyman thrust into extraordinary situations. What makes Carl so compelling is his evolution throughout the story. He starts as someone who seems like he might be out of his depth, but as the challenges ramp up, so does his ingenuity, resilience, and humor. This growth feels organic and is one of the book's strengths in character development.
“Goddammit Donut!”
My only slight qualm is the side characters. I guess like a video game, many of the others feel like generated NPC's to me. Sure some of them have some interesting back stories, but they felt a little flat to me. Perhaps that's the risk of making a single POV story.
Prose: 4.5/5
When it comes to the prose of "Dungeon Crawler Carl," the term 'prose' itself feels somewhat misaligned. It suggests a formality that doesn't quite fit Matt Dinniman's style in this book. His writing is more functional, infused with a touch of the profane and the absurd. It's not the epitome of highbrow wit, and it's clear that this style might not align with everyone's sense of humor. However, it's undeniably inventive, creative, and, most importantly, fun.
“New achievement! You’ve killed an armed mob with your bare fucking hands! Holy crap, dude. That’s kinda fucked up. Reward: You’ve received a Bronze Weapon Box!”
The humor in Dinniman's prose is likely to be divisive among readers. In fact, how you react to the humor can be a great indicator of whether this book is for you. If the first 50 pages or the initial 1-2 hours of the audiobook don't draw a laugh from you, this might not be your cup of tea. For me, while the humor didn't reach the clever heights of some of my favorite humorists, it certainly inspired a kind of manic, unbridled, joyful sense of fun.
So. The writing style aligns perfectly with the book's tone and content, though I'd be the first to admit that it doesn't stand out for lyrical elegance. Yet, in the context of this story, that's perfectly fine. Dinniman's ‘prose’ drives the fun, offbeat nature of the narrative effectively, even if it doesn't strive for poetic beauty.
Enjoyment: 5/5
If you've picked up on anything from my review, it's probably clear that I had a total blast with Dungeon Crawler Carl. I think a major part of that was the surprise factor. I'm all about the deep, engaging reads, but finding a book that's as fun as a great video game session or a laugh-out-loud comedy flick? That's rare for me - although maybe not rare in the Progression Fantasy genre. And this book nailed it. It turned out to be a rip-roaring, addictive read.
I get that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially for the highbrow fantasy/sci-fi/literature crowd. And hey, I usually hang out in that crowd too (although maybe not the literature one as much). But this book? It was the perfect breather I needed. A great way to shake things up between those big, heavy fantasy epics I usually dive into. As I'm lining up to tackle series like Malazan and other massive tomes this year, this series might well be the light-hearted detour I need to break them up.
In short, this book is for those times when you're looking for something different. Something less about deep thinking and more about just kicking back and having a good time. It's a reminder that diving into a wild, fun story can be just as satisfying as getting lost in more serious, intricate plots.
Final Rating: 4.8/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Dungeon Crawler Carl :
Book 1. The Shadow of What Was Lost
My favourite books of 2024 in preferential order
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕:
1. The Way of Kings - (My Review)
2. Dungeon Crawler Carl
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗:
…
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑:
3. The Poppy War
🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑:
...
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑:
...
🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑:
...
Final Rating: 4.8/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Talk about a surprise – this book is completely absurd, and somehow, I'm all for it. I mean, I never thought I'd enjoy something so outlandish. I'm usually drawn to stories with depth and complexity, yet here I am, totally taken aback by how much fun I had with this one. It's zany, it's ludicrous, and against all expectations, I found myself absolutely loving it. It turns out this kind of book might just be the secret ingredient I never knew was missing in my reading life.
A quick heads-up before we go any further: this book might not click with everyone. My usual go-tos are sophisticated, multi-layered fantasy and sci-fi novels. But on the flip side, I've got a big soft spot for the quirky and humorous (big nod to the likes of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams) - although I should note that the humour is of a very different style to those two legends. If a book can make me chuckle, it's usually a winner in my eyes. Plus, I've been into video games for ages, particularly RPGs.
So, if your preference leans heavily towards the more serious, traditional fantasy and sci-fi, then this may not be your thing. However, if you're into gaming, enjoy progression fantasy or LITRPGs, and appreciate some light-hearted, even absurd humor, then this book is definitely worth checking out. It's a unique mix, and you might find it as surprisingly enjoyable as I did.
Also. Listen to the Audiobook. This would be a top 3 of all time audio narration for me.
Plot Summary
This truly-bizarre story revolves around the main character, Carl, who finds himself in a bizarre and dangerous situation where Earth has been turned into a massive dungeon. Players are forced to navigate this dungeon, facing various challenges and enemies, with their progress watched by alien viewers. Think Diablo the computer game told in a story format, and with jokes thrown in along the way - and you’re most of the way there.
Plot: 5/5
This was my first dive into progression fantasy, and I must say, I quickly got hooked.The book cleverly integrates video game-like elements: characters leveling up, acquiring better loot, and enhancing their gear and stats. This progression makes them increasingly powerful, a concept I found captivating as the challenges Carl faces escalate in intensity and complexity. It's a thrilling survival tale (with tinges here and there of dystopian power struggles beyond “the game”), and I couldn't get enough of it.
“Question: What’s the only thing standing between an innocent child and a happy, fulfilling life? Answer: You. The answer is you.”
The plot is inherently dark, but it's the overlay of juvenile humor that sets it apart. This humor transforms what could be disturbing moments into something unexpectedly funny, provided you're willing to let go of your critical and analytical mind and just immerse yourself in the fun. And trust me, there's a lot of fun to be had here. Humour of course a very subjective beast, and so it may or may not work for you.
One final point of praise: the originality and inventiveness of the scenarios Carl encounters. Not only does the episodic nature of the challenges keep the pace and momentum going. The creativity in these situations is remarkable, making me think, "I would love to play this as a video game!" It's a testament to the author's imagination and ability to craft a story that's as entertaining as it is unique.
World building: 5/5
When it comes to world-building, I usually have a pretty structured approach. I look for coherence: does the magic system make sense? Does the story naturally emerge from the world that's been built? Are the magical elements consistent across different contexts? Normally, these are my benchmarks. But with this book, sticking to this framework just doesn't do it justice. If I did, it'd probably end up with a one-star rating in this department. And that would be missing the point entirely.
“Cats are assholes. I get it. But do you know why people like cats, despite their asshole-ness? It’s because they don’t fucking talk. If they did, and they were all like you, they’d all be extinct because we’d have killed you all by now.”
This book throws conventional world-building out the window. It's not about coherence or predictability - it's about embracing the ridiculous. And this is where it shines. The unpredictability, the over-the-top weapons and magic, the ludicrous skills - they're not meant to be balanced or make sense in a traditional way. That chaos is the heart of its charm.
The world here is, frankly, fantastic in its absurdity. Stats, levels, and experience points seem to be handed out with no rhyme or reason. The powers, weapons, and the world itself are bonkers. Fire-spitting llamas, a magic cat armed with magic missiles, Carl's inexplicably powerful bare feet - it's all part of the wild ride. And that's exactly why I found it so captivating. It's a world where the usual rules don't apply, and that's what makes it such a blast
Characterisation: 4.5/5
How can one not start a section on characters with Princess Donut - i.e. Carl’s pet cat turned sidekick. She is flipping amazing. And I'm not even the biggest cat fan. Perhaps that's why I loved her so much. She’s not just a sidekick; she's a character in her own right, with a distinct personality that provides a perfect foil to Carl. Her sarcastic remarks and magical abilities add a layer of humor and unpredictability to the story. She also "literally" develops as a character. Great stuff.
Princess Donut
Carl, our protagonist, stands out with his blend of pragmatism and wit. He’s not your typical hero; he’s more of an everyman thrust into extraordinary situations. What makes Carl so compelling is his evolution throughout the story. He starts as someone who seems like he might be out of his depth, but as the challenges ramp up, so does his ingenuity, resilience, and humor. This growth feels organic and is one of the book's strengths in character development.
“Goddammit Donut!”
My only slight qualm is the side characters. I guess like a video game, many of the others feel like generated NPC's to me. Sure some of them have some interesting back stories, but they felt a little flat to me. Perhaps that's the risk of making a single POV story.
Prose: 4.5/5
When it comes to the prose of "Dungeon Crawler Carl," the term 'prose' itself feels somewhat misaligned. It suggests a formality that doesn't quite fit Matt Dinniman's style in this book. His writing is more functional, infused with a touch of the profane and the absurd. It's not the epitome of highbrow wit, and it's clear that this style might not align with everyone's sense of humor. However, it's undeniably inventive, creative, and, most importantly, fun.
“New achievement! You’ve killed an armed mob with your bare fucking hands! Holy crap, dude. That’s kinda fucked up. Reward: You’ve received a Bronze Weapon Box!”
The humor in Dinniman's prose is likely to be divisive among readers. In fact, how you react to the humor can be a great indicator of whether this book is for you. If the first 50 pages or the initial 1-2 hours of the audiobook don't draw a laugh from you, this might not be your cup of tea. For me, while the humor didn't reach the clever heights of some of my favorite humorists, it certainly inspired a kind of manic, unbridled, joyful sense of fun.
So. The writing style aligns perfectly with the book's tone and content, though I'd be the first to admit that it doesn't stand out for lyrical elegance. Yet, in the context of this story, that's perfectly fine. Dinniman's ‘prose’ drives the fun, offbeat nature of the narrative effectively, even if it doesn't strive for poetic beauty.
Enjoyment: 5/5
If you've picked up on anything from my review, it's probably clear that I had a total blast with Dungeon Crawler Carl. I think a major part of that was the surprise factor. I'm all about the deep, engaging reads, but finding a book that's as fun as a great video game session or a laugh-out-loud comedy flick? That's rare for me - although maybe not rare in the Progression Fantasy genre. And this book nailed it. It turned out to be a rip-roaring, addictive read.
I get that this might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially for the highbrow fantasy/sci-fi/literature crowd. And hey, I usually hang out in that crowd too (although maybe not the literature one as much). But this book? It was the perfect breather I needed. A great way to shake things up between those big, heavy fantasy epics I usually dive into. As I'm lining up to tackle series like Malazan and other massive tomes this year, this series might well be the light-hearted detour I need to break them up.
In short, this book is for those times when you're looking for something different. Something less about deep thinking and more about just kicking back and having a good time. It's a reminder that diving into a wild, fun story can be just as satisfying as getting lost in more serious, intricate plots.
Final Rating: 4.8/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Dungeon Crawler Carl :
Book 1. The Shadow of What Was Lost
My favourite books of 2024 in preferential order
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕:
1. The Way of Kings - (My Review)
2. Dungeon Crawler Carl
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗:
…
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑:
3. The Poppy War
🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑:
...
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑:
...
🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑:
...
