Dungeon Crawler Carl

Matt Dinniman

Reviewed on: 13 May 2026

First Impression ¶

I picked the book at Thalia bookshop and tried to read the first chapter and it hooked me instantly and decided to take it home. Matt’s style is funny, punchy and has a lot of F bombs. His sarcastic style reminds me of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

Writing Style ¶

He’s very funny. Creates some absurd situations and runs with it. Like the main hero starts the book running in his underwear bare foot, and ends the same way but with some pedicure and a ring on his toe 😂. His style in general is light and was a good choice to read for pleasure again.

Core Ideas ¶

The main idea is an RPG-like game from aliens on earth. At first it feels like all the isekai anime I have been watching—a hero finds himself in an unknown world with game-like rules and starts at level 1 and keeps leveling up and collecting items.

But then Matt hits you with some deep ideas hidden in his absurd situations. One time for example he stumbles on a group of elderly from a retirement home and their nurses, and he contemplates leaving them to die or helping them go to the next level (which will be harder for them), given that they can’t move—most of them on wheelchairs. Some of them are a liability, like one of them literally peed in the hallway and almost got everyone dead. And over all of that, the game will reward him with experience if he killed them.

Another situation where he’s been on a TV show and the host started to talk about how it’s all a facade for show and nothing is real.

It’s pretty good and kinda hits you in the face while laughing and then you realize oh-oh that actually needs thinking not laughing.

Enjoyment ¶

What I Enjoyed ¶

I enjoyed the fast action. I didn’t feel bored at any time while reading it although it’s about 500 pages but finished it in almost a week which is to me a record after not reading books for almost a year.

Disappointments ¶

Sometimes Matt describes devices or contraptions in details but it’s really hard to imagine what he’s describing. That part seemed off. Not sure if it’s my problem or the writing itself.

Overall Rating ¶

4/5

I really enjoyed it but it’s not as deep or philosophical as other books I enjoyed like “Speaker for the Dead” for example. So I’m leaving the 5 for the best.

Who Is It For? ¶

I think anyone that likes video games, comedy, action and gore and sometimes disgusting scenes, will enjoy this book.

Personal Reflection ¶

I can’t say it’ll leave a mark, but it definitely changed my mood at times and made me laugh at times.

Memorable Quotes ¶

“Goddamit, Doughnut”