Dungeon Crawler Carl

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The apocalypse will be televised! Welcome to the first book in the wildly popular and addictive Dungeon Crawler Carl series—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition.

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.

Includes part one of the exclusive bonus story “Backstage at the Pineapple Cabaret.”

Matt Dinniman is a writer and artist from Gig Harbor, Washington. He is the author of the NYTs best-selling Dungeon Crawler Carl series along with several other books about the end of the world. He doesn't really hate Cocker Spaniels, and he plays bass in a metal band.

“Fresh. Creative. Hilarious. I'm obsessed…Princess Donut is my queen.”—Actor, producer and New York Times bestselling author Felicia Day

“Dungeon Crawler Carl is legit awesome.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson

“A dangerously addicting tale of chaos and mayhem. I’m thoroughly hooked!”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Callie Hart

“Welcome to your newest obsession…the highly addictive, hilarious series continues to draw in new fans.” – USA Today

“This series has no goddamn business burying so much depth and emotion and complexity under its bawdy, gory surface, but it does so anyway. What a wild-ass and unexpected delight.”—New York Times bestselling author Scott Lynch

“[A] comically cosmic adventure series…often laugh-out-loud funny…Grind your way to dungeon mastery alongside Carl and Princess Donut.”—The Wall Street Journal

“This is the book for anyone who ever wondered what it would be like to be a role player in a game with the best game master ever...Once you start, you won't put it down.”—Patricia Briggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson series

“Dungeon Crawler Carl is the best start to a series I’ve read this year. I wish I’d tried it sooner.”—Will Wight, author of the Cradle series

“When it came time to pick a race, Dinniman and Dungeon Crawler Carl decided he would continue to appear as a human, and that’s what this series has blossomed into, something profoundly and endearingly human.”—Slate

“If there's a better LitRPG than Dungeon Crawler Carl, I haven't read it.”—Shirtaloon, author of He Who Fights Monsters

“Dungeon Crawler Carl is just one big smile all the way through. Put on your best pair of boxer shorts and sit back for a truly fun and enjoyable read.”—New York Times bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson

“To describe the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and the first book in particular, one must blend the darkest, grittiest science fiction with the humour of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. It mixes fun, whimsical absurdity, and serious, dark themes with dire consequences…it is so spectacularly good that I cannot recommend it highly enough.”—Grimdark Magazine

“Dinniman’s Douglas-Adams-but-playing-D&D romp was so much fun that I immediately went out and got the next two books…genuinely joyful.”—LitHub.com

Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman is the first book in Matt Dinniman's wildly popular fantasy and science fiction series that blends action, dark humor, satire, and role-playing game mechanics into an unforgettable survival story. The novel follows Carl, an ordinary man whose life changes forever when Earth is abruptly destroyed and transformed into the setting of an enormous alien game show. Alongside Princess Donut, a pampered Persian cat who unexpectedly becomes intelligent and magical, Carl must navigate a deadly dungeon filled with monsters, traps, impossible quests, and bizarre rules, all while being watched by billions of alien viewers who treat humanity's struggle as entertainment.

The story begins on what seems like an ordinary day. Carl steps outside his apartment wearing only his boxer shorts and slippers to retrieve Princess Donut, the prize-winning cat belonging to his ex-girlfriend. At that exact moment, an unimaginable event occurs. Every man-made structure on Earth suddenly collapses into the ground, instantly killing millions of people who happen to be inside buildings. Carl survives only because he is outdoors, and Donut survives because she is with him. The catastrophe is quickly revealed to be part of a massive alien operation that has converted Earth into the newest season of a brutal survival competition.

The surviving humans are informed that they must enter a gigantic underground dungeon if they wish to stay alive. The dungeon operates according to game-like rules, complete with character classes, levels, experience points, magical items, achievements, and quests. Every action earns rewards or penalties, while an eccentric artificial intelligence controls the dungeon with an unpredictable personality and a twisted sense of humor. The contestants are constantly observed by alien audiences who cheer, criticize, and gamble on their performances as though they are contestants in a reality television show rather than people fighting for their lives.

