Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl #2)[July 9, 2025]

[Yanique, Thread Master]

This is a Buddy Read for Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman starting on July 9, 2025.


Happy Reading!

[Nirkatze]

Thank you!

1. Dungeon Crawler Carl (Jun 9) [link]
2. Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Jul 9)
3. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Aug 9) [link]
4. The Gate of the Feral Gods (Sept 9) [link]
=====Requests Made to Here=====
5. The Butcher's Masquerade
6. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
7. This Inevitable Ruin
8. Carl's Book of Boom (expected late 2025)

[RachelG.]

I'm looking forward to this!

[Anthony]

I just finished this one last month. Y’all are in for a treat!

[Alvin]

Hi, I’m new to the Buddy Read thing but I’d like to join this one. What do I need to do?

[Ann-Marie]

Just start reading and post thoughts either as you go, at the end or both :)

[Ann-Marie]

Now I want to read this one next.....Again.....

[Nirkatze]

Alvin wrote: "Hi, I’m new to the Buddy Read thing but I’d like to join this one. What do I need to do?"

Biggest thing is just using spoiler tags to hide any thoughts which are spoilery, usually with a general place in the book where your thoughts are connected to--like:

I just finished Chapter XX and (view spoiler)[spoilery stuff happens! (hide spoiler)]

You make these by typing: < spoiler >stuf stuff stuffff< / spoiler > without the spaces.

Welcome!

[Ann-Marie]

Spoiler alert - I finished the InCryptid for July and immediately started this.....I was like perhaps I should read the next part in Dark Tower first? And then clicked on this audio lol

[Nirkatze]

LOL

[Alvin]

Sounds great. Thanks for all the pointers, everyone. Looking forward to starting this next week.

[Andrew]

I have just started Dungeon Crawler Carl today! I will try to get done to read the second book with everyone!

[RachelG.]

I really enjoyed this quote from Chapter 1: (view spoiler)[ "Bongos. They have bongos, Carl." (hide spoiler)] It totally set my mood for the books.

Finished Chapter 7: (view spoiler)[ The Lajabless seems like an interesting race choice. To be human looking for part of the day and skeleton for the other. (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Andrew wrote: "I have just started Dungeon Crawler Carl today! I will try to get done to read the second book with everyone!"

Hey Andrew, welcome! If you check the top post, we have links to the rest of the series BRs. We're going at 1/month pace, but you can always leave notes early or late!

[Nirkatze]

RachelG. wrote: "I really enjoyed this quote from Chapter 1: [spoilers removed] It totally set my mood for the books.

Finished Chapter 7: [spoilers removed]"

LOL That's a great line! I'm going to eye read this so probably be at the start of next week. I'm also realizing how much I don't remember anything from this book and that's making me excited.

[Andrew]

Nirkatze wrote: "Andrew wrote: "I have just started Dungeon Crawler Carl today! I will try to get done to read the second book with everyone!"

Hey Andrew, welcome! If you check the top post, we have links to the r..."

Thank you! I will check this out.

[RachelG.]

The one bad thing about finishing this book is that I have to wait a month to read the next. I really enjoyed the story and growth.

[Alvin]

Wow! That was fast! I only just finished chapter 2 - picking classes and stuff. I am definitely not going to recall all the rules and info dumped on us.

[Nirkatze]

RachelG. wrote: "The one bad thing about finishing this book is that I have to wait a month to read the next. I really enjoyed the story and growth."

Yeah... >.< But it also gives something to look forward to each month!

[Ann-Marie]

I read this a few days ago and no surprise I loved it. (view spoiler)[It is interesting to see how Carl's actions now are shaping him into the player he is in the series now. I missed Donut when she was out of it for the circus quest. I had forgotten what Katya was like when we first met her, her journey was one of the parts of the series I liked best. Love this so much <3 (hide spoiler)]

[Andrew]

So I started reading book#2 on the 8th and I actually finished it already! It was such a good book. I think I read for 18 hours of the last 24.🤓

[RachelG.]

It's hard to put it down and flows really well.

[Narilka]

Hello Crawlers!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ukjDch...

:D

[Ann-Marie]

Narilka wrote: "Hello Crawlers!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ukjDch...

:D"

I love him so much. I think it is hilarious that he lost a bet and had to get a tattoo on his ass and Matt Dinnaman got the same tattoo but on his arm lol

[Narilka]

It's fascinating watch him switch from voice to voice. The man is a genius.

[Alvin]

Totally! That’s the best part. Does anyone read DCC text-only?

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

A few people have... but most have been converted to audio, I think, at this point... both around here, and in the IRL book clubs people have introduced the series to...

[Mitali]

I read text only... not just this but all books.. as i can't focus with audio & zone out.. But, during BR of book 1, everyone gushed about the audio so much... That I'll try book 2 as audio :D

[Ann-Marie]

Narilka wrote: "It's fascinating watch him switch from voice to voice. The man is a genius."

I am going to read a book about a guy who turns into a bug purely because he narrated it lol

[Nirkatze]

Narilka wrote: "Hello Crawlers!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ukjDch...

:D"

Oh man, that made my day.

[Nirkatze]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Narilka wrote: "It's fascinating watch him switch from voice to voice. The man is a genius."

I am going to read a book about a guy who turns into a bug purely because he narrated it lol"

If it's good it's because Jeff Hayes. If it's bad we blame Iain.

[Timelord Iain, Tech Support]

That's no joke...

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Ann-Marie wrote: "If it's good it's because Jeff Hayes. If it's bad we blame Iain."

I like it!

[Nirkatze]

I'm prepping my ebook for reading--and totally did not realize that "Kwon" in the audiobook is actually spelled "Quan"... that would be pronounced "Chew-ehn" in Chinese...

