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Dungeon Crawler Carl #2
Carl's Doomsday Scenario
"The training levels have concluded. Now the games may truly begin."
The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive.
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 prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.
Carl still has no pants.
They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.
The ratings and views are off the chart. The fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day. But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to survive.
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 prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.
Carl still has no pants.
They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 6, 2021
9308 people are currently reading
16641 people want to read
About the author
Matt Dinniman
29 books9,010 followersMatt Dinniman is the best-selling writer and artist from Gig Harbor, Washington. He is the published author of dozens of short stories and a gaggle of books. In addition, his art publications—from greeting cards to stationery kits to calendars—can be found in boutique and stationery shops around the world. Also, he strongly feels like a pretentious twat when he writes about himself in third person.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,268 reviews
May 25, 2025
If you read book one, you know already know why I’m continuing.
For those of you who haven’t started the series yet, Dinniman does an exceptional job at writing a propulsive storyline. It would be tempting for someone to dismiss this series as excessively niche (LitRPG, which stands for ‘literary role-playing game’), but that would do a disservice to the potential reader. What it really is is a great character book in a genre-bending setting that melds together a post-apocalypse sci-fi with RPG and reality television.
“‘When we get there, we’ll need to think of every possible scenario.’ Donut: GUESSING THE PLOTLINES OF TELEVISION SHOWS IS MY SUPER POWER.”
Now that I have the perspective of looking back at the last seven books, I’ll note that this one perhaps suffers slightly from ‘second-book’ syndrome. I think Dinniman goes for more absurdity in this story that doesn’t serve the series as well. I think he was struggling with the concept of the reality tv show for alien life-forms and tropes that work on humans (ex the book description mentions the “prostitutes falling from the sky,” although, to be honest, I don’t remember that scene at all). I did, however, highlight this ridiculous image:
“Now, if you’ve never had a flaming, skull-faced bear on roller skates barreling at you full speed, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
Still, Dinniman manages to work in the struggle for compassion and solidarity that is a cornerstone of the series. The above prostitutes certainly sound like they are played for laughs in the blurb, but when the storyline comes up, it is done very well. A lowly NPC orc brings the issue to the attention of Carl and Doughnut, who are moved by GumGum's compassion. Eventually, it is one of those instances where Carl realizes the NPCs are people too and have hopes and dreams of escape as much as he does.
“I, uh, I don’t know,” Donut said, looking about. She seemed to deflate on my shoulder. “We should try to save the others. It’s the right thing to do.”
My biggest challenge is the over-abundance of strategic details in the form of ‘leveling’ and potential conflicts. Even as someone that plays these games, I found these parts tedious. It’s too bad, really, because it’s a skill barrier that might prevent others from latching on to this series. If I was an editor, I’d have some hard conversations with Dinniman about it.
Overall, this is a series that was absolutely created for vacation-level reading, and kept me absorbed on the plane and on the beach. It only gets better.
May update: the audio is just as propulsive. In fact, I now understand why people love it even more than the eye-version. The audio has more of a performance-level sensibility, with a 'click' heralding the text chat; a tinny, radio-type voice doing the AI announcements; a posh woman doing an impeccable Doughnut and her absolutely hilarious ALL CAPS CHAT. I've actually found it even more listenable than readable.
For those of you who haven’t started the series yet, Dinniman does an exceptional job at writing a propulsive storyline. It would be tempting for someone to dismiss this series as excessively niche (LitRPG, which stands for ‘literary role-playing game’), but that would do a disservice to the potential reader. What it really is is a great character book in a genre-bending setting that melds together a post-apocalypse sci-fi with RPG and reality television.
“‘When we get there, we’ll need to think of every possible scenario.’ Donut: GUESSING THE PLOTLINES OF TELEVISION SHOWS IS MY SUPER POWER.”
Now that I have the perspective of looking back at the last seven books, I’ll note that this one perhaps suffers slightly from ‘second-book’ syndrome. I think Dinniman goes for more absurdity in this story that doesn’t serve the series as well. I think he was struggling with the concept of the reality tv show for alien life-forms and tropes that work on humans (ex the book description mentions the “prostitutes falling from the sky,” although, to be honest, I don’t remember that scene at all). I did, however, highlight this ridiculous image:
“Now, if you’ve never had a flaming, skull-faced bear on roller skates barreling at you full speed, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
Still, Dinniman manages to work in the struggle for compassion and solidarity that is a cornerstone of the series. The above prostitutes certainly sound like they are played for laughs in the blurb, but when the storyline comes up, it is done very well. A lowly NPC orc brings the issue to the attention of Carl and Doughnut, who are moved by GumGum's compassion. Eventually, it is one of those instances where Carl realizes the NPCs are people too and have hopes and dreams of escape as much as he does.
“I, uh, I don’t know,” Donut said, looking about. She seemed to deflate on my shoulder. “We should try to save the others. It’s the right thing to do.”
My biggest challenge is the over-abundance of strategic details in the form of ‘leveling’ and potential conflicts. Even as someone that plays these games, I found these parts tedious. It’s too bad, really, because it’s a skill barrier that might prevent others from latching on to this series. If I was an editor, I’d have some hard conversations with Dinniman about it.
Overall, this is a series that was absolutely created for vacation-level reading, and kept me absorbed on the plane and on the beach. It only gets better.
May update: the audio is just as propulsive. In fact, I now understand why people love it even more than the eye-version. The audio has more of a performance-level sensibility, with a 'click' heralding the text chat; a tinny, radio-type voice doing the AI announcements; a posh woman doing an impeccable Doughnut and her absolutely hilarious ALL CAPS CHAT. I've actually found it even more listenable than readable.
January 21, 2025
THE JOY THIS BOOK BRINGS ME IS CATACLYSMIC ???
Like straight into my top 5 reads ever. I’m going straight into book 3, and I love that the books just lead into the next like a continuous coherent story, it makes for PHENOMENAL head cinema 🙆🏻♀️🎬
The worst part of this book, is that I’ve been listening on audio and I can’t make a highlight from every single fucking page because it is top tier entertainment.
Side note: THE NARRATOR DESERVES A RAISE, A FOREHEAD KISS, HIS BALLS TICKLED, A NEW CAR, A TAX-FREE LIFE, FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO SPOTIFY, PENIS ENLARGEMENT, A MARY POPPINS BAG, A FRIDGE THAT NEVER EMPTIES, NEVER ENDING COLD SIDE OF THE PILLOW, WHATEVER HE WANTS, he deserves it. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
This has been a wild, fast paced, action packed change, and I’m so glad I took a chance because I saw its silly cover and I fucking hate the name Carl, so naturally I wanted to try it. Because it’s nothing like anything I’ve ever read before.
BLESS CARL AND HIS MAGICAL FEET 💖
BLESS PRINCESS DONUT THE SASSY CHARMING SHOW QUEEN OF KITTIES 💖
AND BLESS MONGO THE DINOSAUR TURKEY CHICKEN HYBRID AND HIS NOSE CHOMPING 💖
Like straight into my top 5 reads ever. I’m going straight into book 3, and I love that the books just lead into the next like a continuous coherent story, it makes for PHENOMENAL head cinema 🙆🏻♀️🎬
The worst part of this book, is that I’ve been listening on audio and I can’t make a highlight from every single fucking page because it is top tier entertainment.
