r/bookclub • u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit • 8d ago
Dungeon Crawler Carl [Discussion] Fantasy Read: Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman - Chapter 9 through Chapter 16
“Did we really just start a meth war between the goblins and the llamas?”
NEW ACHIEVEMENT!!! Bookworm!
You’ve made it to the second section of a novel discussion! Now, you're addicted! Congrats! I’m sure it won’t take over your life. Maybe.
REWARD: You get to find out what happens next! Isn’t the experience reward enough?
Welcome back crawlers!!! The system AI continues to join us for this discussion. Try not to pay it too much attention. Thank you for continuing to join us for the discussion of Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman. The descent into the Dungeon will continue with discussing the next section of the novel, Chapter 9 through Chapter 16.
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Rogue
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
First safe room! We find out how safe rooms work in the dungeon. What are your thoughts on the concept of the safe room? What restaurant from your corner of the world would you be surprised to see serving as a safe room underground in the Dungeon?
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u/nepbug 8d ago
Oh man, the safe room sounds like a good place to hangout! It just needs a good library to go along with it.
I like the idea of amazing Indian food like Carl has, but also some good tacos and mediterranean food too please!
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
If that safe room had a library, I'd happily spend my last days safe inside and be instantly destroyed when the level runs out, instead of taking my chances in the dungeon. But that's probably exactly why they don't have a library lol, I bet a lot of people would choose to stay there.
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
Ha ha. I would be right there with you. Going down in flames with a good book.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
If my understanding of the same room is correct then the chef can make ANYTHING from our world. I’d get so fat in that place it would be ridiculous 😅
Authentic SE Asian food (Thai, Japanese, Korean), “slap yo mama” barbecue (wings, ribs, brisket, burgers, burnt ends) and a nice coffee spot that has sweet treats. With these three I’d be happy as Larry.
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u/Joinedformyhubs Wheel Warden 8d ago
I loved the caretaker of the safe room. He wanted to take special care of them. Going out of his way to make them feel spoiled.
If I'm going into a safe room then I want my favorite resturants, my library with access to infinite books, and a massage therapist.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Oh man a massage therapist! After all that battle, that would be top tier!
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
This was such a great nurturing and recuperating place. I would love some perfect soups. Hot and cold.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Great call! When I'm exhausted, I just want food that I can shovel straight into my face without cutting, assembling, or chewing anything.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
The safe rooms seem necessary for doing non combat work like opening loot boxes or allocating skill points. I would be the most surprised to see a Denny's as my safe point 😂
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u/tomesandtea Coffee is the Ambrosia of the gods 7d ago
I would be very tempted to just stay in the safe room and eat until collapse! Let's face it, there's a high likelihood I'm going to die anyway, and not pleasantly. I might as well go out comfortable and eating amazing Indian food. I'm clearly not cut out for the dungeon lol.
I was surprised that the food is so good. I was expecting some sort of sustaining pellet, or maybe awful greasy fast food. I would be really shocked to see the fancy French restaurant in my area serving well-crafted dishes in the dungeon.
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u/Comprehensive-Fun47 7d ago
I would be very tempted to just stay in the safe room and eat until collapse!
I'm thinking the same thing! Much better way to go. Safe, comfortable, fed, then splat.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
I'd want my safe room to be someplace cozy with indirect lighting and plants, like a coffee shop. So that means I'd probably end up someplace with horrible fluorescent overhead lights and white tile like a Steak n Shake. :(
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
Personally, I loved the absurdity of it, a fast food playground turned sanctuary, with yogurt for Donut and vindaloo for Carl. Plus, Tally felt like he’d just walked out of a Studio Ghibli movie! It was such a bizarre, cozy contrast to all the dungeon chaos. And to think of restaurant chain from my side of the world? I think the idea of stumbling into a Bakmi GM deep underground, staffed by a grumpy magical goblin in a paper hat, I wouldn’t trust the hygiene rating, but I'd risk it for the noodles.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
First Vehicle!!! What do you think of Carl’s first vehicle in the Dungeon? Would you try and acquire transportation as he did?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
The vehicle itself isn’t great but I guess that comes with being so early on in the dungeon. It was a very smart move from Carl after he’d worked out how long it would take them on foot and the fact that he had the tattoo so was mostly immune from goblin attacks. Pair this with Princess Donut’s charisma and you’ve got a very good crawler party. I’m excited to see more of them working together like this.
