The Bookwyrm's Review of The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Dungeon Crawler Carl #3) by Matt Dinniman
Rating: 9.5/10
Welcome to the Gun Show!
The top ten list is populated. The sponsorship program is open. The difficulty is ramping up. The first three floors were nothing compared to what Carl and Donut now face.
The Iron Tangle. An impossibly-complicated subway system built out of the world's subterranean railway systems, all combined and then tied together into a knot. Up is down. Down is up. Close is far. The cars are filled with monsters, the railway stations are less than safe, and the exit is always just a few stops away.
But there is hope. For the first time, the crawlers are all working together. The loot is better than ever. And the secret to unraveling it all may be hidden in the pages of a seemingly-useless book. Welcome, crawlers. Welcome to the fourth floor of the dungeon.
While LitRPG can be a bit hit or miss for me, three books into the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and I'm more hooked than ever. The mix of creative world building, a wide variety of fully realized characters and some wickedly twisted humor just really appeals to me. The fact that a book that has such potential as a long series that doesn't seem to be losing steam is also a selling point.
The worldbuilding is interesting in this series, as each floor of the "dungeon" is completely different than the others. In this book, we have a level based on a subway system of many lines and levels, with their own patterns, traps and mobs. This chaotic setup helps create some really interesting situations for the various dungeon crawlers, as well some really humorous settings as well. It is really one of the best examples of worldbuilding in LitRPG.
The characters are really what makes this book, and the series as a whole, shine so brightly. Carl is one of my favorite protagonists in any genre. He is just such a fun character, an everyman who's not particularly special in any way, but who's streak of stubborn determination to survive and protect his friends is so endearing. That, and the fact he's just always blowing things up in the most hilarious ways possible. His plans aren't necessarily the most sophisticated, but they tend to get the desired results. His partner Donut, His ex-girlfriend's cat turned intelligent crawler, is a great foil for Carl. A snob who tends to think she knows it all, she is intensely loyal to Carl, even if he's the butt of her jokes quite a bit of the time. She could easily be a coward, but is willing to fight by Carl's side against crazy odds.
The secondary characters are an eclectic mix of people, from a variety of countries and backgrounds. The groups that have formed for mutual protection are really interesting, but the stress of the floor really highlighted the cracks in loyalties, and there are a series of betrayals and shuffling in groups that leave things in disarray for these characters. As you get more peeks into these character's pasts, you see just what people will do in dire circumstances to survive. I have to mention the AI for the dungeon in this group as well, because it's snarky announcements are just a highlight, and the way the system interacts with the characters and adjusts things based on their actions to try and keep things at least somewhat fair is really intriguing. Well, fair based on a weird set of morals, considering it's running a lethal dungeon.
The antagonists are a mixed bunch as well, ranging from several corporations involved in the dungeon, some nobles from the Skull Empire, all the way down to some crawlers Carl and Donut fell afoul of on earlier floors. They cause Carl and the other crawlers no end of trouble, and there are even a few surprises Carl and Donut couldn't see coming. Oh, there's also a god involved, with bad intentions for all involved, especially as it's controlled by one of the enemies previously mentioned. It's definitely raising the stakes against Carl and the other crawlers, and the hope of what remains of humanity that they carry with them.
The narration is performed by the talented Jeff Hays, with an assist from YouTube sensation the Critical Drinker. Jeff is so good at creating unique voices for each characters, and you can't help but to immerse yourself in the story as you listen to his narration. His narrative pacing is some of the best in the business, and you just find yourself flowing along with the story. The Critical Drinker brought such funny life to his character, bringing a bitter world weariness to him, although he was so full of snark it doesn't wear at all. His reaction to Donut is hilarious, and you just can't help but smile the entire time he's in the story.
This series shows no sign of slowing down. Three books in, and we keep seeing new and creative story elements that move the story along, and keep the reader engaged. The humor and solid storytelling are just so engaging, and the characters will definitely appeal to a wide range of readers. I highly recommend this worthy addition to the series, and especially recommend the audio version. Its one of my favorite new series, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.
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