After reading the first three books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman while traveling between Christmas and New Years, I was excited to continue with the series. In the short time since, I’ve flown through the next three books: The Gate of the Feral Gods, The Butcher’s Masquerade, and The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.
These books continue the story of Carl and Princess Donut, his ex-girlfriend’s cat, as they compete in the galactic gameshow, Dungeon Crawler World after the collapse of the Earth. These installments cover floors 5 through 8 of the dungeon.
When I initially started the series, I enjoyed it a lot, but was slightly worried that it might get repetitive after a while. I’m pleased to report, this isn’t the case at all! Each level has a new setting, mechanic, or storyline, and the author does a good job of distinguishing each floor while still furthering the overall story. I particularly liked the sixth floor, in which the Crawlers have the added complication of having to deal with “Hunters” — outside players who have entered the game and are tracking and killing Crawlers for their equipment to use on a later floor (also sometimes for revenge!) — while dealing with a vampire dinosaur problem and preparing for a talent show at the castle of an elven queen that probably wants to kill them all.
Carl and Donut have become two of the most popular players in the game, and that means that they enthusiastically get (in Donut’s case) or begrudgingly have (in Carl’s case) to do more promotional events and interviews. While being entertaining, these have the added benefit of showing the reader what the state of the outside world is like. The incident where Carl attends a comic con-like event and has to judge a children’s art competition I found particularly amusing.
I also liked that other Crawlers got to play a bigger role. While the earlier books had Donut and Carl interacting with other Crawlers, the interactions on the later floors are greatly expanded. For example, on the fifth floor, everyone is placed into a “bubble” and is forced to work with others to complete the level. We get to meet players in person that previously were only shown glimpses of in recap clips broadcast throughout the dungeon. Of course, some of the players are friendly (like the workers and residents of Meadow Lark retirement home), and some not so much (like Maggie My, who arguably has justifiable reasons for wanting Carl dead). What I found most intriguing though is the meetings where it’s not entirely clear whether the other person is friend or foe, which makes for some great dramatic moments.
Overall, these are just as much fun as the earlier books, and they do a good job of expanding the understanding of the world, deepening the relationships between the characters (Carl’s friendship with Donut is really the soul of the books), and increasing the stakes. Next up: the ninth floor!