my rating: 4.5

I feel a little strange "reviewing" this book because it read more like the last half of a previous entry (Dungeon Crawler Carl presumably.. which.. felt like its own complete book.. so that math doesn't work out at all..)

I don't know anyone who makes a habit of starting series with anything but Book #1, but **you absolutely CANNOT read this book without the context of the first**! It's like it picks up mid-sentence, one that started at the end of the previous book, and continues onto the next (this doesn't actually happen but if you told me it did I'd 100% believe you). Now.. I'm the type of person that sets series down for MONTHS if not YEARS and if I ever stop reading this series I am POSITIVE that I will have to start again from Book #1—it doesn't matter *how* fantastic the audiobook is, that is a GIGANTIC turn off when it comes to series.

Carl's Doomsday Scenario as a whole is just as strong as the first book, packing slightly more of an emotional punch which I am absolutely here for. I enjoyed the new settings and was surprised to meet and invest in new characters.

I recommend Carl's Doomsday Scenario for:
• people who have read and enjoyed the first book. That's it. Those are the only people that should read this.

I will definitely be continuing this series, assuming I get to the next book Soon™️.

I’m enjoying the Dungeon Crawler Carl series so much that I’m really trying to savor each book rather than give in to the temptation of power through the series all at once! Carl’s Doomsday Scenario is a sequel that pulled me even deeper into this bizarro addictive world, keeping up with the first volume’s dark humor and crazy twists. It’s definitely an experience worth basking in, and this second book continues to raise the stakes in wild, entertaining ways.

To recap our adventure, protagonist Carl and his cat Princess Donut have found themselves trapped in a nightmarish game-like reality with the remnants of humanity after an apocalyptic event destroys the Earth. The competition turns out to be all part of an intergalactic entertainment network designed for the amusement of alien spectators, where contestants are forced to KILL! KILL! KILL! their way through increasingly difficult levels of a massive, RPG-inspired subterranean dungeon. Additionally, because of the televised—or “tunneled”—format of the dungeon-crawl, there’s the social media factor to consider. Crawlers who are savvy enough to amass high view counts, favorites, and followers will therefore have a significant advantage.

After surviving the first two levels, Carl and Donut (and her pet velociraptor Mongo) advance to level three, where the world of the game gets a major shakeup. Every three levels in this dungeon, the setting shifts into more of an open-world format—picture an MMORPG environment with sprawling cities, NPCs living out storylines, quest givers, other players running around, and more. At this point, crawlers must also specialize by selecting a race and class, choices that will shape their abilities, strengths, and strategies going forward. Our protagonists waste no time in exploring this new level, initially with the goal of gaining as much experience as possible. However, their plans are just as quickly shot to hell as they stumble into one deadly quest after the next, leading to plenty of unexpected shenanigans.

For fans of the first book, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario was one hell of a follow-up! Just as fun and crazy, in some ways even more so, than its predecessor. As for world-building—or more accurately, I should say, dungeon-building—this sequel builds a lot more upon the foundation of RPG mechanics while staying true to the offbeat charm and spirit of the series. The story shifts into one more resembling a quest narrative, featuring Carl and Donut working through a string of mini side adventures.

Of course, one downside of this is that we get less crawler-to-crawler interaction in this book. For me, many of the highlights from Dungeon Crawler Carl involved the characters’ friendships with potential allies like Brandon, Chris, Imani, or even their animosity towards “crawler killers” like Maggie and Frank. In this book, our protagonists are pretty much on their own, and the entire novel takes place on the third level. In fact, for much of the first of the book, Carl is even forced to go solo without Donut. Instead, their more memorable interaction were with nonplayer characters like Signet, or those involved in the production of the dungeon crawl, like Mordecai.

Still, by the end of this book, I was convinced that everything that happened is only going to make the series stronger. Clearly, Dinniman has a grand plan all worked out in his head, and things are just going to get better and better with each installment. I suspect the conflicts taking place in the universe at large involving Borant, Skull Empire, etc. will gain more significance, but so too will the main storyline following Carl, Donut, and Mongo that takes inside the dungeon, if that totally INSANE ending is any indication.

Certainly, taking my time with this series has been extremely difficult, but I still maintain that it is simply too good to rush through. That said, I probably won’t wait too long to get to the third book, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook, which I already have ready to go! The litRPG genre is absolutely my scene, and I’m loving Matt Dinniman’s blend of irreverent humor, thrilling adventure, and unique characters. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Carl and Donut.