[Andrew]

Absolutely a fantastic read! Carl and doughnut are so hilarious

[Alvin]

Has everyone finished the book already?

I’m still less than halfway through, just recently passed the circus and Signet. I am assuming that there’s more exciting things to come. Without spoilers, what are the high points for you? (Maybe you could say at what point/percentage in the novel I might anticipate those.)

As fun as it has been, the plot does feel a bit arbitrary and cyclical/repetitive (which is understandable for a game-based plot structure). Does the story structure evolve as we go?

Or is it more flashbacks to Carl’s own life where more of the meaningful stuff comes into the picture?

[Nirkatze]

I remember having some similar thoughts about the plot--how long will it only be about survival? When will Carl & co be able to hit back at the REAL enemies? And we do get some more movement in book 3--and the mechanics of each floor are shaken up a lot more there too. Stuff gets crazy.

[Ann-Marie]

Plus Carl's circle grows and he feels an obligation to try to keep everyone safe that he cares about and takes it hard when some folks do not make it. Plus you have Samantha to look forward to in book4 although she doesn't start being awesome until book 5 <3

But yeah, each floor is like a different zone in a video game, mobs get harder, the outside influences increase, sneaky, shady shit happens, much chaos ensues and I am so here for all of it!!!!

[Nirkatze]

Started! I'm eye reading with audio accompaniment and loving it. I swear I'd forgotten EVERYTHING about this book. Through Chapter 11 (view spoiler)[Damn, Donut & Carl pulling one over on Mordecai with their class choices... does Mordecai ever find out? I can't remember. Considering how he already feels about betrayal--and managers--that would hit him hard...

The little pieces of humanity--Donut's cat tree, Carl's memories of the circus, poor Heather the bear... they are little rips in the facade, a reminder of the cost of the entertainment...

I love how Carl played the game--ie: producers--to get that quest completed. Real ballsy move.

Lucia Mar--Lajabless--I looked this up and google says: "Lajabless" (also spelled La Diablesse or Ladjablès) is a figure from Caribbean folklore, specifically from Trinidad and Tobago. She is a mythical creature, often described as a beautiful woman with a dark secret. She's a temptress who lures men with her beauty, but her true form is revealed to be monstrous, often with a cloven hoof for a leg. I wonder if Lucia Mar has Caribbean roots?

I also totally don't remember the sixth floor, so I'm looking forward to seeing the continuation of that quest. I think I need to do like Ann-Marie and read this a few times a year, lol... (hide spoiler)]

[Ann-Marie]

Regarding Mordecai (view spoiler)[I am pretty sure he hasn't found out YET, who knows what will happen eventually though... (hide spoiler)]

And yes, let's at least do an annual re-read!!!!! These are so far from cozy that it is laughable but they are definitely comfort reads for me lol

[Nirkatze]

Dinniman seems like he's doing a good job of putting out a new book each year--so we can always schedule rereads before the new one. :)

[Ann-Marie]

Nirkatze wrote: "Dinniman seems like he's doing a good job of putting out a new book each year--so we can always schedule rereads before the new one. :)"

I am in!!!

[Nirkatze]

Through Chapter 18--(view spoiler)[This book really goes hard on the quests. First book set up the system, lots of infodumps. This one is expanding more, with quests and managers and behind-the-scenes worldbuilding...

The spiky things that were trying to clean up, that attacked Donut--they make me think of the Makkurokurosuke in Totoro... black soot balls... The way the AI (read: Author) takes bits of Earth Culture and twists them, or misunderstands/misrepresents them, is both messed up and cool--almost like easter eggs...

Some good feels moments with the poor orc though... good backstory, and it's sad no one was there with her when she died... (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Finished! (view spoiler)[And even here we're already getting little bits of Carl's pushback against the system... The frog speech... though I always think of that metaphor story as a lobster instead of a frog. I wonder if it's regional? I'd forgotten that Maestro and his mother were taken out by the Valtay. We're getting a lot of good behind-the-scenes politics. 83 Celestial boxes! Forcing the B-dudes to use their veto so early or go more than bankrupt.

I'm wondering a little more about the process for hosting the Dungeon Crawl. Especially after learning about the Naga. Sounds kind of like hosting the king on progress, or hosting the Olympics. Lots of prestige, cities fight for the honor... but also runs savings dry.

This is where we meet Katia! And how Donut loses the Tiara... I forgot so many details!

Remex... I don't know how many of y'all are reading the Ace editions, instead of Kindle, but they've got chapters of a continuing story at the end--"Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret"--that tells the stories of some of the NPCs after they cross paths with Carl & Donut. Part 1 tells Rory's story, Part 2 Grandma Llama. Each of them has cracks in their memory, in the stories that have been overwritten on their minds like software wipes. It's fairly subtle too, the way he's breaking down... all the "no, tangent"--and finally, finally, being able to tell his story and finish his quest, after so many failed attempts... getting to die... or will he end up Backstage, too? (hide spoiler)]

[Nirkatze]

Man, it is so hard not to jump into the next one. I'm glad to know my pain is in good company.

[Ann-Marie]

I feel you....

[Alvin]

Hi everyone, how do we view the comments that are hidden by spoiler tags? Is there a way?

[Mitali]

Alvin wrote: "Hi everyone, how do we view the comments that are hidden by spoiler tags? Is there a way?"

Just click on the "View spoiler" and it'll expand to show the hidden content.

[Alvin]

Hmmm. Thanks. Is that View Spoiler link only on the website? I don’t see it here on my phone.

[Alvin]

ahhh! There it is on the website. I've got so many more great comments from you all to read now! Thanks