A bit repetitive (I suppose this is the LitRPG thing) but a real page turner, full of charm and not just wit to no purpose. I immediately put the second book on hold.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman!

Dungeon Crawler Carl is a fast paced original story that feels like a mix of ready player one, choose your own adventure books, and dungeons and dragons style game play. It follows Carl who is abruptly forced into a series of underground levels he must survive after an alien corporation takes over Earth, An of course his presumably dead ex's cat is in tow for the adventure. The world building is not overly complex or convoluted since we learn about this new world as Carl does. It's much more enjoyable and easy to digest than the long informational passages sometimes found in fantasy/sci-fi. We only know what Carl knows and that's the perfect amount of information to follow along on his quest. It's funny and dark and very readable.

This was an incredibly fun adventure story! It features two main characters: Carl of the title, that seems like your average guy who has been dumped and still has his ex-girlfriend’s cat. The cat, Princess Donut, is our other main character. We will meet even more characters as they fall into a real life dungeon crawl. This is as horrific as can be imagined, but Carl and Donut infuse so much humor and heart into the story. I highly recommend!

Read if you like: dark stories wrapped up in humor, talking cats, end of the world as an RPG game, multi-layered story

This is not your standard litRPG book. In fact, I really don't think it should be considered that. The story is a dark twisted one that is set in a dungeon RPG game, with constant jokes and humor covering up the moments that, if set any other way, would really throw some crazy content warnings all over. The characters are layered well with their own distinct personalities, even the side characters are well developed and slightly shady.

A quick read, if you roll with the humor, the payoff is going to be one that has you scrambling for book two as soon as you're done.

Who knew that aliens had the rights to mine the earth for resources? Not Carl who went out into the wintry cold to rescue his ex's cat Princess Donut and thus survived the destruction of all man-made structures. The two got inside the dungeon to get warm and found that they were entered into an intergalactic reality show. And when Princess Donut gained the ability to talk, the fun really begun! Will Carl and Princess donut survive the exploding kobolds, the drug dealing llamas, the Hoarder boss and all the other foes to make it to level 2, not to mention all the way to Level 18? Join in the crawl and find out! But be warned this is the first volume in a series that is likely to offend some readers while make other readers howl with laughter. You are warned!

Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the chance to read this title!

I came for a D&D adventure book and I got so much more than I anticipated. "Dungeon Crawler Carl" is such a good and surprisingly emotional book. It's action packed, funny as hell, and has well drawn main characters you can't help but root for. Carl is amazing and who knew a book would be able to make someone who is at best indifferent to cats root for Princess Donut. Pick this book up and start devouring this series immediately!

I enjoyed this book so much that I failed to pause and write down notes during my entire read. That should tell you how good this book is.

To me, Dungeon Crawler Carl felt very The Hunger Games meets Baldur’s Gate 3, in the best way possible, meaning it was the perfect blend of adventure, comedy, and tragedy. In no way when I picked up this book did I expect myself to be crying over goblins. But I did. Matt Dinniman got me to cry over goblins. He is a mastermind and I will be devouring the rest of this series pronto.

Carl is watching his soon to be Ex's cat, Princess Donut when she escapes out a window forcing him to chase her. It just so happens to be at the exact moment aliens begin to terrorize each and give everyone the option to head to Dungeons that open up to battle their way through floors very much like all the video games Carl plays while Princess Donut watches. They both head into the dungeon as a team and start to navigate all sorts of crazy challenges including bosses, rivals, and alien tv show games.

Representation: Not much of note that I remember

Rating: 4/5 This was a fun science fantasy story that blended an alien invasion with a reality show skinned as a fantasy video game. I’d never heard of this series until I saw it come up on NetGalley, so I thought it was brand new only to learn it’s a whole series. I’m definitely interested in reading more! This had a chaotic start with every building being crushed, and from that point on, it’s just constant go go go and we’re learning everything as Carl is learning. There are lore dumps, but in this context it makes complete sense, because Carl is also getting these lore dumps. I really enjoyed Carl’s dynamic with Princess Donut, the sassy cat, and them figuring out things together. I appreciated all of the characters that made an appearance, it was good to see all the variety of personalities and relationships. However, I don’t recall seeing much queer representation unless I completely overlooked it. That’s my only gripe with this, and it also feels like it was a little fixated on certain scenes at times. But overall, this was a very enjoyable read and I would read more of this series like I said earlier.

I've long avoided the LitRPG craze. While some books sounded interesting, their overall reputation scared me off. I'm also very picky when it comes to good RPG video games and tabletop campaigns, so I knew that any LitRPG I picked up would have a high bar to clear. The Ace prints of Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl's Doomsday Scenario, and The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, however, convinced me to take a chance—and I'm very glad I did.

