The Vibe Check
Genre: LitRPG (Literary Role-Playing Game)
Rating: 5 / 5 Paws 🐾
Perfect For: A late night / weekend reading binge when you need a good laugh, and an adrenaline rush.
Tropes/Keywords: Apocalyptic game show, dark humor, unlikely duo, Hunger games style of vibe
The Hook
Imagine the world getting crushed everything man-made flattened like a soda can. By pure chance, you get to survive, but you immediately find yourself in an even worse scenario… You start hearing an AI-like voice inside your head. That voice is instructing you to either go down a mysterious set of stairs or try to survive on a completely destroyed planet. What would you do? and don’t forget to take your ex’s cat…
That is the absolute best way I can hook anyone into reading Dungeon Crawler Carl. Because the story is so WILD, it’s best to try and put yourself directly into the exact situation Carl faces in the very beginning.
The Deep Dive
What I Loved: there is so much I loved about this novel that I am going to only mention the top things that stood out to me, otherwise, this will be a 2000 word post that no one will ever read…
The characters
Carl: What a funny, resilient man. I felt so deeply connected to his humanity. Everything in this novel is wild, but he always stays true to himself. His reactions feel completely valid, and honestly, I would think and act very similarly to him. He is the central piece of this whole puzzle. Even though Princess Donut is a total star, Carl is the one who keeps everything feeling human and real. This is so important; otherwise, readers wouldn’t be able to connect with the story whatsoever.
Princess Donut: I don't want to talk too much about this character because it is such a gift to read about her, so this is all I am going to share: Donut is an absolute queen! She has so much sparkle, and having her as comic relief makes me want a talking pet of my own. She truly feels like the reader's emotional support animal. She is a strong girl, and I know she will become even better as the series progresses!!
World-building
What the hell is the world that I was just put into?! It's a dungeon with 18 levels that is being recorded and watched by the entire universe (billions of viewers) and it is so intricately made. Every level has its own monsters and the ambiance matches them perfectly. I have never visited so many places at once, but thanks to the author being such a great writer, never once did I feel lost or confused about where the characters stood. Every scenario is crazier than the last, but it all works out perfectly in this novel, which to be honest, is pretty crazy to me haha.
The author's writing style
I have never experienced writing as unique as this. It was so immersive and open to the imagination, it truly put my brain to work! Things happen fast and it can be easy to miss a punch at our modern political issues. I genuinely love that this novel kept me on my tippy-toes. Additionally, the author's writing is incredibly descriptive. I have never seen so many characters portrayed with such precision. You can easily imagine their scent, the way they talk and even their specific accents.
LitRPG
How have I never heard of this genre before? I am completely in love with it and i’m already looking for more books in this tyle after i finish the entire DCC series. Not only is it super immersive, but it also perfectly connects with my love for video games especially quest-based games, just like Dungeon Crawler Carl. I am definitely going to buy the board game when it comes out because I have never been more interested in a game that doesn’t even fully exist yet!
What Missed the Mark
Honestly, the only thing missing for me was illustrations. Having some imagery would really help readers fully visualize just how crazy looking the characters Carl and Princess Donut encounter are!
Favorite Quotes:
I wish I had deep, insightful favorite quotes to share, but this novel is so wild that all I have are some silly, hilarious ones… and yes, cocker spaniels are awful, haha!
humans weren’t unique, but a crop, left to grow unattended until, until… this?
Yes, this is definitely the work of a cocker spaniel
Did we really just start a meth war between the goblins and the llamas?
Goddamnit Donut!
Through the Lens
I am not lying when I say, I read this book at all times of the day!
The Wandering Paw's Verdict
This is a wonderfully made, chaotic novel, and I am obsessed with it! I will be recommending this series to everyone who asks me for something wild. I am already halfway through book 2 and am about to pick up book 3. I hope you give this novel a try or the audiobook, which I have heard wonderful things about!
Reader, Have you ever read a LitRPG?
It was nice talking to you again! until next time.
Much love, Pawxpi