January 28, 2021
This book whispered sweet nothings to my soul. I tore through it like a fat man at an all you can eat buffet with 5 minutes til closing. The banter between Donut and Carl is hilarious, and the action and snark is top notch. Goddamnit Dinniman.
February 5, 2026
I have very mixed feelings about this one.
On one hand, I enjoyed the characters (mainly Princess Donut) and the overall concept of the book.
On the other hand, the humor got old pretty fast and crossed the line twice for me.
I tried to see it has a reflection of how the aliens viewed humans + what they found funny for the show but I didn't feel like the target audience.
My main issue was the way two female characters were described. Sure you can argue that they are meant to be grotesque for the show but it says a lot that it was what the author thought of.
Both times it was about women of color being fat with an emphasis on their "unappealing breasts".
"Her naked, ebony body, from her stomach to her neck was that of a plus-sized human model, who had bribed a third-world plastic surgeon into enhancing her breasts well beyond anything that could be considered natural. Or sexy. Or anything other than What the fuck? The colossal breasts set atop the table like a pair of pigs suckling against their mother. Her nipples faced downward, her areolas absurdly oversized, even on the massive breast, each size of a DirectTV satellite dish."
Do I need to say more?
*EDIT: Apparently I do. This book is 1st POV... these are HIS thoughts. Not the aliens. And maybe there's more social commentary in future books but my review is based on the book I read. I found it shocking because I wasn't perceiving Carl as sexist until then. No one compares the breasts of a black woman to suckling piglets by accident. This was a deliberate choice by the author. Does the character show disgust at how aliens are treating humans and other creatures? Yes. But again this quote is from his narration. If the author wanted to make a social commentary he could have done so then and without using these words. Again, his choice. It shows me that I will for sure find other things I think are problematic in the rest of the series so I won't be reading them.
While I'm glad I got to try a "RPG book", I now know that the video game concept isn't for me.
I won't be continuing the series.
My review: https://youtu.be/LN_kPgJ8-MY?si=pcTfX...
On one hand, I enjoyed the characters (mainly Princess Donut) and the overall concept of the book.
On the other hand, the humor got old pretty fast and crossed the line twice for me.
I tried to see it has a reflection of how the aliens viewed humans + what they found funny for the show but I didn't feel like the target audience.
My main issue was the way two female characters were described. Sure you can argue that they are meant to be grotesque for the show but it says a lot that it was what the author thought of.
Both times it was about women of color being fat with an emphasis on their "unappealing breasts".
"Her naked, ebony body, from her stomach to her neck was that of a plus-sized human model, who had bribed a third-world plastic surgeon into enhancing her breasts well beyond anything that could be considered natural. Or sexy. Or anything other than What the fuck? The colossal breasts set atop the table like a pair of pigs suckling against their mother. Her nipples faced downward, her areolas absurdly oversized, even on the massive breast, each size of a DirectTV satellite dish."
Do I need to say more?
*EDIT: Apparently I do. This book is 1st POV... these are HIS thoughts. Not the aliens. And maybe there's more social commentary in future books but my review is based on the book I read. I found it shocking because I wasn't perceiving Carl as sexist until then. No one compares the breasts of a black woman to suckling piglets by accident. This was a deliberate choice by the author. Does the character show disgust at how aliens are treating humans and other creatures? Yes. But again this quote is from his narration. If the author wanted to make a social commentary he could have done so then and without using these words. Again, his choice. It shows me that I will for sure find other things I think are problematic in the rest of the series so I won't be reading them.
While I'm glad I got to try a "RPG book", I now know that the video game concept isn't for me.
I won't be continuing the series.
My review: https://youtu.be/LN_kPgJ8-MY?si=pcTfX...
February 9, 2022
It's very well done, but I did not like it
This book is very well written. Matt Dinniman is an amazing writer.
But this book Dungeon Crawler Carl made me feel bad. I was impressed by the craft but I was on the verge of quitting all the way through. Now I'm done and I can say that almost every aspect of this book is masterful, but Had I never started it I might be a slightly happier person.
This alien invasion/ post apocalypse/ LitRPG/ horror-comedy is intense, and brutal, and hard to stomach. The terror, agonizing deaths, implied rape, cannibalism, baby killing, and genocide of all human life on earth was not lightened by a few clever one liners and zippy jokes. The gross out factor is high.
Matt Dinniman doesn't just kill his characters, he breaks and destroys them. He makes you watch it in detail. He twists the knife. and then he tells a joke about it. That he does this all very skillfully almost makes it worse.
Thanks, but no. I'm done with this series and I'm done with this author.
This book is very well written. Matt Dinniman is an amazing writer.
But this book Dungeon Crawler Carl made me feel bad. I was impressed by the craft but I was on the verge of quitting all the way through. Now I'm done and I can say that almost every aspect of this book is masterful, but Had I never started it I might be a slightly happier person.
This alien invasion/ post apocalypse/ LitRPG/ horror-comedy is intense, and brutal, and hard to stomach. The terror, agonizing deaths, implied rape, cannibalism, baby killing, and genocide of all human life on earth was not lightened by a few clever one liners and zippy jokes. The gross out factor is high.
Matt Dinniman doesn't just kill his characters, he breaks and destroys them. He makes you watch it in detail. He twists the knife. and then he tells a joke about it. That he does this all very skillfully almost makes it worse.
Thanks, but no. I'm done with this series and I'm done with this author.
Read
April 17, 2025Full Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/tiAiH3rxjrw
Yeah. I was wrong. This was a blast.
After my experience with Cradle a couple years back I quickly decided LitRPG/Progression fantasy wasn't going to be something for me. I do love playing some Final Fantasy, but I have no interest in reading about you grinding for XP. So I always said I'd consider it when people first started recommending DCC with no plans to actually do it. But, I do love to give the people what they want and they would not stop telling me they wanted me to read this. And I'm glad they did because this was the most fun I've had reading a book in awhile.
It certainly won't be a book for everyone, but I think if you just embrace the absurdity of it and stop being a fantasy snob (like I was) you may just enjoy it. 20 minutes of thoughts in the video review above.
Yeah. I was wrong. This was a blast.
After my experience with Cradle a couple years back I quickly decided LitRPG/Progression fantasy wasn't going to be something for me. I do love playing some Final Fantasy, but I have no interest in reading about you grinding for XP. So I always said I'd consider it when people first started recommending DCC with no plans to actually do it. But, I do love to give the people what they want and they would not stop telling me they wanted me to read this. And I'm glad they did because this was the most fun I've had reading a book in awhile.
It certainly won't be a book for everyone, but I think if you just embrace the absurdity of it and stop being a fantasy snob (like I was) you may just enjoy it. 20 minutes of thoughts in the video review above.
September 23, 2025
You just never can tell. I can't, anyway, so I listened to the 26 of my friends who have read this book. A mere one gave it 2 stars; otherwise it averaged a solid 4. And my friends were right! (Even the outlier, to be discussed later). I picked it up and finished within 24 hours. No, it wasn't the audio, which actually sounded tempting (note to self; if you have extra credits some day...).
The premise is silly, but it is popcorn-level fun, particularly if you are familiar with the role-playing genre. I never made it to Dungeons and Dragons, but I have read extensively in fantasy genre and played a lot of online, massive-multiplayer games of the type and recognize everything that is going on, even the hotkeys. I can appreciate where people who aren't a little familiar with gaming may not enjoy the references. I thought Dinniman did an excellent job of using the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) when it comes to menus and the like--just enough to remind us, not enough to bore us silly. As an aside, I found the achievements hilarious. You know how old people like to say in current generations, everyone gets a trophy? The same thing has happened in video games, and Dinnimen plays it for all it's worth.
"Congratulations! You’ve earned your first achievement: Crazy Cat Lady."
Technically falling into both my dick-lit and apocalypse categories, Carl is currently at a loss after breaking up with his girlfriend. He's been holding her Persian show cat hostage, but secretly, he just wanted to keep her. Late one night, Princess Donut demands to be let out, and he ends up chasing her to bring her in. Caught in the middle of an alien reclamation of Earth's many resources, they are given the option to fight for Earth by entering a dungeon crawl. Both Carl and Donut enter as individuals, a fascinating but unsurprising choice for the cat-lovers around us (there's a pair of dogs that are clearly pets). However, in a beautifully conceptualized twist, the dungeon crawl is broadcast for entertainment, much like 'Survivor,' or 'Squid Game.'
Upon successful completion of level 18 of the World Dungeon, regency of this planet will revert to the successor.
Tone is what really sets this apart. It manages to be both emotional and humorous. There's a running gag about Carl and Donut needed to develop a 'catchphrase' for the show, and it turns out Carl's 'Goddammit, Donut!' epithet wins the day. By the end, I'm sure I was chuckling along with the rest of the audience. The heartfulness comes in as Carl reflects on their situation, the apocalypse, and the reality of seeing over four million contestants whittled down. Something about Dinniman's writing feels like a genuine buddy relationship between the two leads as they care for each other but have their own ideas about progress, as well as the struggle with dungeon ethics. Of course, there are still plenty of jokes.
“How is it you can be so reckless and timid at the same time?”
“I can’t control my instincts! I’m just a few generations shy of being a ferocious tiger stalking through the jungles.”
“I’ve seen your pedigree,” I said. “You’re a few generations shy of nothing. Also, your grandfather was also your uncle.”
There's a lot of hints--in one case, an overt situation--that not everything is as it seems here. The lease-holders for Earth may be running a crooked game, and there's hints that the Non-Player Characters in the dungeons have lives of their own beyond the game role. It's that kind of background plotting that sets this series above many others (squinting at Travis Baldree's books).
Oh, that two star review came from someone that thought it was sexist. This might be splitting hairs, but I don't think it is sexist in the way of genuinely believing women are sluts kind of thing. I think that's a trope that comes up that the author deals with, but I can see where that perspective is valid. Although it's worth saying that two of the other successful teams are a young teen with her dogs, and a Valkyrie-type group of women.
"So if your boyfriend ogling your tootises keeps these easy-peasy bugs coming at us instead of more of those lava-spitting llamas, then you better buck up, get over your human male privilege, and take one for your princess.”
So glad I have more in the series. This will be perfect travel-reading.
Three and a half achievements, rounding up.
Update, May 2025: I am still waiting for Kobna's latest reading of Aaronovitch, so I am giving Audio Carl a shot. I think Hays has a southern type accent that is mostly alright but occasionally requires work for me to overcome. It is a group production with a separate actor for Princess Doughnut who does very well with her.
Update update: somehow my Audible ended up on .75 speed, which was why Carl was driving me nuts. Also, I listened to my brilliant commenters below (and this is why I leave comments on!) and watched Jeff Hays read excerpts of the book. He is a one-man act! There are NO other readers for this audio production, although they are making (have made?) an ensemble cast spin-off.
