Do NOT Sleep on Dungeon Crawler Carl

https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/1iwoip9/do_not_sleep_on_dungeon_crawler_carl/

created by Mounta1anmama on 24/02/2025 at 00:03 UTC

1373 upvotes, 166 top-level comments (showing 25)

A few months ago I watched a Booktok about a book I had never heard of previously and the premise was something I would not normally read. But the review was intriguing and so I started reading “Dungeon Crawler Carl”. I have basically done nothing since but read the series. I’m on the fourth book now.

This book is crazy weird but delightful and imaginative. The author Matt Dinniman writes without rules which provides a refreshing and surprising story line.

I haven’t heard many people talking about it, and like I mentioned before, the premise is wacky so I just had to come on here and sing its praises! Read it if you haven’t!

Comments

Comment by c-e-bird at 24/02/2025 at 00:28 UTC

632 upvotes, 17 direct replies

I read like 50+ books a year and this is the most fun I’ve had reading since I was a child reading Harry Potter.

I’m 35.

Also, the audiobooks are the best audiobooks I’ve ever heard by several orders of magnitude.

Comment by UncleLazer at 24/02/2025 at 00:08 UTC

250 upvotes, 5 direct replies

The audiobook for this series is incredibly done.

Comment by KunfusedJarrodo at 24/02/2025 at 01:19 UTC

148 upvotes, 17 direct replies

What I’ve read of LitRPG I haven’t been a big fan. I think all of them I didn’t even finish. They all felt like fan fiction of a video game and the whole stats and leveling up thing really put me off. Is this book different?

Comment by A_Gringo666 at 24/02/2025 at 00:15 UTC

71 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Try in r/fantasy and r/ProgressionFantasy. It's very popular in those circles.

Comment by keepfighting90 at 24/02/2025 at 02:41 UTC

93 upvotes, 18 direct replies

Is this book like good good, or just good for a litRPG? I've tried a few of those before and had to DNF every single one because they're so badly written.

Also I've been burned by "Reddit darling" genre fiction before that people on this sub fawn over only to find them incredibly mediocre like Stormlight Archives and Project Hail Mary...

Comment by photoguy423 at 24/02/2025 at 00:13 UTC

104 upvotes, 9 direct replies

When you’re ready, join the rest of us that are going through withdrawal waiting for book 8. We’re over in r/dungeoncrawlercarl

Comment by WhatIsASunAnyway at 24/02/2025 at 00:11 UTC

79 upvotes, 3 direct replies

I've been reading it for the past couple months now, and it's probably the most fun I've had with reading something in ages.

It's very goofy, kinda low stakes stuff.

Comment by not-hoppity at 24/02/2025 at 00:31 UTC

72 upvotes, 4 direct replies

This book is always mentioned in the audiobook and book suggestion subreddits.

Unpopular opinion but I did not enjoy the story. The audiobook was very well done and I would give it 5 stars. But the story gets a 1 star from me.

Comment by DeadpooI at 24/02/2025 at 00:35 UTC

14 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Yeah, Dungeon Crawler Carl is probably the poster child for LitRPG and is one of if not the most highly rated books of the genre. Or at the very least most recommended and beloved.

Comment by Realone561 at 24/02/2025 at 00:56 UTC

26 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I thought it was complete booty juice until I saw how much some people like it. Then I realized it’s just not for me

Comment by portezbie at 24/02/2025 at 13:25 UTC

6 upvotes, 0 direct replies

For anyone who's already read DCC and looking for another author who might scratch that itch, I really recommend Jason Pargin who wrote the John Dies at the End series and the Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits series.

Has a similar sort of humor and zaniness you'll probably enjoy.

Comment by terriaminute at 24/02/2025 at 01:30 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I tried. It was not for me. That has nothing to do with its worthiness. It's just not prose I could enjoy. I'm delighted so many people enjoy it--I hope that encourages other writers to do somewhat similar stories, and maybe one or more of those will appeal to me. This is why we need ALL the writers. :)

Comment by artemis_meowing at 24/02/2025 at 00:15 UTC

28 upvotes, 2 direct replies

It’s an awesome series! Love me some Donut!

