Dungeon Crawler Carl (#1)[June 9, 2025]

[Ann-Marie]

I have a signed copy of book 1 but I haven't opened it let alone read it, are you telling me there is extra content????

[Narilka]

Yeah, there's a short story at the end in the new hardbacks. I haven't read it though I own them. I think Nirkatze has?

[Nirkatze]

Yeah, I might've skipped to the end of each book and read all the shorts before we got to those BRs... the first one is from Rory's POV, the aftermath of (view spoiler)[the boss room getting blown up, with all the babies and elders and their leader getting killed, and Donut and Carl telling them the Llamas did it. They went and attacked the Llamas, (hide spoiler)] and the story starts up with Rory wondering what they were going to now.

The second book's POV is Grandma Llama--one of the first-floor Llamas.

Third is Growler Gary, the (view spoiler)[ immortal NPC in the bar who Carl & Donut have to kill as part of a quest? (hide spoiler)]

Book 4's is Cock-A-Doodle-Doo, Book 5 is Willow Joy, Book 6 is Jelly Bun--and I don't remember any of those three. The shorts make a continuing narrative of something going on backstage...

[Saar The Book owl]

Carl and Donut are (view spoiler)[finally in the second floor! I wonder what they will ecounter there. Most likely the levels will get more difficult as the descend. Teaming up with Brandon and Chris isn't a bad idea, especially after the Pac - Man/Piglet-gooey thing...It's weird that everyone keeps going on at trying to survive and not to think too much about what happened. Survival - mode, I guess. (hide spoiler)]

[The Raven King]

DNFed at 8%

[Saar The Book owl]

@The RavenKing: what were your thoughts about the part that you've read and what was the reason for DNF?

[Saar The Book owl]

Only 10% to go and wrapping the first one up today and then starting the next one.

(view spoiler)[It seems that there's a lot more going on than Carl and Donut are aware of. They are a pawn in the bigger game. It strikes me that even the mobs are some sort of prisoners in the dungeon, just for entertainment. At some points it's more a game about politics, but Zev and Mordecai seems to be on their side. Carl has his heart in the right place and wants to help were needed. I wonder if he and Donut will see the members of Meadow Lark back. (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

If chapter 45 with the dingoes is what it is I think it is, then I'm not going to like it...

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "@The RavenKing: what were your thoughts about the part that you've read and what was the reason for DNF?"

He wrote a review... definitely gonna rankle all the superfans around here :D

Doesn't sound like he made it past the rough start... 8% of the book probably barely makes it past the goblin trio on the cover with the tank...

[Ann-Marie]

I mean everyone is entitled to their opinions and I'll say the same thing I say when people say they dislike TJ Klune, I am sorry you lack joy in your life lol

[Ann-Marie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Saar The Book owl wrote: "@The RavenKing: what were your thoughts about the part that you've read and what was the reason for DNF?"

He wrote a review... definitely gonna rankle all the superfans a..."

You are a superfan too, buddy!!!!!

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I am... I just knew it would rankle others and found it funny...

I'm zen about it all... I know people have varying tastes...

[RachelG.]

I think it's a totally valid opinion and one much better stated than the person who said the book is for guys who like weird sex stuff. I often don't read through people's reviews unless I'm looking for a specific answer, like does the book have certain trigger warnings, but I do appreciate when people why they felt a certain way about a book.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

I agree... except for the last line of the review ;)

[Ann-Marie]

When we read this with my IRL book club 1 person was not a fan, I think he gave it 2 stars but going in I fully expected he would not like it. I said that perhaps LitRPG is not his genre and he was like I think you're right.

[Ann-Marie]

Meanwhile....

https://www.tiktok.com/@morri_can_try...

https://www.tiktok.com/@morri_can_try...

[Narilka]

Those are great lol

[Narilka]

Not sure if you're on Reddit, this is pretty great:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonCrawl...

Edit to say there will be whole series spoilers in this thread. You've been warned.

[Ann-Marie]

Narilka wrote: "Not sure if you're on Reddit, this is pretty great:

https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonCrawl...

Edit to say there will be whole..."

You will not break me condoms lolololol

[Narilka]

I kind of want a screaming Prepotente plushie now :D

[Ann-Marie]

I want (view spoiler)[a Mongo and a Ren plushiee too! Or a Samantha head that yells "I want to kill your mother!" when you press it lol (hide spoiler)]

[Ann-Marie]

Narilka wrote: "I kind of want a screaming Prepotente plushie now :D"

Someone posted his rant in a TikTok recently and I was sitting there laughing at it, Jeff Hayes is such a special narrator <3

[Narilka]

Oh it all absolutely has to be in Jeff Hayes' voice for any of those :D

[Saar The Book owl]

This is definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year.

I haven't read or finished (yet) books that are written like you're playing a computer game. For some it doesn't work, but after the initial explaining of the levels, the game...for me it worked. It was at times absurd, hilarious and fast action paced, but the book was worth the read! Through the adventures, Carl asks himself how this all could've happened, but you see them both grow throughout the dungeon level.
Survival, horror and humor are the keywords here. The situation where Carl and Princess Donut are in is dire, but nevertheless they do their best.
The dungeon building is really interesting with all the different levels and the mobs. You've got the regular mobs, but then also all sorts of bosses. And how the mobs are created, well, that's something else...It made you feel like you're in a weird episode of Big Brother, some alien version of it.