Also, if anyone can tell me how to add audio books separate from written in this iteration of Goodreads, I would appreciate it. 😊
The premise is silly, but it is popcorn-level fun, particularly if you are familiar with the role-playing genre. I never made it to Dungeons and Dragons, but I have read extensively in fantasy genre and played a lot of online, massive-multiplayer games of the type and recognize everything that is going on, even the hotkeys. I can appreciate where people who aren't a little familiar with gaming may not enjoy the references. I thought Dinniman did an excellent job of using the KISS principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid) when it comes to menus and the like--just enough to remind us, not enough to bore us silly. As an aside, I found the achievements hilarious. You know how old people like to say in current generations, everyone gets a trophy? The same thing has happened in video games, and Dinnimen plays it for all it's worth.
"Congratulations! You’ve earned your first achievement: Crazy Cat Lady."
Technically falling into both my dick-lit and apocalypse categories, Carl is currently at a loss after breaking up with his girlfriend. He's been holding her Persian show cat hostage, but secretly, he just wanted to keep her. Late one night, Princess Donut demands to be let out, and he ends up chasing her to bring her in. Caught in the middle of an alien reclamation of Earth's many resources, they are given the option to fight for Earth by entering a dungeon crawl. Both Carl and Donut enter as individuals, a fascinating but unsurprising choice for the cat-lovers around us (there's a pair of dogs that are clearly pets). However, in a beautifully conceptualized twist, the dungeon crawl is broadcast for entertainment, much like 'Survivor,' or 'Squid Game.'
Upon successful completion of level 18 of the World Dungeon, regency of this planet will revert to the successor.
Tone is what really sets this apart. It manages to be both emotional and humorous. There's a running gag about Carl and Donut needed to develop a 'catchphrase' for the show, and it turns out Carl's 'Goddammit, Donut!' epithet wins the day. By the end, I'm sure I was chuckling along with the rest of the audience. The heartfulness comes in as Carl reflects on their situation, the apocalypse, and the reality of seeing over four million contestants whittled down. Something about Dinniman's writing feels like a genuine buddy relationship between the two leads as they care for each other but have their own ideas about progress, as well as the struggle with dungeon ethics. Of course, there are still plenty of jokes.
“How is it you can be so reckless and timid at the same time?”
“I can’t control my instincts! I’m just a few generations shy of being a ferocious tiger stalking through the jungles.”
“I’ve seen your pedigree,” I said. “You’re a few generations shy of nothing. Also, your grandfather was also your uncle.”
There's a lot of hints--in one case, an overt situation--that not everything is as it seems here. The lease-holders for Earth may be running a crooked game, and there's hints that the Non-Player Characters in the dungeons have lives of their own beyond the game role. It's that kind of background plotting that sets this series above many others (squinting at Travis Baldree's books).
Oh, that two star review came from someone that thought it was sexist. This might be splitting hairs, but I don't think it is sexist in the way of genuinely believing women are sluts kind of thing. I think that's a trope that comes up that the author deals with, but I can see where that perspective is valid. Although it's worth saying that two of the other successful teams are a young teen with her dogs, and a Valkyrie-type group of women.
"So if your boyfriend ogling your tootises keeps these easy-peasy bugs coming at us instead of more of those lava-spitting llamas, then you better buck up, get over your human male privilege, and take one for your princess.”
So glad I have more in the series. This will be perfect travel-reading.
Three and a half achievements, rounding up.
Update, May 2025: I am still waiting for Kobna's latest reading of Aaronovitch, so I am giving Audio Carl a shot. I think Hays has a southern type accent that is mostly alright but occasionally requires work for me to overcome. It is a group production with a separate actor for Princess Doughnut who does very well with her.
Update update: somehow my Audible ended up on .75 speed, which was why Carl was driving me nuts. Also, I listened to my brilliant commenters below (and this is why I leave comments on!) and watched Jeff Hays read excerpts of the book. He is a one-man act! There are NO other readers for this audio production, although they are making (have made?) an ensemble cast spin-off.
Also, if anyone can tell me how to add audio books separate from written in this iteration of Goodreads, I would appreciate it. 😊
June 14, 2023
100% pure fun, almost to an addicting level. A must read for any litrpg fan, or fan of video games in general.
Watch my video review by clicking here.
Watch my video review by clicking here.
March 22, 2023
I can understand why a lot of people like this but it definitely wasn't for me.
Most of humanity is wiped out by aliens who plan to harvest Earth's minerals. The handful that remains have been thrown into a televised death game (e.g. The Running Man, The Hunger Games, etc) where everything is like a hack & slash dungeon crawl RPG (e.g. Diablo or Torchlight). If you survive to the 18th level of the dungeon then you win.
Can Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat (who can now talk) survive?
This is litRPG. It leans super hard on that. That means everything is like a videogame. And that's where it lost me. Because, at least in the parts that I could force myself through, the book gives you stereotypical dungeon crawl RPG .... and not exactly very much else.
That means when Carl does stuff, he often gets Achievements, just like in a videogame.
This snippet is pretty much the litmus test for whether you'd like this. Did that humor make you laugh? Do you want to read an entire book of dated, edgy humor like in the Borderlands videogame? Did you like that everything is gamified and think reading about those systems is super-duper fun?
This means that the first 100 pages at least -- that's all I could force myself to read -- is like reading the novelization of a videogame with full explanation of its mechanics. How characters have attributes and skills, how to gain XP, how leveling works.
Clearly a lot of people answer yes. But for me, it's a hard no.
Obviously lots of people like this but...I don't really get it. The target audience surely knows all this -- it is bog standard generic RPG stuff -- and is bored? The author isn't even doing anything interesting with it -- like how Brandon Sanderson builds interesting magical systems and interesting worlds. This is literally cut & paste generic fantasy RPG. And those not in the target audience are definitely not going to be interested.
Outside of all the videogame mechanic infodumping....there was just zero in the first 100 pages to suck me in. Carl has no personality to speak of. There's not exactly any interesting or witty dialogue.
The book -- like many of its kind -- is devoid of anything like real human emotion. I mean: you can't even really do that with this kind of book. Because it would be all about how Carl has PTSD from being forced to murder people and the soul-crushing loneliness of realising that everyone he has ever known is dead and he'll likely die alone too.
But that's not how this kind of story goes, so all of that gets swept under the rug. Carl murders some goblins -- literally with his bare feet -- and it is played for laughs.
Most of humanity is wiped out by aliens who plan to harvest Earth's minerals. The handful that remains have been thrown into a televised death game (e.g. The Running Man, The Hunger Games, etc) where everything is like a hack & slash dungeon crawl RPG (e.g. Diablo or Torchlight). If you survive to the 18th level of the dungeon then you win.
Can Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat (who can now talk) survive?
This is litRPG. It leans super hard on that. That means everything is like a videogame. And that's where it lost me. Because, at least in the parts that I could force myself through, the book gives you stereotypical dungeon crawl RPG .... and not exactly very much else.
That means when Carl does stuff, he often gets Achievements, just like in a videogame.
New achievement! Trailblazing Crazy Cat Lady.
You are the first crawler to have entered to the World Dungeon accompanied by a cat. You must really love that thing. Too bad you’re both probably going to die a horrible death at any moment. Or maybe not. Look at the prize you just received!
Reward: You’ve received a Legendary Pet Box!
New achievement! Early Adopter.
You are one of the first 5,000 Crawlers to enter a new World Dungeon. Sucker.
Reward: You’ve received a Silver Adventurer Box!
New achievement! Empty pockets.
You didn’t bring any supplies. None. You know you still gotta eat, right?
Reward: You’ve received a Bronze Adventurer Box!
This snippet is pretty much the litmus test for whether you'd like this. Did that humor make you laugh? Do you want to read an entire book of dated, edgy humor like in the Borderlands videogame? Did you like that everything is gamified and think reading about those systems is super-duper fun?
This means that the first 100 pages at least -- that's all I could force myself to read -- is like reading the novelization of a videogame with full explanation of its mechanics. How characters have attributes and skills, how to gain XP, how leveling works.
Clearly a lot of people answer yes. But for me, it's a hard no.
Obviously lots of people like this but...I don't really get it. The target audience surely knows all this -- it is bog standard generic RPG stuff -- and is bored? The author isn't even doing anything interesting with it -- like how Brandon Sanderson builds interesting magical systems and interesting worlds. This is literally cut & paste generic fantasy RPG. And those not in the target audience are definitely not going to be interested.
Outside of all the videogame mechanic infodumping....there was just zero in the first 100 pages to suck me in. Carl has no personality to speak of. There's not exactly any interesting or witty dialogue.
The book -- like many of its kind -- is devoid of anything like real human emotion. I mean: you can't even really do that with this kind of book. Because it would be all about how Carl has PTSD from being forced to murder people and the soul-crushing loneliness of realising that everyone he has ever known is dead and he'll likely die alone too.
But that's not how this kind of story goes, so all of that gets swept under the rug. Carl murders some goblins -- literally with his bare feet -- and it is played for laughs.
October 9, 2025
“There are no gods here. Just those who pay for the privilege.”
this was my first ever litrpg, so maybe that’s why i adored this extra, but my nerdy little heart really felt like it was falling down a tunnel of complete love alongside carl and princess donut fighting for their lives.
the very basic premise of this already very beloved story, is that on a very snowy january night, in seattle, carl finds himself barely dressed and chasing after this trophy winning cat outside, which inadvertently saves both of their lives, when aliens come and all structures are instantly flattened. tet, tunnels are opened up for the surviving humans, so they can enter the very first level of a universally televised broadcast where they will be forced to go deeper and deeper, becoming stronger and stronger, to maybe have a chance at survival after all.
carl and his kitty companion go, alongside ten million others, where they will learn about what has been forced upon them while learning new skills and abilities on this first level. and most importantly, they have a time limit of when they must find and enter the next level, because once the time is up, the level will be squished like all the infrastructure of earth when these tunnels opened up! and maybe, just maybe, with the help of a tutorial guide, a talk show host, a pr assistant, some healthcare workers (and their residents), and other crawlers they meet along the way, they will be able to find the limited entrances, enter the second level, and learn even more about what this ai and alien gauntlet!
this might be the most obvious thing i could possibly write in a review, but - if you like video games, you will most likely like this. this story is filled with getting achievements, opening loot boxes, setting up your ui, patch notes and hot fixes, grinding xp in so many different ways (with so many different mobs), forming raid groups to take down bigger bosses, cleaning up your inventory, learning and leveling up new skills, and so much more. but if you also like dnd? oh, i am even more certain you will like this book. because you add everything i just said, but also see where people’s skill points are going, and watching them learn spells and level them up, and trying to figure out while classes they are most likely going to be (maybe like barefoot fighter monk or a very charming bard), oh it is such a treat.
i also just want to say that if you enjoyed the concept of traveling through different levels, and finding different towns and communities, and being introduced to new side characters, i really recommend senlin ascends. it is a completely different type of book, but one that has always stuck with me because of the unique concept, and this is the closest thing i’ve ever found to the same feeling. again, wildly different stories, and main characters, and even settings, but that spark of unique concept is only shared between only those two in my mind! and i will also say that the overarching themes, and what the story is saying, (of capitalism and corrupt governing systems) are also similar, if you’re feeling like you want to read that extra in 2025! but yeah, i have read a lot of books, searching for that feeling of senlin ascends (and of the baths), and i have never found it… until now!
