My whole personality - Dungeon Crawler Carl

In this episode of Fantasy Explorations, I’m sharing my thoughts on Matt Dinniman's "Dungeon Crawler Carl", a series that has captivated me with its unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy. The world-building is phenomenal, drawing you into a televised apocalypse where every decision matters.  

What I love most? The moral dilemmas faced by the characters, pushing us to ask: what would we do if there were no consequences?  

This isn’t just a tale of survival; it’s a deep exploration of humanity. If you’ve read it, you know why it’s such a hit. If not, you’re in for a treat!  

The discussion highlights the absurd yet cohesive nature of the Discworld, the significance of humor in storytelling, and the intricate plot that intertwines various characters and themes. 

You can find more information about fantasy stories - with a focus on books - on www.solseit.com and on threads and IG at solseit_the_enthusiast. 

If you are interested in hosting your podcast on Buzzsprout, please feel free to use my affiliate program's link, here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2325938

You can find more information about fantasy stories - with a focus on books - on www.solseit.com and on threads and IG at solseit_the_enthusiast. 

If you are interested in hosting your podcast on Buzzsprout, please feel free to use my affiliate program's link, here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=2325938

Transcript

There is one in particular that really fascinates me and I keep wondering what I would do in that situation, which is the morality of being a crawler. 

Welcome to Fantasy Explorations, your go-to destination for all things fantasy. I'm your host, Solseit, and I am absolutely passionate about exploring this captivating genre in all of its forms. 

In today's episode, we are diving into one of the series that has swept me off my feet in the last couple of years, and that applies to every single installment that I read so far, and there is seven books at the time of recording. So what we're talking about today is Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, and it's a series that focuses on the apocalypse, and it will be televised. In the last few months, I've seen more and more readers starting their own journey in this world, and while the threads algorithm tends to show me predominantly positive reviews, I've occasionally encountered negative comments. So I want to set the record straight here. I'm a huge fan of this series and I am so passionate about it that I care about not only having the books in my library, the physical books, but I also have merchandise and I have even included my significant other in this journey. So for me this is a series that really captures the essence of what good storytelling is to me. So if you're expecting critiques or particularly negative or harsh review of it, this is not the place for it. I will be overwhelmingly positive overall. This episode of Fantasy Exploration focuses on the characters, world building, and the overall storytelling. And if you've read the book and you've enjoyed it, you probably know why this series is so good. And if you haven't read the books, then let me offer you my perspective. The very high level view on this for me is that Dungeon Crawler Carl is a well-rounded series that hits all the right notes. World building, plot and characters are all exceptional. A 10 out of 10. And I'm not the only one who feels so good about this.

 A couple of things that are happening in the next weeks. The first one is that we're gonna get a comic book adaptation of the series and I believe the first is gonna be launched on free comic book day in 2026. So if you haven't yet you might want to line up and try to find your own copy of it. The second news that is particularly relevant in this space is that Peacock has picked up the rights for a live action series of Dungeon Crawler Carl and Seth McFarlane is involved in the production. So the expectations are not high. They are skyrocketing right now. 

