DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL

Matt Dinniman

An A Perceptual Shift Book Review

It shouldn't work nearly as well as it does.

The premise of Dungeon Crawler Carl is, frankly, ridiculous.

Earth is essentially repossessed. Most of humanity is killed almost instantly. The survivors are given an opportunity to enter an enormous, televised dungeon where they fight monsters, complete quests, gain levels, collect loot, and try not to die while the rest of the universe watches.

Our hero enters wearing a leather jacket, boxer shorts, and a pair of Crocs.

His companion is his ex-girlfriend's cat, Princess Donut.

And somehow, out of that absurdity, Matt Dinniman creates something remarkably compelling.

On the surface, Dungeon Crawler Carl is exactly what it appears to be: violent, ridiculous, funny, fast-paced LitRPG.

But underneath all of that is something much more interesting.

It's a story about people trying to remain human in circumstances designed to strip their humanity away.

Carl and Donut aren't simply trying to survive. They're being watched. Their suffering is entertainment. Their decisions are influenced by systems they don't control, rules they didn't create, and an audience that rewards spectacle.

The absurdity makes the book fun.

The implications of that absurdity make it interesting.

The relationship between Carl and Donut is also much more effective than I expected it to be. What could easily have become a one-note joke gradually develops into the emotional center of the story.

They're funny together.

They're frequently ridiculous.

But they also need one another.

And as the dungeon becomes increasingly hostile, that relationship gives the story something surprisingly human to hold onto.

There is plenty here that shouldn't work.

The premise shouldn't work.

The talking cat probably shouldn't work.

The video-game mechanics shouldn't work nearly as well on the page as they do.

And yet I kept reading.

Then I kept wanting to read.

Eventually, I stopped thinking about how ridiculous the concept was and became genuinely invested in what happened to these characters.

That's probably the biggest compliment I can give Dungeon Crawler Carl.

It convinced me to take something completely absurd seriously without ever asking me to stop laughing at how absurd it was.

It's funny, violent, imaginative, and surprisingly thoughtful.

And knowing where the series eventually goes makes the foundation Dinniman builds here even more impressive.

I went into Dungeon Crawler Carl expecting entertainment.

I didn't expect to find this much humanity underneath it.