“Part of a collective mind intent upon destroying any semblance of scientific progress in the universe, the Krakaren is the only communal brain entity in the galaxy who actually gets stu. pider as time moves on. Consisting of multiple shrieking tenta-cles, members of the Krakaren cooperative spend their days birthing their disease-laden minions, creating and selling harmful products, attempting to debate scientific experts, and proselytizing to the weak minded, all in an attempt to ... Well, nobody knows what the hell their end goal is.”
overall, i just loved this completely and i am so happy i am going to have a new series to hopefully keep falling in love with. i also want to say that i liked some of the things matt dinniman was saying, from systems of oppression, to ai horrors, to the ignorance of anti vaxxers, to capitalism and entertaining the rich at the cost millions of literal lives. i also think he was addressing some of the hurtful and harmful stereotypes in the gaming community, and maybe even the ease in which white men can easily move towards red pill gamergate spaces, because of this stuff being proudly livestreamed without consequences. i don’t want to give too much credit, and let me read a few more books in this series, but i just really was not expecting that going in. but yeah, i for sure recommend this, alongside everyone else, but extra if you’ve put in the hours in wow, ff, divinity / baldur’s gate, and/or any dnd campaign.
trigger + content warnings: slavery, mass killing and death, colonization, gore, violence, blood, battle, murder, talk of death of goblin babies, explosions, fires, talk of ice (in a negative light), talk of cheating in past (on the mc), abandonment in past, child abuse in past / shitty parent in past, drug use, drinking, inebriation, an ed mentioned as a descriptor, drugging, dementia, loss of friends (some elderly), an incel talk show and host (in a negative light), talk of a deepfake / ai fake sex video (again, in a negative light, but i did really hate it)
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February 16, 2026
3.5/5 stars
Fun, bonkers, and filled with personality. It took me years, but I finally started reading Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, arguably the most popular LitRPG series at the moment.
If you’re reading this review right now, then I’m going to assume you are, on some level, entrenched deep in the bookish social media and community. Actually, scratch that. Even if you’re not a big part of the fantasy book community online, there’s a good chance you might have heard about the success and fame of Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. Prior to the publication of this series, I recall the LitRPG genre to be a niche genre enjoyed by self-published fantasy/LitRPG readers. Dinniman has broken many readers’ walls of apprehension on the genre with impact. Traditional publishing has often been late in chasing trends. Most of the time, they wait for one title/series to make a gigantic impact, and then they start chasing it. This has happened way too many times. And despite seeing many successful LitRPGs in the past, sales-wise, I have never seen a LitRPG enjoyed by the masses as much and as large as The Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Dinniman has done something special here. Whether you like the book or not.
The quote above sounds crazy, but it is like the least insane thing that happened in Dungeon Crawler Carl. But let’s not get too far ahead. The premise first, for those of you who somehow don’t know about this book. Dungeon Crawler Carl is about Carl and Donut, his ex-girlfriend's cat, who are plunged into a sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible. And the apocalypse will be televised.
In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.
The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.
Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.
You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.
Honestly, as an avid video gamer for decades, LitRPG is not my favorite genre to read. I’d rather play a video game instead. Plus, in most of the LitRPG novels I’ve tried, even the most popular and well-received ones, seem to stumble upon one thing I dislike. It is about the main character having barely any personality except for their willingness to level up and get stronger. That’s it. And this happens frequently in many Progression Fantasy novels as well. This premise and determination, for me, get boring superbly quickly. Cradle by Will Wight was, and still is, one of the most popular progression fantasy series out there. And even though I had a blast reading Cradle, Lindon the main character there took me six books before I warmed up to him.Dungeon Crawler Carl, even though this is only the first book of the series, thankfully immediately separated itself from the many LitRPG novels I tried by infusing personality, charm, and fun to the brutal world and circumstances Carl and Donut find themselves in. It goes without a doubt that the duo of Carl and Donut is, by far, the best aspect of the first book.
I have no idea what taste I have among the general masses, but I love Oasis' songs. Back to the more important point. Humor is not the only element that is pivotal to the book. When you think about it, the events and details in Dungeon Crawler Carl can be quite brutal and dark. In order to avoid this book becoming a grimdark novel rather than a fun LitRPG series, the humor is there to alleviate the darkness of the sudden situation. While it is true that the humor is great, and the narrative and dialogues elicited a chuckle from me several times, what I like most about Dungeon Crawler Carl is its incredible humor paired with the characterizations. The characters here have heart. Not only Carl and Donut. But also the individuals the duo encountered in the first few levels of the Dungeon. Carl’s determination to survive was powerfully portrayed and placed in the narrative, and I look forward to reading more about his adventure and the other supporting characters in the subsequent books.
There’s so much more to explore in the world of Dungeon Crawler Carl. I can already tell from finishing the first book. I believe the series is planned to be ten books long, after all. I still have so many more adventures ahead of me. I did want the stakes to be higher from the get-go, but I have faith Dinniman has prepared that for the rest of the series. Also... I must say that one of the main LitRPG aspects, specifically during the level-up and Achievements announcement, was where much of the fun was. Some of the things and Easter Eggs mentioned in this book actually showed that Dungeon Crawler Carl is the type of book that can only be written during our recent times. Not in the far past.
Overall, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a great introduction for the series. It missed the higher stakes of tension I wanted from the genre, but the humor and characterizations made up for it. I can definitely see why this book broke and changed the traditional publishing market. One last thing... before anyone asks, I did not use the supposedly godlike narration by Jeff Hayes to read Dungeon Crawler Carl. I’ve been informed this is the correct and only way to enjoy the series to its utmost potential. If the sequel did not work as much as I hoped, I might resort to using the audiobook to consume the series.
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Andrew. S, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Ben, Benjamin, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, James, Jason, Jeff, Jenn, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Leigh, Lourdes, Melinda, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, RCT, Sally, Samiadji, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
Fun, bonkers, and filled with personality. It took me years, but I finally started reading Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, arguably the most popular LitRPG series at the moment.
“Mana Toast. This is toast. It refills your mana. That’s it. Nothing more. Fuck you.”
If you’re reading this review right now, then I’m going to assume you are, on some level, entrenched deep in the bookish social media and community. Actually, scratch that. Even if you’re not a big part of the fantasy book community online, there’s a good chance you might have heard about the success and fame of Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. Prior to the publication of this series, I recall the LitRPG genre to be a niche genre enjoyed by self-published fantasy/LitRPG readers. Dinniman has broken many readers’ walls of apprehension on the genre with impact. Traditional publishing has often been late in chasing trends. Most of the time, they wait for one title/series to make a gigantic impact, and then they start chasing it. This has happened way too many times. And despite seeing many successful LitRPGs in the past, sales-wise, I have never seen a LitRPG enjoyed by the masses as much and as large as The Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Dinniman has done something special here. Whether you like the book or not.
“Did we really just start a meth war between the goblins and the llamas?”
The quote above sounds crazy, but it is like the least insane thing that happened in Dungeon Crawler Carl. But let’s not get too far ahead. The premise first, for those of you who somehow don’t know about this book. Dungeon Crawler Carl is about Carl and Donut, his ex-girlfriend's cat, who are plunged into a sadistic game show unlike anything in the universe: a dungeon crawl where survival depends on killing your prey in the most entertaining way possible. And the apocalypse will be televised.
In a flash, every human-erected construction on Earth—from Buckingham Palace to the tiniest of sheds—collapses in a heap, sinking into the ground.
The buildings and all the people inside have all been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot. A dungeon so enormous, it circles the entire globe.
Only a few dare venture inside. But once you're in, you can't get out. And what's worse, each level has a time limit. You have but days to find a staircase to the next level down, or it's game over. In this game, it's not about your strength or your dexterity. It's about your followers, your views. Your clout. It's about building an audience and killing those goblins with style.
You can't just survive here. You gotta survive big.
“Cats are assholes. I get it. But do you know why people like cats, despite their asshole-ness? It’s because they don’t fucking talk. If they did, and they were all like you, they’d all be extinct because we’d have killed you all by now.”
Honestly, as an avid video gamer for decades, LitRPG is not my favorite genre to read. I’d rather play a video game instead. Plus, in most of the LitRPG novels I’ve tried, even the most popular and well-received ones, seem to stumble upon one thing I dislike. It is about the main character having barely any personality except for their willingness to level up and get stronger. That’s it. And this happens frequently in many Progression Fantasy novels as well. This premise and determination, for me, get boring superbly quickly. Cradle by Will Wight was, and still is, one of the most popular progression fantasy series out there. And even though I had a blast reading Cradle, Lindon the main character there took me six books before I warmed up to him.Dungeon Crawler Carl, even though this is only the first book of the series, thankfully immediately separated itself from the many LitRPG novels I tried by infusing personality, charm, and fun to the brutal world and circumstances Carl and Donut find themselves in. It goes without a doubt that the duo of Carl and Donut is, by far, the best aspect of the first book.
Donut: “THIS MUSIC IS MAKING MY HEAD HURT. WHY CAN’T THEY PLAY SOMETHING GOOD? LIKE OASIS.”
I have no idea what taste I have among the general masses, but I love Oasis' songs. Back to the more important point. Humor is not the only element that is pivotal to the book. When you think about it, the events and details in Dungeon Crawler Carl can be quite brutal and dark. In order to avoid this book becoming a grimdark novel rather than a fun LitRPG series, the humor is there to alleviate the darkness of the sudden situation. While it is true that the humor is great, and the narrative and dialogues elicited a chuckle from me several times, what I like most about Dungeon Crawler Carl is its incredible humor paired with the characterizations. The characters here have heart. Not only Carl and Donut. But also the individuals the duo encountered in the first few levels of the Dungeon. Carl’s determination to survive was powerfully portrayed and placed in the narrative, and I look forward to reading more about his adventure and the other supporting characters in the subsequent books.
“You’re not going to break me… You might hurt me, or kill me, but you’re not going to break me.”
There’s so much more to explore in the world of Dungeon Crawler Carl. I can already tell from finishing the first book. I believe the series is planned to be ten books long, after all. I still have so many more adventures ahead of me. I did want the stakes to be higher from the get-go, but I have faith Dinniman has prepared that for the rest of the series. Also... I must say that one of the main LitRPG aspects, specifically during the level-up and Achievements announcement, was where much of the fun was. Some of the things and Easter Eggs mentioned in this book actually showed that Dungeon Crawler Carl is the type of book that can only be written during our recent times. Not in the far past.
