Where I'm up to: I've read books 1 to 6. Last updated: October 2026. I'll add my verdicts on books 7 and 8 as soon as I've read them.
When I reviewed Dungeon Crawler Carl, I called it the most absurd premise I’d ever encountered in a book. Six books later, I’m still here, still laughing, and still slightly worried about how emotionally attached I’ve become to a prize-winning show cat.
If you’ve just finished book 1 and you’re wondering whether to keep going, or you want the right reading order, this guide is for you. Everything below is spoiler-free: I’ll tell you how each book feels, not what happens.
Dungeon Crawler Carl books in order
The series is by Matt Dinniman, and there are currently 8 books. The author has said the main story will end with a ninth book, split into two parts.
| Title | Year | My Muse Points |
| Dungeon Crawler Carl | 2020 | 4,5 Muse points |
| Carl’s Doomsday Scenario | 2021 | 4 Muse points |
| The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook | 2021 | 4 Muse points |
| The Gate of the Feral Gods | 2021 | 5 Muse points |
| The Butcher’s Masquerade | 2022 | 5 Muse points |
| The Eye of the Bedlam Bride | 2023 | 5 Muse points |
| This Inevitable Ruin | 2024 | Not read yet |
| A Parade of Horribles | 2026 | Not read yet |
Read them in publication order. Each book picks up right where the last one ends, so there’s no skipping around. If you prefer audiobooks, the series is narrated by Jeff Hays, and many fans swear by that version.
6 books in: is Dungeon Crawler Carl worth it?
Yes, as long as you know what you’re signing up for.
The humour holds up. I still grin every time Carl earns some absurd achievement or cracks open a loot box. Every book throws a new kind of chaos at him, whether it’s zombies, gods or entirely new monsters, and somehow he always pushes through.
My favourite so far is The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. It gets personal: we learn more about Carl’s past, and we see a vulnerable side of him we haven’t seen before. It’s also the book where you really notice Carl losing a part of himself to the dungeon. Between the jokes, there’s some heavy stuff.
So yes, it gets darker than book 1, and the jokes sometimes turn dark and satirical too. If you want every book to be lighthearted, this series may not be for you. But if you’re invested in Carl and Donut, like I am, keep going. I’m seeing it through to the end.
Book by book, in one line
Book 1: Dungeon Crawler Carl. Aliens turn Earth into a dungeon and broadcast it as a reality show, starring a man in his boxers and his ex-girlfriend’s cat. Silly, self-aware and impossible to put down: I finished it in two days. 4,5 Muse points. Read my full review
Book 2: Carl’s Doomsday Scenario. Still huge fun, though without book 1’s surprise factor it didn’t hit quite as hard for me. The Carl and Donut banter carries it. 4 Muse points
Book 3: The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook. The scale gets bigger, and Carl starts pushing back against the people running the show, not just the monsters. 4 Muse points
Book 4: The Gate of the Feral Gods. The gods enter the game, the chaos goes up a level, and this is where the series really found its stride for me. 5 Muse points
Book 5: The Butcher’s Masquerade. Tenser and darker, with the crawlers no longer the only ones doing the hunting. The satire starts to bite. 5 Muse points
Book 6: The Eye of the Bedlam Bride. My favourite so far, and the most personal book for Carl. Funny, chaotic and surprisingly heavy. 5 Muse points
Book 7: This Inevitable Ruin. Coming soon: I haven’t read this one yet.
Book 8: A Parade of Horribles. Coming soon.
The Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show
TV news (last checked October 2026): Peacock is making a live-action series from Seth MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Productions. Chris Yost and Eric Heisserer were announced as showrunners in August 2026, and Matt Dinniman is an executive producer. Audiobook narrator Jeff Hays has joined the cast. No release date yet. I’ll update this as news comes in.
If you like Dungeon Crawler Carl, try…
Still hungry for more after six books? I put together a list of 5 Best LitRPG & GameLit Books Like Dungeon Crawler Carl, with the same wit, heart, and addictive levelling up.
Where are you up to in the series, and which book is your favourite so far? Tell me in the comments, but please, no spoilers past book 6!
