Dungeon Crawler Carl

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.