Side note: THE NARRATOR DESERVES A RAISE, A FOREHEAD KISS, HIS BALLS TICKLED, A NEW CAR, A TAX-FREE LIFE, FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS TO SPOTIFY, PENIS ENLARGEMENT, A MARY POPPINS BAG, A FRIDGE THAT NEVER EMPTIES, NEVER ENDING COLD SIDE OF THE PILLOW, WHATEVER HE WANTS, he deserves it. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
This has been a wild, fast paced, action packed change, and I’m so glad I took a chance because I saw its silly cover and I fucking hate the name Carl, so naturally I wanted to try it. Because it’s nothing like anything I’ve ever read before.
BLESS CARL AND HIS MAGICAL FEET 💖
BLESS PRINCESS DONUT THE SASSY CHARMING SHOW QUEEN OF KITTIES 💖
AND BLESS MONGO THE DINOSAUR TURKEY CHICKEN HYBRID AND HIS NOSE CHOMPING 💖
June 17, 2024
This follow-up picks up right where the last book left off, and it's just as good!
I feel that the audiobook format really adds to the quality of this series and I can only recommend this format.
This one was just as funny and compelling as the first book, and now that the training levels are over, the stakes keep getting higher. I loved the introduction of quests and more complex aspects of the world.
I will listen to book 3 really soon.
I feel that the audiobook format really adds to the quality of this series and I can only recommend this format.
This one was just as funny and compelling as the first book, and now that the training levels are over, the stakes keep getting higher. I loved the introduction of quests and more complex aspects of the world.
I will listen to book 3 really soon.
September 6, 2024
I would do anything for Princess Donut.
March 31, 2025
Fuck! I just noticed I finished this in the last day of 2024!
Anyway another LitRPG novel done. Glad I finished it now because my kindle had 15% charge left lol
If you read my review of the first book, I didn't like the overly mechanical fight style that we had in the first book, but this book we don't have that issue at all, so I loved it, and DCC finally gets the 4 stars it deserves from me, it's a spectacular LitRPG, and I know since it started popping up in libraries we are getting way more new readers to LitRPG now, thanks to Matt Dinniman, each LitRPG writer is usually doing something to advance this genre, but Matt done something nobody did before him with this efficiency, its very common now to see readers who never read LitRPG reading DCC.
Also I like his plot, it's otherworldly as far as LitRPG novels go, because mostly everyone just transfers you to another world where you just treat it as your new reality now, and you start killing shit to get stronger.
This part of DCC which is only book 2 we can see clearly that Carl decide to fuck with the guys who fucked humanity.
He isn't going to take our genocide laying down, he is running through their gauntlet of challenges, but he keeps poking the sleeping bear fucking them royally in the process, at the end of book 2 he almost single handedly bankrupted the Borant, now he did it unknowingly, but he forced them to use their single veto.
A veto we are told is usually saved for shit that happens in the 10th floor+++
So Borant will still get screwed in the next floors.
He also tried to instigate a revolution among the syndicate races, the same syndicate that thinks it's fine to commit genocide each time they decide to make a game with people's lives in new planets they annex.
and all of this in book 2, he is also very aware of their hypocrisy, when they cried over Manasa the singer dying, after they killed over 6 billions humans.
Carl isn't happy about what was done, and he wants to do something about it, but very carefully, in a very smart way, he is just biding his time.
Compared to most other LitRPG where MCs are just happy go lucky guys and gals who take the opportunity to live a fantasy.
Hell I think even my favorite novel isn't that self aware of the screw job that comes with a LitRPG apocalypse, and I am talking about Defiance of the fall (But it's been a while since I read it so take this opinion with a grain of salt, because I probably forgot a lot of mannerism and opinions of the MC Zac)
I enjoy the comedy in this series very much, I appreciate its uniqueness, I appreciate the witty crazy AI, and starting this book, I appreciate the tension between the top 10 players of the season.
Lucia Mar wants to avenge dogs honor everywhere by killing Donut.
Hekla's pragmatism and ruthless efficiency that made her use Carl to save her teammate and then concoct a plan to kill him to make Donut join her team.
and we still don't know what is going to happen with the couple of crawlers who are out for Carl's head.
I know people usually are way more efficient readers than me, and will read Book 3 immediately, but I like to pounce around and read different titles, to remain fresh and not get bored, and YES even though I am giving this 4 stars and I give other reads five stars, I know myself I would probably still get bored if I read 2 books of the same series back to back.
Anyway another LitRPG novel done. Glad I finished it now because my kindle had 15% charge left lol
If you read my review of the first book, I didn't like the overly mechanical fight style that we had in the first book, but this book we don't have that issue at all, so I loved it, and DCC finally gets the 4 stars it deserves from me, it's a spectacular LitRPG, and I know since it started popping up in libraries we are getting way more new readers to LitRPG now, thanks to Matt Dinniman, each LitRPG writer is usually doing something to advance this genre, but Matt done something nobody did before him with this efficiency, its very common now to see readers who never read LitRPG reading DCC.
Also I like his plot, it's otherworldly as far as LitRPG novels go, because mostly everyone just transfers you to another world where you just treat it as your new reality now, and you start killing shit to get stronger.
This part of DCC which is only book 2 we can see clearly that Carl decide to fuck with the guys who fucked humanity.
He isn't going to take our genocide laying down, he is running through their gauntlet of challenges, but he keeps poking the sleeping bear fucking them royally in the process, at the end of book 2 he almost single handedly bankrupted the Borant, now he did it unknowingly, but he forced them to use their single veto.
A veto we are told is usually saved for shit that happens in the 10th floor+++
So Borant will still get screwed in the next floors.
He also tried to instigate a revolution among the syndicate races, the same syndicate that thinks it's fine to commit genocide each time they decide to make a game with people's lives in new planets they annex.
and all of this in book 2, he is also very aware of their hypocrisy, when they cried over Manasa the singer dying, after they killed over 6 billions humans.
Carl isn't happy about what was done, and he wants to do something about it, but very carefully, in a very smart way, he is just biding his time.
Compared to most other LitRPG where MCs are just happy go lucky guys and gals who take the opportunity to live a fantasy.
Hell I think even my favorite novel isn't that self aware of the screw job that comes with a LitRPG apocalypse, and I am talking about Defiance of the fall (But it's been a while since I read it so take this opinion with a grain of salt, because I probably forgot a lot of mannerism and opinions of the MC Zac)
I enjoy the comedy in this series very much, I appreciate its uniqueness, I appreciate the witty crazy AI, and starting this book, I appreciate the tension between the top 10 players of the season.
Lucia Mar wants to avenge dogs honor everywhere by killing Donut.
Hekla's pragmatism and ruthless efficiency that made her use Carl to save her teammate and then concoct a plan to kill him to make Donut join her team.
and we still don't know what is going to happen with the couple of crawlers who are out for Carl's head.
I know people usually are way more efficient readers than me, and will read Book 3 immediately, but I like to pounce around and read different titles, to remain fresh and not get bored, and YES even though I am giving this 4 stars and I give other reads five stars, I know myself I would probably still get bored if I read 2 books of the same series back to back.