Sorry, Carl, but Princess Donut (and Mongo!) is my favorite! I had no idea that Mongo would already appear in the first book.

(view spoiler)[I wonder about the Meadow Lark - group: they got into level 3, but weren't they too early to enter? And would Carl see them back? I wonder what class/race Carl and Donut will choose. And who is Ferdinand? Donut's secret crush? (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

Nirkatze wrote: "Finished! Really enjoyed doing the read & listen. I caught a lot more than the first runthrough. Like, I totally missed how the item inventory history played into Carl figuring out that there's Som..."

Veloceraptors are great and I found it (view spoiler)[really clever that Matt used Mongo's claw in the story and how he can make use of it. Also, I think the description, with all the discoveries throughout history, is accurate, even the pink feathers...I wonder if Matt would let Mongo communicate or pack up with other veloceraptors, because they've got a whole communication system... (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

The t-shirt I bought on Etsy. I couldn't resist, but a lot of people asked what it meant, so they got treated with the comment of me being a very enthousiastic fan :D

[Nirkatze]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Meanwhile....

https://www.tiktok.com/@morri_can_try...

https://www.tiktok.com/@morri_can_try..."

OMG I burst out laughing at that ending to the first one! Glurp glurp indeed!

[Nirkatze]

That's a great T-Shirt...

That reddit thread had some great ideas too--one person mentioned merch which fans get and non-fans don't... I love that kind of merch as well... I have a collection of whiskey glasses with etchings on them, like MacAnnally's and The Eolian, etc... I'd love one for like, Club Scolopendra on the 18th floor...

And all the plushies. And some bookends.

[Ann-Marie]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "Finished! Really enjoyed doing the read & listen. I caught a lot more than the first runthrough. Like, I totally missed how the item inventory history played into Carl figuring out..."

Regarding Mongo (view spoiler)[you definitely have some future interactions with other raptors and it is both hilarious and disturbing, which should not be a surprise lol (hide spoiler)]

[Saar The Book owl]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Saar The Book owl wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "Finished! Really enjoyed doing the read & listen. I caught a lot more than the first runthrough. Like, I totally missed how the item inventory history pla..."

Looking forward to these parts :D

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

Nirkatze wrote: "That's a great T-Shirt...

That reddit thread had some great ideas too--one person mentioned merch which fans get and non-fans don't... I love that kind of merch as well... I have a collection of ..."

I explained my "The Apocalypse Will Be Televised" shirt, at work at some time during the past few months... I tended to wear it when I was reading the books with Ann-Marie every few weeks :D

[Ann-Marie]

I wore my Godammit Donut shirt this past Sunday!

[Nirkatze]

Obviously, I need to join the Princess Posse and get myself a shirt.

[Narilka]

Nirkatze wrote: "Obviously, I need to join the Princess Posse and get myself a shirt."

You really do :D

[Nirkatze]

Found this great Prepotente shirt:
https://www.reddit.com/r/DungeonCrawl...

[Ann-Marie]

Prepotente book 7 mild spoilers, completely out of context but I laugh every time I listen lol

https://www.tiktok.com/@shinyumbreon3...

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Obviously, I need to join the Princess Posse and get myself a shirt."

I have 2 Princess Donut shirts, one "official fan club" shirt and one "Donut Holes" shirt lol

[Nirkatze]

Y'all got me browsing the official merch site... unfortunately all the heathered style fabrics are out of stock so I'll check back in a month if I remember...

But the non-official merch are just as much fun--Ann-Marie, I think you need this one, but it definitely needs "I WILL KILL YOUR MOTHER" on the back...
https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/D...

[Nirkatze]

Just listened to that Prepotente rant and it was glorious. I love how in a later book--maybe 3? we find out that he's (view spoiler)[super popular with the Plenty, and goes on a talk show where he just screeches at them and they screech back at him? (hide spoiler)]

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Y'all got me browsing the official merch site... unfortunately all the heathered style fabrics are out of stock so I'll check back in a month if I remember...

But the non-official merch are just a..."

Love that but she needs pig tails in her hair lol

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

She has pigrocketails

[Ann-Marie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "She has pigrocketails"

I <3 her so much.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kkohler11/vid...

(not a spoiler exactly, promise)

[Nirkatze]

I saw an I WILL KILL YOUR MOTHER t-shirt too, but the image of Samantha looked icky AI made.

[Ann-Marie]

Yeah, I want one with the Samantha head that is on the book cover!

[Nirkatze]

I thought the WHEE! artist was pretty good too, but yeah, book cover Psamanthe reigns supreme.

[Sarah]

not sure this has been in thread but there is a Webtoons of Dungeon Crawler that was just released over on Webtoons. I like what I have seen so far. so I recommend checking it out

[Paula]

Yeah, I haven't checked it out but i want to

[Nirkatze]

I've seen some of the promotional artwork but not checked out the webtoon yet.

[Saar The Book owl]

Sarah wrote: "not sure this has been in thread but there is a Webtoons of Dungeon Crawler that was just released over on Webtoons. I like what I have seen so far. so I recommend checking it out"

I've saw it on Instagram and the first 3 episodes are free on Webtoons. It's good, but I don't know if I'm going to look. I like the books :)