Although Carl has no extraordinary abilities, he quickly proves to be resourceful and determined. Instead of relying on brute force, he survives through clever thinking, adaptability, and an unwillingness to give up. He studies the dungeon's mechanics, learns from every encounter, and begins using the system's own rules to his advantage. Whether facing dangerous monsters, solving deadly puzzles, or escaping elaborate traps, Carl repeatedly demonstrates that intelligence and persistence can overcome overwhelming odds.

Princess Donut soon becomes much more than an ordinary pet. Through the dungeon's magical system, she gains the ability to speak, cast spells, and develop her own skills and personality. While she remains dramatic, fashionable, and occasionally vain, she is also fiercely brave and remarkably intelligent. Her witty conversations with Carl provide much of the novel's humor, but beneath the comedy lies a genuine friendship built on trust and loyalty. Together they become one of the dungeon's most successful teams, balancing Carl's practical mindset with Donut's confidence and magical talents.

As Carl progresses deeper into the dungeon, he encounters other human survivors who have responded to the apocalypse in very different ways. Some form alliances, believing cooperation offers the best chance of survival. Others become ruthless competitors willing to betray or exploit anyone to gain an advantage. Carl often finds himself helping strangers despite the risks involved, refusing to abandon his moral principles even in a world designed to reward selfishness. His compassion gradually earns him the respect of other contestants and distinguishes him from those who view survival as justification for cruelty.

The dungeon itself is one of the novel's most fascinating elements. Every floor introduces new environments, strange creatures, magical artifacts, and increasingly difficult challenges. Nothing is predictable, and success requires constant adaptation. The role-playing game mechanics are woven naturally into the story, making Carl's growth feel believable as he unlocks new abilities, improves his equipment, and learns how to combine his skills in creative ways. Rather than simply becoming stronger, he becomes smarter with every challenge he survives.

As Carl's reputation grows, he attracts attention from both fellow contestants and the alien spectators. His unusual strategies and refusal to follow expectations make him one of the dungeon's most entertaining participants. However, this popularity also places him under greater scrutiny from those running the competition. Carl gradually realizes that the dungeon is not intended to be fair. The organizers manipulate events, alter rules, and create unnecessary suffering simply to increase audience engagement. Human lives have become little more than a source of entertainment for a civilization that values ratings above compassion.

Despite the constant danger, the novel never loses its sense of humor. The artificial intelligence frequently delivers absurd announcements and sarcastic commentary, while Princess Donut's dramatic personality creates countless amusing situations. These moments of comedy provide relief from the darker aspects of the story, which include grief, loss, and the horrifying reality that Earth has effectively ceased to exist. Carl carries the emotional burden of knowing that almost everyone he once knew is gone, yet he refuses to let despair control him. Instead, he focuses on protecting those who remain and finding reasons to keep moving forward.

As the adventure continues, Carl begins questioning the entire system that has trapped humanity. Rather than accepting his role as a contestant, he looks for opportunities to challenge the dungeon's rules and undermine the powerful beings controlling it. His rebellious attitude slowly transforms him from an ordinary survivor into a symbol of resistance. While his immediate goal is simply to stay alive, he increasingly hopes that one day he might expose or even defeat the system responsible for humanity's suffering.

By the novel's conclusion, Carl and Princess Donut successfully survive the first major stage of the dungeon. They emerge stronger, wiser, and more experienced, having earned new abilities, loyal allies, and the admiration of many viewers. However, they also discover that the dangers waiting on the lower levels will be even greater than those they have already faced. The mysteries surrounding the alien civilization, the dungeon itself, and the true purpose of the deadly competition remain unresolved, leaving readers eager to follow Carl and Donut into the next stage of their extraordinary journey.

Overall, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a fast-paced and imaginative novel that combines thrilling action, memorable characters, sharp satire, and heartfelt emotion. Matt Dinniman creates a unique world where humor and horror exist side by side, exploring themes of friendship, resilience, morality, and the determination to fight against impossible odds. At its heart, the novel is a story about ordinary individuals discovering extraordinary courage while refusing to lose their humanity, even when forced to survive inside the cruelest game imaginable.