“Reward: I SAID THE GHOST OF STEVE IRWIN SMILES DOWN UPON YOU.”
Overall, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a great introduction for the series. It missed the higher stakes of tension I wanted from the genre, but the humor and characterizations made up for it. I can definitely see why this book broke and changed the traditional publishing market. One last thing... before anyone asks, I did not use the supposedly godlike narration by Jeff Hayes to read Dungeon Crawler Carl. I’ve been informed this is the correct and only way to enjoy the series to its utmost potential. If the sequel did not work as much as I hoped, I might resort to using the audiobook to consume the series.
“If we get to the point where we don’t help each other anymore, that’s when we stop being human.”
You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)
You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions | I also have a Booktube channel
Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Andrew. S, Arik, Arliss, Barbara, Ben, Benjamin, Biskit, Cade, Chris, Crystal, Cullen, Dan, Dylan, Edward, Elias, Erich, Feanor, Francesca, Frank, Gary, Gregory, James, Jason, Jeff, Jenn, Johnny, Joie, Jonathan, Katrina, Kim, Kristina, Lara, Leigh, Lourdes, Melinda, Mike, Mike S, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Radiah, RCT, Sally, Samiadji, Samuel, Sarah, Scott, Sean, Shawn, Shawna, Stephanie, Trish, Tyler, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zachary, Zammar.
August 7, 2025
Everything about this book is absolutely weird. The fact that I’d never heard of it is weird. The plot is weird. The Oscar-worthy performance by the narrator (Jeff Hays) is weird. The fact that it’s a sci-fi book about aliens taking over earth and subjecting all survivors to a sadistic game show/MMORPG that is, at times, incredibly sad is weird. But more than anything, me thoroughly enjoying any media in this genre is weird (I am, and have always been, bored to tears by sci-fi. Don’t bother yelling — I’m just as God made me). I don’t want to spoil anything (and I don’t know how the hell I would even begin to describe what I just listened to anyway) so I’ll just say that Bea is, like, totally not dead, right? Do I have to read the other six books? Ah, shit.
February 23, 2025
MATT DINNIMAN (the writer) AND JEFF HAYES (the narrator) YOU BETTER COUNT YOUR FUCKING DAYS BECAUSE YOU’RE GETTING YOUR FOREHEADS KISSED UNTIL THEY BLEEEEEEED 🥰
If you’re a gamer, I feel like you HAVE to read and love this????
This was an instant 6 star for me. I am going to buy the physical copies asap.
It’s very borderlands humour, and ultimately was the funniest shit I ever read in my whole life. Not a single second of this book missed.
👏NOT 👏A👏SECOND👏
The achievements that Carl receives the whole book are so funny, I was laughing out loud.
A man survives an alien invasion, in just his underwear and his ex girlfriend’s pink crocs whilst holding his cat and must fight for his life in a video game dungeon setting, whilst aliens watch his pain for views/sponsorships like he’s on twitch. Say less.
The monsters are creative.
The characters are hilarious.
There’s a group of rogue old people from a home.
Safe rooms.
Magic and potion systems.
My inner nerd was cumming this whole book.
🤭🐀
If you’re a gamer, I feel like you HAVE to read and love this????
This was an instant 6 star for me. I am going to buy the physical copies asap.
It’s very borderlands humour, and ultimately was the funniest shit I ever read in my whole life. Not a single second of this book missed.
👏NOT 👏A👏SECOND👏
The achievements that Carl receives the whole book are so funny, I was laughing out loud.
A man survives an alien invasion, in just his underwear and his ex girlfriend’s pink crocs whilst holding his cat and must fight for his life in a video game dungeon setting, whilst aliens watch his pain for views/sponsorships like he’s on twitch. Say less.
The monsters are creative.
The characters are hilarious.
There’s a group of rogue old people from a home.
Safe rooms.
Magic and potion systems.
My inner nerd was cumming this whole book.
🤭🐀
January 22, 2026
actual rating: 4.5 stars ⭐
August 4, 2025
4 ⭐️ overall, but ALL the ⭐️ for the audio narration.
”Being eaten by a bugbear makes me uncomfortable, Carl. So if your boyfriend ogling your tootsies keeps these easy-peasy bugs coming at us instead of more of those llamas, then you better buck up, get over your human male privilege, and take one for your princess.” ~ Princess Donut 😻😻
What did I just read?! Depending on my mood, I’ll read anything from classics to thrillers to dark smutty romance, but this is my first time exploring litRPG, a genre I didn’t even realize existed until now. I learn something new every day.
”Congratulations! You’ve earned your first achievement: Crazy Cat Lady.”
Carl runs outside in the middle of the night in just his boxers and his ex-girlfriend’s too-small pink Crocs to chase down her prize-winning Persian cat, Princess Donut. While he’s out there, an alien invasion destroys all man-made structures on Earth. The survivors are thrown into a crazy intergalactic game show where the goal is to level up or die trying. Throw in some hilarious commentary from a quirky System AI with an odd foot fetish, and you've got one heck of a wild ride.
”Goddammit Donut!”
Following Carl, a Coast Guard vet, and the spoiled but hilarious Princess Donut through this chaotic dungeon crawl is pure entertainment. Despite his many flaws, Carl is a super likable MC and a really good guy, but Princess Donut stole the show. I’ll definitely keep going with the series, especially when I need a fun break from heavier reads.
”New achievement! Why aren’t you wearing pants? You entered the dungeon wearing no pants. Dude. Seriously?”
If you’re bothered by foul language or raunchy humor, you’ll probably want to skip this one. The audiobook is an absolute riot from start to finish. Jeff Hays killed it with the narration and made the story even more fun to listen to. Highly recommend.
”Being eaten by a bugbear makes me uncomfortable, Carl. So if your boyfriend ogling your tootsies keeps these easy-peasy bugs coming at us instead of more of those llamas, then you better buck up, get over your human male privilege, and take one for your princess.” ~ Princess Donut 😻😻
What did I just read?! Depending on my mood, I’ll read anything from classics to thrillers to dark smutty romance, but this is my first time exploring litRPG, a genre I didn’t even realize existed until now. I learn something new every day.
”Congratulations! You’ve earned your first achievement: Crazy Cat Lady.”
Carl runs outside in the middle of the night in just his boxers and his ex-girlfriend’s too-small pink Crocs to chase down her prize-winning Persian cat, Princess Donut. While he’s out there, an alien invasion destroys all man-made structures on Earth. The survivors are thrown into a crazy intergalactic game show where the goal is to level up or die trying. Throw in some hilarious commentary from a quirky System AI with an odd foot fetish, and you've got one heck of a wild ride.
”Goddammit Donut!”
Following Carl, a Coast Guard vet, and the spoiled but hilarious Princess Donut through this chaotic dungeon crawl is pure entertainment. Despite his many flaws, Carl is a super likable MC and a really good guy, but Princess Donut stole the show. I’ll definitely keep going with the series, especially when I need a fun break from heavier reads.
”New achievement! Why aren’t you wearing pants? You entered the dungeon wearing no pants. Dude. Seriously?”
If you’re bothered by foul language or raunchy humor, you’ll probably want to skip this one. The audiobook is an absolute riot from start to finish. Jeff Hays killed it with the narration and made the story even more fun to listen to. Highly recommend.
November 1, 2024
DNF at chapter 11.
Another 'Kings of the Wyld' style fiasco for me. It tries very hard to be dude-funny, and in trying to please the dudes it forgets you don't have to hate women to write humour.
The first big boss they encounter is a 15ft tall woman, described as 'enormously fat, about 35 years old, wearing no bra, with her skin covered in sores and scabs. And wearing a pair of sweatpants 'stretched to their limits'. She also lives in a heap of trash and roaches.
You're telling me the aliens had the catalogue of every monster humans have come up with in history to put in the dungeon, and they came up with Human Woman: Fat.
Tells you a lot about how the author sees the world, and I'm not interested.
Another 'Kings of the Wyld' style fiasco for me. It tries very hard to be dude-funny, and in trying to please the dudes it forgets you don't have to hate women to write humour.
The first big boss they encounter is a 15ft tall woman, described as 'enormously fat, about 35 years old, wearing no bra, with her skin covered in sores and scabs. And wearing a pair of sweatpants 'stretched to their limits'. She also lives in a heap of trash and roaches.
You're telling me the aliens had the catalogue of every monster humans have come up with in history to put in the dungeon, and they came up with Human Woman: Fat.
Tells you a lot about how the author sees the world, and I'm not interested.
March 4, 2023
I really tried to make it through this one but gave it up around 80% in. It’s written for a very specific audience- mainly guys who like DnD, fighting, and weird sex stuff.
September 19, 2025
I despised every second of this.
This is your typical average bro-dude-fantasy, by which I mean:
* DnD flavor and more than average amount of pop/nerd culture references
* "yo mama" level of humor
* the MC is a manly man 6+ft tall who has to compare all other characters to himself in terms of their width and height (apparently that's important, even if strength depends on stats in the dungeon, and the cat is literally supposed to be stronger than anyone), goes out of his way to gender everything (including monsters, disembodied voices, etc.), male-gazes and sexualizes everything subsequently identified as "female", has an extremely over-inflated sense of responsibility (only his hero complex manages to be taller than he is, though, so that's ok), has an unaddressed mummy abandonment issue, and overall an inability to connect/recon with his feelings in any meaningful way... sounds familiar?
But really it's going out of its way to be the shittiest possible version of that already uninspired average bro-dude-fantasy because it is also:
* badly written: the prose is... well it's English.
* badly structured: absolute units of indiscriminate exposition, including scrupulous accounts of meaningless, random stats being leveled up and details about game dynamics that really read like the author is just going on and on about whatever pent-up rambling his family/friends probably haven't been willing to listen to anymore.
* directly offensive at times: one example: the bosses are described twice as, I quote, "caricatures" and "exaggerated stereotypes" of Earth people. With that clarified, the author proceeds to make the first one a fat Hispanic woman who lives in filth and is a hoarder... I'm speechless.
* toeing-the-line offensive and/or entirely careless everywhere else: and no, this does not qualify as dark humor or comedic horror. It's absolute, disgusting carelessness and lack of empathy. Dark humor and horror both have a purpose, a commentary to make, when showing cruelty. This, here, is just a juxtaposition of something cruel with stupid jokes, all of it usually punching down. It is a blatant lack of emotional intelligence or any tact whatsoever. It's honestly disgusting.
I'm going to spoil the famous "baby goblins" scene at the end of this review - it's not a huge spoiler, and it will be behind spoiler tags, but I encourage you to go see for yourself if you can find that palatable.
