Dungeon Crawler Carl, well almost, just broke up with his girlfriend, and then the world fell apart. Literally. He is thrust into a televised 
intergalactic competition for survival with only his underwear and ex’s cat, Princess Donut. Can he survive 18 levels of punishing dungeon crawler action AND keep Princess Donut safe? Probably not. But he’s gonna try.
I had one of those book challenges that included reading a genre I’d never read before, and I could not come up with one. Turns out I just didn’t know about LitRPG. This was a first for me, but I read this book for the cat. I won’t even pretend otherwise. On the hardback covers, she appears in all her fluffy, becrowned glory.
I didn’t realize it would be the funniest thing I have read since Jenny Lawson’s Let’s Pretend This Never Happened. And I reread that one when I need a dopamine spike. The snarky, foot-obsessed AI; the floofy, lovable but pampered Princess Donut; the intergalactic game show; the familiar RPG elements. This book has everything.
But we’re all here for the cat. This is the internet after all. She’s the star you’re hoping for. A full character in her own right, never think of her as just a pet. She’s stronger and smarter than Carl. Technically. She doesn’t love reading item descriptions, but who among us hasn’t just slapped on the newest item because it seemed cool? The world’s just lucky I’m not being offered crowns regularly.
Steeped in fan service for gamers and plenty of gore, Dungeon Crawler Carl doesn’t skimp on story or heart. The cast of characters is deeply intertwined with their own stories and an ancient history of which even Tolkien would approve. The relationship between Carl and Donut is heartfelt, even when Carl might get exasperated with her. Goddammit Donut! You’ll be looking for your own Princess Donut to adopt in no time.
(We have a cat named Waffles, and Donut is the perfect addition. As I have repeatedly told my husband, who insists we have enough pets. He is categorically wrong.)
Don’t miss this series. The next hardcover comes out this fall, but Dungeon Crawler Carl is available on Kindle Unlimited if you’re a subscriber.
The apocalypse will be televised!
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.
Donna is an author and engineer with 15 years of IT experience and a lifetime love of literature and cinema, especially horror. She has written a paranormal Holiday novel, What Creatures Are Stirring. She holds and Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Western Governor’s University. Donna is passionate about reading and the importance of access to books. She loves writing about her favorite books and movies and sharing it with her readers.
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