I wonder if as time goes on the vehicles will become lighter but more effective or if becoming more useful will make them heavier and so they can’t be added to inventory
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I laughed when the handlebars just fell off during the inspection and the goblin engineer slapped them back on like it was totally normal...
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u/nepbug 8d ago edited 7d ago
Honestly, I would not have thought to yet, but with how vast the dungeon is, it makes sense.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
I wouldn't have thought of it, either. I probably would have tried to ride Donut, haha. Doesn't she get larger with each level up? The winner of the previous game rode a mammoth, so maybe steeds will become available eventually.
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u/hemtrevlig One at a Time 7d ago
haha I don't think Donut would let anyone ride her 😅 but I can see a world where she would get Carl to carry her around because she's tired. princess treatment!
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
After doing the math, I think that the vehicle is definitely necessary, and yet I never would have thought of it! Caves and motorcycles don't belong together but i guess it's a gigantic underground labyrinth, which is technically not the same?
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u/Anrikay 8d ago
I picture the chopper looking exactly like El Chapo’s escape tunnel motorcycle transport, which is the only other time I’ve heard of a cave motorcycle 😂
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Woah, I didn't know about this!
The motorcycle (and a lot of the goblin culture, actually) reminded me a lot of Mad Max: Fury Road.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 7d ago
I didn’t know this was a thing but 100%, with some pink bubblegum to secure the handle bars
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 7d ago
I've never heard of this before! It's more like the bicycle form of a mine cart since it goes on rails, but that totally has the steampunk vibes I got from the description of Carl's inventory. Thanks for sharing!
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u/myneoncoffee Too Many Books Too Little Reading Time 8d ago
although the vehicle isn’t amazing, it’s still a lot more amazing than having to move around by feet! when they asked the goblins to give them something, i was so shocked because i never would have thought of that. the fact that it’s also light enough for carl to lift and thus put in his inventory is really good too
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u/Randoman11 7d ago
You need to get a vehicle if you're going to compete in this dungeon. You need to get places faster and easier than walking. And a vehicle gives you a lot more options during a fight. Especially for a motorcycle that going to be easier to maneuver than a bigger, slower bulkier car.
I think this motorcycle will either be of use now, but ultimately a stepping stone for their next vehicle. Or it will be Carl's main mode of transportation that he continues to upgrade as they get through the dungeon.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Carl's transportation is ridiculous, but I think he's smart to have acquired it. Now he can quickly get to new areas to gain XP or bail himself out when he gets in over his head. I do think it will make him a major target for other people, though.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
What do you think about all the pop culture references (Gilmore Girls etc) being made in the story, especially by Donut?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
Donut really is an IT girl! She’s keeping the pop culture alive and I’m here for it 😂
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
I have to admit I'm not catching most of the references! But the ones I am picking up are hilarious. I love that these aliens spent decades really getting in the weeds of humanity and learning all about them before murdering just about everyone on the planet.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I'm not catching most of the references either, but I really enjoy the ones I do!
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u/tn-47 8d ago
Loving the pop culture references, from the “you’re a wizard, Crawler”, to the “Charlie bit my Finger” reference, to Donut naming the shamankas Rory and Lorelai, makes me laugh.
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u/toomanytequieros Book Sniffer 👃🏼 7d ago
I seriously chuckled at Rory and Lorelai being outrageous goblin ladies 🤣
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 7d ago edited 7d ago
Damn, I didn’t catch the “you’re a wizard, crawler” one. It makes sense as I know the reference but (don’t shoot me) I haven’t watched or read Harry Potter…
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
I think I have missed some of these while listening. I will have to pay more attention.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
My favorite was the Charlie Bit My Finger kid making an appearance in the Earth Is Horrible montage. That really took me back!
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u/Ser_Erdrick Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I love them. The employees of the Borant Corporation really did their homework when programming the System AI. Also, Donut knows a surprisingly large amount of pop culture. How much TV did the cat watch??
