Dungeon Crawler Carl

Neeeeeeeew achievement! Read my first LitRPG!

Check my full review on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0G7LqgRIiZc

What immediately hooked me about this series is its perfect balance of absurdity and genuine character development. Carl and Princess Donut aren't just accumulating stats in a cosmic reality show dungeon; they're evolving as individuals forced to rely on each other in increasingly dangerous situations. Their dynamic is priceless - especially Princess Donut's sarcastic observations and stubborn all-caps messaging, while still behaving like the prize-winning, tiara-loving cat she is.

The world-building constantly surprises and entertains. Each dungeon level operates on unique rules, creating fresh challenges and unpredictable scenarios with physics-defying environments populated by bizarre hybrid creatures and memorable NPCs. Unlike other books that might rely heavily on nostalgia (like that shit book called Ready Player One), Dungeon Crawler Carl creates its own fascinating universe that asks deeper questions about capitalism, entertainment, and the value of human life while delivering consistently creative combat scenes.

I particularly appreciate how the series handles its video game elements. While stats, achievements, and power-ups are present, it never feels like you're reading about someone else's gaming session - the stakes are real, and the deaths permanent. The reality show framework adds another brilliant layer, with crawlers appearing on intergalactic talk shows and receiving sponsor gifts that further blur the line between entertainment and survival horror.

After devouring the first three books (about 1300 pages) in rapid succession, what keeps me coming back is how each book provides enough closure by completing a dungeon level while building anticipation for the next challenge. The fights are consistently entertaining with Carl's surprising solutions, and Jeff Hays' audiobook narration elevates the experience even further with distinct character voices and perfect pacing. Despite occasional graphic violence and dark humor, the series maintains an irresistible momentum that makes it impossible to put down.

Yo, this book is freaking incredible, and right on time for me. I literally just finished it. So, you are getting my unedited reaction. So, first, I knew nothing about this book. For my birthday, someone gave me a Barnes & Noble gift card. Needing a break from biographies, I looked for a different genre. I saw this colorful book cover, and seeing that it had several books in its series, I gave it a shot. I then purchased the audiobook as well, because that’s how I like to read. Man, this book was everything I needed and is a contender for my book of the year so far. So what is this book about? Let me tell you. No spoilers.

So the concept sounds ridiculous. A guy named Carl is standing outside trying to grab his ex-girlfriend’s cat, who had gotten out. He’s wearing his boxers and his girlfriend crocs. Suddenly, a force crushed every building on the planet, killing everyone inside. The only people that survive is whoever was outside. So, in a nutshell, aliens have farmed Earth to create an intergalactic game show. Whoever didn’t die from the building collapse has to take part in a game show. They have to survive a 20 floor dungeon trying to kill monsters and each other until they’re the last one standing. This is apparently a super game show that is watched by trillions of species from multiple universes. It feels like you’re playing a video game. It sounds crazy, I know, but the way it’s executed is awesome and I loved every minute. The narrator, Jeff Hays, made the book. He’s the voice of all the characters, but none of them sound the same. Please don’t read it without the audio. My favorite character, of course, is the cat, Princess Donut. I can go on and on about this, but I won’t. I’ll just say this. This book is so good that I have already picked up the next two in the 7 book series. The entire book had me laughing. I recommend this book to everyone, except children and people who are sensitive to immature men's humor. I needed that laugh. Easy 5 out of 5.

Absolutely brilliant!!

This was such a unique book and I absolutely loved everything about it.

The audiobook is the way to go with this one, the narration and voices done by Jeff Hays made this such a great experience and I'll be getting to the next one ASAP.

DNF@55 pages.

First and probably last LitRPG. If I want to play an RPG I'll open up a console or PC. Reading about game mechanics in a book in what looks to be a major focus of the book is clearly a huge turn off for me.

Aliens have come along, demolished Earth, and let a couple million of the remaining humans participate in a televised fight to the death for the rest of the universe to enjoy.

