Dungeon Crawler Carl
By Matt Dinniman · Narrated by Jeff Hays · 456 pages pages · October 2, 2020
The setup
At 2:23 AM Pacific Time on January 3rd, every man-made structure on Earth collapses. Everyone with a roof over their head is killed instantly. The buildings and everyone inside have been atomized and transformed into the dungeon: an 18-level labyrinth filled with traps, monsters, and loot, circling the entire globe.
Carl survives because he was outside. In the freezing cold. In his boxers. Wearing his ex-girlfriend's too-small pink Crocs. Chasing her cat.
A message arrives: the Syndicate has claimed Earth and all its resources. Survivors can enter the World Dungeon to fight for their planet's future. Carl, with no other options and hypothermia setting in, grabs Donut and descends.
What happens (non-spoiler)
Book 1 covers the tutorial (Floor 1) and Floor 2. Carl meets Mordecai, a former crawler turned NPC guide who explains the brutal reality: the dungeon is the set of a galactic reality TV show called Dungeon Crawler World, watched by quintillions of aliens. Survival depends on combat, yes, but also on ratings, sponsors, and audience approval.
Donut eats an Enhanced Pet Biscuit, melts into goo, and emerges as a talking, sapient cat with a personality that can only be described as "imperious." She immediately renames the party the "Royal Court of Princess Donut" and designates Carl as "Royal Bodyguard." Carl says "Goddammit, Donut" for the first of approximately 181 times.
The System AI makes its first appearance, handing out snarky achievements and developing an immediate, intense, and deeply uncomfortable interest in Carl's bare feet.
Key introductions
- Carl -- the protagonist. Coast Guard vet. Man in underwear. Future explosives specialist.
- Princess Donut -- Carl's ex-girlfriend's cat. Now a talking, magical, insufferable party leader.
- Mordecai -- game guide. Former crawler who made it to Floor 11. Kua-tin shapeshifter. Weary of everything.
- Mongo -- velociraptor adopted as a pet. Bonded to Donut. Eats everything.
- Zev -- PR agent from the Borant Corporation. Kua-tin. Fish-like creature in an astronaut suit.
- Odette -- host of Dungeon Crawler After Hours. Crab-taur. Carl appears on her show in toilet-paper underwear.
- The System AI -- the dungeon's operating intelligence. Snarky. Petulant. Has a foot fetish. Calls itself "daddy."
Mechanics introduced
- Crawler registration and stat system (Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Intelligence, Strength)
- Achievement and loot box system
- Party mechanics
- Pet bonding
- The rating/audience/sponsor economy
- The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (as a concept -- Carl doesn't get it yet)
What readers say
This is the book that hooks people. The tone balance between genuine horror (billions of people die in the opening chapter) and absurd comedy (the AI's foot fetish, Donut's haggling addiction, Mongo eating and re-eating things) is what makes DCC unique. If you're reading these words and haven't started the series, this is your floor. Descend.