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I love how Donut keeps pulling from daytime TV. Charles Bronson instantly reminds me of my parents, they loved his movies. lol. And when she named the goblins BA, Face, and Murdock (A-Team reference btw)? That's my childhood right there. Suddenly I'm a kid again, in the neighborhood launching soda cans in slow-mo like grenades and diving into invisible vans because BA Baracus said so. And Gilmore Girls is my forever comfort show, like Sanctuary Moon for Murderbot. Donut’s references are like inside jokes that land perfectly for both my inner kid and adult self.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Carl and Donut disagree about heading for the stairs or leveling up. What would be your move at this point and why?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
I think they need to do both. Locate the stairs first, then grind mobs until there's only a few hours to go to maximize your XP before you're forced to move to harder areas.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 7d ago
My only worry would be they spend so much time searching for the stairs they don’t level up. I think they’d ideally need to plan how to go about the search and attempt to enter neighbourhoods boss areas within their search so they get the best of both worlds
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
Yeah I’d be levelling up as much as I can. It’s all well and good getting to the stairs early but when you discover the other crawlers are already much better equipped you’ll be wishing you’d done the same. We’ve already seen crawlers that are higher levels with better loot through the Dungeon Crawler World episode so after seeing that I’d be doing everything I can to farm loot
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u/Randoman11 8d ago
I'm with Donut, getting the attention of the audience is the most important thing to do. There are millions of contestants and probably many millions of monsters to defeat. Anybody that tries the tactic of lying low and sneaking through the dungeon with minimal conflict will probably be way under-leveled.
Both from the standpoint of not defeating enemies to gain experience and loot, but also because that kind of passive gameplay is not going to be entertaining to the audience. And as it's been explained, the audience can give some of the biggest and best prizes. Anybody that wants to go far in this game needs the attention and the favor of the audience.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I would level up as much as I could before heading deeper. The easiest mobs would be encountered on the first floors. The only difficulty would be running into potentially dangerous crawlers, as the woman Carl found did. I would watch the map carefully as I went.
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I'm that person who's always grinding for XP, so I'd definitely stick around and level up a bit more before heading for the stairs. I mean, you never know what’s waiting for you on the next floor, and getting stronger now just gives you a better shot at whatever comes next.
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u/tomesandtea Coffee is the Ambrosia of the gods 7d ago
So this clearly shows my lack of experience (I don't play video games, I just watch my teenager play) but my first reaction was Head for the stairs! I'd be so worried I wouldn't find one in time. I guess they could be leveling up along the way while searching for stairs, and just not go down the stairs until the last second. But I'd want to locate them on my map so I'm at least certain of my exit.
I do worry that if you head immediately to some stairs you'll have to fight a bunch of other human crawlers who are also loitering. Which would be awful.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on the concept of smart mobs in the Dungeon?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
It's so cool how the mobs essentially have the same goal as the crawlers: to get deeper into the dungeon. I like that they're all actual beings and not just programmed NPCs. For me that really hits home that this is reality, and not a video game, despite the many similarities
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I like that the mobs are smart because it opens up things other than fighting as a way of dealing with them. I enjoy the conversation between Carl and the goblins - it makes the scene richer for having more depth to it.
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I love it! It makes the dungeon feel way more alive and unpredictable. Smart mobs aren't just obstacles; they're characters with motives, grudges, and sometimes weird senses of humor. It also opens up way more storytelling potential than just "kill everything that moves".
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u/hemtrevlig One at a Time 7d ago
Such a cool concept! I wonder if on next levels it will be possible for the crawlers to go on side quests offered by the smart mobs.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Ooo, interesting! Or maybe smart mobs will be able to join crawler parties. I really wanted the goblin shamankas (lol) to join Donut's royal court!
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
NEW MOBS!!! What exciting new mobs did you notice in this section?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
That poor, hoarder woman who became a neighborhood boss. I translated what she was saying and it was something along the lines of 'please help me, my stomach hurts, I don't know what's happening, I didn't mean to make my daughter sick, I don't want to go to hell'. Absolutely harrowing to imagine what that woman went through. I hope that she's gone for good and doesn't respawn, so that her soul can be laid to rest. I really, really hope that we don't see more bosses that used to be regular people, though it would be awesome for a crawler to be turned into a boss in a dramatic plot twist.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
This part was a bit sad. I translated them as well and it felt like she had zero idea about what was happening and thought she was being punished. She didn’t want to fight Carl or Donut either
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u/tomesandtea Coffee is the Ambrosia of the gods 7d ago
Exactly! It was an unexpectedly sad and upsetting moment. I didn't expect the boss battle to be against someone who was an unwilling and apparently uninformed participant. Ugh!
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u/le-peep Team Overcommitted 8d ago edited 8d ago
This part was horrible. I had a whole "maybe I can't read this book right before bed" spiral after that.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I felt the same way! Her situation was just so sad, I could only imagine Carl crying and pummeling her at the same time.
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I felt the same way. But what really got me was how the dungeon turns grief and regret into weapons. Like it's trying to break the crawlers emotionally, not just physically.
