Matt Dinniman

Exactly as advertised on the tin — fast paced video game/ reality tv type of entertainment, with fantasy/dnd adventure. I’m troubled by it. On the one hand, it’s a compulsive read. The characters are decently developed and absolutely the sort of heroes I want to cheer on. There’s a lot of unsubtle commentary about corporate greed and fascism. There’s a lot of humanity in between the blood baths, and Donut’s very cat self is highly entertaining.

It’s also deeply horrifying. The show more trauma and sorrow throughout are part of what makes it compelling, but also very hard to read. We are the consumers of this entertainment, even as the message of the book despises everything about its own set up.

Complicated. Not particularly funny if you are prone to overthinking as I am. I’ve heard great things about the audio and I suspect that might be more humorous. show less

Series Info/Source: This is the 1st book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I got an eGalley of this from NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I had high exceptions and was super excited to read this book...and they were all exceeded. I have been reading a whole bunch of really amazing books lately and this one was right up there with all of them. This was incredibly hilarious and entertaining and I absolutely loved every minute of it.

When Carl's cheating girlfriend's (soon to be ex girlfriend) show more prize show cat literally goes out on a limb, Carl steps out into the cold winter night wearing his boxers, a leather jacket and his (ex) girlfriend's pink crocs to rescue the cat. He does rescue the cat but then the world literally collapses. Yes, every structure in the world is suddenly a flat pile of rubble and Caril is freezing and being subjected to an announcement by an alien race. Any survivors can try to make a go of it on the surface or they can delve into the newly formed dungeon to win their freedom. Well it's cold and Carl is in his boxers, so when the Dungeon entrance appears it's nice and cozy and warm so in Carl and Princess Donut (the cat). How was Carl to know what he was getting himself in to? Or that the world-reknown show cat, Princess Donut, would have better stats then he does in this odd game?

This book was amazing. It is hilarious, unexpected, with strangely heartwarming moments, an odd foot fetish and a premise that is crazily believable. There was never a dull moment in this book, things just kept getting more and more intriguing as I read. There were also many times where I was laughing so hard I almost peed myself and my husband was looking at me oddly asking what my problem was. Then I would try to explain to him what I was reading and he would just shake his head and say "Uh, okay I'm glad you are enjoying yourself." I am totally going to buy this series on audiobook and make him listen to it at some point.

I don't even know how to explain this book. If you like RPGs or post-apocalyptic survival reads with a lot of dark humor, then this is the book for you. The premise is super well thought-out and the surprises keep coming. The magic/gaming system combined with the corporate exploitation is spot on. This is so much hilariousness and irony in here it might kill you. This can also be pretty gory and gross at times, so heads up if you are squeamish.

I don't really know what else to say about this. After reading it, I immediately acquired the rest of the series. Not something I normally do because I've been burned by that before, but in this case OMG I need the whole series. I need to be part of this strange intergalactic dungeon crawl where the cat has higher charisma and strength (but lower constitution) than anything else in the room.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I think this is my favorite read of the year so far. Which is really saying something since I have read a lot of amazing books recently. Do you like fantasy adventure with a dash of apocalypse, a heap of gory foot stomping, and an incredibly capable cat? Well then this is the book for you. I loved it and plan to read the second book shortly. show less

It’s an indulgent story with a ridiculous implausible concept and I’m so here for it.

Imagine books like The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner if you take out all the political and social commentary and replaced it with the goofiest stuff you can think of like goblin motorcycles, centaur-crab armor, and talking cats. You don’t even have to be really creative, just steal it from the nerdy video games and books and movies you like (not unlike Ready Player One) and mix it all together. show more It’s very “power fantasy”. But, like, why not? If you can make it entertaining, write that.

Reading this book is like reading a guy playing a video game (not in the licensed novelization sense). The narrator refers to his vision as a “screen”, his “health” as a numerical gauge, without much explanation of what that translates to in real-world terms. He’s in an alien reality show taking place in a mega-dungeon, including video game mechanics like achievements and an inventory in hammerspace. But that also means all the cruft is taken off. So what do you want? Do you want infodumping of a character contemplating or explaining what “+1 to your health” means? Or do you want to get to the fun? It’s like when you go on a brewery tour. Sure, you could find out about the vats and the fermentation process and the canning. But aren’t you just here for the tasting room? This book is all tasting room.

Is this the new pulp fiction? Just all the self-indulgent, hedonistic, sensational stuff that inflames our base carnal instincts? I’m not saying it like it’s a bad thing. The hero is reminiscent of the backstory-less badass heroes they had in those days, like Allan Quatermain, The Shadow, and Doc Strange. And those heroes turned into beloved icons like Indiana Jones and Batman and… Doctor Strange.

Art is supposed to appeal to the senses, to make you feel something. And if that something is anime-gynoid strippers dripping chocolate icing over your naked body in the freshly buttered orgy pit, who am I to judge? It’s not trying to say anything profound or take itself seriously or comment on the existentialism of humanity or junk like that. It’s just weird stuff happens.

I got to be honest, I feel like this book was made for me, so I’ll be reading more. It gets right to the heart of “I wish I were cool and fought bad guys and girls liked me.” The story is so unapologetically a Marty Stu that it came out the other side into awesomeness and said, “Yeah, I’m a nerd fantasy, and we’re turning this up to 11! You’re getting ALL the nerd, baby!” show less

Well, this was just a ton of fun. I made The Hubster start reading it before I was even halfway through myself.

Carl is a Coast Guard veteran who has recently broken up with his girlfriend. He still has her prize show cat Princess Donut. Donut escapes out the window and Carl goes out to get her. That happens to be the moment that aliens collapse all buildings on Earth killing everyone under a roof. The survivors are told that the collapsed structures are now a multilevel dungeon that will be show more the setting for a live action game televised galaxy wide and that they have an hour to decide whether to enter the game or attempt to survive on what’s left on the surface of the planet.

Then the story gets crazy. It’s equal parts hilarious, adventurous, gory and kind of gross. I loved it and cannot wait to continue with the series and find out what’s up next for Carl and Donut in the game and whether Carl will ever get a pair of pants. show less