Comment by SnooWoofers530 at 24/02/2025 at 00:31 UTC

6 upvotes, 1 direct replies

I'm on book 3 and I've seen it recommended a lot to be honest

Comment by spaztick1 at 24/02/2025 at 01:19 UTC

7 upvotes, 2 direct replies

I'm actually reading the third or fourth one now (the one with the trains). I don't know if it's just getting repetitive, or if I just don't like this one book. The first couple were good enough that I'll read the next one, but I hope they get better.

Comment by constantreader78 at 25/02/2025 at 09:21 UTC

4 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Hard agree. I usually avoid supposedly ‘funny’ books, because humour is so subjective and when it doesn’t hit right, it’s kinda painful. Also I’m cranky, and prefer my stuff on the bleaker side.

I absolutely LOVE Dungeon Crawler Carl. I have already pre-named my next cat ‘Princess Donut’, and I’m constantly wondering where I can get a dinosaur buddy.

I’m currently going through the series via audio, and it’s so well done. I will randomly yell ‘Neeeewwwwwwww achievement’ every time one happens, and my cats are getting worried about me.

Comment by Ok_Camel_1949 at 24/02/2025 at 00:21 UTC

18 upvotes, 1 direct replies

The audio version is really good too.

Comment by sometimes_point at 24/02/2025 at 03:01 UTC

23 upvotes, 5 direct replies

Don't get the hype. Every time I hear about it it sounds awful tbqh.

Comment by luthienxo at 24/02/2025 at 00:25 UTC

18 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I've heard the title recommended so many times on r/audiobooks and here as well.

I wanted to be a hater... But goddammit donut, thes books are freaking amazing.

Comment by Mariellemarie at 24/02/2025 at 00:40 UTC

11 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I was in a huge reading slump at the start of this year and as soon as I picked up the first book, I devoured it and the next four. I haven’t started book 6 yet since I was kind of burnt out on it but I’m planning to resume soon!!

I just love Carl and Donut and I was expecting it to be absolutely insane and lighthearted fun throughout but was very pleasantly surprised when it contained real depth and themes in addition. Just great writing, characters, world building, and storylines. One of the best series I’ve read in a while it’s seriously such a breath of fresh air!!!

Comment by No-Calligrapher6859 at 24/02/2025 at 00:21 UTC

15 upvotes, 1 direct replies

DCC has been the crown jewel of r/ProgressionFantasy for years already (always in top 3 recommended), and recently r/Fantasy has also been filled with posts abt it

it just got very mainstream lately due to getting published in bookstores

Comment by jaime-the-lion at 24/02/2025 at 14:47 UTC

7 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Just read the first book for book club. Safe to say, you can sleep on this book. Overall, I did not like it, but there were positive moments. My review below, if you care.

The Good:

Donut is the funniest character. I love how she keeps offering insight into just how little Bea cared about Carl.

Dinniman writes absurdity really well. I really felt the “what?” vibe he was going for.

I really understood the RPG he built. The health, mana, levels, items, minimap. That’s got to be hard to write in a way that makes sense, and I appreciate the world building.

The Bad:

Relies on juvenile humor more often than not. Someone should tell Mr. Dinniman, there’s nothing funny about swearing on its own.

Plot is equal parts Hitchhiker’s Guide and Hunger Games, but not as funny as the first or as compelling as the second.

Carl has no personality. I don’t get him at all. He’s a mary sue heroic everyman, who is smart, but not haughty, brave, but cautious, strong, but tender, and he breezes through challenges.

Building on that, I never felt like the characters were in any real danger. They defeated each boss in like two pages.

Dinniman uses the “I have a plan” without telling us the plan to build suspense before action sequences, and I fucking hate it. Christopher Paolini did this too.

I get that the format is constrained by the serial nature of the story Mr. Dinniman telling, but I felt that the first installment had almost no payoff or conclusion. It’s just cliffhanger after cliffhanger in act one of a looong series, and I don’t have the heart to read on.

Comment by tom-tildrum at 24/02/2025 at 00:45 UTC

19 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Glurp Glurp!

Comment by Hoosteen_juju003 at 24/02/2025 at 04:12 UTC

21 upvotes, 3 direct replies

This isn’t the next Ready Player One, is it?

Comment by Necessary_Chemical at 24/02/2025 at 13:20 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Hopefully they'll edit some paperback versions because all of the ones that are available on Amazon (in Europe) are the hardcovers that go for 30 euros or more which is a bit prohibitive.