February 22, 2024
4/5
This was an extremely good follow up to Dungeon Crawler Carl. It was just as funny, just as crazy, perhaps even moreso than its predecessor. What’s most impressive is that I was concerned the story would start to feel repetitive, but the sequel shakes up the story brilliantly, introducing several new elements and storylines making everything feel completely fresh whilst still retaining the first books core premise as well as its charm, humour and uniqueness. It’s a brilliant blend of Sci-Fi Fantasy, combining beloved elements from each genre. Elves, magi, necromancers, aliens, robots, explosions. It’s a melting pot of a geeks wet dream. Throw in a twisted, murderous circus with an emotional twist and you have the makings of a fun time.
There’s several things that are an improvement from book 1. The most notable of this is the world-building, or rather 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 is more akin to medieval fantasy world with its own unique twists such as Las Vegas style nightclubs. As well as this, more information about the wider galaxy outside of 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 itself and the games within it. Quests are also introduced as a new part of the game, and thus the book. A quest is one of my favourite fantasy book tropes, so I was all for it here. The quests introduced make for a stronger narrative as it gives Carl and Donut a further goal as opposed to just making it to the next level. The quests introduced added some strong B-style storylines that all come together as part of the greater narrative.
Character wise, the lid is blown off. We’re exposed to a much wider cast of characters this time round, with even the more minor characters receiving a fair amount of screen time and decent development. Mordecai takes on a much more active, fleshed out role in the sequel, becoming more present in the plot and less of a passive device that’s there to mainly explain the rules of the game. He becomes a much stronger character in his own right, and we start to get a glimpse of a deeper story forming for him as the story goes on. Where Donut stole the show in the previous book (and rightfully so), Carl is the undisputed star this go around. Carl develops into a truly great protagonist in this book. Not only is he hilarious, but he begins to show a particularly strong moral compass. He’s developing into a heroic, noble character with plenty of depth as we learn more about his past before the series takes place. I’m excited to see how he continues to progress and where the rest of the series takes him. Donut remains a series high point and begins some strong character growth herself. There’s the makings of a great character arc that’s beginning to form around her.
Despite its primary focus on the weird & wonderful, the craziness, the absurdity, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario actually touches on some deep, heavy subjects which are treated with respect and care. Subjects such as neglect, sex work, abuse, trauma, gaslighting, 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 down play these subjects. Everything so far just fits like a glove.
This is a wickedly fun series and my fears of it possibly feeling repetitive as it goes on 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 then up. I highly recommend fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or anyone looking for a fun read in between your heavier reads to check out this series. It hasn’t disappointed yet, and with its current trajectory I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
This was an extremely good follow up to Dungeon Crawler Carl. It was just as funny, just as crazy, perhaps even moreso than its predecessor. What’s most impressive is that I was concerned the story would start to feel repetitive, but the sequel shakes up the story brilliantly, introducing several new elements and storylines making everything feel completely fresh whilst still retaining the first books core premise as well as its charm, humour and uniqueness. It’s a brilliant blend of Sci-Fi Fantasy, combining beloved elements from each genre. Elves, magi, necromancers, aliens, robots, explosions. It’s a melting pot of a geeks wet dream. Throw in a twisted, murderous circus with an emotional twist and you have the makings of a fun time.
There’s several things that are an improvement from book 1. The most notable of this is the world-building, or rather 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 is more akin to medieval fantasy world with its own unique twists such as Las Vegas style nightclubs. As well as this, more information about the wider galaxy outside of 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 itself and the games within it. Quests are also introduced as a new part of the game, and thus the book. A quest is one of my favourite fantasy book tropes, so I was all for it here. The quests introduced make for a stronger narrative as it gives Carl and Donut a further goal as opposed to just making it to the next level. The quests introduced added some strong B-style storylines that all come together as part of the greater narrative.
Character wise, the lid is blown off. We’re exposed to a much wider cast of characters this time round, with even the more minor characters receiving a fair amount of screen time and decent development. Mordecai takes on a much more active, fleshed out role in the sequel, becoming more present in the plot and less of a passive device that’s there to mainly explain the rules of the game. He becomes a much stronger character in his own right, and we start to get a glimpse of a deeper story forming for him as the story goes on. Where Donut stole the show in the previous book (and rightfully so), Carl is the undisputed star this go around. Carl develops into a truly great protagonist in this book. Not only is he hilarious, but he begins to show a particularly strong moral compass. He’s developing into a heroic, noble character with plenty of depth as we learn more about his past before the series takes place. I’m excited to see how he continues to progress and where the rest of the series takes him. Donut remains a series high point and begins some strong character growth herself. There’s the makings of a great character arc that’s beginning to form around her.
Despite its primary focus on the weird & wonderful, the craziness, the absurdity, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario actually touches on some deep, heavy subjects which are treated with respect and care. Subjects such as neglect, sex work, abuse, trauma, gaslighting, 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 down play these subjects. Everything so far just fits like a glove.
This is a wickedly fun series and my fears of it possibly feeling repetitive as it goes on 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 then up. I highly recommend fans of Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or anyone looking for a fun read in between your heavier reads to check out this series. It hasn’t disappointed yet, and with its current trajectory I can’t see that happening anytime soon.
November 16, 2024
BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
This series continues to live up to its hype. It is truly addictive. I really thought the novelty of this LitRPG would start to wear off, but it really hasn't! Matt Dinniman displays such creativity to keep it fresh and opens up new angles of the story to maintain its incredible entertainment factor. We now have clubs, markets, quests and more, alongside the growing character relationships and higher stakes.
Carl's Doomsday Scenario took the story in a very different direction from what I was expecting. After the initial rush, it did for the first time feel like it lost a bit of drive, but that was quickly regained and we set off onto a whole different kind of rollercoaster, with quests, more characters and even more craziness that strikes a brilliant balance of being manic, but not too over-the-top that is lost the tension.
Cannot wait for book 3. I have a feeling that is where this is really going to kick off, despite thoroughly enjoying these first two instalments!
4/5 STARS
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
This series continues to live up to its hype. It is truly addictive. I really thought the novelty of this LitRPG would start to wear off, but it really hasn't! Matt Dinniman displays such creativity to keep it fresh and opens up new angles of the story to maintain its incredible entertainment factor. We now have clubs, markets, quests and more, alongside the growing character relationships and higher stakes.
Carl's Doomsday Scenario took the story in a very different direction from what I was expecting. After the initial rush, it did for the first time feel like it lost a bit of drive, but that was quickly regained and we set off onto a whole different kind of rollercoaster, with quests, more characters and even more craziness that strikes a brilliant balance of being manic, but not too over-the-top that is lost the tension.
Cannot wait for book 3. I have a feeling that is where this is really going to kick off, despite thoroughly enjoying these first two instalments!
4/5 STARS
January 5, 2025
“Now, if you’ve never had a flaming, skull-faced bear on roller skates barreling at you full speed, you don’t know what you’re missing.”
This series is so damn fun!
some unhinged and funny quotes:
"I just kicked the guy in the nuts." " That's not very manly of you Carl."
