by Matt Dinniman
Release Date: September 24, 2024
2024 Ace
Hardcover Edition; 384 Pages
ISBN: 978-1593820261
ASIN: B08PBCD9Y7
Audiobook: B09345T1HY
Genre: Fiction / LITRPG / Fantasy
Source: Review copy from publisher
4 / 5 Stars
Summary
The ratings and views are off the chart. The
fans just can't get enough. The dungeon gets more dangerous each day.
But in a grinder designed to chew up and spit out crawlers by the
millions, Carl and Princess Donut need to work harder than ever just to
survive.
They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.
Carl still has no pants. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.
They call it the Over City. A sprawling, once-thriving metropolis devastated by a mysterious calamity. But these streets are far from abandoned. An undead circus trawls the ruins. Murdered prostitutes rain from the sky. An ancient spell is finally ready to reveal its dark purpose.
Carl still has no pants. They call it Dungeon Crawler World. For Carl and Donut, it's anything but a game.
My Thoughts
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario is the second book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and this book takes us deeper into the dungeon, onto level three. As a result, the stakes are greater, the views are higher, and Carl and Donut are learning the political structure of this dungeon and all its affiliations. And while there are definitely comedic laugh-out-loud moments, this book is darker than the previous one as certain themes are explored and developed.
Carl is an interesting character as at first, he seems to comply with the challenges and quests that are set for him and Donut. But as he races through the levels and learns about the political structure, you realize it is far deeper and more complex than you first thought. I have to give the author credit for developing these subtle story lines, and while Carl seems to take everything at face value, he turns it all upside down by doing things his way and utter chaos ensues. It’s fun to see the characters learn to rely on each other as they go through some dangerous things, and you get some emotional conversations at the end of some of it which helps you understand them better and what they are thinking. Personally, I have enjoyed all the characters and I like the fact the author gives a ‘voice’ to a lot of them so even if you don’t necessarily agree with their actions, you can sympathize with what they are going through, what happened to them, or what they are being forced to do for entertainment.
The author weaves all of this bonding and character development into some very entertaining story lines. Carl is grasping a lot of the political structures of the dungeon, but there is still so much he does not know which is why he inadvertently turns everything on its head quite often because he doesn’t understand. As a result, the powers that be are left floundering, and in one case, almost went bankrupt because of his actions and had to act decisively. Carl does the challenges, but he does them his way. And this is where the philosophical parts of the novel come into play, something I really like. You know, just because someone tells you to do something, should you? What are the consequences? Are there other things one can do instead? Will I destroy an entire world government if I do this? The reader is learning the political structures with Carl and Donut, so I find it fascinating when something unexpected happens; the discussions at the ‘round tables’ are always fun.
Verdict
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario was a worthy sequel and I really appreciated the comedy, the humour, the fun characters (including a really weird AI with a foot fetish), and the unique plot. For a novel that seems rather light-hearted, there are some interesting themes running through it that I think will get darker as the series progresses. And if you love audiobooks, then get running and grab this one, as this has one of the best narrations of any of them; Jeff Hayes is phenomenal. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
Carl is an interesting character as at first, he seems to comply with the challenges and quests that are set for him and Donut. But as he races through the levels and learns about the political structure, you realize it is far deeper and more complex than you first thought. I have to give the author credit for developing these subtle story lines, and while Carl seems to take everything at face value, he turns it all upside down by doing things his way and utter chaos ensues. It’s fun to see the characters learn to rely on each other as they go through some dangerous things, and you get some emotional conversations at the end of some of it which helps you understand them better and what they are thinking. Personally, I have enjoyed all the characters and I like the fact the author gives a ‘voice’ to a lot of them so even if you don’t necessarily agree with their actions, you can sympathize with what they are going through, what happened to them, or what they are being forced to do for entertainment.
The author weaves all of this bonding and character development into some very entertaining story lines. Carl is grasping a lot of the political structures of the dungeon, but there is still so much he does not know which is why he inadvertently turns everything on its head quite often because he doesn’t understand. As a result, the powers that be are left floundering, and in one case, almost went bankrupt because of his actions and had to act decisively. Carl does the challenges, but he does them his way. And this is where the philosophical parts of the novel come into play, something I really like. You know, just because someone tells you to do something, should you? What are the consequences? Are there other things one can do instead? Will I destroy an entire world government if I do this? The reader is learning the political structures with Carl and Donut, so I find it fascinating when something unexpected happens; the discussions at the ‘round tables’ are always fun.
Verdict
Carl’s Doomsday Scenario was a worthy sequel and I really appreciated the comedy, the humour, the fun characters (including a really weird AI with a foot fetish), and the unique plot. For a novel that seems rather light-hearted, there are some interesting themes running through it that I think will get darker as the series progresses. And if you love audiobooks, then get running and grab this one, as this has one of the best narrations of any of them; Jeff Hayes is phenomenal. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
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