Every 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' Book, Ranked
Charlie Ridgely is a writer from Maryland, currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. He may be new to Collider, but he's been writing, editing, conducting interviews, and podcasting around the industry for 10 years. From 2016 to the start of 2026, Charlie was a full time writer and critic at ComicBook.com. A lifelong movie fan, avid reader, and renowned (fictional) dungeon explorer/dragonslayer, Charlie is a jack-of-all-trades throughout the fandom multiverse and has covered everything under the sun.
In one of the best and most surprising underdog stories to come out of the world of books in quite a while, Matt Dinniman's LitRPG saga about a former member of the Coastguard and his ex-girlfriend's prize-winning cat has become the most popular novel series on the planet. Dungeon Crawler Carl has absolutely exploded over the last couple of years, growing from a self-published sci-fi series on Royal Road to a legitimate phenomenon. We're now eight books and one graphic novel into this ever-expanding world, with a live-action TV show currently on the way, courtesy of Seth MacFarlane and Peacock.
The countdown is also on for the ninth and tenth books in the series, which Dinniman has confirmed will bring an end to the Dungeon Crawler Carl story. With the first couple chapters of Book Nine already available to read on Dinniman's Patreon account, we know that the wait for the next entry to be released isn't going to last forever. And as we look ahead toward what strange wonders await with these final installments, it feels like as good a time as any to reflect on the eight books we've already read.
Below is a ranking of all eight Dungeon Crawler Carl books, listed from "worst" to best. Notice I put the word "worst" in quotation marks? That's because the word "worst" isn't really applicable here, as I genuinely love every book in this series. Every single Dungeon Crawler Carl novel is a blast, but some are just a little better than the others, and that's what the ranking reflects.
It should also go without saying but there are going to be some spoilers for the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series (not counting Dinniman's Patreon chapters) in this article. If you're not caught up, you may want to bookmark this and come back later. So, without further ado, let's get what is sure to be the biggest feather-rustler of this ranking out of the way...
8 8. 'This Inevitable Ruin'
Coming out of the gate with probably the most controversial placing on this entire list, but I want to reiterate one more time: these are all great books! This Inevitable Ruin is my least favorite of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, but that doesn't mean it's not excellent — I still love it quite a bit. It also contains what is undoubtedly my favorite moment in any of the books — Carl coming face-to-face with another Cookbook Author for the first time and Tipid's tear-inducing "We're here, brother." Even typing those three words is enough to give you full-body chills.
The reason This Inevitable Ruin comes in at the bottom of the series is simply because this book is... a lot. It's not just the length of the book, but the density, subject matter, and overall "everyone is invited to this party" vibe of the entire thing. There's so much going on, so many parties involved, and it takes some of the heaviest swings of the series. This Inevitable Ruin is the only DCC book that I actively had to take a short break from — and maybe that's just me! But in a series where every book is relentlessly propulsive, the one entry that had me struggling with the pace is going to come in last.
At worst, though, it's still an 8/10 for me. I just like the rest a little better.
7 7. 'Dungeon Crawler Carl'
The book that started it all is iconic in its own right, and it will likely go down as one of the defining pieces of entertainment from this decade. Compared to the rest of the series, however, it feels more like a launching pad for something even greater. For the most part, Dungeon Crawler Carl is a series that gains momentum as it goes, so the first entry can tend to feel a tiny bit lackluster on a re-read.
The first book in Dungeon Crawler Carl is almost like one long pilot episode for a TV show. The stage gets set, the world is built, and we get to know a handful of the saga's important characters. But, thanks to the nature of Dungeon Crawler World, we don't really get to dive into the true versions of these characters until the Third Floor, which begins in the second book. The first two floors that are covered in Dungeon Crawler Carl are training floors, resembling an actual dungeon and devoid of the vibrant personality that makes the other entries so unique.
6 6. 'Carl's Doomsday Scenario'
The Dungeon Crawler Carl that we know and love really kicks off with the second book in the series, Carl's Doomsday Scenario. This entry brings readers to the third floor, where the crawlers choose their race and class, and where the bigger connected stories of the dungeon and its NPCs are able to actually begin. This is also the book where Katia starts to become a major character, and as we all know, she's a game-changer for the series.
Outside of the training floors, the Third Floor is probably the least memorable of the rest of the dungeon settings, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It just makes the whole thing a tad less exciting than everything that comes next. That said, the book's namesake does remain one of the biggest plot threads dangling over the entire series, and seeing how that finally ties back into things is going to be rewarding in a big way.
5 5. 'A Parade of Horribles'
We all probably need to sit with Dinniman's eighth DCC entry a little longer before it can slot properly into the rankings, but it currently feels like it belongs around the middle of the pack. Personally, I think it could end up even higher with time, mainly because the Wacky Racers premise is super inventive and the final act is an absolute wallop.