The audiobook:
I will say, the callous tone of the narrator probably only compounded the aforementioned problems.
In addition, that grizzled veteran voice for a supposedly 27 y.o. dude, and dollar store Claptrap for the dungeon's AI.... well, those are choices.
Good litRPG exists and we deserve better than this.
Before audiobooks and fiction podcasts were even a thing, France had a pretty great scene of geeky audio "theatre", if you will, that we called "MP3 Sagas" (this name really dates it, and me with it T_T). Some of those were astoundingly good - one of my favorite was written entirely in alexandrine verses. On my 4th listen, I was still discovering jokes and puns and references hidden in the packed and layered narration. Those were available for free too.
I am astounded that the publishing industry has managed to dig so deep below any existing amateur standard and still turns a profit.
~~~~~~~~ tangent ~~~~~~~~
Speaking of, let me indulge in a little tangent on the publishing and marketing bullshit that brought us to a world where this is a best seller.
Due to poor skills picking up SFF books recently, I have painfully come to better grasp that this book here is part of a category of works that are to men what Romantasy is to women. I'll call it DudeBrotasy, because it needs an uninspired portmanteau tag too and I felt up to the task.
In both cases, those are not as much real subgenres as they are a manufactured marketing niche. As a result, I would argue that both categories are disproportionately filled with formulaic books that do not try to produce anything original or novel, really, but rather whose sole aim is to emulate previous works that have been commercial successes for their respective gendered niche. To do so they follow a quite simple recipe (see the bullet list I started this review with - chances are, you have met that sort of male protagonist or narrative style before). The whole point is to avoid any risk and go for the low hanging fruit that will allow publishing companies to cash out on reader's nostalgia and desire for something known and comfortable, with minimal need for inspiration or any editing work on their end.
In itself, that would be harmless enough, I suppose. But it also happens that both of those market niches are filled with retrograde worldviews, because, like any toxic ex of yours might exemplify, what is known can feel comfy and attractive, even when it turns out to be quite deleterious.
And by the way, let's just take a moment to consider this: isn't it quite infuriating that mass-produced lit in manly flavor, like our newly coined DudeBrotasy here, generally gets less flack than Romantasy for being entirely as filled with trashy entries? If society thinks it's ok to rally behind a hashtag to deride women reading dumpster fires such as whatever that book with the emo guy crying a silver tear on the cover was, then sure as hell, fucking Carl here should be the target of at least as much social media ire.
~~~~~~ end of tangent ~~~~~~
Let's wrap it up: I want to leave this review by circling back to the dreadful lack of emotional intelligence displayed here.
I don't believe the fans or even the authors behind such DudeBrotasy books are in this with any agenda, trying to use it as propaganda for their retrograde assholic ideologies. There are preachy authors who love to pontificate and demonstrate their pseudo philosophical and political enlightened views to us dumb masses, but I sincerely don't think that is what we are getting here.
I think what we get is the result of privileged people who don't have to care. So those books are simply careless. They are tactless, tasteless, callous, have zero empathy and why? Because they don't need to be anything else. Again, they don't need to care. Isn't it lucky to be on that side, to be the bro-y person who has the luxury to be amused here? Anyone else might end up the butt of those jokes. But it's just jokes right?
It's tiring, is what it is. It is tiring that some people on this planet can afford to be careless, and to write careless shit, and to publish careless shit, and to laugh at careless shit. And they can do that because everyone else is supposed to stomach the resulting slack for them, to take it all in strides. Fuck that honestly.
Here is the baby goblin spoiler I mentioned:
This is your typical average bro-dude-fantasy, by which I mean:
* DnD flavor and more than average amount of pop/nerd culture references
* "yo mama" level of humor
* the MC is a manly man 6+ft tall who has to compare all other characters to himself in terms of their width and height (apparently that's important, even if strength depends on stats in the dungeon, and the cat is literally supposed to be stronger than anyone), goes out of his way to gender everything (including monsters, disembodied voices, etc.), male-gazes and sexualizes everything subsequently identified as "female", has an extremely over-inflated sense of responsibility (only his hero complex manages to be taller than he is, though, so that's ok), has an unaddressed mummy abandonment issue, and overall an inability to connect/recon with his feelings in any meaningful way... sounds familiar?
But really it's going out of its way to be the shittiest possible version of that already uninspired average bro-dude-fantasy because it is also:
* badly written: the prose is... well it's English.
* badly structured: absolute units of indiscriminate exposition, including scrupulous accounts of meaningless, random stats being leveled up and details about game dynamics that really read like the author is just going on and on about whatever pent-up rambling his family/friends probably haven't been willing to listen to anymore.
* directly offensive at times: one example: the bosses are described twice as, I quote, "caricatures" and "exaggerated stereotypes" of Earth people. With that clarified, the author proceeds to make the first one a fat Hispanic woman who lives in filth and is a hoarder... I'm speechless.
* toeing-the-line offensive and/or entirely careless everywhere else: and no, this does not qualify as dark humor or comedic horror. It's absolute, disgusting carelessness and lack of empathy. Dark humor and horror both have a purpose, a commentary to make, when showing cruelty. This, here, is just a juxtaposition of something cruel with stupid jokes, all of it usually punching down. It is a blatant lack of emotional intelligence or any tact whatsoever. It's honestly disgusting.
I'm going to spoil the famous "baby goblins" scene at the end of this review - it's not a huge spoiler, and it will be behind spoiler tags, but I encourage you to go see for yourself if you can find that palatable.
The audiobook:
I will say, the callous tone of the narrator probably only compounded the aforementioned problems.
In addition, that grizzled veteran voice for a supposedly 27 y.o. dude, and dollar store Claptrap for the dungeon's AI.... well, those are choices.
Good litRPG exists and we deserve better than this.
Before audiobooks and fiction podcasts were even a thing, France had a pretty great scene of geeky audio "theatre", if you will, that we called "MP3 Sagas" (this name really dates it, and me with it T_T). Some of those were astoundingly good - one of my favorite was written entirely in alexandrine verses. On my 4th listen, I was still discovering jokes and puns and references hidden in the packed and layered narration. Those were available for free too.
I am astounded that the publishing industry has managed to dig so deep below any existing amateur standard and still turns a profit.
~~~~~~~~ tangent ~~~~~~~~
Speaking of, let me indulge in a little tangent on the publishing and marketing bullshit that brought us to a world where this is a best seller.
Due to poor skills picking up SFF books recently, I have painfully come to better grasp that this book here is part of a category of works that are to men what Romantasy is to women. I'll call it DudeBrotasy, because it needs an uninspired portmanteau tag too and I felt up to the task.
In both cases, those are not as much real subgenres as they are a manufactured marketing niche. As a result, I would argue that both categories are disproportionately filled with formulaic books that do not try to produce anything original or novel, really, but rather whose sole aim is to emulate previous works that have been commercial successes for their respective gendered niche. To do so they follow a quite simple recipe (see the bullet list I started this review with - chances are, you have met that sort of male protagonist or narrative style before). The whole point is to avoid any risk and go for the low hanging fruit that will allow publishing companies to cash out on reader's nostalgia and desire for something known and comfortable, with minimal need for inspiration or any editing work on their end.
In itself, that would be harmless enough, I suppose. But it also happens that both of those market niches are filled with retrograde worldviews, because, like any toxic ex of yours might exemplify, what is known can feel comfy and attractive, even when it turns out to be quite deleterious.
And by the way, let's just take a moment to consider this: isn't it quite infuriating that mass-produced lit in manly flavor, like our newly coined DudeBrotasy here, generally gets less flack than Romantasy for being entirely as filled with trashy entries? If society thinks it's ok to rally behind a hashtag to deride women reading dumpster fires such as whatever that book with the emo guy crying a silver tear on the cover was, then sure as hell, fucking Carl here should be the target of at least as much social media ire.
~~~~~~ end of tangent ~~~~~~
Let's wrap it up: I want to leave this review by circling back to the dreadful lack of emotional intelligence displayed here.
I don't believe the fans or even the authors behind such DudeBrotasy books are in this with any agenda, trying to use it as propaganda for their retrograde assholic ideologies. There are preachy authors who love to pontificate and demonstrate their pseudo philosophical and political enlightened views to us dumb masses, but I sincerely don't think that is what we are getting here.
I think what we get is the result of privileged people who don't have to care. So those books are simply careless. They are tactless, tasteless, callous, have zero empathy and why? Because they don't need to be anything else. Again, they don't need to care. Isn't it lucky to be on that side, to be the bro-y person who has the luxury to be amused here? Anyone else might end up the butt of those jokes. But it's just jokes right?
It's tiring, is what it is. It is tiring that some people on this planet can afford to be careless, and to write careless shit, and to publish careless shit, and to laugh at careless shit. And they can do that because everyone else is supposed to stomach the resulting slack for them, to take it all in strides. Fuck that honestly.
Here is the baby goblin spoiler I mentioned:
July 18, 2025
“Goddammit Donut!”
LitRPG? Goodreads, I didn’t even know that was a thing! I was a gamer once upon a time, addicted to World of Warcraft for about a year. Horde Blood Elf Mage. Yup. There’s an episode on the show The Big Bang Theory where Penny becomes obsessed with gaming. In one scene, she’s sitting in her apartment playing, looking all disheveled - hasn’t showered or changed out of her stained clothes and hasn’t been to work in a week. She has Cheetos in her hair, is surrounded by junk food, and is downing cans of Red Bull to stay awake to game. Leonard and Sheldon try to pull her away from her computer, but she’s not having it; she just gets irritable and refuses to do anything else. Yeeeah, that was me. lol I know I know, not my finest hour.
You can tell Matt Dinniman had a blast writing this. It was bananas! If you’re in the mood for something fun, action-packed, and a lil bonkers, head to the dungeon with Crawler Carl and Princess Donut. I chose the audiobook version for this one; the voices and sound effects add flair to the gaming-like experience.
“If you read this and enjoyed it, please review it. It's against Amazon's rules to offer a prize to those who review books, but I will risk Amazon's wrath and offer my services to be the father of your babies if you post a review.” -Matt Dinniman
😆
LitRPG? Goodreads, I didn’t even know that was a thing! I was a gamer once upon a time, addicted to World of Warcraft for about a year. Horde Blood Elf Mage. Yup. There’s an episode on the show The Big Bang Theory where Penny becomes obsessed with gaming. In one scene, she’s sitting in her apartment playing, looking all disheveled - hasn’t showered or changed out of her stained clothes and hasn’t been to work in a week. She has Cheetos in her hair, is surrounded by junk food, and is downing cans of Red Bull to stay awake to game. Leonard and Sheldon try to pull her away from her computer, but she’s not having it; she just gets irritable and refuses to do anything else. Yeeeah, that was me. lol I know I know, not my finest hour.