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman, Carl is this close to surviving... or is he? A fun book that makes the reader want to know what is around the bend.

Matt Dinniman strikes again. I am obsessed with this series and recommend it to everyone I know. SciFi reader or not, gamer or not, this book is for everyone. This is a great book for getting someone to try something new I find. It is fast paced, engrossing and funny. Everyone else I have recommended it too can’t put the series down. I will be purchasing this authors works for our library without a doubt. Blog post will be coming soon.

Carl's Doomsday Scenario is the second Dungeon Crawler Carl comedy fantasy by Matt Dinniman. Originally published in 2021, this reformat and re-release from Penguin Random House on their Berkley Ace imprint is 384 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a fun and well written take on dungeoncrawler fantasy. MC Carl is unwillingly thrust into a starring role in a survivor reality TV contest when an alien invasion puts a major crimp in *everyone's* day. Princess Donut (his ex-GF's pampered show cat) is along for the ride, and the book is positively bursting with sarcastic humor and improbable situations, with viewers from across the universe tuned in to see what happens next, and which contestants get eliminated, permanently.

It's not at all derivative, but the bonzo, zany humor will likely appeal to fans of Charles Stross and Tom Holt. Donut and Carl have made it to level three and now things are getting _really_ squicky (like squid games + hunger games + it's a mad mad mad mad world (on steroids)). There are double entendrés and crazy situations and puzzles to solve and Carl has no choice but to forge ahead. It's a neat premise for a series, and the author just about manages to keep the puzzles and challenges different enough that the books don't seem too same-y same.

Four stars. There are currently 6 books in the series with a 7th due out in 4th quarter 2024. It would make a great choice for a genre buddy/binge read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I jumped straight into Carl’s Doomsday Scenario right after finishing the ARC for the first book, and I wasn’t disappointed! It maintains the same fun, chaotic energy that made the first installment such a blast, while still weaving in deeper, more serious undertones that give the story real emotional weight. Carl and Donut, in particular, are evolving into incredibly complex and layered characters, which was a pleasant surprise given the seemingly outlandish premise. Their development adds depth to the story and keeps me invested beyond the surface-level action and humor. I’m excited to see where this series goes next and will definitely be continuing!

This is a really fun series so far! In this book Carl and Princess Donut hit the third floor, get to choose a race and a class, and conquer a bunch of new challenges. I love the characters, item descriptions, quests and everything about these books. The story is fast paced and the situations are both terrifying and funny.

I've heard the audio format is also excellent and need to check that out. I'm looking forward to book 3!

this was an excellent sequel, my enjoyment of that books were definitely unexpected but i had such a good time and im interested to see where the rest of the series goes

After loving Dungeon Crawler Carl, I knew I needed to continue this series ASAP. And it did not disappoint! The humor is still top-notch and the crafting of the scenarios that Carl and Princess Donut deal with are just brilliant. Carl is a character that everyone can root for and want to see succeed.

The pacing is perfect, with twists and turns in the literal dungeon keeping you guessing. This was certainly a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions blended with poignant moments and the best dark humor. This is the best post-apocalyptic fantasy story being published.

Thank you to @acepub and @netgalley for my ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Reading something I liked, but didn't love, then its sequel, in less than a week was a bad decision. Princess Donut really worked my nerve this time, and not because she's a cat.

I'm not a gaymer. I've never kept my focus long enough to care about these games on screen, but the way they deliver the human addiction to story is pure and uncut. Is this a good exemplar of the text version of it? Since I read them both, and never even finished Ready Player One, I'm goin' with yes. The grace notes in this story are the basic reason I kept my eyes on the Kindle. Small things, deliberately planted, all through both books...this made me want to keep reading past the annoyance of the absurdities Carl and Princess Donut get up to, into, and yak on about.

I said it above: "I think you already know if you'll like this one, and I'm here to assure you you're right."

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl, Book 2) by Matt Dinniman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 364 / Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
🥳Happy Hardback Pub Day! 🎉

In Book 1 of this series, they introduced Carl and his cat Donut. It also explained how aliens took over planet Earth and turned it into a survival game show for the universe. In Book 2, we really get engrossed in the game—the quests, the rewards, the magical weapons and armor, and the NPCs and the other contestants. There’s a ton of action in this one, full of exciting and horrific gameplay. I just can’t get enough of it! Onward to Book 3!