A Parade of Horribles is a massive departure from the tone and intensity of This Inevitable Ruin, and it sort of takes things back to the early books where Carl and Donut as a duo are the biggest focus. That drastic of a change may not be for everybody, though, and it can take some getting used to.
4 4. 'The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook'
Your ranking of The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook probably depends on how seriously you took Matt Dinniman's note about the Iron Tangle at the start of the book. The Iron Tangle is a complicated mess of a floor, filled with interconnected dimensional railways, timed train schedules, service corridors that can help one traverse the entire labyrinth. If you think too much about it, or spend any kind of actual time trying to make sense of the map in your head, you're going to give yourself a headache and lessen your enjoyment of the book.
Dinniman offers a warning about this very thing at the beginning of The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, telling readers to just trust the process and that trying too hard to map it all out will be to your detriment. He was absolutely right, by the way, which I can say from experience. This third DCC entry has some incredible action sequences throughout, and Katia's evolution makes for probably the best single-book character arc of the series. The trains are thrilling, the mobs are crazy, and there are a couple of incredible "Carl has an insane plane that will work in the most hilarious way" scenes that make for a killer read. I just wish I'd spent a little less of my time and energy trying to unpack the Tangle. It isn't necessary. Everything works out and makes sense at the end, so just enjoy the ride.
It's also worth noting that The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook features the real entrance of Pony himself, Prepotente, who goes on to become the most widely adored supporting character in the series.
3 3. 'The Gate of the Feral Gods'
Whenever I talk to anyone about their personal DCC rankings, The Gate of the Feral Gods seems to be the most divisive of the books. It's not that people hate it or love it, but it just seems like the book landed so differently with so many readers. The biggest complaint usually highlights the pacing of the book, which does change in a big way about halfway through. Some feel like the sand and camel part of the Bubble Floor sets up one kind of book, while the journey into the air and sea portions of the Bubble deliver something completely different. Maybe I'm the wacky one here, but I love how many bases this book covers, and that's why it occupies such a high spot for me.
The Gate itself is a legendary item that brings so much chaos into the dungeon that I couldn't help but smile as Carl finally got his chance to unleash it. The teamwork element of the Bubble Floor gives us some fantastic groupings that we never would've thought to ask for, not to mention the fact that it also introduces iconic characters like Louis, Samantha, and Juice Box.
Most importantly, though, is the fact that The Gate of the Feral Gods delivers on everything that makes this series so great. It's an absolute hoot from start to finish, with interesting game mechanics and some chaotic twists that you could truly never dream up, and what is maybe the greatest epilogue of the entire saga. On top of all that, it's an emotional journey that knows exactly when to punch you in the gut.
2 2. 'The Eye of the Bedlam Bride'
Speaking of punching you in the gut, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride has got to be the most emotional ride in all of Dungeon Crawler Carl. A Parade of Horribles and The Butcher's Masquerade have some real haymakers in that department, but no other book in the series (so far) has been able to consistently put tears in eyes the way that Bedlam Bride does.
The battle card mechanic of the floor makes it incredibly memorable, and Bedlam Bride has an electric atmosphere from the very first word because we know about Katia's tragic crown situation before the book even begins. But what makes Bedlam Bride so incredible is its ability to dive far deeper into the emotional well than any of its predecessors, and the impossibly savvy 180s it pulls to swing the pendulum right back to some of the best comedy in all of DCC. Carl learning about his kid brother's existence for the very first time and watching Raul the Crab... ascend in the same book represents just how wide Bedlam Bride's range really is.
Oh, and don't forget this book has what could end up being one of the two or three most pivotal moments in all of Dungeon Crawler Carl, when Eternal Button-Pusher Carl opts to not only not press the biggest, reddest button in human history, but completely deletes his ability to ever change his mind.
1 1. 'The Butcher's Masquerade'
There isn't much in the way of a true consensus when it comes to ranking the Dungeon Crawler Carl books — except for the fifth book in the series, The Butcher's Masquerade. This book is widely considered to be the best of the series and it's hard to disagree with the sentiment.
This is Matt Dinniman at his absolute best, firing on all cylinders and delivering some of the strongest prose of his career. Everything about Carl and Donut's fight through the Hunting Grounds is so immaculately constructed that it makes the book impossible to put down. Not one word feels out of place and this thing hums on a frequency you may not have thought possible for a series about a guy in his boxers playing murder games with a talking cat. It's got some of the best villains of the series, a jaw-dropping final act that delivers on everything it promises, and an entire subplot dedicated to a dinosaur love story. The Butcher's Masquerade quite literally has it all, and there are a million reasons why the majority of Dungeon Crawler Carl fans will tell you this book belongs at the top of every ranking.
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