If you've never heard of a LitRPG, imagine a video game in book form. Usually, the main character is the player character, and the books revolve around leveling up, inventory management, and other hallmarks of video game RPGs. The Dungeon Crawler Carl series is one of the biggest names in LitRPG and now has seven installments, three of which have been published by Ace, the long-standing fantasy/sci-fi imprint. The series follows Carl and his ex-girlfriend's beloved show cat, Donut, who enter a living RPG after the world is destroyed by a reality contest show run by an alien empire. It's a lofty (and silly) concept, but Matt Dinniman, the author, handles it seriously and pulls it off admirably. Along the way, Carl levels up, crafts a fantasy persona, and forms a party with the now-talking Donut.

The greatest strength of this series is its characters, specifically Carl, Donut, and Katia. They all feel authentic, and it’s a pleasure to watch them try to survive the gauntlet they find themselves in. They have flaws they must grow with and overcome as the series progresses. This is especially well-done with Donut, who is one of the best characters I’ve read in a long time. Somehow, Dinniman created an amazingly well-rounded character out of a talking cat, and I’m in awe of that.

The books also lean into RPG elements in a way I loved. My favorite part of the series (besides Donut) is the bosses our heroes face. As someone who tends to prefer being the Dungeon Master for TTRPGs rather than a player, I found Dinniman’s creation of these bosses one of the coolest parts of the books. It added a wonderful layer of worldbuilding. His level design is also fantastic. I especially loved the subway-based level in The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook and could easily read a whole series set in a world like that.

The only drawback for me was the humor, which occasionally felt too edgy or didn’t land. Humor is highly subjective, so your mileage may vary, but in the first book, some jokes felt like they were punching down. However, these moments decreased as the series progressed, and by the third book, there were far fewer jokes I felt were in poor taste.

Overall, I recommend this series. It’s a lot of fun and has definitely opened up the LitRPG genre for me. I’m planning to explore more of these books now, which is probably the highest praise I can give. I’m also excited for the next installment in the series, as well as David Dalglish’s forthcoming LitRPG, Level: Unknown.

Although I’m a huge fan of MMORPGs and fantasy roleplaying games like D&D, Pathfinder, etc., Dungeon Crawler Carl might actually be my first legit, honest-to-goodness LitRPG novel, rather than broader gamelit genre which simply incorporates a game into its plot elements and framing. And since RPG mechanics like stat allocation, skill leveling, and similar features can be both some of the most exciting and also the most tedious of roleplaying games, I was also very curious to see how it would work out.

The book follows our eponymous protagonist, just your ordinary guy who one night finds himself thrust into a nightmarish game-like reality after an apocalyptic event destroys the Earth and wipes out most of humanity. It was a cold, wintry night when Carl was roused out of bed by his soon-to-be-ex-girlfriend’s prize-winning show cat, who decided at that fateful hour to get herself stuck in a tree. Wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and a hastily thrown on leather jacket, Carl goes outside to rescue Princess Donut when suddenly, every man-made structure on the planet was suddenly compressed, instantly smushing anyone and anything under any kind of roofed shelter when the world collapsed.

Long story short, Earth’s survivors become the latest victims to be forced into a deadly dungeon-crawling competition, all part of a massive, universe-spanning entertainment network created for the amusement of alien spectators. Carl, along with Donut—who gains the ability to talk after ingesting a special pet biscuit provided by the game—must face numerous monsters, traps, and other dangerous challenges in order to make their way into the deeper levels of the dungeon, adapting to complex RPG-style rules related to things like stat and experience farming, looting and rewards, and even race/class selection. In addition, since the dungeon crawl is a televised competition, there is the social media factor to consider, where crawlers must navigate the fickle world of views, favorites, and followers to gain an advantage.

To be honest, I’m surprised it took me this long to find Dungeon Crawler Carl. It’s been making big waves in the indie publishing sphere for the last few years, and I can safely say now that the hype is absolutely, indubitably real and well-deserved! As the first three books are re-released with the traditional publisher treatment this fall, I will definitely be devouring the series as fast as I can. This opening volume took me by surprise in the best way possible, taking even the most inscrutable concepts of RPGs and making them entertaining and immersive. This is waaaaay more than just a story about a guy living a real-life video game—it’s a thoroughly binge-worthy adventure set in a richly developed, fully fleshed-out dystopian universe. While gaming mechanics are key to the plot, they are integrated naturally and seamlessly without ever hampering the fast-paced momentum.

Another standout point is the humor, which leans heavily into explosive slapstick and unapologetically pokes fun at the worst aspects of human nature, often in the most inappropriate and crass ways. The contrast between the main character’s grim reality (billions dead, millions more dying by the second for the entertainment of bloodthirsty viewers cheering on every brutal death) and the absurd situations in which he finds himself (partying up with a fame-obsessed talking cat, encounters with a lewd AI harboring a secret foot fetish, using meth to incite a goblin-llama gang war) ensures that even in its bleakest moments, Dungeon Crawler Carl had me rolling with laughter.