Now with all of this covered, we can move into, let's say, the meaty side of this review. I'll focus on three main aspects, world building, plot, and emotions, which is a tag that I artificially use to essentially cover characters and especially their development. So let's start with world building. And this entire adventure starts with Earth. And we are on planet Earth as we all know it, which is immediately thrown into an apocalyptic event, which, let me remind you, is televised. Another way to say it, using Carl's words, is “I’m on an alien TV show. Holy shit.” So from the very first chapter of the very first book, Matt Dineman cleverly builds one building block at a time. We get to experience a vast world made of factions and interests which may be political, economic, social, and so much more and each and every one of them tends to collide. Admittedly, this story uses a clever blend of sci-fi and fantasy. A good part of the vast world is sci-fi based. We have alien life forms, have spaceships, we have missiles, we have Microsoft teams in a different format. And so it is a very typically themed sci-fi story. However, this world building contains a quite relevant component of fantasy, as the dungeon itself is mostly built around fantasy themes and tropes. What is pervasive is how these interests play in the grander scheme of things. The series admittedly needs to start smaller in scale. We need to understand where we are, what are the rules of the game, and why we are in this environment in the first place. And then Dinniman keeps adding building blocks both to, let's say, the background dungeon intrigue. It's about the aliens running the show, which opens up a lot of different facets from the political component to the writers in the writing room trying to create a more interesting story for the audience to enjoy, irrespective of the cost for crawlers themselves. And then we have the intrigue that is inherent to the crawlers themselves. And by crawlers, we mean the individuals who are actively participating, such as Carl and Donut, in this event. It's a forced participation, but it is a participation nonetheless, and each and every individual who participates in the dungeon crawl is called a crawler. I also find that a lot of the choices that were made in terms of world building within the dungeon were particularly clever. And one of the more interesting choices that Dinniman makes, at least in my opinion, is that the floors are their unique self-contained environment with exceptions for floors that are connected or partially connected. And that's going to lead into a whole different set of issues and twists. But what this segregation of worlds essentially does is that it gives us a lot more perception on some of the core themes of the story, which are found family, that is an essential part of the story and we'll get to that when we go to the emotions component. And the other theme that I find fascinating and I appreciate in most of its executions, and this is done brilliantly by the way, it's resistance slash rebellion. This is a place where nobody, and our protagonist in particular, will be broken by this system. Matt Dinniman also takes the opportunity to make the protagonists more connected to the overall grander scheme of things. And it's done in a very organic way and ultimately very entertaining. This particular world building component is dropped in, is hooked in, in a very clever and I think unique way. I've not seen this done before. Not that I'm a huge sci-fi expert, but I find that the way that this is done, is a particularly compelling way to do it. The tool that Matt Dinniman uses effectively, to me, both in terms of exploring the world, but also allowing the protagonists to be more connected to the grander scheme of things, is participation in talk shows. One of the requirements, especially for Carl and Donut, however, not only them, is to participate in talk shows. They are mostly not technically associated with the Borant  Corporation and the talk shows and the talk show hosts provide opportunities to explore alien forms, other reigns, and how other galaxies are in fact organized and anything in between. Talk shows also allow Dinniman to explore social commentary. The reality is the social commentary is quite complex and addresses many different facets of our lives. For example, very early on, as like one of the first things that we get hit with is, I don't know, it's strong commentary on social media usage. And it explores how it affects different individuals within a social environment. And that's interesting. And that's a particularly fascinating element of it. And yet there is an ability of Dinniman to craft a book that has many different layers. One can relish and want to spot every single commentary that it's been done and or one can be satisfied with how action-packed each and every book is, with events getting more complicated in an organic way as the series progresses. And we are getting a tight net of crawlers and it slowly builds up again very organically. And one last world-building component, I call it world-building, but essentially one of the tools that Matt Dinniman uses to make the book more interesting to me as a reader is the vast catalog of pop cultural references in every single book. And it is so ingrained in it that Carl has an exchange with Mordecai where Carl argues that the dungeon crawl events are modeled after Survivor and Mordecai tells him it looks more like a running man situation. And so pop cultural references are a key staple element of the book and it's part of the fascination and the interest in them. 

