DCC was recommended to me for its excellent narration and RPG-adjacent story line. I love all things scifi, and enjoy TTRPGs, but fantasy is hit or miss depending on the depth and motivation of the characters. DCC is a fun combination of all three genres in a Hunger Games-esque setting.

Jeff Hays does an excellent job differentiating and animating his characters. At first some voices seem a bit ridiculous or borderline offensive, but in a world where everything is an over-the-top caricature they quickly settle into the tone of the story. What felt abrasive in the first few chapters becomes welcome energy and enthusiasm as Carl “crawls” from one peril to the next.

I deducted one star for the story only because it feels almost TOO familiar. Reluctantly-single blue collar/ex-military man finds himself fighting for his life and defending humanity against a previously unknown alien threat with the help of his egotistical and eccentric companion/comedy relief. Sound familiar? Maybe replacing a beer can with a cat? I recently gave up on the “Expeditionary Force” series by Craig Alanson because it was supposed to end around book 8, and by book 14 there is no character development or intrigue left. Just same story, higher stakes, and a bunch of mental gymnastics to make some hair-brained solution work. I fear DCC could fall into the same trap, but the formula is sound and the dungeon mechanics present a clear end-point for the story. As long as Carl and Donut both grow as characters as they thwart each new peril, I’m here for the ride. I hope Matt Dinniman has a clear story map and sticks to his original end point so this series remains a crawl in name, not in practice.