I have been recommended Dungeon Crawler Carl so many times in the last few months. So I finally caved and read it. And I had mixed thoughts? Which I know are always popular on the internet. Keep reading this book review of Dungeon Crawler Carl for my full thoughts.
Summary
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.
Review
Let me just start off with what I liked. I thought it was humorous. I’ve read that for Dungeon Crawler Carl you either like the humor or you don’t. Kind of like how I feel about shows like Rick and Morty. For me, I was just kind of ambivalent on the humor. I felt it was funny in some parts, but sometimes it defaulted to humor to shy away from topics I would have enjoyed a bit more. I obviously also loved Princess Donut, because I’m predictable and like cats. Do I feel like her characterization was the most unique cat I’ve ever seen? No, but it was fun. And that brings me to my other points. The characters felt flat to me.
I wanted to really sink my claws into them. And they were there, but there was a lack of depth and character growth for me. Princess Donut and Carl are, for all large broadstrokes, the same at the ending. I know this is a multi-book series, but I still expect some sort of character evolution in the book one. For a book one, I also feel Dungeon Crawler Carl doesn’t do service to the snappy hook it should be. It should be a series starter where you have to read book two ASAP. And for me, that wasn’t the case. Sure I was interested to know if they make it, but I also know they must because there’s like six more books. The things that would have grabbed me about the book – the world, the characters, the ethics – just aren’t there yet in book one. And I know people say the series develops and adds more worthwhile women characters, but they’re just not there in book one.
I am going to read book two, because all my friend have to have a reason for recommending it. But I think Dungeon Crawler Carl just felt like an okay opener to a series which I expected more from. Anytime we approached the depth I would have liked to see, Dungeon Crawler Carl distracted us with notifications and boss fights. I’d have loved to see Carl examining the ethics of the world more, the fact that everyone is trapped in this system. Or to see Carl, or the narrator in Dungeon Crawler Carl, explore more of the greater world building. Find Dungeon Crawler Carl on Goodreads, Storygraph & Blackwells.
Discussion
When do you recommend a series if the first book doesn’t immediately hook you?