“Anyway, this could be something useful like Parkour or Jui-jitsu, or you could get fucked and receive some useless crap like Stamp Collecting or Kombucha Brewing.”
“Cats don’t drink cocktails,” I said.
“Cats don’t shoot lasers from their eyes either, Carl, but here we are. Mama needs a night off.”
“Carl. It’s too dangerous for a show to have guest stars that are more interesting than the main character. That’s why they killed Barb on Stranger Things.” FOULL HAAHHAHAHA
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT! you've reached one quadrillion views! That means one of two things; you're either one of the best crawlers in the game or you're such a hot mess, people can't wait to see you fail!"
Reward?? Pussies don't get prizes!!
"A mysterious letter! It's written in an odd language. Is it clues? Is it a grocery list? You can't fucking read it, so who knows?!
"Aren't you supposed to be a comedian? When are you going to say something funny?" The audience roars with laughter. "See? It's not that hard."
This series is so damn fun!
some unhinged and funny quotes:
"I just kicked the guy in the nuts." " That's not very manly of you Carl."
“Anyway, this could be something useful like Parkour or Jui-jitsu, or you could get fucked and receive some useless crap like Stamp Collecting or Kombucha Brewing.”
“Cats don’t drink cocktails,” I said.
“Cats don’t shoot lasers from their eyes either, Carl, but here we are. Mama needs a night off.”
“Carl. It’s too dangerous for a show to have guest stars that are more interesting than the main character. That’s why they killed Barb on Stranger Things.” FOULL HAAHHAHAHA
"NEW ACHIEVEMENT! you've reached one quadrillion views! That means one of two things; you're either one of the best crawlers in the game or you're such a hot mess, people can't wait to see you fail!"
Reward?? Pussies don't get prizes!!
"A mysterious letter! It's written in an odd language. Is it clues? Is it a grocery list? You can't fucking read it, so who knows?!
"Aren't you supposed to be a comedian? When are you going to say something funny?" The audience roars with laughter. "See? It's not that hard."
January 15, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ this series is so fun and entertaining!! You genuinely never know what is coming next and it’s just constant action and chaos from start to finish. Who would’ve thought my favorite character would be a cat named princess doughnut. I actually love her so much
August 4, 2024
Ok, I've achieved a certain momentum now. It's unstoppable. DCC reminds me of a lot of fun reading experiences I had when I was younger - the pure joy of plowing through a series.
It also made me realize I love the trope of a somewhat-reluctant gruff guy and a sassy non-human female doing a dungeon crawl. I've read Paul Kidd's Ranger and Faerie books 3 times. I bet solid money Matt Dinniman read these too. There are noteworthy similarities.
Greyhawk Classics by Paul Kidd
White Plume Mountain
Descent into the Depths of the Earth
Queen of the Demonweb Pits
It also made me realize I love the trope of a somewhat-reluctant gruff guy and a sassy non-human female doing a dungeon crawl. I've read Paul Kidd's Ranger and Faerie books 3 times. I bet solid money Matt Dinniman read these too. There are noteworthy similarities.
Greyhawk Classics by Paul Kidd
White Plume Mountain
Descent into the Depths of the Earth
Queen of the Demonweb Pits
March 23, 2025
★★★★★ 5/5
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will be short and quick as I don't want to ruin the beauty of this experience for anyone else!
Carl's Doomsday Scenario is book two in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and was an absolute joy to experience, but also had me so emotionally destroyed and near tears on multiple occasions.
Like my review for the first one, this will be kept short to not ruin the experience for anyone else.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
This book picks up with Carl and Princess Donut going through their race changes and their class choice. First off, good on you, Princess Donut, for knowing cats are indeed the supreme race. Who wouldn't want to be a cat? Then it jumps straight into the typical RPG stuff gamers love - fetch quests... woohoo!!! Except there's a twist: there's a bunch of clowns, like A LOT of them, and they're infected by mind-consuming parasites and the circus exists to entertain you by EATING you! We truly love that.
There are a lot of clowns and dead prostitutes in this book, and just enough humor and existential crisis thrown into the mix to make everything all the more fun. And that's where it hit me.
Every time Carl sat down and realized just how fucked up everything that was happening here was, it gave me a rough twist in my chest. Every time I was reminded that he and Donut had lost everything they loved, everything that gave their life purpose, everything that gave others purpose was now gone, and their lives were being bet on like a reality TV show where they were expected to die by the end... yeah, it hurts.
In only two books, this series has managed to make me so attached to Carl, Princess Donut, and Mongo. I cheer for them through their boss fights, I groan when they make an idiotic choice (yeah, I'm looking at you, Carl, when you punched the city guards!), I nod in understanding when said idiotic choice is actually full of so much humanity and empathy that I likely would've done something similar in that scenario, or when you realize everyone just wants you dead. But all you want is to live. It's devastating, and watching Carl begin to spiral really breaks my heart.
I'm glad that Donut has begun her slow journey of maturing while she is by Carl's side. Their partnership is irreplaceable to me. And Mongo really is that extra puzzle piece to their dynamic! I love that stupid, squawking head-empty chicken dinosaur!!
All-in-all, I don't want to rave too much about the plot because it's so much more meaningful to experience as you read or listen to it yourself. But it really hits home just how much we overlook the beauty of our lives and only register how much that means to us, no matter how simple the small moments are, when all of it is gone.
I cannot wait to continue this journey with our trio to see where this crazy dungeon takes them! They're my babies!
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
5/5 stars with no hesitation. Such a fun listen, the audiobook truly is an experience all on its own. Already started book three, and I can't wait to go even further!
: ̗̀➛ Series Reviews
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Dungeon Crawler Carl : Book 1
Carl's Doomsday Scenario : Book 2
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook : Book 3
The Gate of the Feral Gods : Book 4
The Butcher's Masquerade : Book 5
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride : Book 6
This Inevitable Ruin : Book 7
“If it used to be okay, but it’s not okay anymore, then maybe you should do something about it. Don’t compare your circumstances with how they were yesterday. Look at how they were years ago. We’re supposed to be making the world… the universe… a better place for our children. If it’s not better, if you’re dealing with cruelty, with neglect, then you should do something about it.”
✎ (❁ᴗ͈ˬᴗ͈) ༉ Note : This review will be short and quick as I don't want to ruin the beauty of this experience for anyone else!
Carl's Doomsday Scenario is book two in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and was an absolute joy to experience, but also had me so emotionally destroyed and near tears on multiple occasions.
Like my review for the first one, this will be kept short to not ruin the experience for anyone else.
: ̗̀➛ My Review Rants
“The sight of myself up on the screen, running full tilt through the Over City with nothing but a one-armed leather jacket and my nuts dangling free filled me with a strange, almost primal sense of vulnerability.”
This book picks up with Carl and Princess Donut going through their race changes and their class choice. First off, good on you, Princess Donut, for knowing cats are indeed the supreme race. Who wouldn't want to be a cat? Then it jumps straight into the typical RPG stuff gamers love - fetch quests... woohoo!!! Except there's a twist: there's a bunch of clowns, like A LOT of them, and they're infected by mind-consuming parasites and the circus exists to entertain you by EATING you! We truly love that.
There are a lot of clowns and dead prostitutes in this book, and just enough humor and existential crisis thrown into the mix to make everything all the more fun. And that's where it hit me.