You can tell Matt Dinniman had a blast writing this. It was bananas! If you’re in the mood for something fun, action-packed, and a lil bonkers, head to the dungeon with Crawler Carl and Princess Donut. I chose the audiobook version for this one; the voices and sound effects add flair to the gaming-like experience.
“If you read this and enjoyed it, please review it. It's against Amazon's rules to offer a prize to those who review books, but I will risk Amazon's wrath and offer my services to be the father of your babies if you post a review.” -Matt Dinniman
😆
April 20, 2025
RTC
Hi bestiessss
I know I’ve been MIA for like… 3 months?? wild. life’s been crazy!! I’m in my third year of uni and got chosen for an internship (yay but also HELP) so between that and classes, reading took a backseat. I’ve missed reading so much and I’ve missed you guys even more. Plus And so many of you guys read my favourite books and I totally missed it!! 😫😫😫 But school ends in a week and then I’m backkkk bitchessss!!!! I can’t wait to catch up, scream about books, and be chronically online with you all again. love uuu
Oh and I am loving this series it’s fucking hilarious!!!😭😭😭 if you wanna read it, I recommend trying out the audiobook.
Hi bestiessss
I know I’ve been MIA for like… 3 months?? wild. life’s been crazy!! I’m in my third year of uni and got chosen for an internship (yay but also HELP) so between that and classes, reading took a backseat. I’ve missed reading so much and I’ve missed you guys even more. Plus And so many of you guys read my favourite books and I totally missed it!! 😫😫😫 But school ends in a week and then I’m backkkk bitchessss!!!! I can’t wait to catch up, scream about books, and be chronically online with you all again. love uuu
Oh and I am loving this series it’s fucking hilarious!!!😭😭😭 if you wanna read it, I recommend trying out the audiobook.
August 4, 2024
Goddamnit Donut, you captured my heart. I read the book while listening to the audiobook at the same time which I highly recommended because this audiobook is spectacular. At first I thought this was a fully cast production, but nope, just one guy voice-acting all the parts. Super-fun experience especially for fans of RPGs/computer gaming.
November 4, 2025
If multitasking would have a face it'd be a Carl selfie. Death, aliens, AI, plus the other things available in the fridge of the universe...yet the only thing keeping your last drop of sanity alive is a sassy cat that talks back.
December 30, 2024
audio: INFINITE STARS OMG THAT WAS AMAZING!!!!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
plot: 5 starssss this was LAUGH OUT LOUD FUN!!!
I would like to thank my other personality for somehow choosing this book because I think this WAS GENUINELY SUCH A FUN TIME!
This is my first ever LITrpg book, which basically means it's a video game but in book form. I saw the blurb which basically involved a post apocalyptic world turned into a dungeon with levels, and "crawlers" have to go through the levels as they progressively get harder and harder... oh and it is televised for the whole galaxy to see!
You have Carl, who is perpetually in his boxers for some reason😅and barefoot, an AI with a foot fetish (coincidence?) and his ex's Persian cat named Princess Donut😂 They go through adventure after adventure with funny hijinks and hilarious commentary from the AI 🤣
This is by no means a literary masterpiece and it is not supposed to be. It is just pure entertainment.
If you play rpg video games, and/or watched and enjoyed shows like Solo Leveling, you will LOVE this, especially on audio! I would HIGHLY recommend this if you are a fan of this genre!
Will most definitely continue the series!
---------------------------------------------
pre-read:
edit: Bullied my sister Layla into buddy reading this with me 😈
My other personality picked this book let's indulge her a bit 😭
plot: 5 starssss this was LAUGH OUT LOUD FUN!!!
I would like to thank my other personality for somehow choosing this book because I think this WAS GENUINELY SUCH A FUN TIME!
This is my first ever LITrpg book, which basically means it's a video game but in book form. I saw the blurb which basically involved a post apocalyptic world turned into a dungeon with levels, and "crawlers" have to go through the levels as they progressively get harder and harder... oh and it is televised for the whole galaxy to see!
You have Carl, who is perpetually in his boxers for some reason😅and barefoot, an AI with a foot fetish (coincidence?) and his ex's Persian cat named Princess Donut😂 They go through adventure after adventure with funny hijinks and hilarious commentary from the AI 🤣
This is by no means a literary masterpiece and it is not supposed to be. It is just pure entertainment.
If you play rpg video games, and/or watched and enjoyed shows like Solo Leveling, you will LOVE this, especially on audio! I would HIGHLY recommend this if you are a fan of this genre!
Will most definitely continue the series!
---------------------------------------------
pre-read:
edit: Bullied my sister Layla into buddy reading this with me 😈
My other personality picked this book let's indulge her a bit 😭
October 27, 2025
Believe the hype.
I'm as tough as anyone on self-published fiction and I'm too old for membership in the conceivable target audience for any serialized web fiction. I've dabbled with reading litRPG and cultivation and isekai and what not, enough to understand some of the appeal, but I still insist on judging such books by the same standard as more traditional genres.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is the real deal.
Dinniman had many years of writing and other creative arts under his belt before he started this series, and it shows. I think this is what elevates DCC: it's coming from a serious, experienced writer, with all the skill that entails in evidence on the page, and one who has a clear love of the sub-genre. It's no wonder that this is the litRPG that is making it to traditional publishing, with a print-only deal that will soon see this book in brick-and-mortar bookshops. (Have there been other pure litRPG titles that made it there first? I don't think so but please inform me if I'm wrong.)
Every chapter oozes with characterization, plot development, excellent pacing, humour, moral tension, and delicious bloody violence. There's story beyond just "the system", a failing of many attempts at litRPG for me, and the madness is treated with sincerity from a contemporary human viewpoint. There is no lack of complexity to the story elements and characters. Salient themes abound: genocidal trauma, corporate power and politics, ethics in the face of horrible circumstances, reality television, pet show breeding ....
The blend of chaotic, visceral fun and serious ethical issues makes this book pop. The characters are a blast, the situation is fraught, and the appeal is undeniable.
The only less positive thing I can say is that due to its serialized nature, when bound in book form it doesn't provide the same full arcs that you can expect from a traditional novel. It was still a satisfying experience, but aside from completing a dungeon level, by the end no specific story or character arc reaches completion. But that's okay because you bet I'll continue the series. Another caveat particular to the genre is that the game details pile up quickly. Characters quickly amass more skills and loot and abilities and tidbits of info than any reader can recall without a reference guide, many of them not even useable for several more books/levels, and if I didn't choose to not even try to retain any of that and trust in the author to make it relevant and memorable eventually, I would be driven mad.
This book covers levels 1 and 2 of the evolving dungeon, while subsequent volumes, according to the blurbs, appear to cover one additional level each. There are 6 books (taking the reader through dungeon level 7) out now, with the material for book 7 well in progress. The dungeon is designed to have 18 levels, although in-book we're told no one continues past level 12-13 or so. So how long will the series be? Will it ever conclude? Will it maintain its quality? We shall see.
*************************
Re-read in the new hardcover edition from Ace. They did an excellent job with the book. May it exponentially expand Dungeon Crawler Carl's reach to new readers. I received the first two books for Xmas and now my family has an easy pick for gifts for me for the next while.
There was plenty I didn't recall since my first reading. Not that there were surprises, rather just details and scenes that were a joy to experience as if they were new again. I found many parts even more poignant and relevant to current sociopolitical issues.
Best of all was brand new material that I didn't expect. (It had been announced long ago but while I'm a fan, I haven't been a superfan and wasn't keeping up.) A new story exclusive to this edition appeared at the end of the book, "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret," featuring an excellently chosen POV side character. It was amazing! It seriously enhanced the book's worldbuilding and themes in a tight little package. This side story will continue in the subsequent volumes.
I'm as tough as anyone on self-published fiction and I'm too old for membership in the conceivable target audience for any serialized web fiction. I've dabbled with reading litRPG and cultivation and isekai and what not, enough to understand some of the appeal, but I still insist on judging such books by the same standard as more traditional genres.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is the real deal.
Dinniman had many years of writing and other creative arts under his belt before he started this series, and it shows. I think this is what elevates DCC: it's coming from a serious, experienced writer, with all the skill that entails in evidence on the page, and one who has a clear love of the sub-genre. It's no wonder that this is the litRPG that is making it to traditional publishing, with a print-only deal that will soon see this book in brick-and-mortar bookshops. (Have there been other pure litRPG titles that made it there first? I don't think so but please inform me if I'm wrong.)
Every chapter oozes with characterization, plot development, excellent pacing, humour, moral tension, and delicious bloody violence. There's story beyond just "the system", a failing of many attempts at litRPG for me, and the madness is treated with sincerity from a contemporary human viewpoint. There is no lack of complexity to the story elements and characters. Salient themes abound: genocidal trauma, corporate power and politics, ethics in the face of horrible circumstances, reality television, pet show breeding ....
The blend of chaotic, visceral fun and serious ethical issues makes this book pop. The characters are a blast, the situation is fraught, and the appeal is undeniable.
The only less positive thing I can say is that due to its serialized nature, when bound in book form it doesn't provide the same full arcs that you can expect from a traditional novel. It was still a satisfying experience, but aside from completing a dungeon level, by the end no specific story or character arc reaches completion. But that's okay because you bet I'll continue the series. Another caveat particular to the genre is that the game details pile up quickly. Characters quickly amass more skills and loot and abilities and tidbits of info than any reader can recall without a reference guide, many of them not even useable for several more books/levels, and if I didn't choose to not even try to retain any of that and trust in the author to make it relevant and memorable eventually, I would be driven mad.
This book covers levels 1 and 2 of the evolving dungeon, while subsequent volumes, according to the blurbs, appear to cover one additional level each. There are 6 books (taking the reader through dungeon level 7) out now, with the material for book 7 well in progress. The dungeon is designed to have 18 levels, although in-book we're told no one continues past level 12-13 or so. So how long will the series be? Will it ever conclude? Will it maintain its quality? We shall see.
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Re-read in the new hardcover edition from Ace. They did an excellent job with the book. May it exponentially expand Dungeon Crawler Carl's reach to new readers. I received the first two books for Xmas and now my family has an easy pick for gifts for me for the next while.
There was plenty I didn't recall since my first reading. Not that there were surprises, rather just details and scenes that were a joy to experience as if they were new again. I found many parts even more poignant and relevant to current sociopolitical issues.
Best of all was brand new material that I didn't expect. (It had been announced long ago but while I'm a fan, I haven't been a superfan and wasn't keeping up.) A new story exclusive to this edition appeared at the end of the book, "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret," featuring an excellently chosen POV side character. It was amazing! It seriously enhanced the book's worldbuilding and themes in a tight little package. This side story will continue in the subsequent volumes.
