Series · LitRPG / science fantasy
Dungeon Crawler Carl
The Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman has 8 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Dungeon Crawler Carl (2020).
- Books
- 8 books
- First published
- 2020
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Dungeon Crawler Carl (2020) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Dungeon Crawler Carl
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dungeon Crawler Carl - Book 2:
Carl's Doomsday Scenario
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Carl's Doomsday Scenario - Book 3:
The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook - Book 4:
The Gate of the Feral Gods
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Gate of the Feral Gods - Book 5:
The Butcher's Masquerade
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Butcher's Masquerade - Book 6:
The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Eye of the Bedlam Bride - Book 7:
This Inevitable Ruin
Alternative text for cover: Cover of This Inevitable Ruin - Book 8:
A Parade of Horribles
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Parade of Horribles
About the Dungeon Crawler Carl series
When alien real-estate developers demolish every building on Earth to make way for a galaxy-spanning dungeon, unemployed Carl and his ex-girlfriend's cat Princess Donut are among the handful of survivors dragged into the crawl: a rules-lawyered, ad-sponsored, deliberately lethal game show broadcast to billions of alien viewers across the galaxy, complete with levels, loot, character sheets and a mercilessly gamified system of stats and perks. Surviving means beating floor after floor of monsters, traps and rival crawlers while building an audience — because in this dungeon, viewer approval is itself a resource, and the games' alien producers are always looking for a better story.
Matt Dinniman's series is LitRPG at its most gleefully unhinged: profane, very funny, structurally inventive (Princess Donut gets full point-of-view chapters as a foul-mouthed, increasingly self-aware fantasy cat), and surprisingly sharp about reality-TV exploitation and corporate cruelty underneath the video-game trappings. It became one of the biggest self-published/indie fantasy hits of the 2020s, propelled by audiobook narrator Jeff Hays's performance as much as the books themselves, and Matt Dinniman has confirmed the story is heading toward a planned ending with its ninth entry, to be split across two books.
How to read this series
Read the books in publication order starting with Dungeon Crawler Carl — it's one continuous, floor-by-floor story with no companion volumes or alternate chronology to navigate. Each book generally covers the next stretch of dungeon levels, so entries are best read close together rather than spaced out, since the cast, mechanics and running jokes build cumulatively.
The series was originally self-published and picked up wide traction through its audiobooks before getting an official print/ebook release from Ace (Penguin Random House); either format works, but many longtime fans consider Jeff Hays's audiobook narration essential to the experience. Author Matt Dinniman has said the series will conclude with a ninth entry, split into two books; as of this writing neither has a confirmed title or release date.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series?
Eight books have been published so far, from Dungeon Crawler Carl (2020) to A Parade of Horribles (2026). Author Matt Dinniman has confirmed the series will end with a ninth entry, split across two books, both still unreleased.
What order should I read Dungeon Crawler Carl in?
Publication order, starting with Dungeon Crawler Carl. The series is one continuous story told across successive dungeon floors, with no side books or alternate order to consider.
Is Dungeon Crawler Carl finished?
Not yet. It's ongoing, but Matt Dinniman has said the story is heading toward a planned ending in a ninth entry that will be split into two books; neither has a confirmed title or release date as of this writing.
Is Dungeon Crawler Carl a LitRPG series?
Yes — it uses explicit game mechanics (levels, stats, loot, character sheets) as part of the story, combined with satirical reality-TV and corporate-dystopia elements, making it one of the best-known series in the modern LitRPG boom.
Do I need to listen to the audiobooks?
No, the print and ebook editions stand on their own, but narrator Jeff Hays's audiobook performances (including voicing Princess Donut) are widely credited with helping the series break out, and many fans consider them the preferred way to experience it.
Reading order last verified .