Every time Carl sat down and realized just how fucked up everything that was happening here was, it gave me a rough twist in my chest. Every time I was reminded that he and Donut had lost everything they loved, everything that gave their life purpose, everything that gave others purpose was now gone, and their lives were being bet on like a reality TV show where they were expected to die by the end... yeah, it hurts.
In only two books, this series has managed to make me so attached to Carl, Princess Donut, and Mongo. I cheer for them through their boss fights, I groan when they make an idiotic choice (yeah, I'm looking at you, Carl, when you punched the city guards!), I nod in understanding when said idiotic choice is actually full of so much humanity and empathy that I likely would've done something similar in that scenario, or when you realize everyone just wants you dead. But all you want is to live. It's devastating, and watching Carl begin to spiral really breaks my heart.
I'm glad that Donut has begun her slow journey of maturing while she is by Carl's side. Their partnership is irreplaceable to me. And Mongo really is that extra puzzle piece to their dynamic! I love that stupid, squawking head-empty chicken dinosaur!!
All-in-all, I don't want to rave too much about the plot because it's so much more meaningful to experience as you read or listen to it yourself. But it really hits home just how much we overlook the beauty of our lives and only register how much that means to us, no matter how simple the small moments are, when all of it is gone.
I cannot wait to continue this journey with our trio to see where this crazy dungeon takes them! They're my babies!
: ̗̀➛ Final Thoughts
5/5 stars with no hesitation. Such a fun listen, the audiobook truly is an experience all on its own. Already started book three, and I can't wait to go even further!
“Cats don't drink cocktails,” I said.
“Cats don't shoot lasers from their eyes, either, but here we are, Carl. Mama needs a night off.”
“The baby velociraptor settled into my lap. I suddenly felt uncomfortable having that many teeth so close to my crotch. If he bit me now, I didn’t know what would happen.”
“My four-year-old mind couldn’t possibly register it at the time, but it was the scent of happiness, of joy, of being a kid, of not being afraid.”
“They were all gone. All I had left in this world was right here. Mongo soon started to snore. I could feel Donut’s warmth against the back of my neck. She breathed softly, oblivious of all that had occurred tonight. This, I thought, this is my family.”
“Carl. It’s too dangerous for a show to have guest stars that are more interesting than the main character. That’s why they killed Barb on Stranger Things.”
: ̗̀➛ Series Reviews
Check out my reviews for the other books in this series:
Dungeon Crawler Carl : Book 1
Carl's Doomsday Scenario : Book 2
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook : Book 3
The Gate of the Feral Gods : Book 4
The Butcher's Masquerade : Book 5
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride : Book 6
This Inevitable Ruin : Book 7
April 14, 2025
I'm not going to review this one because everyone and their fourth cousin thrice removed already has but I'll just say one thing: don't read the book, listen to it. I hate to admit but yes yes yes, every single one of you who told me the audio was better was right . This is arguably one of the best audio productions I've ever listened to, and I would probably have given up on the series had it not been for Jeff Hays' slightly fantastic narration .
Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: I want a death chicken berserker for Christmas. Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: I'm officiallykindly asking Matt Dinniman and S.M. Reine to team up and write a Donut/Mr. Poe crossover (I might unleash the murderous crustaceans on them if they don't). Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: GROSS. Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: it is a truth universally acknowledged that there is nothing quite like a feline diva with a pet dinosaur.
I restin my case.
P.S. Thou shalt not feed family to the clowns. No, thou shalt not.
· Book 1: Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
To think I almost didn't read this one.
➽ Super Extra-Short Review (SESR™) to come and stuff.
Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: I want a death chicken berserker for Christmas. Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Oh, and I'll just say one more thing: I'm officially
I rest
P.S. Thou shalt not feed family to the clowns. No, thou shalt not.
· Book 1: Dungeon Crawler Carl ★★★
[Pre-review nonsense]
To think I almost didn't read this one.
➽ Super Extra-Short Review (SESR™) to come and stuff.
November 7, 2023
4.5 stars.
The world building was amazing like in the first book. In this, the plot spans only a single level and that kinda felt like a drag. It could’ve progressed over more levels. Riding along with our beloved Carl and Donut was exciting, as always. Really excited for the next book because of setup at the end.
The world building was amazing like in the first book. In this, the plot spans only a single level and that kinda felt like a drag. It could’ve progressed over more levels. Riding along with our beloved Carl and Donut was exciting, as always. Really excited for the next book because of setup at the end.
September 16, 2023
Well, it's official. The series is even stronger in the second book. I think my favorite parts are not the quips but the strange-ass story mini-quest elements.
Of course, losing your pants is a bonus, but I'm impressed that the quests can be quite this messed up and yet potent and emotional. Big booms aren't unwelcome, either.
If you know, you know.
This LitRPG is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. I'm looking forward to Carl's internal ratings in the interviews to come.
Of course, losing your pants is a bonus, but I'm impressed that the quests can be quite this messed up and yet potent and emotional. Big booms aren't unwelcome, either.
If you know, you know.
This LitRPG is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. I'm looking forward to Carl's internal ratings in the interviews to come.
June 22, 2025
3.5🌟🌟🌟💫stars!
I feel like I may have had my fill of this litRPG story. 😂 Carl and Donut rise to a new floor: the Over City. It’s vast, grim, and full of traps. Although Dinniman has tried to open up the dungeon by christening the level “Over-city” and introducing an artificial solar cycle, the world still feels like a stage—each street, each mob, each rule. The game does feel like it has weight. Time ticks. Each move counts.
The tale blends laughs, dread, and heart. Donut, bold and sharp, brings flair. Her class—“Child Star”—adds charm and edge. Carl, now a “Bomb Guy,” must think fast and act smart. Their bond here continues to grow strong. They fight, joke, and care. It’s not just fun—it’s trust.
Although the game rules run deep, seemingly harmless entities come out as duplicitous, there are twists and turns, I still found myself trailing off when stats and loot boxes and levels came up. Layers of rules keep getting introduced. Each skill, each stat, each quest shapes the path.
I am not one to cheer this kind of videogamey depth. I did feel lost in the grind. The pace can jump—fast, then slow. At times, the plot feels packed, like too much in one bite. New entities, characters, players are introduced most of whom seem fleeting and superficial despite their detailed stats and powers, and characteristics.
Dark themes lurk. Death, loss, and fear creep in. Yet the tale keeps its spark. Jokes break the gloom, but not all land. Some scenes shock just to shock. Lots of blood and gore but not a lot of meaning. Still, most serve the plot and show how bleak this world can be.
The book dares to mix tones—jokes, gore, grief. I don’t mind the gore but there has to be substance. Hard to vibe with that. For those who do, it might hit hard and float their boat.
I feel like I may have had my fill of this litRPG story. 😂 Carl and Donut rise to a new floor: the Over City. It’s vast, grim, and full of traps. Although Dinniman has tried to open up the dungeon by christening the level “Over-city” and introducing an artificial solar cycle, the world still feels like a stage—each street, each mob, each rule. The game does feel like it has weight. Time ticks. Each move counts.