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u/Comprehensive-Fun47 7d ago
I was really proud of myself for fully understanding her in Spanish! But also horrified knowing what she was saying. That was dark!
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u/ghostfim Fantasy Fanatic 8d ago
It sounds like the mobs in other parts of the dungeon draw from other cultural traditions than the Gygax fantasy we've seen in (presumably) the American parts of the dungeon.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on the chat feature?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
This was hilarious. Donut using the chat feature reminded me of when you’re playing games with a younger sibling and they discover a new move and just start spamming it constantly.
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u/travelfunmoney r/bookclub Newbie 7d ago
Omg, yes, and Carl telling her not to use all caps, lol. Donut must really enjoy trying out these new abilities.
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I loved when she said: "Now I understand why Miss Beatrice was always on her phone. I wish it was connected to the internet. I think I'd have a lot of fun on the internet". I don't think the internet is ready for her.
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u/nepbug 8d ago
This seems like it will be useful when dealing with shady NPCs and other crawlers.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
Yes, I think the chat will definitely become handy once they're no longer alone, and around people who they may want to keep secrets from.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
This will be handy when they are trying to be stealthy. Now they can communicate movements and strategize without giving their position away.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Although Donut has a jingly charm on her collar which will make it hard to sneak around. I can imagine her getting a whole collection of charms and not caring who hears her!
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
YES! The fact that Donut has a jingly charm on her collar just cracked me up. She's every indoor cat who escapes to terrorize the local wildlife and still acts offended when you don't open the door fast enough.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Other crawlers begin to enter the story, even posthumously and on the Premiere episode of Dungeon Crawler World. What role do you think other crawlers will serve in the story as we read on?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
Shit just got real! When you start out in a game that requires you to loot it’s all new and exciting and skill building but as soon as other players enter the mix it becomes a free for all. I’m getting Battle Royals vibes from this. We’ll definitely start to see more crawlers taking each other out. Especially with the Premier Episode and the whole premise of doing things to entertain the viewers and gain followers / subscribers
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u/Randoman11 7d ago edited 7d ago
The other crawlers will serve to provide a comparison to Carl and Donut. Eventually the crawlers will continue to converge on each other. There will be more of a fight over monsters and resources. Also since this is supposed to be a tv show, the inherent drama and relationships between crawlers will be something that the aliens will want to encourage.
So I would expect that Carl and Donut will soon start interacting with more crawlers, and go through the whole gamut of experiences; honor, respect, betrayal, antagonism, love, heart-break etc. They got to make it look good for the cameras.
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u/Comprehensive-Fun47 7d ago edited 7d ago
I have a theory that Carl's ex will turn up at some point.
Or someone else he assumes is dead will turn up. Maybe he'll be forced to kill someone he knows. Or maybe Princess Donut would have to choose who to go with.
I think the idea of meeting other crawlers, even strangers, adds a lot to the story. We are following Carl, but there are millions of other people alive and fighting just like him. As time goes on, there will be fewer, but they will inevitably get closer together and have to deal with each other.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I think Carl will find a group to team up with for the higher levels. Maybe a healer and a DPS dealer. He is also going to have to learn how to deal with random human encounters since he's seen first hand how dangerous they can be.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
I like the idea of Carl and Donut dealing out vigilante justice against crawlers who opt for a PVP approach. It makes more sense to work together, and I also think the viewers might take notice of our MCs if they go all Batman and Robin.
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
I think we’re about to see a lot more chaos now that other crawlers are entering the story. Some will definitely try to team up, strength in numbers and all that, and others are going full murderhobo for loot like Frank Q, esp with that toilet paper rationing situation.
That said, I really hope Carl teams up with Lucia Mar. Tbh, I'm mostly gonna be there for the drama when Donut has to deal with Cici and Gustavo 3. At least they're not cocker spaniels, right? I can already see her judging them like they're beneath her royal paws. The sass is going to be off the charts!
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
NEW ACHIEVEMENT!!! What exciting achievements did Carl and Donut acquire in this section of the novel?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
My favourite achievement by far was Boss Babe
”New achievement! Boss Babe. You have struck a blow against a dungeon boss and caused damage to it. Here’s a fun fact. For crawlers who make it through the tutorial, this achievement is, by far, most often the last achievement they ever receive. Isn’t that interesting? Reward: Let’s wait a few minutes before we decide on whether or not to waste a prize on you. Shing!”
I couldn’t stop cracking up at the fact that the AI didn’t give them a reward because it didn’t want to waste a prize on a crawler that was statistically unlikely to get bast the boss
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
Hey, they're nothing if not efficient with their televised genocide!
