What a wild, hilarious, action-packed ride! Dungeon Crawler Carl is everything I didn’t know I needed in a LitRPG—and then some.
From the very first chapter, this book grabs you with its absurd premise: Earth is destroyed, humanity is turned into unwilling contestants in a sadistic alien reality show, and the survivors must dungeon-crawl their way through death traps and bizarre monsters just to stay alive (and maybe win some prizes). It’s like The Hunger Games met The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in a D&D campaign on acid—and it works.
The heart and soul of the story is undoubtedly the dynamic duo of Carl and his feline companion, Princess Donut. Carl is the kind of protagonist you root for immediately: a sarcastic, down-on-his-luck guy who doesn’t take crap from anyone but still manages to be deeply human in the face of complete chaos. And Princess Donut? An absolutely unhinged delight. She’s a fluffy, pampered housecat suddenly given sentience, magical powers, and a flair for the dramatic. Their banter is comedy gold—genuinely laugh-out-loud funny—and their growing friendship gives the story real emotional depth.
But it’s not just jokes and banter. The action is tight, intense, and surprisingly complex. The dungeon levels are filled with creative challenges, clever puzzles, and terrifying monsters. There’s a constant sense of danger, but also a real sense of progression and strategy. The LitRPG elements are well integrated, never feeling like stats for the sake of stats, but rather as tools that enhance the narrative.
And best of all? The storyline is addictive. Beneath the insanity and jokes is a genuinely intriguing mystery about the dungeon, the game’s creators, and Carl’s place in it all. The book balances world-building with pacing beautifully—you’re laughing one moment, biting your nails the next, and always eager to find out what’s on the next floor.
If you like offbeat humor, high-stakes action, and characters that feel like your new best friends (or frenemies), do yourself a favor and dive into Dungeon Crawler Carl. Just be warned: once you start, you won’t want to come back up for air.