The tale blends laughs, dread, and heart. Donut, bold and sharp, brings flair. Her class—“Child Star”—adds charm and edge. Carl, now a “Bomb Guy,” must think fast and act smart. Their bond here continues to grow strong. They fight, joke, and care. It’s not just fun—it’s trust.
Although the game rules run deep, seemingly harmless entities come out as duplicitous, there are twists and turns, I still found myself trailing off when stats and loot boxes and levels came up. Layers of rules keep getting introduced. Each skill, each stat, each quest shapes the path.
I am not one to cheer this kind of videogamey depth. I did feel lost in the grind. The pace can jump—fast, then slow. At times, the plot feels packed, like too much in one bite. New entities, characters, players are introduced most of whom seem fleeting and superficial despite their detailed stats and powers, and characteristics.
Dark themes lurk. Death, loss, and fear creep in. Yet the tale keeps its spark. Jokes break the gloom, but not all land. Some scenes shock just to shock. Lots of blood and gore but not a lot of meaning. Still, most serve the plot and show how bleak this world can be.
The book dares to mix tones—jokes, gore, grief. I don’t mind the gore but there has to be substance. Hard to vibe with that. For those who do, it might hit hard and float their boat.
October 28, 2024
Another *chef’s kiss* dive into this glorious LitRPG series. The plot thickens with more of the interstellar politics outside the dungeon being revealed to our favorite reluctant heroes, the pantsless Carl and his schmarmy Persian cat companion, Princess Donut.
February 10, 2023
This is second in a LitRPG series that picks up where the first left off. Read in order.
The clever hijinks continue in this one, but Dinniman does an interesting pivot; I think successfully. The humor has been forefront from the start, but character development hasn't been stinted so I've grown attached to Carl and Donut in and of themselves. So much so that Dinniman pulled out a couple of weepy moments in this one. One sad but poignant, one simply a heart touching moment. This is amazing writing for something so overtly comedy-based.
I don't have a lot else to say. I was thoroughly entertained and completely engaged. I may not be laughing out loud as often, but I'm completely enthralled. Five stars.
A note about Chaste: This is still very chaste. Carl has too much to do to be doing other people.
The clever hijinks continue in this one, but Dinniman does an interesting pivot; I think successfully. The humor has been forefront from the start, but character development hasn't been stinted so I've grown attached to Carl and Donut in and of themselves. So much so that Dinniman pulled out a couple of weepy moments in this one. One sad but poignant, one simply a heart touching moment. This is amazing writing for something so overtly comedy-based.
I don't have a lot else to say. I was thoroughly entertained and completely engaged. I may not be laughing out loud as often, but I'm completely enthralled. Five stars.
A note about Chaste: This is still very chaste. Carl has too much to do to be doing other people.
April 16, 2025
The tutorial is over!
Carl is still in his boxers (or less), but with a new race and class! Donut also picks a fun new class and tells us her star-crossed lover story with Ferdinand.
Mordecai gets extra hot in this book, but no less drunk than usual.
Cats and velociraptors get human anatomy lessons
Unsolicited quests that involve with zombie clown bears on roller skates ensue
And lover quarrels between Elite bad girls and their Pestiferous-Vine daddy-exes
Love reconciliations via mind-parasite worms
Dead prostitutes drop from the sky, and much much more!
Pre-read🎧🚶♀️
This shit is a drug. I'm sick and exhausted all day, but it still pushed me to go out and walk so I can listen to it (no, I can't listen to audiobooks any other way. A blessing and a curse, I suppose).
Carl is still in his boxers (or less), but with a new race and class! Donut also picks a fun new class and tells us her star-crossed lover story with Ferdinand.
Mordecai gets extra hot in this book, but no less drunk than usual.
Cats and velociraptors get human anatomy lessons
Princess Donut: "HE HAS AN ERECTION, MORDECAI. IT’S VERY INAPPROPRIATE. MONGO IS APPALLED."
Unsolicited quests that involve with zombie clown bears on roller skates ensue
And lover quarrels between Elite bad girls and their Pestiferous-Vine daddy-exes
Love reconciliations via mind-parasite worms
Dead prostitutes drop from the sky, and much much more!
Pre-read🎧🚶♀️
This shit is a drug. I'm sick and exhausted all day, but it still pushed me to go out and walk so I can listen to it (no, I can't listen to audiobooks any other way. A blessing and a curse, I suppose).
April 23, 2024
New achievement! Congratulations, you've read another book. Pretty soon you'll be telling all you friends and joining a book club. Reward: Book 3's available. What are you waiting for?
This series is just so much fun :) I love how much character growth and poignant moments there are mixed in with all the humor, irreverence and mayhem. The creativity with the race/class combos is just awesome. Carl is really living up to his!
This series is just so much fun :) I love how much character growth and poignant moments there are mixed in with all the humor, irreverence and mayhem. The creativity with the race/class combos is just awesome. Carl is really living up to his!
July 14, 2025
Ah this series is soooo good. I'm absolutely loving it. The audiobooks are amazing!
March 7, 2025
I'd really like to know what was happening in the author's life the day he wrote "undulated" three times in a five-page span. He must have been going through something.
Book two! It was a slightly different experience than book one, naturally, and it reinforces the series expectation that each volume will be a whole new ballgame, reflecting the same status for each dungeon floor in-world. It took me some adjustment to get on board with the time spent on the stories associated with the quests that Carl stumbles into, complex stories that felt like they were taking away from Carl-focused experiences. But they're part of the game and are in keeping with everything that has been established about the nature of the long-term game. This book is like training for the reader for the rest of the series.
It didn't neglect Carl's story at the same time, and his attack on the broader elements holding his life in the balance takes bold new steps, with surprising and dire consequences. There's plenty of leveling up, surprising resolutions, frightening developments, complex threats both immediate and looming, and no end of overpowered madness.
The scale of this story continues to surprise me.
*********
Part two of Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret is included in the Ace hardcover edition. It adds a lot of depth to the overall story while remaining optional, but since if you read Dungeon Crawler Carl at all you're a big fan and so you should check it out. You don't have the buy the hardcover, you can borrow it from the library or surreptitiously read the short story in the bookstore.
Book two! It was a slightly different experience than book one, naturally, and it reinforces the series expectation that each volume will be a whole new ballgame, reflecting the same status for each dungeon floor in-world. It took me some adjustment to get on board with the time spent on the stories associated with the quests that Carl stumbles into, complex stories that felt like they were taking away from Carl-focused experiences. But they're part of the game and are in keeping with everything that has been established about the nature of the long-term game. This book is like training for the reader for the rest of the series.
It didn't neglect Carl's story at the same time, and his attack on the broader elements holding his life in the balance takes bold new steps, with surprising and dire consequences. There's plenty of leveling up, surprising resolutions, frightening developments, complex threats both immediate and looming, and no end of overpowered madness.
The scale of this story continues to surprise me.
*********
Part two of Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret is included in the Ace hardcover edition. It adds a lot of depth to the overall story while remaining optional, but since if you read Dungeon Crawler Carl at all you're a big fan and so you should check it out. You don't have the buy the hardcover, you can borrow it from the library or surreptitiously read the short story in the bookstore.
March 10, 2025
FUN FUN FUN
This series is like “Ready Player One” but better and more.
