Dungeon Crawler Carl, Wine, and Chaos
Our March Read Between the Wines Book Club was one for the books. Equal parts chaotic fantasy, hilarious dialogue, and surprisingly thoughtful commentary on entertainment culture, Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman sparked one of the liveliest discussions we’ve had yet.
Between glasses of wine, themed cocktails, and a room full of readers, we dove into a story that blends dungeon-crawling fantasy with the absurdity of reality television.
If you missed it, here’s a look at the book, the questions we discussed, and a few recommendations for what to read next.
The Book: Dungeon Crawler Carl
If you’ve never heard of it, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a wild ride.
In the book, Earth is suddenly destroyed and the surviving humans are forced into a massive underground dungeon. The twist? The dungeon crawl is broadcast across the galaxy as entertainment. Every trap, fight, and betrayal is watched by alien audiences like a reality show.
The story follows Carl, an average guy, and Princess Donut, his ex-girlfriend’s very opinionated cat, as they fight their way through deadly levels while trying to keep the viewers entertained enough to survive.
The result is a mix of:
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dark humor
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action and survival
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video-game style leveling and achievements
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commentary on fame and entertainment culture
And yes… a lot of chaos.
If you want to check out the book yourself, you can find it here:
The series has exploded in popularity in recent years, with millions of copies sold and multiple sequels continuing the story.
Featured Drinks of the Night
No Read Between the Wines night would be complete without something good in your glass.
Wine Feature
Freakshow Zinfandel
Big, bold, and a little over the top. Which felt perfectly on brand for a book about surviving a televised alien dungeon.
Featured Cocktails
Inspired by the absurd energy of the book and its dungeon achievements. Expect things that are a little chaotic, a little dangerous, and a lot of fun.
Book Club Discussion Questions
Here are some of the questions we talked about during the event.
Main Discussion Questions
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At the start of the book, Carl has the choice to go down the stairs into the dungeon. Would you have gone? What would you take with you?
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Carl begins the story as an ordinary guy in an impossible situation. How does he grow or change throughout the book?
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Are you a cat person? How did Princess Donut change the tone of the story?
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What makes Carl and Donut’s partnership work compared to other crawler teams we see?
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Had you ever read a LitRPG novel before? Did the game mechanics (stats, levels, achievements) enhance or distract from the story?
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The dungeon often feels chaotic and unfair. Do you think the aliens designed it that way intentionally?
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The book mixes dark subject matter with humor. Did that balance work for you?
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Which dungeon challenge or moment stood out the most?
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What parallels did you notice between the alien dungeon show and our own entertainment culture?
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After finishing the book, would you continue the series?
Bonus Discussion Questions
If the conversation kept going, these were some of the deeper topics we explored.
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Carl kills a lot of people in the dungeon. Are his actions morally justified?
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How does the book explore themes of exploitation and powerlessness?
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Carl narrates the story. Do you think he is a reliable narrator?
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If you had to enter the dungeon, how far do you realistically think you would get?
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If you had game stats (DEX, STR, CHA, INT, CON), what would your strongest and weakest be?
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Did Mordecai help make the dungeon understandable, or did he raise more questions?
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What did you think about the intergalactic talk shows that interview the crawlers?
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Princess Donut clearly enjoys the fame of being a crawler. Do you think that will help or hurt them later?
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What theories do you have about what is actually happening behind the scenes of the dungeon?
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If you were producing a show about the dungeon crawl, what kind of show would you create?
If You Liked Dungeon Crawler Carl
If this book scratched a new reading itch for you, here are some other titles our group recommends.
Humorous LitRPG
LitRPG and Game Worlds
Progression Fantasy
Massive Fantasy Worlds
Darker Fantasy
Bonus Fun Pick
Join Our Next Book Club
Read Between the Wines is exactly what it sounds like.
A relaxed night of:
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books
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themed cocktails
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wine pairings
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lively conversation
Every month we pick a new book, create drinks inspired by the story, and gather a group of readers who enjoy good conversation as much as a good novel.
If that sounds like your kind of night, keep an eye on upcoming book club events and grab a seat at the table.
Because sometimes the best stories are the ones you get to talk about afterward.