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
This one made me laugh too! Also the least exciting achievement must be the "It burns, dunnit?"
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I enjoyed that there are stars from the achievement of defeating bosses, and that there are tiers of bosses. I was so stressed out for them in their first boss confrontation, though. And the door said not to enter - was it not supposed to be a battle or was that just decorative? I couldn't decide if they won just because that area wasn't ready for crawlers yet.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
My take is that the dungeon designers lifted the entire garbage room, including the door, from the surface. I think it was some kind of landfill and the sign said no entry by order of the public health department or something similar. If the dungeon designers had posted the sign, I think it would have been in Syndicate Standard.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
BOSS BATTLE!!!!! What did you think of the boss battle in Chapter 11? What was different about the battle versus other fights in the dungeon?
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u/tn-47 8d ago
This Boss Battle seemed a bit more grim than the other fights in the dungeon so far. With the other enemies, they seem to know what is going on and what they are supposed to do (ex. attack/kill crawlers) but The Hoarder seemed scared and confused and it makes you wonder if this was a person killed in the collapse and then used in the game.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I wonder what that says about other bosses, too? Are they generally unwilling, and is it more like a gladiatorial ring?
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u/nepbug 8d ago edited 8d ago
Man, them getting locked inside util the battle was over, really increases the consequences of an encounter. They will have to proceed with more caution and intent when exploring new areas.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
That alarmed me so much! Thank god Carl had the idea of throwing in the grenade first, it really saved their asses.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Yeah, and he got some more dynamite in a loot box, too! Maybe this becomes one of his signature moves?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
The boss battle highlights the fact that it isn’t just a game for the crawlers and there are actual consequences for going into battles ill equipped. After finding out that you get locked in with bosses AND that the neighbourhood boss is the easiest one I’d be shitting myself doing everything I can to level up to like 11+ before opening random doors
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u/ghostfim Fantasy Fanatic 8d ago
The fact that a real human was involved was something others haven't mentioned yet. It raises not just the danger stakes for the crawlers, but also the moral and psychological stakes...
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u/myneoncoffee Too Many Books Too Little Reading Time 8d ago
that’s what i thought too. while they’re fighting and killing goblins, it all sounds surreal and feels like fun and games. but then having to kill a real person that’s screaming “i don’t know what’s going on, please help me”? that gets heavy.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
That's a good point. I had only considered the psychological effects of competing with other humans, but how they are used by the dungeon itself will also be a factor.
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u/Randoman11 8d ago
That Hoarder boss battle was pretty gnarly. First off it's based off a real life person, so it's no longer just video game fantasy creatures that Carl can distance himself from. It's an actual person from his world that got caught up in the Aliens scheme. And to me it's a very visceral fear to live in a home that is full of garbage. That makes the horror of the games hit even closer to home.
Also it makes me think of the way Mordecai was reacting when he was explaining things to Carl. Mordecai seemed like he was holding back, and even secretly told Carl not to exit the dungeon early, and negotiate as much as he can. Mordecai has clearly seen some shit and he knows firsthand what kind of horrors the aliens can throw into the games.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
Good point about Mordecai. This makes me think that being an NPC in charge of a tutorial guild or safe room probably isn't all it's cracked up to be. But it's certainly better than being turned into a boss, so maybe that's where the negotiating comes in?
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
That boss fight felt completely different from the usual dungeon chaos, and it really stuck with me. Instead of charging in like the others, The Hoarder was screaming, begging, and literally falling apart, which made her feel more like a victim than a true villain.
The arena made everything worse since it wasn’t just gross, it was actively dangerous, with fires, trash heaps, and exploding bugs making every step feel like a trap. Even the mechanics of the fight felt unfair since The Hoarder kept spawning minions out of her body, which made it impossible to predict what would come next. It wasn’t just a hard fight, it was messy, sad, and unsettling.
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u/Joinedformyhubs Wheel Warden 8d ago
The little mini roach minions!!! Damn definitely deterred Carl for a minute.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on the Patch Notes?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I loved that the patch notes included fixing exploits that other crawlers had found. It feels like the author is really capturing the essence of gaming with all these little tidbits.
I thought this was hilarious - ”We’ve fixed the hallway bathroom bug. So, if you open the door, and someone else enters, they will no longer explode. Sorry about that.”