When it comes to plot, this is another area where Dinniman does an exceptional job at infusing the story with a lot of action, but also a lot of plot. There is plenty of story arcs, there is an overarching plot that we keep following and we're trying to get to the end, to the conclusion of that. In addition, the story and the story arcs are explored with tropes and themes that provide depth to the overarching story or the smaller art=c. And there is one in particular that really fascinates me and I keep wondering what I would do in that situation, which is the morality of being a crawler. And that really speaks to me. So imagine being in a world where the law does not matter anymore, or better said, where there is no consequences, or legal consequences, better said, for any action or inaction in the dungeon itself. So what each character is left with, the moral question, what would I be comfortable in doing? What would I do? Would I be okay in killing other humans? Or alien races? Or what about other individuals in the dungeons such as NPCs? And I love, I really love how this specific aspect of being human is pervasive in this particular story. And I would say to Carl more specifically, but not exclusively. We get to explore really what it means to different characters. We get some humans that want to retain that as their core belief, as what makes them human. Others will not care that much and will deal with the consequences of their actions but will not be morally impacted by these choices. What makes this and the characters in particular in the story so human in the end is that every single choice that is made is quite interesting and the characters are so well fleshed out that even the worst of them, although I'm thinking about at least one exception, have a gray morality that I did not anticipate they would have. And so everything makes more sense. Everything is understandable under a certain lens, which makes it, again, an exceptional story into human morality. As anticipated before, the exploration works so well for me that I wonder what I would do if I were in the same conditions. Would I do what I need to do to survive at all costs, irrespective of the moral implication of my choices? or will I retain morality as a tool to differentiate myself from others, namely the aliens who are running the dungeon? While I like to think about myself as the better person, the reality is, is unless you're there, you can't choose. But it is an interesting, fascinating component and I've never thought that I would have a moral question arising out of one of the most entertaining books that I've read in a very long time. 
Now looking up plot a bit more traditionally. The plot is the overarching plot is relatively straightforward. The crawlers have one job, which is to survive every single floor and to emerge victorious, I guess, with physical and mental scars that will never go away, most likely, from the 18th floor. And it feels simple. And yet it's all but simple. Obviously, the game dynamics are not making the process simple. And there are plenty of obstacles in the way, obstacles that are somehow and sometimes created within the dungeon themselves. Sometimes they are created as moral incentives to behave poorly or against the interest of other crawlers. Some of them are even caused by the writers themselves. And they are some of the most unhinged individuals in this entire series. The other thing that makes this series particularly interesting is that you get a different flavor of floor, every floor, so you get a different distinctive story to each. Each floor has a distinctive set of challenges and actions that need to be done or taken care of in order to descend to the next floor. And yes, you heard it correctly. I don't know if this was a conscious choice or not. But the way that I connect this descend to me is the same way that I think about Dante's Inferno, where Dante and Virgil are slowly descending in hell. Long story short, every single floor has hidden staircases and they need to be found and descended at every floor. But that is not the only dynamic. The other factor that comes into play is time. So crawlers are allowed to descend within a certain window and not before a certain time, which obviously adds complexity for each of the crawlers so that they have to complete or clear the floors within the time provided by the Borant Corporation. There is an overarching story and then there is plenty of story arcs in the book. There is a lot of individual stories, so some of the characters will get their own arc, some of the individuals will connect with Carl and Donut on a few different pieces of the puzzle and so it becomes more more wholesome, more comprehensive, more 360 degrees. And these story arcs are not there accidentally. These story arcs are really there to provide something, to enhance something about this world. Either they provide the opportunity to get to know a character better, we get exposure to their choices or the reasons for their choices or their history, or these story arcs are used to explore certain dynamics or details of the story or and or of the broader world. These story arcs are a clever tool that allows us really to get to experience the world more cohesively and to really get to know characters better. 
And an important component of this entire story is the way that we are getting to know people. We're getting to know their story, what ticks their morality, I mean, like it's just so well fleshed out. Last but not least, Dinniman uses mini cliffhangers at the end of every single chapter as an excellent tool to keep us hooked and one to keep going. have really no other experience other than feeling compelled to start the next chapter right away. 

