This is a very funny book and yet it maintains just enough of seriousness about how horrible Carl’s circumstances (let alone humanity’s) are to give actual stakes to what is going on. All the magical objects and achievements have sarcastic mocking descriptions and the people running the show are bored xenophobic sociopaths or corporate shills (or both). Carl and the remaining survivors of humanity are trapped in what amounts to an utterly insane game show run by incredibly immature. Indeed, part of what makes the books so entertaining is its commitment to realizing how utterly ridiculous the situation is yet playing it straight. It’s adorable and the fact Donut’s enhanced intelligence puts her above Carl’s own plus the fact she’s pathologically addicted to fame is the source of much of the book’s humor. Donut is a show cat that has been spoiled and retains memories of things like Gilmore Girls as well as how Carl’s ex-girlfriend used to cheat on him constantly. The chief draw of the book is the strange relationship between Carl and his cat partner, Donut.

Ironically, his cat is added as a player and is uplifted to superhuman intelligence by participating in the game as well. Carl, who had been getting his ex-girlfriend’s cat in his boxers, chooses the former. Aliens have come to claim the Earth and offer the surviving humans a choice: they can either participate in a massive live action fantasy RPG with life and death stakes or die in the ruins of their dead world. Basically, everyone who was indoors during the event is killed instantly, including cars and planes. The book begins with the death of 99.99% of humanity. It is a fun book and doesn’t take itself remotely seriously. He’s also forced to wear a magical pair of boxer shorts and an intelligent talking cat.

Basically, our protagonist is dumped into a game halfway between The Squid Game and World of Warcraft. Unlike many settings in the subgenre, though, the in-universe reasoning makes sense: the protagonists are trapped in an enormous reality television show based around the fantasy genre.

DUNGEON CRAWLER CARL by Matt Dinniman is that rare creature that I have found: the Lit-RPG that I really enjoy.

Carl the dungeon crawler