Dungeon Crawler Carl was a wild ride, my first audiobook that actually clicked, and that alone made the experience memorable. The narration (by Jeff Hays) really brought the characters to life, especially Carl and his wonderfully foul-mouthed, battle-ready cat companion, Princess Donut. There’s a great balance of humor, absurdity, and high-stakes action that kept me entertained for most of the journey.
The premise itself is delightfully chaotic: Earth is suddenly transformed into a massive reality TV-style dungeon crawl, with survivors forced to fight through levels filled with monsters, traps, and twisted challenges, all broadcast for alien audiences. It’s bizarre, brutal, and surprisingly clever in its worldbuilding.
That said, it didn’t always grip me. While there were moments I couldn’t put it down (or pause it, in this case), there were also sections that felt a bit stretched or repetitive. The pacing lagged occasionally, and I found myself drifting now and then. Still, the charm of the main characters and the sheer creativity of the dungeon mechanics pulled me through.
All in all, I’m definitely invested. There’s a lot of promise in the setup, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Carl, and Princess Donut, evolve in future installments. It’s weird, it’s funny, it’s surprisingly heartfelt, and it’s unlike anything I’ve read (or listened to) before.