Carl himself is an instantly relatable protagonist and convincing despite the circumstances. His personality is a mix of goodness and sensible pragmatism, the perfect counterbalance to the haughty and unpredictable Princess Donut, which results in a dynamic that is endlessly entertaining. The book also has creativity in spades, even with its world-building rooted deeply in familiar RPG worlds and their fantasy settings. Thanks to the alien apocalypse and reality TV angles, Carl and Donut find themselves in imaginative and often bizarre scenarios that keep the story feeling fresh.

But before I offer up my full recommendation, a couple caveats to keep in mind. First, the humor isn’t going to be for everyone. Expect crude comedy and jokes of the over-the-top-omg-I-can’t-believe-they-went-there variety. Second, readers unfamiliar with RPG mechanics may find the sections explaining the ins-and-outs to be too dense and info-dumpy. Certainly, non-gamers can still enjoy the story but there’s the real risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of detail.

Much like Ready Player One was a love letter to the pop culture of the 80s, Dungeon Crawler Carl can be seen as a tribute to roleplaying games. It reads like a mashup of World of Warcraft, The Hunger Games, and War of the Worlds—in other words, an absolute blast! I deem this a must-read for RPG enthusiasts, especially those who enjoy wild humor and action in their stories. This novel is a true gem, and as of this writing, I’m already deep into book two. Can’t wait to continue this crazy journey with Carl!

This was a really fun book. I wasn't really sure about it when I started but am really happy I tried it. It was very funny, even though it was pretty violent, it was done in a somehow not so gruesome way. The world building and character development were very well executed.
My only complaint is that I don't care for books that end on a cliffhanger, though this one was somewhat mild. I'm not sure how many books will be in this series but I'd rather read them together than have to wait for the next release.

A tremendous amount of rowdy, riotous fun. Deeply funny and blood-soaked, expertly managing tone to keep the reader guessing. This was such a blast!

Reading this was exciting and laugh-out loud funny and super-duper-violent. The main character, Carl, is a Coast Guard veteran running around in his underwear, accompanied by his ex-girlfriend's fancy show cat, Princess Donut. It's pretty silly. It felt a bit like standing behind someone playing a really exciting, laugh-out-loud-funny, super-duper-violent video game.

[Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

After the world ends one evening, those who survive are offered the choice of trying to live off of a destroyed planet or to head underground and become reality stars in a weird alien video game reality show where the goal is to live until the next level. Carl and his ex-girlfriend's show cat (Princess Donut) choose the latter…

DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL by Matt Dinniman was my first ever LitRPG and I found it to be a fun (traumatizing) time!

Carl and Princess Donut are such a fun duo and the formatting of the story really leans into the video game/role playing aspect, which I’ve never consumed before and (as a non-gamer girlie) found very intriguing.

This story is DARK. It’s the end of the world and the remaining population are killing each other in order to survive/make good tv, however, Dinniman works in some humor to make it not feel so doom and gloom.

Parts of the RPG did drag for me and some of the language wasn’t my favorite, but I’ve heard the audiobooks are amazing, so if I do continue with this series, I think that will be the route I go (literally need to know what happens to my queen, Princess Donut 🐱)

Thanks to Ace, Berkley Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a fun first book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series of LitRPG SciFi novels. I enjoyed this first installment very much. It was an intriguing concept with great action and comedy. I would encourage anyone who likes Hitchhikers’ Guide or some of John Scalzi’s humorous writing (Starter Villain especially) to check out this series. I think you will enjoy the humor and the world building.

Highly recommended!

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available for me.

The world ends. Carl and his cat end up in a Dungeons & Dragons world, fighting for their survival. The cat is a total hoot. The writing is a bit uneven in a few places, but the rest of the book easily makes up for that. I'm so happy that this is the first book in a series, as I definitely want to see more of these characters and their journey to get to the end of the dungeon.

I asked for requests online for a palate cleanser book and Dungeon Crawler Carl was suggested several times. I went in completely blind and what a wild ride! It was ridiculous, offensive and complete fun at every turn. I laughed out loud and gasped in horror and delight. I can't wait to follow Carl and Princess Donut as they travel down deeper into the dungeon!

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets Squid Games. All buildings on earth have been destroyed by an alien race, along with anyone in them. Our hero Carl, and his ex-girlfriends' cat, Princess Donut, along with anyone still left alive, has to survive in a multi level labyrinth, similar to a video game, and must go on a killing rampage to survive. And not only do they have to survive against monsters of increasing difficulty, they have to do it in an entertaining way because, oh yeah, aliens across the universe are watching, and you want views to get special packages that may help you survive (think Hunger Games). To add to the tension, when different groups of humans meet up, sometimes they will be helpful, and sometimes they will try to kill you.

Matt Dinniman has done an excellent job maintaining interest through a series of battles and video game scenarios.. Every time you think the story will start to lag, he adds a new element, and believe me, each one is more entertaining than the prior one. Think of this book as Season 1, and if you are a binger, you will immediately be lining up the next book in this series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an ecopy. My opinion is my own. Now I have to go read Book 2.