The Butcher's Masquerade

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Carl and Princess Donut refuse to be prey in the fifth book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series—now with bonus material exclusive to this print edition!

Attention. Attention. The gates are down. The hunters are loose.
Run, Run, Run.

A lush jungle teeming with danger. Savage dinosaurs seeking blood. A fallen princess intent on vengeance. A mysterious, end-of-floor celebration for the top crawlers, dubbed “The Butcher’s Masquerade.” But that’s not all.

Just when Coast Guard vet Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut, think they’ve seen it all as they compete to survive in the galaxy’s most popular game show, the latest dungeon level introduces a terrible new threat.

The sixth floor. The Hunting Grounds.

As the remaining crawlers battle for their lives, outside tourists are finally allowed to enter the game, and they are ready to hunt. Among them is Vrah, a famed and veteran hunter, intent on collecting the biggest trophy of her career.

But her prey is far from harmless, and this season they are fighting back.

Welcome, crawlers. Welcome to the sixth floor of the dungeon.

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.

Praise for the Dungeon Crawler Carl series

“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

The Butcher's Masquerade by Matt Dinniman is the fifth installment in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, continuing the thrilling journey of Carl and Princess Donut as they battle their way through the alien-controlled dungeon that has become humanity's only chance for survival. Blending science fiction, fantasy, dark comedy, and game mechanics, the novel raises the stakes even higher as Carl confronts increasingly powerful enemies, uncovers deeper conspiracies, and becomes an even greater threat to the forces that treat Earth's destruction as a form of entertainment.

By the time this story begins, Carl is no longer an ordinary contestant struggling to survive. His victories on the earlier dungeon floors have made him famous throughout the galaxy, earning him loyal fans as well as dangerous enemies. His refusal to blindly follow the dungeon's rules has transformed him into a symbol of resistance among the surviving crawlers. Alongside him is Princess Donut, whose intelligence, magical abilities, and larger-than-life personality continue to make her one of the competition's most beloved and unpredictable participants. Their partnership has grown stronger through every challenge, allowing them to face dangers that would overwhelm almost anyone else.

The newest floor introduces an elaborate scenario known as the Butcher's Masquerade, a deadly event built around political intrigue, shifting alliances, and brutal combat. Unlike earlier levels that focused mainly on monsters and survival, this challenge forces contestants to navigate a complicated web of rival factions, noble houses, mysterious organizations, and powerful individuals whose goals frequently conflict. Every decision carries enormous consequences, and Carl quickly realizes that understanding the motives of others is just as important as winning battles.

The masquerade itself becomes a symbol of deception. Behind elegant appearances and carefully crafted public images lie hidden ambitions, betrayals, and long-standing rivalries. Carl discovers that many influential figures are manipulating events behind the scenes, using both crawlers and non-player characters as pieces in a much larger game. Determining who can be trusted becomes almost impossible, forcing him to rely on careful observation and instinct rather than promises or appearances.

Throughout the novel, Carl continues to evolve as both a fighter and a leader. His growing knowledge of the dungeon's mechanics allows him to exploit loopholes, devise creative strategies, and overcome opponents who appear far stronger than himself. Rather than depending solely on powerful equipment or magical abilities, he consistently wins through preparation, teamwork, and an ability to think several steps ahead. His determination to protect innocent people often places him at greater risk, but it also earns him respect from fellow crawlers who increasingly look to him for guidance.

Princess Donut remains one of the story's greatest strengths. Her dramatic personality, love of attention, and sharp wit provide humor even during the darkest moments. However, beneath her playful behavior lies remarkable courage and emotional intelligence. She repeatedly proves that she is far more than comic relief, making difficult decisions and standing beside Carl during the most dangerous confrontations. Their friendship continues to deepen, becoming the emotional foundation of the series.

As Carl interacts with both old companions and new allies, the importance of trust becomes a recurring theme. The dungeon rewards betrayal, ambition, and selfishness, making genuine friendship extremely rare. Some survivors choose cooperation despite the risks, believing that mutual support offers the only hope of challenging the system controlling them. Others are consumed by fear or greed, sacrificing morality for short-term advantages. Carl constantly struggles to balance compassion with caution, knowing that a single mistake could cost countless lives.

The novel expands the mythology surrounding the dungeon and the alien civilization responsible for creating it. Carl learns more about the political forces operating beyond Earth and begins to understand that the dungeon is only one part of a much larger network of exploitation and entertainment. The people controlling the competition care little for justice or fairness. Contestants are valued only for their ability to attract viewers and generate profits. This realization strengthens Carl's resolve to fight not only for survival but also against the corrupt system itself.

Action remains a central element of the story. The battles are imaginative, fast-paced, and often unpredictable, featuring powerful monsters, magical weapons, elaborate traps, and high-level bosses that require strategy rather than brute force. Every confrontation pushes Carl and his companions to their limits. Victories are rarely easy, and success often demands sacrifice, clever planning, and complete trust between teammates. The role-playing game mechanics continue to enrich the narrative without overshadowing the characters or emotional stakes.

Despite its humor, the novel explores darker themes including grief, responsibility, manipulation, and the psychological effects of endless violence. Carl carries the burden of every life lost during the competition and struggles with the growing realization that his choices affect not only his closest friends but thousands of other survivors. The weight of leadership becomes increasingly difficult to bear, yet he refuses to abandon his principles even when doing so would make survival easier.

As the Butcher's Masquerade reaches its climax, long-hidden plans begin to unfold, alliances shift unexpectedly, and several powerful figures reveal their true intentions. Carl and Princess Donut are forced into a series of dangerous confrontations that test every skill they have developed throughout their journey. Their actions reshape the balance of power within the dungeon, creating consequences that extend far beyond the current floor. Although they achieve significant victories, they also attract even greater attention from the powerful forces seeking to maintain control over the game.

By the end of the novel, Carl has become more than a successful crawler. He represents hope for those who refuse to accept the dungeon's cruelty as inevitable. His growing influence alarms the organizers, who recognize that his rebellion could inspire others to challenge the entire system. While Carl and Donut survive another brutal stage of the competition, they understand that the greatest battles still lie ahead, and the enemies waiting on the lower floors will be more dangerous than anything they have faced before.

Overall, The Butcher's Masquerade is an exciting and emotionally rich continuation of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Matt Dinniman combines explosive action, sharp humor, intricate world-building, and memorable character development to create a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. At its heart, the novel is about resilience, loyalty, and the refusal to surrender one's humanity, even when trapped inside a ruthless system that views suffering as nothing more than a spectacle.