It is for anyone who loves adventure, action, video games and/or buddy humour. It is Goonie-esque and needs a series of high production value movies. I would love to see how the dungeon and the monsters would look in real life and I have a feeling that it wouldn’t be far from the brain cinema we get as readers because it is just so perfectly descriptive.
We love you Carl and donut xx
This series is like “Ready Player One” but better and more.
It is for anyone who loves adventure, action, video games and/or buddy humour. It is Goonie-esque and needs a series of high production value movies. I would love to see how the dungeon and the monsters would look in real life and I have a feeling that it wouldn’t be far from the brain cinema we get as readers because it is just so perfectly descriptive.
We love you Carl and donut xx
March 16, 2025
Goddamnit Donut!
This book has done it again!
Throw everything and read it. Now, before it explodes. NOW!
This book has done it again!
Throw everything and read it. Now, before it explodes. NOW!
May 23, 2025
Carl does not disappoint ;)
Can’t wait to see what happens on the next floor..
Can’t wait to see what happens on the next floor..
March 6, 2025
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
Forget about Carl’s doomsday scenario, the way that this series has completely taken over my life is MY doomsday scenario… and yet I am not even mad about it.
Now, as much as I enjoyed the first book, I have to admit that I was nervous to see how or if Dinniman would be able to keep this series from descending into a chaotic repetitive trainwreck, but I should never have worried. Carl and Princess Donut have miraculously survived the first two training levels of the dungeon, which has landed them in Over City; a metropolis turned dangerous wasteland where they are faced with an undead circus, prostitutes dropping out of the air, and malicious ancient spells, just to name a few things. So now, let the games begin: it’s time to grind, babyyyy!
Somehow, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario feels even more like a set-up book than book 1 in the series, while also having more exciting progression and expansion of the story than I could ever have imagined in my wildest dreams. And it’s absolute insanity, because I should not give a single flying fuck about diving deeper into the LitRPG elements with all the classes, skill upgrades, and stats, nor should my inner action sequence grump enjoy the absolutely unhinged boss fights so much… and yet I EAT IT ALL UP.
You see, I truly don’t care what Carl and Princess Donut (and Mongo the dinosaur of course!!) are up to, because I just love every single minute I get to spend time with them. The character development and the progression of all the weirdly heartwarming interpersonal relationships is simply phenomenal, and the fact that I am already so pathetically emotionally invested in all of them probably doesn’t bode well for my emotional well being down the road. Send help!
Now, would I enjoy this series as much if I wasn’t listening to the masterfully produced audiobooks? Possibly, but there’s simply no denying that Jeff Hays captures the heart & spirit of this world and these characters perfectly, and he just brings it all to life in a way that my boring mind never could. And you know, I am totally not ashamed to admit that I cackled and snort-laughed my entire way through Carl’s Doomsday Scenario; the absurdity truly drips off the page and the humour is beyond silly and cringe at some points, but that is exactly what makes DCC so irresistibly and weirdly charming to me.
I never, ever thought I would enjoy this fast-paced, zany adventure so much, but I have totally caught the DCC fever and now I just can’t stop. Dinniman just nails that addictive ‘just one more chapter’ vibe, and after the diabolical and explosive ending of Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, I have no other choice but to jump into book 3 immediately… GODDAMMIT!
Forget about Carl’s doomsday scenario, the way that this series has completely taken over my life is MY doomsday scenario… and yet I am not even mad about it.
Now, as much as I enjoyed the first book, I have to admit that I was nervous to see how or if Dinniman would be able to keep this series from descending into a chaotic repetitive trainwreck, but I should never have worried. Carl and Princess Donut have miraculously survived the first two training levels of the dungeon, which has landed them in Over City; a metropolis turned dangerous wasteland where they are faced with an undead circus, prostitutes dropping out of the air, and malicious ancient spells, just to name a few things. So now, let the games begin: it’s time to grind, babyyyy!
Somehow, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario feels even more like a set-up book than book 1 in the series, while also having more exciting progression and expansion of the story than I could ever have imagined in my wildest dreams. And it’s absolute insanity, because I should not give a single flying fuck about diving deeper into the LitRPG elements with all the classes, skill upgrades, and stats, nor should my inner action sequence grump enjoy the absolutely unhinged boss fights so much… and yet I EAT IT ALL UP.
You see, I truly don’t care what Carl and Princess Donut (and Mongo the dinosaur of course!!) are up to, because I just love every single minute I get to spend time with them. The character development and the progression of all the weirdly heartwarming interpersonal relationships is simply phenomenal, and the fact that I am already so pathetically emotionally invested in all of them probably doesn’t bode well for my emotional well being down the road. Send help!
Now, would I enjoy this series as much if I wasn’t listening to the masterfully produced audiobooks? Possibly, but there’s simply no denying that Jeff Hays captures the heart & spirit of this world and these characters perfectly, and he just brings it all to life in a way that my boring mind never could. And you know, I am totally not ashamed to admit that I cackled and snort-laughed my entire way through Carl’s Doomsday Scenario; the absurdity truly drips off the page and the humour is beyond silly and cringe at some points, but that is exactly what makes DCC so irresistibly and weirdly charming to me.
I never, ever thought I would enjoy this fast-paced, zany adventure so much, but I have totally caught the DCC fever and now I just can’t stop. Dinniman just nails that addictive ‘just one more chapter’ vibe, and after the diabolical and explosive ending of Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, I have no other choice but to jump into book 3 immediately… GODDAMMIT!
March 3, 2024
Really enjoyed book 2, but it didn't quite hit me the way book 1 did. It was a solid second entry into the story, just missing out on some of the highest highs of its predecessor (both in terms of tense moments or glurp glurping laughter).
For the next installment, I'm hoping for something a bit new to enter the equation and shake up the story's formula a bit. I can see how this could get a bit repetitive. Although the reviews see to stay very positive throughout. I got though this one very fast, so let's see where the next one goes...
For the next installment, I'm hoping for something a bit new to enter the equation and shake up the story's formula a bit. I can see how this could get a bit repetitive. Although the reviews see to stay very positive throughout. I got though this one very fast, so let's see where the next one goes...
March 26, 2024
This is the second book of the “Carl Series.” And this is my second review of this book (The initial review is below the line.). The reason that I am reviewing this book again is because a GR friend suggested that I listen Jeff Hays read and I was able to get the audio book.
1. There is nothing to complain about in the way Hays dramatizes this book. His voices are well chosen and he is good at bringing out Dinniman's subtle (and not so subtle humor).
2. Going through this book again (after reading books 1-6) gave me new appreciation of how well Dinniman planned this whole thing. I didn't realize how much he had front-loaded that was essential to the coming levels and struggles.
3. Finally, I am much more appreciative of the way in which this series explores the human condition and I see more connections to such great authors as Bernard Cornwell in their mutual love for the common people and their struggles to resist the demands of the rich and powerful.
