Combine Squid Game and the Matrix and they still have nothing on the Dungeon. Survive or die, who cares, the ratings are out of this world.
In a sleepy little dungeon, monsters are living their best lives until a man and his cat infiltrate their sanctuary. Let the killing spree commence. Freaking humans ruin everything. Wait, put on the brakes, I think I got that backwards… Take 2: A man and his cat. A dungeon of monsters all bent on killing him and the rest of the remaining humans. Hollywood, take notice, our alien overlords are coming for your ratings, revenue, and everything you have. Except your boxers. They don’t want them.
Caarrrl!!!! 
Sorry, can’t help but say that when I see the name. It’s from Walking Dead. Carl was one of my favorite character. And so is this Carl. Maybe that’s a trend, hmm. Guys named Carl need to watch out ‘cause bad things are going to happen to them.
I know, I know, Squid Game, The Matrix, and now The Walking Dead. It’s a lot, but that’s still not close enough to what the dungeon has instore for our heroes: Carl and his cat (technically, it’s his ex-girlfriend’s cat – long story, her loss).
Psycho aliens take over Earth. Captured, Carl is presented with a choice: Try to survive the dungeon with your fluffy Persian companion, Princess Donut (full name being withheld) all for our amusement or just die with the rest of your insignificant flock. Carl won’t be in this totally alone with his kitty, other humans have been given similar choices, minus their own furry companions.
This is one of the few books where we agreed with the positive reviews. The hijinks never let up and barely slow down enough to allow the characters to catch their breath. Which is what you would expect in real life, right?
The amount of planning and thought that went into creating the world of the dungeon, and beyond (this is an interstellar epic) …I can only imagine how much time it took to get everything right. It’s impressive. The story bible Dinniman must keep has to be well worn and massive.
What lots of stories fail to do is tie everything together. You must create great characters that people end up caring about and put them in situations (crazy or not) that push their limits. At the same time, each obstacle they run into has to have a reason for being there. A story is a chain of events that interact and have purpose. Dinniman does an excellent job of weaving the story around obstacles and goals so well that things make sense. And not just in the end, as the story progresses.
I did have a minor issue that Carl seemed to be too knowledgeable for his background. But that resolved itself and as new characters were introduced Carl was given a lot to learn. And Princess Donut is priceless. Animal companions are always a good thing to make characters feel real. Donut is a whole other level. She’s not just a pretty face or comic relief – she would take offense to the later. Nope, I’m not telling you any more about her.
Another great thing that Dinniman pulled off is the use of LitRPG. The point system is not annoying or overbearing like in some other series (they shall not be named – until I write about them!).
The story grabbed hold of us far more tightly than Carl’s heart decorated boxers. It’s a wild ride that continues for 7 books – and we ripped through the first six in a month. That set a new club reading record. We’re eagerly awaiting book 8 – and a tv series! Let’s go Hollywood, get on it.
Wait, I got it. You’re inside the acid driven mental breakdown of a Matrix version of Willy Wonka’s factory playing Squid Game against zombies and other monsters, but there’s no red pill to get out. It’s real. Bam, that’s it.
A parting thought for Mr. Dinniman (we’re not on friendly terms – yet 🙏), Why the change in the covers. The original covers were amazing and part of what drew me into the series. I read the eBooks and I’m so jealous of other club members that have the first edition physical books to decorate their shelves.