Read
December 10, 2025Review to come after I meet with the girls for Book Club 👀
April 8, 2025
i am never trusting a rec from the reddit hive mind again. i want my audible credit back
October 24, 2023
How can we focus on surviving when we have all that other stuff to deal with?
Wait i just realized i finally finished a book in my read soon shelf!
That shelf is literally doomed to obscurity i put important stuff there and forget to read them 😂
This series protagonists are hand to hand fighter with demolition expertise or that's what he will eventually become, if his race and class change don't change his course too much, and a snobby talking cat who is a stereotype of a spoiled princess, and she won an absurd number of pageants to back it up.
I love Dungeon Crawler Carl, I love Matt he is a really good writer, and he is outside of the box, kind of, i am not sure how many people will do the same as he does, his incel hippie vegan and so on real world jokes are really funny, and those incel guys are really losers, one of them actually threatened to kill his family because he made a goblin in this very book an incel 🤣
Oh and btw fun fact i learned from kindle dictionary the word INCEL, is actually woman made!
a queer woman first used this word in her memoires because it was very hard for her to get with someone or something like that.
What made me not give this novel as high a rating as i initially intended is this, the combat system, the crafting system, so far the major combat plays at being great and intricate and exciting, when it really is not, i feel people are probably as confused as me by all the building they don't realize how shitty the fight scenes are in fact!
so yeah somehow this literally became the weakest combat i saw in any litrpg, let's build a fort, and poke the boss with spears hiding under it, it's so silly and the fight was so easy.
let's build MOAB and roll down bombs on the boss chasing us, now i am glad he didn't let them get experience from this boss, because if they became OP, it would have fallen into the same issue most litrpgs have, and yeah i don't think Carl and princess donut are OP, they are really vulnerable characters.
so the crafting and the mazes need to be more clear for me to ever give this a better rating, because i really do feel they are being explained in more words than they should be, and just confusing us more lol
I think this is the last LITRPG for me till the end of the year, let's see if i stand my ground this time, but i really need to finish a few of my open books.
The Good news is the next book has clowns and dead hookers in it.
Not sure what more needs to be said, amazing series that i ll definitely get to it's end.
oh and Grand Champion Best in Dungeon Princess Donut rules!
February 9, 2026
This audiobook was so much fun!
Carl wakes up during the night and his girlfriend’s cat jumps out the window. He goes outside to fetch her, wearing only boxers and his girlfriend’s too small pink sandals. Once he’s outside, every building on earth collapses. From there on out, this creative story goes off the rails and never comes back.
An alien corporation takes control and herds any and all survivors to a dungeon, where a dangerous game ensues. Make it through all levels of the dungeon without dying and you live. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, this is the funniest audio I’ve ever listened to.
RPG games aren’t my thing-I barely even know what they are, so I never thought I’d actually enjoy this. I was so wrong. From the moment when Princess Donut, (the cat), starts talking in a prissy English accent and shoots lazer beams from her eyes, I was hooked. When Carl and the princess stop to help some nursing home residents, much to their own detriment, I realized this story also has a lot of heart and a sense of fairness.
It’s the humor and the narrator that elevated this even more. The somewhat deranged AI and his increasingly disturbing announcements, (and a growing foot fetish), the fame hungry Princess Donut, unique enemies like the Krakaren, tv hosts that are crab-taurs, (did I mention this “game”is televised to all planets?), the whole thing is insane!
Thanks to my friend Richard for his enthusiastic recommendation of this audio. I would not have tried it if it hadn’t been for him. I haven’t laughed this much since before the last election. If you need a laugh or to escape from the daily news, this is the audio for you!
Carl wakes up during the night and his girlfriend’s cat jumps out the window. He goes outside to fetch her, wearing only boxers and his girlfriend’s too small pink sandals. Once he’s outside, every building on earth collapses. From there on out, this creative story goes off the rails and never comes back.
An alien corporation takes control and herds any and all survivors to a dungeon, where a dangerous game ensues. Make it through all levels of the dungeon without dying and you live. In spite of the seriousness of the situation, this is the funniest audio I’ve ever listened to.
RPG games aren’t my thing-I barely even know what they are, so I never thought I’d actually enjoy this. I was so wrong. From the moment when Princess Donut, (the cat), starts talking in a prissy English accent and shoots lazer beams from her eyes, I was hooked. When Carl and the princess stop to help some nursing home residents, much to their own detriment, I realized this story also has a lot of heart and a sense of fairness.
It’s the humor and the narrator that elevated this even more. The somewhat deranged AI and his increasingly disturbing announcements, (and a growing foot fetish), the fame hungry Princess Donut, unique enemies like the Krakaren, tv hosts that are crab-taurs, (did I mention this “game”is televised to all planets?), the whole thing is insane!
Thanks to my friend Richard for his enthusiastic recommendation of this audio. I would not have tried it if it hadn’t been for him. I haven’t laughed this much since before the last election. If you need a laugh or to escape from the daily news, this is the audio for you!
December 4, 2024
5 stars
Three months later, here I am, revisiting this absolute gem via audiobook. And let me tell you, the audiobook? A whole freakin’ experience.
Jeff Hays. Dude. I bow to you.
This man didn’t just narrate, he delivered a performance of a lifetime. I had to bump my rating up to 5 stars because he deserves it. The book was funny, sure, but the audiobook? IT. WAS. NEXT. LEVEL. the imitation of Donut's voice and her accent was on point, like what i imagined it. and the Bopca's accents? I am deceased.
I was listening while working, and I swear, people were staring at me like I’d lost my mind because I was cackling like a maniac in front of Ms. Excel.
I’m begging you, everyone, please, PLEASE, read this book or, even better, listen to the audiobook. You will not regret it. This shit is hysterical. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
============================================================================
4.5 stars
This book was an absolute riot! It was my very first foray into the LitRPG genre, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. As a fellow gamer, I was HOOKED from the first page. The story plunges you headfirst into the wild adventures of Royal Bodyguard Carl and the one and only Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk, a Grand Champion Best in Dungeon, as they navigate an alien-programmed dungeon packed with danger, chaos, and endless excitement.
But let me be real here, Princess Donut absolutely stole the show. Hands down, my favorite character of 2024 . Picture this: a regal, snarky, brilliant cat who oozes charisma, elegance, and wit. She’s adorable enough to melt your heart but don’t be fooled—this queen is a total badass, armed with insane strength and magic. She’s the ultimate combo of charm and destruction, and I could not get enough of her. Every moment with Donut had me grinning like an idiot.
And the humor? Chef’s freakin’ kiss. The banter between Carl and Donut had me laughing so hard, I nearly choked. Their dynamic is an absolute delight, equal parts hilarious and oddly heartwarming. The pacing was perfection, fast, funny, and utterly addictive. Not a single dull moment. I’m talking non-stop action and entertainment that kept me glued to every page.
I’m already desperately waiting for the next book. I need more of Carl and Donut’s ridiculous, thrilling adventures in my life. If you haven’t read this yet, do yourself a favor. This book is pure gold, and Princess Donut? She’s the queen we all deserve.
Three months later, here I am, revisiting this absolute gem via audiobook. And let me tell you, the audiobook? A whole freakin’ experience.
Jeff Hays. Dude. I bow to you.
This man didn’t just narrate, he delivered a performance of a lifetime. I had to bump my rating up to 5 stars because he deserves it. The book was funny, sure, but the audiobook? IT. WAS. NEXT. LEVEL. the imitation of Donut's voice and her accent was on point, like what i imagined it. and the Bopca's accents? I am deceased.
I was listening while working, and I swear, people were staring at me like I’d lost my mind because I was cackling like a maniac in front of Ms. Excel.
I’m begging you, everyone, please, PLEASE, read this book or, even better, listen to the audiobook. You will not regret it. This shit is hysterical. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
============================================================================
4.5 stars
This book was an absolute riot! It was my very first foray into the LitRPG genre, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. As a fellow gamer, I was HOOKED from the first page. The story plunges you headfirst into the wild adventures of Royal Bodyguard Carl and the one and only Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk, a Grand Champion Best in Dungeon, as they navigate an alien-programmed dungeon packed with danger, chaos, and endless excitement.
But let me be real here, Princess Donut absolutely stole the show. Hands down, my favorite character of 2024 . Picture this: a regal, snarky, brilliant cat who oozes charisma, elegance, and wit. She’s adorable enough to melt your heart but don’t be fooled—this queen is a total badass, armed with insane strength and magic. She’s the ultimate combo of charm and destruction, and I could not get enough of her. Every moment with Donut had me grinning like an idiot.
And the humor? Chef’s freakin’ kiss. The banter between Carl and Donut had me laughing so hard, I nearly choked. Their dynamic is an absolute delight, equal parts hilarious and oddly heartwarming. The pacing was perfection, fast, funny, and utterly addictive. Not a single dull moment. I’m talking non-stop action and entertainment that kept me glued to every page.
I’m already desperately waiting for the next book. I need more of Carl and Donut’s ridiculous, thrilling adventures in my life. If you haven’t read this yet, do yourself a favor. This book is pure gold, and Princess Donut? She’s the queen we all deserve.
May 30, 2022
DNF at 18% 2.5 hours in. It’s so stupid. May be good for 10 or 12 year olds. I don’t know.
May 1, 2025
3.5 Stars rounded up for goodreads!
This was my first time reading LitRPG and I was a little nervous. Turns out it felt nostalgic from all the video games I played as a kid!
Listening to this book on Audio really enhanced my enjoyment because they narrator was hilarious! I felt like I was listening to Kronk from the Emperor's New Groove the entire time. The comedy and banter between Carl and Princess Donut MADDE the book for me. I gave characters 5 stars for this reason. Also, for the sheer number of times I laughed out loud I gave emotional impact 4 stars.
Unfortunately, I found out I don't really care about the levels, bosses, and "gifts" for crawlers. This brought plot, setting, themes, and overall enjoyment all to only 3 out of 5.
Buddy reading this book with my sister and another friend did up my enjoyment, but I personally think I would enjoy Dungeon Crawler Carl as a mini series more.
This was my first time reading LitRPG and I was a little nervous. Turns out it felt nostalgic from all the video games I played as a kid!
Listening to this book on Audio really enhanced my enjoyment because they narrator was hilarious! I felt like I was listening to Kronk from the Emperor's New Groove the entire time. The comedy and banter between Carl and Princess Donut MADDE the book for me. I gave characters 5 stars for this reason. Also, for the sheer number of times I laughed out loud I gave emotional impact 4 stars.
Unfortunately, I found out I don't really care about the levels, bosses, and "gifts" for crawlers. This brought plot, setting, themes, and overall enjoyment all to only 3 out of 5.
Buddy reading this book with my sister and another friend did up my enjoyment, but I personally think I would enjoy Dungeon Crawler Carl as a mini series more.
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