'Dungeon Crawler Carl’ by Matt Dinniman with Mallory Rubin | Jeselnik Book Club
Dungeon Crawler Carl is fast, funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt—an entertaining entry point for readers curious about LitRPG, even if its game-like fights and humor aren’t for everyone.
- Give it through chapter three: the opening quickly establishes the tone, premise, and game-like rules.
- Expect brisk pacing and a strong Carl–Princess Donut relationship; inventory details and repeated fights may feel tedious.
- For related reads, try Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow for gaming, or The Martian for sci-fi problem-solving.
The discussion and recommendations capture the main takeaways; there is no walkthrough or demo. · Best for: Readers seeking fast-paced fantasy, game-like adventures, or an accessible gateway into LitRPG.
Anthony Jeselnik and Mallory Rubin discuss the first Dungeon Crawler Carl novel, weighing its pace, humor, characters, and video-game structure. They also recommend books for different reader interests and talk about reading habits and adaptations.
Why Dungeon Crawler Carl keeps getting recommended9:31
- Both hosts encountered repeated reader recommendations; Rubin also saw the series’ cosplay and fan enthusiasm at events.
- Rubin describes the book as part of the LitRPG trend, with a game-like structure and a surprisingly sweet tone.
- They agree it’s fine to try—or not have read—well-known genre books without feeling pressured.
What works, and what may not17:13
- Rubin praises the quick pacing, clear rules, and blend of humor and heart; she says readers will know early whether the book works for them.
- Jeselnik enjoys Carl and Princess Donut’s relationship and the emotional moments, but finds much of the humor and some fights less engaging.
- Jeselnik dislikes character descriptions that lean on pop-culture comparisons; both are curious to learn more about the characters in later books.
- Frank and Maggie’s story and the book’s anti-corporate themes stand out as promising threads.
Who might enjoy it42:58
- Jeselnik compares the experience to watching someone else play a well-made video game: entertaining, though he isn’t controlling the action.
- Rubin recommends it to people interested in the premise, while Jeselnik calls it enjoyable, low-stakes reading for readers who want a fast book.
- Rubin says the audiobook is entertaining; she recommends choosing whichever format helps a reader get into the story.
Related reading recommendations47:08
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: a character-driven story with a video-game connection.
- The Martian: science-fiction problem-solving; Project Hail Mary: a bond between a human and a non-human companion.
- Chain-Gang All-Stars: a darker, more literary take on a violent, televised competition.
- Other suggestions include City of Thieves, Orbital, Richard Stark’s Parker novels, and How to Lose the Time War.
The JBC gauntlet and fantasy recommendations1:03:23
- Rubin hopes literature can still resist AI use; Jeselnik thinks it should be policed but will remain difficult to prevent.
- They discuss cats, dogs, character deaths, dragons, and whether a football team named after a poem signals reading.
- Rubin recommends The Hedge Knight as a short entry into the world of A Song of Ice and Fire; Jeselnik agrees to read it.
Future books and adaptation1:13:11
- Rubin says a Dungeon Crawler Carl adaptation is planned for Peacock and is especially curious how Princess Donut will look on screen.
- The hosts consider future book-club picks, including Never Let Me Go, romantasy, and Philip K. Dick.
- Jeselnik closes by encouraging people to read what they enjoy, including books they might dismiss as “trash.”
Tools & resources mentioned
- Dungeon Crawler Carl — Matt Dinniman’s LitRPG series discussed in the episode.
- Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook — Rubin says she has heard it is an entertaining performance.
- Kindle — Rubin’s reading device for highlighting books she reads for work.
- Peacock — the platform Rubin says is set to adapt Dungeon Crawler Carl.
- Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow — Gabrielle Zevin’s novel recommended for its video-game connection and friendship story.
- The Martian — Andy Weir’s science-fiction novel recommended for problem-solving.
- Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir’s novel recommended for its human–non-human bond.
- Chain-Gang All-Stars — Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s novel recommended for a more literary, dystopian competition story.
- The Hedge Knight — a short A Song of Ice and Fire novella Rubin suggests as an accessible starting point.
- Other books mentioned: City of Thieves; Orbital; The Hunter and other Parker novels; How to Lose the Time War; The Everlasting; Never Let Me Go.
Notes are AI-generated from the video's transcript and may miss nuance.