It's obviously an absurd situation, but the main character Carl is quite aware of the fact that a) most of Earth has died and b) more are dying every day. He also has a talking cat named Princess Donut.

So it's kind of this mix between humour and the depressing reality of it all? Good if you're looking for a fast-paced action book with a twist.

*NEW ACHIEVEMENT**

New Book series added to favorites. You've picked up a new book series to obsess about. While dark at times, it was still funny and enjoyable enough to shoot past all those other books on your to-be-read pile.

**REWARD?**

7 more books to continue through before the crushing despair of a great series ending.

I have strong dislike towards the comedy parts of this book, they're very “millenial” and almost never land. Otherwise it's an easy read and I'd recommend it purely because of the premise and potential as a book series, although personally i'd probably wait until reading the second book.

It's crazy to me how many people are so into this book. Oh well.

Just a very solid progression fantasy. I thoroughly enjoyed the way trauma was handled in the perspective of each character through this series, as well as the representation of higher outside civilization interacting with humanity. I think the best part about this ride with Carl is every step of the way you feel just as unbalanced as he is in these situations, and the slight mania his actions start taking feel very much like both yours and his retribution against the whole system constructed in this interesting world.

A mostly funny and lighthearted adventure story. I thought the LitRPG aspect (whatever that is) would annoy me but it didn’t. I don’t need to keep track of the characters’ stats and can just enjoy the story. It is at times a bit too sophomoric for my taste, but the author knows what he’s doing as the MC’s distaste over the injustices he faces is made more and more apparent as time goes on. A solid adventure story even though it isn’t really a standalone novel.

2.8/5 - Audible Version

Dungeon Crawler Carl is an entertaining light read that i wanted more from. Absurd humor, action, and some genuinely creative world-building. The overall story of a deadly, corporate-run game show makes for a compelling setting combined with the great world building. The book avoids some of the pitfalls of the LitRPG genre by not bogging itself down with excessive stat screens, menu descriptions or mechanics.
The humor is definitely hit-or-miss though. The tone leans heavily into the juvenile, and the Dungeon AI definitely reminded me a lot of Claptrap from Borderlands which is definitely hit or miss just like the games.

Light Spoilers Below...

My biggest issue with the book is Carl himself. He comes across as obnoxious, and (my perceived) contradictions in his character aren't framed as flaws for him to overcome—they just exist, unaddressed. Two key areas stood out to me:

His Relationship with His Ex
Carl's former girlfriend is only ever described as an awful person—shallow, dumb, a cheater. Someone who loves trashy TV shows and would love to be in an Alien version of “Survivor” since she's so vapid and vain.
There's never any introspection or nuance; Carl is simply the wronged party. Given that we're seeing this through Carl's point of view, I was hoping for some challenge to this narrative by the end—some indication that Carl, too, had flaws in the relationship. The way i read the story is that Carl has a clear Attachment style for relationships. But no. The book never questions his stance, making this aspect of his character feel one-dimensional.


Carl's Actions vs. His Self-Perception
Throughout the book, Carl displays what i think are issues with anger (not anger issues necessarily), yet the story never really acknowledges this as a potential flaw. His temper flares repeatedly, but the narrative only has him recognize it once. This made me wonder—was the contradiction intentional? Was the author setting up Carl as an unreliable narrator who doesn't realize his own anger? The answer, by the end, seems to be no.

At times, Carl also seems to have knowledge he shouldn't. For example, during an interview show, he tells two contestants how to get around some wizards—despite us never seeing him fight them before. There's also a moment where he describes himself as naturally well-built and able to put on muscle easily, which just makes him feel more self-aggrandizing than endearing.


Final Thoughts

As my first introduction to the LitRPG genre, I enjoyed Dungeon Crawler Carl for what it was—a light, fast-paced, and occasionally funny listen while I did other things. While I wish the author had done more with Carl's character, I recognize that not every protagonist needs deep personal growth to make a story engaging.