So let's move to the third pillar of this review, which is emotions. And I want to start with praising a set of details that are not spoilery. The first one is that Carl and Donut might be one of the best duo in fictional worlds that I've read in a very long time. There is always a lot of friendships that are being explored in fantasy and in sci-fi. However, the level of closeness of found family that is created with them is just uncanny and it's so compelling that their dynamic makes me feel at home, makes me feel accepted and, as a paradox, makes me feel safe. On top of that, their interactions are often hilarious. 
And the second element that I did not expect the series would bring is how Dinniman fiddles with my emotions. I know I have cried in a couple of circumstances as my emotional attachment to the character was pretty remarkable. The story of these individuals really, really was close to home. So again, two elements that I did not expect this book to do is to provide me with a found family, which is one of the key tropes that are being explored in this book with Carl and Donut. And on the other hand, the fact that I care about these characters beyond Carl and Donut. I care about every other fictional character within the story. 
Now going a little bit more in detail, Carl is a 27 year old big man and that is a fact that we keep observing almost in every single installment. Elle, incidentally, once you get to her, she is hilarious in the way that she identifies and finds new ways to call Carl, but he is a pretty pretty big guy. And by big I mean muscly. He is tall and quite well built. He served in the Coast Guard, which leads to quite a lot of jokes as well. And he is quite handy. The story starts with him living with Bea, Beatrice. And in the very first pages, we find out the status of their relationship as well. He lives with Bea and a prize winning cat called Donut. There is a whole title to her name, but for her friends, she is Prince's donut. So Carl is a reliable character. 
We actually explore this entire story through his eyes and his point of view is quintessential Carl. It's a matter of fact and to the point. Emotions come into the picture, but only after there's a clear understanding of events. And we are exposed to this approach immediately in the very first chapter and as a reader I truly appreciated the approach. I can form my own emotions before I get influenced by what Carl feels. And despite this, or maybe because of this, Carl is not a flat character. He goes through the wringer, he experiences a lot of downs and some ups. Nothing is simple, nothing is rosy. The emotional toll is often high and it has a compounding effect that builds over time. This is what makes Carl so interesting. His military training helps with addressing the unknown with a clear mind and yet his humanity is so vast, is so deep that he's often impacted by what happens around him when he has time to reflect on it. And it really leaves devastating effects on Carl himself. And another element that is really compelling to Carl is that irrespective of what he goes through, irrespective of what he's forced to experience, and irrespective of how he feels about individuals, he never forgets who he's angry at. And he is actively working to take that anger and place it in the right place. You will not break me is probably his most important mantra and the thing that really takes him forward. And he keeps reminding himself that that is what you need to do, that's why he needs to keep himself together, even with duct tape, irrespective of what the aliens force him to do. And he has to do pretty unspeakable things, including what allows him the pass to the Desperado Club. 
We talked extensively about Carl, but let's be honest, Donut is the great balance to Carl. She's a flamboyant character, she's a performer, she knows what makes people interested in her and Carl, and she knows how to please a crowd. And yet, she's not flat either. We've explored their friendship, and the reality is, again, it's more of a fraternal bond where Carl is really the older sibling protecting Donut at all costs and as frequently as possible. Their relationship is not always rosy. We know that because Carl there is nothing really rosy and it has some moments of tension. And yet from this tension we actually get rewarded with moments of tenderness, of true friendship and hilarious interaction between the two of them. And it's rewarding every single time. Now she, as we said, is not only a facade, she's not only an exterior, she's not only a poser, she is a character who has so much more depth. She has her own journey, different and complementary to Carl's. Every single book we see her becoming a version of herself, a more mature version of herself, I guess is the easier way to describe it. And she quickly moves from being a potential liability especially in the way she makes decisions in book one, to becoming an essential piece of the puzzle for Carl. And the puzzle is Carl's life. On top of that, let's praise Matt Dinniman for choosing to humanizing a pet. And it's an incredibly clever choice. I certainly think about how my pet would behave towards me if he actually were given the same opportunity and would I have a similar friendship in similar circumstances? And so again, reflection, and I appreciate this so much. 
Friendship is explored not only in relation to Carl and Donut, but it is a pretty significant trope, a pretty significant component of most of Carl's interactions in the end. And what's cool about it is that we tend to explore friendship agnostic of gender. Men, women, friendships tend to to be pretty uncommon in fictional worlds and certainly very rare in fantasy. And I really appreciate how Dinniman spends time exploring friendship agnostic of gender. Really, really touch by it, really think it's a realistic component to my life and I appreciate it that being such an important part of this storyline in particular. 
Now while Carl and Donut steal the show in the vast majority circumstances, they are not the only characters, and they are definitely not the only unique and fascinating characters. Each character, and let's shout out to the AI because he is the most unhinged character of them all, they color the pages they appear on, whether they are allies or foes of Carl and Donut, often in between, they are a key component to the success of this story. They come across with their own goals and objectives, and sometimes, they clash with what Carl and Donut need to do, and it creates a lot of friction as well for us, and uncertainty for us when reading the story as we don't always know whether they're allies or not. 
Last but not least, and I'm hiding it in the emotions category because essentially I keep laughing every time I read them, but Matt Dinniman created a gimmicky statement with great impact. And I'm specifically talking about the new achievement lines. And while you should not get spoiled on any single one of them, it is one of the characteristics that really elevates the story. It's really a tool that provides levity at the correct moment. I have chuckled, if not even laughed out loud, reading every single one of them. They are a tool, though, that are not used only for comedic relief. The new achievement lines are not only used as a tool to create levity, to create the comedic relief moments. But they are also cleverly used, and this is why nothing is wasted in this story, to enable us to better understand world building. And there is a lot of content that is being described with these situations, where the AI comes on board, whether it is a new achievement tag or an explanation as to what a creature is or a location is or whatever else the AI is describing. There is so much more content that is being provided to us. I loved it every single time. And the AI is so iconic that a few days ago I was walking on a path in the forest and I found a bench with a spray painted, send feet photos. And the only thing that I could think about is, where's the AI? Are we already there? 

In summary, I love this story not only as the world feels and sounds familiar, it's Earth, there is a lot of pop culture references, there is a pretty solid RPG dynamic too. The plot is at the same time straightforward and complex. The characters are to die for and the new achievement lines and the loot boxes are just the perfect comedic relief. 

Thank you for spending time with me today and I hope you've enjoyed the topic we discussed. If you had fun and did not listen to the earlier episodes, please feel free to follow and listen to them. And if you've found the information I shared with you in any way valuable and or entertaining, please consider following the podcast, leaving a review or a star rating depending on which platform you're using and supporting the journey by word of mouth. If you want more information about my fantasy adventures, please go over to solseit.com. See you next time, bye!