Dungeon Crawler Carl

Everybody's talking about Dungeon Crawler Carl, so I dove into the first book. It won't be my last, but...

First off, definitely not my first LitRPG. Many are about a person playing a game, sucked into a game, and the like. The transition into "game" here was both cheesy and depressing, as experienced by protagonist Carl. That depressing aspect was highlighted quite a few times, unlike, say, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, where the fate of the rest of us is mostly ignored.

I read this as an audiobook, at the insistence of friends, and major props to Jeff Hays, who did all the voices and absolutely nailed it. This is not his first LitRPG either. His snarky computer voice (and tone) is extremely similar to the one used in Carrie Summers' Stonehaven League books (released a few years earlier). Further, there is an "Audio Immersion Tunnel" version with a larger cast - though friends also cautioned against this on the first reading.

This book (and the series) includes both dark and comedic elements. I appreciate the comedy, and it must be balanced with something, but the dark is bordering on too dark for me. I'll read the second book, and maybe things will get better - but if they don't, I may stop at that point.

Full props to Matt Dinniman who self published this at first, and to the audio book. My slight concerns (not all addressed in this review) adjust my rating to 4 out of 5 stars. Recommended - and let's discuss afterwards.