I'm undecided on whether I'll continue the series. The world-building is strong, and the overall story has potential, but my dislike of Carl as a character is a major hurdle.

Very fun read. Literal page turner. Went and bought the sequel before finishing so I could start ASAP.

Great read, lots of laughs.

Funny, inventive and a great read. I finished in two days and I can't wait to get the sequels.

An AI with a foot fetish. Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk. Carl dealing with fetishized feet. Mongo.

Amazing. If you wanted to read a video game this is the one. I was laughing so often throughout the book. I am so curious about the political climate in the book and cannot wait to find out more throughout the series.

Final rating: 4.5 stars ✨

For more of my reviews, check out my blog.

This was just fun, and really not meant to be taken seriously. Dungeon Crawler Carl feels like you're supposed to be eating popcorn while reading, sitting on the edge of your seat as you read about the aforementioned Carl and his cat, Donut, as they are forced onto an alien game show. I absolutely adored Donut – talking cats will get my attention ANYTIME. She's blood thirsty, but hates getting blood on her fur. She'd much rather sit on the edge of fights and tell Carl what to do while also shooting magic missiles at the enemies. I loved her.

The premise of the book is wildly original, too. I'm going to happily be diving into the rest of the series simply because it's entertaining without having to think too hard about it. Basically, if you're in need of a book to read to distract you from The Horrors, well, DCC isn't a bad choice. Not at all.

Easily four and a half stars, simply for enjoyment's sake.

it’s a fun book! It’s not the kind of book I’ve ever read before and, at first, I wasn’t sure that I liked it. But the humour, the story, the intrigue all hooked me and now I’m excited to line up books 2-7!!

TLDR: I wasn’t sure what to expect from Dungeon Crawler Carl, but it turned out to be surprisingly fun and well executed. With strong characters and a silly premise that works remarkably well, it’s an engaging take on the LitRPG genre—even for those who don’t typically enjoy it (like me).

Food Rating: Dungeon Crawler Carl is like trying a weird snack you weren’t sure about—say, chocolate-covered bacon (who doesnt like bacon) and discovering it’s both bizarre and delicious. Unexpected, but absolutely satisfying.

Dungeon Crawler Carl was a refreshing surprise, blending humor, action, and clever world-building into a story that shouldn’t work as well as it does—but somehow does. The premise is undeniably silly (a deadly, game-like dungeon crawl broadcast as intergalactic entertainment), yet the book’s sharp writing and engaging characters make it both entertaining and surprisingly heartfelt.

Carl, and his feline companion are the heart of the story, grounding the chaos with a mix of humor, determination, and unexpected depth. Even for someone who doesn’t usually enjoy LitRPG-style books, the storytelling is compelling enough that it’s easy to overlook the genre’s conventions and just have fun with the ride.

Actual rating 2.5 stars.
I liked and disliked this book in equal measure - hence the rating.

First impression: Ready Player One for gamers. (That's not a compliment). Second impression: actually deep, and I love that sassy cat.

I was close to dropping the book after the first few pages. The constant "hilarious" in-game descriptions were really off putting. The whole premise of "what if a regular person was dropped into Warcraft!" was pretty dull, too.

I kept pushing through though because I'm a sucker for a good cat character, and Princess Donut is excellent. I stayed because I do enjoy a good power leveling fantasy when the characters are also good. By the mid point I was detecting some interesting themes on voyeurism and capitalist exploitation.

For the record, though, Matthew Woodring Stover did a much better job on those topics with the Legacy of Cain series - grittier, more complex, and ultimately more horrifying.

So far, I can say I enjoy DCC, but I doubt it'll have a permanent spot on my shelf.

Absolutely LOVE this series. So excited to have found it.

This was great. If you're into World of Warcraft or other similar MMORPGs, this audiobook is for you.

I had way too much fun reading this! This is the first book I've ever read in the LitRPG genre, and now I need to venture out and find some more! 
Thank you Berkley Pub for the arc copy! 

Stupid, clever, insane, fantastic. A new favourite.