And then there is Dinniman's commentary on our current world which is both snarky and on target: "“But he was a little crazy. He knew our names.” “Yeah, I don’t know why he knew you,” said Mordecai. “But anyway, on the surface, you had a small segment of society who believed really crazy things. Like aliens walked among the people and that lizard folk had taken over the highest levels of government. You know what I’m talking about, right?” “I do,” I said. “But they don’t seem so crazy now, do they?... Anyway, I’m talking about crazy, conspiracy nuts. People who believe the government is trying to use mind control on them, secret societies, gay frogs who shoot tracking microchips into you using cellular towers, and so on and so forth. Not your run-of-the-mill conspiracy theorists, but those who go the extra mile. Tin-foil-hat-wearing, silver-drinking nutjobs. The kind of people who cover their vehicles with crazy, schizophrenic text about radio signals coming from toilets.” “I know exactly what you mean,” I said. “That’s a city elf. They are designated as a separate race because their stupidity is so outstanding, the high elves consider it a genetic defect and kick them out."
____________________________________________________________
Unlike many RPG/Lit series the second is a fine continuation. Things a moving along with a much more complex plotline. The encounters are also more complex and Dinniman shows his talents in making it all engaging and entertaining.
For those who want to know what this is all about see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The world building. Aliens come to Earth. We learn (as does Carl) that they are here to mine the Earth for its rare minerals. But wait! There is more. They are doing so in a way that Earth’s human population is drastically reduced. The remaining fraction of 1 % find themselves “invited” to take shelter below ground. They learn subsequently that they must survive (as best they can) a multi-level maze filled with traps and monsters. For each “success” they receive greater powers and/or equipment. It isn’t long before they learn that this “challenge” is being broadcast galaxy-wide to all intelligent species who are as interested in it as many were to the show “Survivor.” Carl isn’t the best prepared for this – finding himself with his (ex?) girlfriend’s cat (Donut) as they enter. Among the things that Carl must cope with are: Donut may be smarter than he is; Donut can talk; and Carl was surprised and left without his pants or shoes. All will be explained.
4.5*
These really must be read in order!
1. There is nothing to complain about in the way Hays dramatizes this book. His voices are well chosen and he is good at bringing out Dinniman's subtle (and not so subtle humor).
2. Going through this book again (after reading books 1-6) gave me new appreciation of how well Dinniman planned this whole thing. I didn't realize how much he had front-loaded that was essential to the coming levels and struggles.
3. Finally, I am much more appreciative of the way in which this series explores the human condition and I see more connections to such great authors as Bernard Cornwell in their mutual love for the common people and their struggles to resist the demands of the rich and powerful.
And then there is Dinniman's commentary on our current world which is both snarky and on target: "“But he was a little crazy. He knew our names.” “Yeah, I don’t know why he knew you,” said Mordecai. “But anyway, on the surface, you had a small segment of society who believed really crazy things. Like aliens walked among the people and that lizard folk had taken over the highest levels of government. You know what I’m talking about, right?” “I do,” I said. “But they don’t seem so crazy now, do they?... Anyway, I’m talking about crazy, conspiracy nuts. People who believe the government is trying to use mind control on them, secret societies, gay frogs who shoot tracking microchips into you using cellular towers, and so on and so forth. Not your run-of-the-mill conspiracy theorists, but those who go the extra mile. Tin-foil-hat-wearing, silver-drinking nutjobs. The kind of people who cover their vehicles with crazy, schizophrenic text about radio signals coming from toilets.” “I know exactly what you mean,” I said. “That’s a city elf. They are designated as a separate race because their stupidity is so outstanding, the high elves consider it a genetic defect and kick them out."
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Unlike many RPG/Lit series the second is a fine continuation. Things a moving along with a much more complex plotline. The encounters are also more complex and Dinniman shows his talents in making it all engaging and entertaining.
For those who want to know what this is all about see https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The world building. Aliens come to Earth. We learn (as does Carl) that they are here to mine the Earth for its rare minerals. But wait! There is more. They are doing so in a way that Earth’s human population is drastically reduced. The remaining fraction of 1 % find themselves “invited” to take shelter below ground. They learn subsequently that they must survive (as best they can) a multi-level maze filled with traps and monsters. For each “success” they receive greater powers and/or equipment. It isn’t long before they learn that this “challenge” is being broadcast galaxy-wide to all intelligent species who are as interested in it as many were to the show “Survivor.” Carl isn’t the best prepared for this – finding himself with his (ex?) girlfriend’s cat (Donut) as they enter. Among the things that Carl must cope with are: Donut may be smarter than he is; Donut can talk; and Carl was surprised and left without his pants or shoes. All will be explained.
4.5*
These really must be read in order!
June 19, 2025
this book is relentless with its obstacles. just when you think carl, donut, and mongo might catch a break on the third floor, another challenge appears. the escalating conflicts made their connection feel precious and hard-won.
the over city's urban wasteland introduces circus quests and murder mysteries that showcase dinniman's range. what surprised me was how game mechanics become metaphor. rpg elements aren't just plot devices but commentary on agency and identity when the world treats you like entertainment.
the found family dynamic between carl, donut, and mongo evolves beautifully. each character learns to protect the others in ways that feel authentic to their personalities. donut maintains her aristocratic cat energy while showing genuine care, and carl's growth from reluctant survivor to protective leader feels earned rather than forced.
the book tackles exploitation and spectacle without losing its humor. balances satirical commentary on reality tv culture with genuine emotional stakes. manages to critique how suffering becomes entertainment while delivering laugh-out-loud moments and real character development.
what impressed me most was the moral complexity. the story explores maintaining humanity and empathy in a system designed for spectacle, asking hard questions about heroism and survival without becoming preachy.
perfect for readers wanting litrpg with substance, fans of terry pratchett's approach to serious themes through humor, or anyone craving stories about ordinary people finding strength through connection.
excellent continuation when you want character development that deepens rather than repeats the first book's beats.
arc received from ace books via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.
the over city's urban wasteland introduces circus quests and murder mysteries that showcase dinniman's range. what surprised me was how game mechanics become metaphor. rpg elements aren't just plot devices but commentary on agency and identity when the world treats you like entertainment.
the found family dynamic between carl, donut, and mongo evolves beautifully. each character learns to protect the others in ways that feel authentic to their personalities. donut maintains her aristocratic cat energy while showing genuine care, and carl's growth from reluctant survivor to protective leader feels earned rather than forced.
the book tackles exploitation and spectacle without losing its humor. balances satirical commentary on reality tv culture with genuine emotional stakes. manages to critique how suffering becomes entertainment while delivering laugh-out-loud moments and real character development.
what impressed me most was the moral complexity. the story explores maintaining humanity and empathy in a system designed for spectacle, asking hard questions about heroism and survival without becoming preachy.
perfect for readers wanting litrpg with substance, fans of terry pratchett's approach to serious themes through humor, or anyone craving stories about ordinary people finding strength through connection.
excellent continuation when you want character development that deepens rather than repeats the first book's beats.
arc received from ace books via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.
March 24, 2023
Not as funny as book one, but still pretty fun.
It's about a guy running around in his boxers, blowing stuff up, fighting clowns and solving the murder of several prostitutes, all while accompanied by a talking cat and a velociraptor. The story is about what you'd expect from the premise.
It's about a guy running around in his boxers, blowing stuff up, fighting clowns and solving the murder of several prostitutes, all while accompanied by a talking cat and a velociraptor. The story is about what you'd expect from the premise.
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