Escape into the World of the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series in Order
If you’re a reader who loves playing D&D or has always wanted to find an open campaign, you’ll love losing yourself in Matt Dinniman’s immersive world of Dungeon Crawler Carl. With thrilling twists and turns and a fantastical, futuristic setting, there’s something for everyone in this Literary Role-Playing Game (LitRPG) series!
About the Author: Matt Dinniman
Matt Dinniman, the author of the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, hails from Gig Harbor, Washington. He specializes in writing apocalyptic adventures and plays bass in two bands. After the first book was initially self-published (to much success), Ace Books acquired the next six for print publication, kicking off his success in the literary world.
Other Series by Matt Dinniman:
- Dominion of Blades
- The Shivered Sky
- Kaiju: Battlefield Surgeon
What is the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series About?
The series follows a man named Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, as he becomes a contestant in a sadistic and deadly intergalactic game show that takes place in an 18-level dungeon that used to be planet Earth. Together, they are forced to participate in a brutal, reality TV-style game show alongside other survivors, with one goal: to reach the end of the dungeon and win the ultimate prize.
What Genre is the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series?
Dungeon Crawler Carl blends science fiction and fantasy literary genres with the world of role-playing games, or RPGs. This unique subgenre, known as LitRPG, stands out from traditional book genres, places a strong emphasis on game mechanics and statistics as characters adventure through a carefully crafted plot.
What Age Range is the Dungeon Crawler Carl For?
While it’s not officially categorized as a YA book, these fantasy books are generally recommended for book lovers 14 and up, as the fantasy series includes slightly mature content, such as graphic violence, themes of death, and some nudity. The series appeals to readers of multiple generations.
Do You Have to Read the Dungeon Crawler Carl Books in Order?
Since the series uses a linear, chronological method of storytelling, it is necessary to read the Dungeon Crawler Carl books in order. If you were to bounce around and go out of sequence, you’d spoil key plot points and miss crucial character development.
A Guide to Reading The Dungeon Crawler Carl Books in Order
Whether you’re looking for the perfect series for your TTRPG book club or searching for a completely unique escapist fantasy series, it’s time to give Matt Dinniman’s books a try. Pick them up in this order on your favorite Kindle alternative or shop at Novel for physical copies today:
Book #1: Dungeon Crawler Carl
Coast Guard vet Carl thought the only thing worse than breaking up with his girlfriend was being stuck with her award-winning cat. That is, until an alien invasion destroyed all man-made structures on Earth and all survivors were forced to compete in a violent and dangerous intergalactic game show! Join Carl and Princess Donut, the cat, as they try their best to survive the end of the world, or, at the very least, make it to the next level. With exploding goblins, drug-dealing llamas, magical potions, and more, Dungeon Crawler Carl, starts the series off with a bang!
Book #2: Carl’s Doomsday Scenario
The sequel, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, finds Carl and
Princess Donut in the newest season of the game show, now on the third floor of the dungeon planet that was once Earth. Defeating opponents and monsters against all odds, the two have proven an unstoppable team and gained a considerable following. But as the dungeons get more dangerous every day and the idea of Quests are introduced, the two will have to travel to the Over City, a once-thriving metropolis where murdered women rain from the sky, an undead circus traverses the ruins, and an ancient spell is close to revealing it’s true purpose, to solve the mystery and save their lives.
Book #3: The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook
Continue reading the fantasy series in order with the third installment, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook. This novel finds Carl and Princess Donut at the fourth level of the dungeon, also known as the Iron Tangle, a complicated subway system made of trains from all different eras, filled with monsters, of course. Now at the top of the list of favorite contestants, the two have a bounty on their heads. Will they be able to work with the other crawlers to solve the never-ending puzzles of this floor, or will trusting someone cause their demise?
Book #4: The Gate of the Feral Gods
Having defeated all odds, Carl and the cat, Princess Donut, thought they’d figured out the secret to the dungeon: the only thing they can trust is each other. But when they reach the unimaginably difficult fifth floor and are met with a floating fortress, warrior gnomes, a haunted crypt, lethal traps, a derelict submarine, and more, they realize going alone is no longer an option. If they want to make it out alive, the two will have to team up with the low-level crawlers trapped in the bubble with them. Find out if they can be trusted in the fourth book, The Gate of the Feral Gods.
Book #5: The Butcher’s Masquerade
Just when Carl and Princess Donut think they’ve seen it all, the sixth floor of the dungeon introduces a new, horrific threat. Deemed “The Hunting Grounds,” this level allows outside tourists to enter the game and hunt crawlers as they please. Among them is the famed hunter, Vrah, set on collecting her biggest trophy yet. But in the fifth book in the series, The Butcher’s Masquerade, you can bet her “prey” is ready to fight back!
Book #6: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
Carl and Princess Donut have leveled up higher than anyone thought possible in the violent intergalactic game show, but after the shocking conclusion of the last book, it’s anyone’s game now. With a pantheon of forgotten gods, old grudges, a deteriorating AI system, and an inconvenient tiara sitting atop the head of a friend, it is absolutely bedlam on the eighth floor. In The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, crawlers are given a new task: to capture six deadly monsters that will be turned into cards—the more powerful the deck, the better their chances of winning.
Book #7: This Inevitable Ruin
The ninth floor throws contestants into a faction war, with nine armies led by different powerful aliens from across the galaxy aiming for the same goal: to capture the castle at the center of the battlefield. But this season, the crawlers get their own army, and stakes get higher for Carl, Princess Donut, and their friend Katia. No matter who wins the war, only one of them will be allowed to leave the level alive. You can continue to read this fantasy series in order with This Inevitable Ruin out September 23rd, 2025.
Book #8: Carl’s Book of Boom
Though the eighth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series has been announced, we’re all waiting on bated breath to learn exactly when it comes out. Its working title is Carl’s Book of Boom, but that could change any day. Luckily, you have plenty of time to read the entire fantasy series in order first!
Is the Dungeon Crawler Carl Series Good on Audiobook?
If you prefer to listen to fantasy series in order, you’re in luck: these novels are famously amazing on audiobook. Narrator Jeff Hays has received widespread acclaim for bringing the character and story to life. Add it to your go-to audiobook listening service and enjoy the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series in order today!
Other LitRPG Books to Read if You Love Dungeon Crawler Carl:
- Beware of Chicken by Casualfarmer
- Dungeon Born by Dakota Krout
- Ascend Online by Luke Chmilenko
Reading the Dungeon Crawler Carl series is fun for teens and adults. Bring the family and grab a bite to eat off our menu as you browse for your next LitRPG read, or shop solo-style at Novel today.