All 6 books of this series are available for free with #KindleUnlimited.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @BerkleyPub, and @MattDinniman for my gifted copy.

Carl‘s Doomsday Scenario is the second book in the series by Matt Dinnaman so much happens in these books it is hard to give a good summary just know in this book princess donut finds a way to contain her velociraptor and she loses her crown as well as Carl gets new boxers and then also loses them before it’s over they will gain a new member, solve a mystery about the dead prostitutes that are falling from the sky, Carl is forced to attend the circus inperforms an exorcism of sorts on a monstrosity of a black bear and we even learn more about Malachi. But that isn’t even half the story these books are so much fun and the author must be one smart guy because I myself in finding it hard to keep everything straight there’s so many rules gift boxes weapons species talkshows ET see this is one fabulous entertaining read that I absolutely love and cannot wait to get into the next book.
OMG how can I forget princess donut gets drunk and unintentionally starts a battle against a little girl crawler who acts like the spawn of Satan with her vicious dogs. This book is funny and as I said oh so entertaining I love it… I love these books! #NetGalley, #BerkeleyPublishing, #MattDinnamen, #CarlsDoomsdayScenario,

"Join Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut, as they fight fantastical creatures and deadly mobs to make it to the next level and build the kind of fan following the dungeon masters can't ignore in the second book in the smash-hit Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman - now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

"Greetings, Crawlers! The training levels have concluded. Now the games may truly begin."

The aliens have come, and they've transformed Earth into a multilevel, video game-like dungeon. It's the newest season of the galaxy's most watched game show, Dungeon Crawler World. Now on the third floor, Carl and Donut have to fight harder than ever. They've already proven that a Coast Guard vet and once-and-forever feline royalty are an almost unstoppable team. Their ratings are off the charts. Viewers can't get enough. But the dungeon gets more dangerous each day, and now there's a whole new problem to deal with: Quests.

They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered women rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose. Can Carl and Donut solve the mystery in time?

And can Carl finally find some pants?

Includes part two of the exclusive bonus story "Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.""

OMG, I can't handle that the twist is Quests! I just can't. So epic.

This follow-up picks up where the last book left off, and it's just as good! I feel that the audiobook format adds to the quality of this series, and I can recommend this format. Several things are an improvement from Book 1. The most notable is world-building, or, more aptly, dungeon-building. The setting of the dungeon changes massively with the move to level 3. Instead of feeling like a dungeon, the setting resembles a medieval fantasy world with unique twists like Las Vegas-style nightclubs. In addition, more information about the broader galaxy outside the dungeon world is brought to light. We get more information on the history of the cosmos, the politics, the feuding royal families of each respective star system, different races, and, of course, more in-depth knowledge of Dungeon World and its games. Quests are also introduced as a new part of the game and, thus, the book. A Quest is one of my favorite fantasy book tropes, so I was all for it here. The quests introduced make for a stronger narrative, giving Carl and Donut a further goal instead of just reaching the next level. The quests added strong B-style storylines that all come together in the narrative. Despite its primary focus on the weird & wonderful, the craziness, and the absurdity, Carl's Doomsday Scenario touches on some deep, heavy subjects treated with respect and care. Subjects such as neglect, sex work, abuse, trauma, gaslighting, and abandonment all play a prominent role. They're not forced; they're interwoven in the story very well, and they don't detract from the comedy, nor does the comedy downplay these subjects. Everything so far fits like a glove.

It is a wickedly fun series, and my fears of it possibly feeling repetitive as it continues have been availed with this book. The series is going from strength to strength, and as of right now, I can see no other place it can go than up. I highly recommend that fans of sci-fi and fantasy, or anyone looking for a fun read between your heavier reads, check out this series. It hasn't disappointed yet; with its current trajectory, I can't see that happening anytime soon.

September 9, 2024
Keep the monsters coming! If you're looking for a fun series, this is it. Starting Book 3 immediately.

