The Apocalypse Will Be Televised In ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ – Read The Books Behind The RPG
Not sure what Dungeon Crawler Carl is? Don’t know about Princess Donut or why Mongo is appalled? We’re here to help you jump in the dungeon.
The Dungeon Crawler Carl game Backerkit has been a runaway success. At the time that I’m writing this it surpassed its $250,000 goal with more than $7,000,000 in backers. And it still has almost a month left. Clearly the nearly 31,000 backers of the game are excited about this series. But what if you haven’t read it yet and don’t know if it’s worth it or where to start? Don’t worry, We’ve got you.
Dungeon Crawler Carl
If you’ve somehow not read these books yet, this is where to start, and they are great. Carl accidentally survives the apocalypse while having to rescue his ex(?) girlfriend’s cat from a tree in the middle of the night, and now he’s on a televised alien dungeon crawl that feels like a D&D video game. It feels like it should be dark and heavy (and sometimes it is), but it’s mostly hilarious, silly, and tongue firmly in cheek. I’ve heard this described as being a spiritual successor to Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, and I was skeptical until I actually read this, but it really, really is.
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.
AdvertisementJoin 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.
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario
Once you finish the first book, you’re going to have to read through the rest. And while I’m usually somebody who reads books in between volumes of a longer series, this is definitely a one-and-then-the-next sort of adventure. So here’s book two.
They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered women rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose. Can Carl and Donut solve the mystery in time?
The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook
I’m going to be very honest with you; I haven’t made it to book three yet. I’m told it’s very train-heavy and not to get bogged down in what trains they’re on at any given time. Do whatever you want with that information.
The top ten list is populated, and Carl and Donut have made it. But that popularity comes with a price. They each now have a bounty on their head. They must work with other crawlers to solve the puzzle of the floor, but how can they do that when they don’t know who to trust? The secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly useless book.
The Gate of the Feral Gods
This is a series that you will quickly learn sounds like nonsense to anybody who hasn’t experienced it, unless they’ve started at the beginning. How do they get to the sand castle? Is that just a pun that the aliens designing the dungeons thought would be funny to use? Probably! But we can find out together.
A floating fortress occupied by warrior gnomes. A castle made of sand. A derelict submarine guarded by malfunctioning machines. A haunted crypt surrounded by lethal traps.
The Butcher’s Masquerade
This book is the longest so far at 720 pages. But I also keep hearing that it’s everybody’s favorite.
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.
Dungeon Crawler Carl 5 Book Set
Personally, we’ve physically walked into the small bookstore near our house and purchased every one of these books individually. But if that sounds like a lot of work, or like a lot of trips out into the world, you can get the first five books in a set delivered to your door in two days. I’m sure you’re thinking that you’d rather read the first one and see if you like it before you commit. But if you’re on this site, I’d bet almost anything you’re going to like it.
Dungeon Crawler Carl Graphic Novel
The apocalypse will be televised! Or, in this case, it will be drawn out in graphic novel form. This volume collects episodes 1- 13 of the Webtoon edition of the book. And it features art by Laurel Pursuit that successfully mixes the silly with the gruesome.
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