Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
December 9, 2024 3:53 AM - Subscribe
The apocalypse will be televised!
You know what’s worse than breaking up with your girlfriend? Being stuck with her prize-winning show cat. And you know what’s worse than that? An alien invasion, the destruction of all man-made structures on Earth, and the systematic exploitation of all the survivors for a sadistic intergalactic game show. That’s what.
Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.
Blurb stolen from Amazon.
Join Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as they try to survive the end of the world—or just get to the next level—in a video game–like, trap-filled fantasy dungeon. A dungeon that’s actually the set of a reality television show with countless viewers across the galaxy. Exploding goblins. Magical potions. Deadly, drug-dealing llamas. This ain’t your ordinary game show.
Welcome, Crawler. Welcome to the Dungeon. Survival is optional. Keeping the viewers entertained is not.
Blurb stolen from Amazon.
I have been poking at the LitRPG subgenre for a little while and I've been tempted by this one (it seems to be the first mainstream Western example) and I will read this thread with interest.
posted by restless_nomad at 5:28 AM on December 9
posted by restless_nomad at 5:28 AM on December 9
I have read exactly zero other LitRPGs, but I'm really, really enjoying this series (I'm just at the beginning of book 4). I was very reluctant to even try it, because the "back of book blurb" doesn't sound appealing at all, but it's really fun, and heartfelt, and exciting. I've tried recommending it to some friends but it's a tough sell. I fully expect this series to blow up big time once it is inevitably adapted for other media.
posted by joelhunt at 5:42 AM on December 9 [2 favorites]
posted by joelhunt at 5:42 AM on December 9 [2 favorites]
NEW ACHIEVEMENT!
I picked this up with great dubiousness and hesitation after seeing it recommended a bunch of times on reddit. It is really a fun enjoyable read. Yes, violent and the pot is kind of utterly ridiculous but also funny and surprisingly warm and hopeful at its core.
I’m reading book 7 now, and I would align the series in some ways as solarpunk. It highlights the resilience and essential capabilities for goodness and caring in people, even in very difficult situations.
It is well written with clean and straightforward style that doesn’t get in the way of the narrative. You can choose to deeply engage with the complex mechanics and plot or just go along for the ride.
The audiobooks are also very well done, and I say that as an anti-audiobook snob.
I’d recommend this for a try for folks who like sci fi or fantasy.
posted by jeoc at 6:25 AM on December 9
I picked this up with great dubiousness and hesitation after seeing it recommended a bunch of times on reddit. It is really a fun enjoyable read. Yes, violent and the pot is kind of utterly ridiculous but also funny and surprisingly warm and hopeful at its core.
I’m reading book 7 now, and I would align the series in some ways as solarpunk. It highlights the resilience and essential capabilities for goodness and caring in people, even in very difficult situations.
It is well written with clean and straightforward style that doesn’t get in the way of the narrative. You can choose to deeply engage with the complex mechanics and plot or just go along for the ride.
The audiobooks are also very well done, and I say that as an anti-audiobook snob.
I’d recommend this for a try for folks who like sci fi or fantasy.
posted by jeoc at 6:25 AM on December 9
I decided to give LitRPG an honest try and after reading a couple other “heavy hitters” recommended on FB I decided to try the one recommended MOST often, Dungeon Crawler Carl. It is hilarious and well done and fast paced and yes, very violent and I screamed through the rest of the series but struggled a bit with book 6 (just understanding what was going on if I out the book down and picked it up again a couple of days later) so I haven’t tried book 7 yet but it’s in my Kindle, waiting.
posted by annathea at 8:03 AM on December 9
posted by annathea at 8:03 AM on December 9
Fortuitous timing, I just finished a marathon binge of the series.
If you're looking for something similar, I am now reading the He Who Fights with Monsters series by Shirtaloon. It's not so much tongue in cheek but has an engaging story.
posted by Marticus at 2:20 PM on December 9
If you're looking for something similar, I am now reading the He Who Fights with Monsters series by Shirtaloon. It's not so much tongue in cheek but has an engaging story.
posted by Marticus at 2:20 PM on December 9
Goddamnit, donut.
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:13 AM on December 10 [1 favorite]
posted by mcstayinskool at 11:13 AM on December 10 [1 favorite]
I've loved this series. First real litrpg book, but my wife and I enjoyed Orconomics which is a similar genre.
It's funny, has good action, has good downtime between fights.
I'm fully caught up on book 7, but the audiobooks are by far the best way to read this (7 releases in February). Jeff Hayes the narrator is amazing. He does all the voices by himself, which is astonishing how different & also consistent they are. It's also great because Dinniman the author is friends with Hayes, so he's been progressively messing with him. Describing voices in more and more absurd ways. Which is pretty funny. Hayes has done behind the scenes 'cold reads' on youtube which are great, showing the workflow he uses at least at first.
posted by cschneid at 11:09 AM on December 12 [1 favorite]
It's funny, has good action, has good downtime between fights.
I'm fully caught up on book 7, but the audiobooks are by far the best way to read this (7 releases in February). Jeff Hayes the narrator is amazing. He does all the voices by himself, which is astonishing how different & also consistent they are. It's also great because Dinniman the author is friends with Hayes, so he's been progressively messing with him. Describing voices in more and more absurd ways. Which is pretty funny. Hayes has done behind the scenes 'cold reads' on youtube which are great, showing the workflow he uses at least at first.
posted by cschneid at 11:09 AM on December 12 [1 favorite]
You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments
It isn't going to be for everyone, but it definitely hts a sweet spot for me.
posted by Literaryhero at 3:55 AM on December 9