Carl and Donut, having gained fame and popularity on the first two floors of the dungeon, have now moved on to the third floor, thus continuing their deadly gauntlet. Carl and Donut now have the chance to pick what race and class they'd like to be, which is a tougher decision than one might think. Stay the same or gain some powerful advantages without risking the wrath of their growing number of fans? Though I would have previously said I wasn’t a big LitRPG fan, I find that I love the thought of video game min/maxing in a book.
The third floor is still early in the dungeon and our destructive duo are still learning mechanics and running into new things. They now have Mordecai as Donut’s manager, which is theoretically going to be super helpful, but he can’t stop getting wasted in every safe room. Oh, and now quests are a thing. They can be accidentally or intentionally picked up, and fortunately, sometimes avoided. Unfortunately for Carl and Donut (and Mongo the velociraptor), they’ve been forced into quite a complicated quest - they have to help an elf woman destroy the cursed circus at the heart of the third level and its dangerous denizens.
A good portion of this story is figuring out quest mechanics and how crawlers should or shouldn’t interact with powerful NPCs throughout the levels. Mordecai’s insider knowledge of dungeon mechanics also gives some useful insights on the major quest storylines and how the writers behind the scenes steer things to keep what is essentially their show on the air. The rest is Carl, Donut, and Mongo leveling up and almost getting blown to smithereens on a disturbing number of occasions.
This installment is short in comparison to the first and third volumes, but has a ton of new information about the dungeon as our characters are now officially out of the ‘training’ levels. This was an entertaining thrill ride from start to finish and I won’t be waiting long to pick up the third installment, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook. This is a great blend of humor and action, with enough heartfelt moments sprinkled in to keep things balanced. Also, Carl is three levels in and still running around with no pants - seems the viewers and the dungeon AI like it that way.

The delicious guilty pleasure of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series continues on Dungeon Level Three, starting with Princess Donut and Carl choosing their character class for the rest of the adventure and culminating in skin-of-the-teeth escapes from certain doom, adoring crowds at interview shows, and unwitting involvement in interstellar politics. For all its gleeful gore and swords-and-sorcery action, the series has some serious heart. The interactions between Carl and Princess Donut are witty and warm, and some of the minor characters and events from the first volume take more prominent roles. Carl's Doomsday Scenario is a compulsive page-turner and a well-structured read at the same time. I will continue to eagerly consume this series!

Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for Sept 24th
Blog post goes live Sept 24th


TL;DR: 100% Yes, I loved this - I am continuing this series, you should read it too.
Source: Netgalley! Thank you to the publisher! I also purchased the audio book, with absolutely NO regrets. Jeff Hayes has the voice of a god.

Plot: This was just a hair slower than the first book, we’re in a city setting so there is more as far as NPCs and discovery, but it was still a blast.
Characters: Again, I loved them. There was no change there.
Setting: We get to see a ‘City’ dungeon floor here, very interesting and a lot of political/world building was given outside of the dungeon.
Magic: Races and Classes! We get to see a lot more of the weird in this one!

Thoughts:

There isn’t going to be much as far as coherent thought here - but I do love Dungeon Crawler Carl. I love it so much. This book has continued the fantastic story the first one established. Carl and Donut are now on the third floor, which is the race/class floor and their first ‘city’ floor.

Matt Dinniman has given these books a LOT of thought. It’s a lot of thought that pays off too. The pacing is also excellently done in that we get the information of what’s happening organically, but also at a steady clip. The story keeps you hooked and invested. Carl and Donut start to see more NPCs here, which was the big win for me. We see more of the ‘natives’ in the dungeons and more of how Quests and the like are going to affect the Crawlers. I’m so excited to see more of this.

This continues the hype train for me. I didn’t feel much if any of a second year slump in this second book, and I cannot wait for more of what is happening here. The more information we get the more excited I get.

5 out of 5 Bean Bag plushies

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

The training levels have been completed and it's time for the games to begin. The fans love Princess Donut and Carl, but that doesn't guarantee their survival.

This was a good follow-up to Dungeon Crawler Carl. While I didn't love it quite as much, I blame that almost entirely on not having the audiobook to engage with. I love that the setting changes on each level of the dungeon. This floor contains a massively creepy circus, a corrupt political system, and a serial killer walking the streets of the town. This book only deals with level three, which at first was a drag; however, I see why. The further we descend into the dungeon, the longer we spend on the floor. We start seeing more side characters and character developement from the characters we already know and love.

I will definitely be continuing the series, I'm addicted to these books.

What a wonderful kickass book full of so much i love in the litrpg genre. FANTASTIC! Read this in tandem with the audiobook, a wonderful experience.