A review by dana_naylor
Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman

adventurous funny

4.0

Apparently the series began in 2020 as a self-published book. I just became aware of it when it was in the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore SFF book box. It is an absolutely batshit premise. You have to ignore science and reality any time questions impinge while reading, but if you enjoy RPGs, it's great fun.

That said...it also does have sad moments when the "reality" in this world sink in for the characters or we see what's happening more clearly. It's a very human book (about caring for others and your choices on how to live) - but we also have Princess Donut, a talking cat.

From the acknowledgments...
Dedicating a book to a hippo [Fiona} might sound like a waste of space or a silly joke, but the truth is, I've always been fascinated by the stories of those who survive against all odds. I think in order to truly enjoy Dungeon Crawler Carl, no matter how dark it gets (and believe me, it's gonna get dark), you need to be the type of person who is able to cling onto hope, no matter how small that spark is. You will not break me is more than just a mantra. It's the theme to this whole series...

I will definitely be picking up the next book, although I do worry about the darkness
Had trouble putting this one down!