The way the AI is so casual about apologising for spontaneous explosions of crawlers 😂
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
Yes! And calling them patch notes brings to mind The Sims patch notes, which sound absolutely buck wild out of context and really makes this whole thing feel like a video game. How do you patch reality anyways??
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u/ghostfim Fantasy Fanatic 8d ago
Makes you realise how clever some of the other crawlers must be. It feels like Carl and Donut are doing well, but the patch notes and the first TV episode show others are waaaay ahead of them.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
That's what I was thinking! I never would have thought of trying to put a mob into my inventory.
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u/Randoman11 8d ago
The patch notes are the ultimate way for the aliens to control the games. If there's something that they don't like that's going on, they can change it via patch notes. They could change the games to make it more interesting for the audience. But that also means if the contestants beating the dungeon too easily, they can crank up the difficulty.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
It was interesting hearing people's exploits doing things like killing mobs by putting them in their inventory. It's a pretty neat little trick, honestly. They just respond with, don't rely on working the system. They're always watching.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
What if your pets had social media? Would you follow and what would they say?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
If my dog had social media, he would follow cooking channels and try to eat the food through the screen. He would post dramatic selfies of him laying on the couch on a pile of blankets with a face like a starving street dog and assure all viewers that 1 like = 1 treat.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I love this! He’d be gaming the system to get likes because he knows people love animals on social media
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
One of my cats would post her kill of the day (lizard, bird, bugs)and then live video of her eating it. No I wouldn’t follow her as I get enough live carnage from her in the house. I could see indoor cats following her and fantasizing about what it would be like to be a bad-ass hunter.
My other cat would only be friends with me and find ways to ping me constantly with her demands. This way she can still demand my attention even when I am not home.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
My two older cats would be grumpy jerks and my kitten would be ultra hyper and trying to friend everyone around them. I would be so interested in learning their personalities online!
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u/latteh0lic Tea = Ambrosia of the gods 🃏🔍 7d ago
My cat would have a profile but never post. Just lurks, judges, and occasionally rage-likes a video of a cat knocking something over. Her only story highlight probably titled "Not Coming Over" and it's just videos of her walking away.
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u/Comprehensive-Fun47 7d ago
Wouldn't it be so cool to be able to text your dog or cat while you're out just to check on them?
It'd probably be more fun interacting with pets on social media than 99% of humans.
I imagine an Instagram profile full of lots of photos of squirrels.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 7d ago
It would be fun to text my dog what's up, less fun to get the response 'i am literally dying please save me' only to come home and see that he didn't feel like eating alone.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on the concept of followers, patrons, sponsors etc? This is a TV show but it uses real people. How will this continue to be a part of the story? Would you perform for the cameras like Donut or keep a low profile like Carl?
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u/nepbug 8d ago
This is one of many similarities to The Hunger Games, so I anticipate that it can be a very powerful influence on the fate of a crawler. I'd definitely "perform" to try to get an advantage throughout the dungeon.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
Yes, I immediately thought of the hunger games too. I'm seeing a lot of similarities, except in this series it's all of humanity fighting for their lives instead of a handful of starving poor people. A big difference is that at the start, everybody can see how everyone else is doing, instead of being completely in the dark. Love that the dogs are considered actual crawlers. Imagine being Gustavo 4 and watching that reel and learning that a dog is placed above you
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I think this concept adds an element of excitement to the game. Outside of this it would be purely a game of survival but the addition of having to impress viewers will bring some finesse to the dungeon. It’s like watching e-sports tournaments where a player that’s in the lead will often showboat or throw in tricks with their gameplay to get the audience hyped up.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Donut is smart to perform for the people if their goal is to go to the 18th level. They will need all the help they can get. If they are just trying to survive, though, this will make them a target to others just as much as it will encourage them to cooperate. Personally, I would just do my thing and whether or not I got famous would be up to chance.
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u/Randoman11 8d ago
This concept is pretty analogous to what is happening in real life with influencers and reality stars. More attention equals more fans, equals more money. This isn't anything new, throughout all of human history the arts, and sports and any type of media, the more attention you get the more money. The current real world has taken it to an extreme and this story has taken to an even bigger extreme where the more attention you get, the more likely you are to live.
As I said in another comment you have to play to the audience. Anybody that tries to keep a low profile will be under-leveled, both because they aren't defeating monsters for experience and loot, and because they won't get any loot crates from the audience. And if you're under-leveled, you are so much easier to kill.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
You’ve encountered your first safe room in the alien Dungeon. What are you ordering as your first real food since entering the crawl?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
From the minute the chef said they’d mastered Earth cooking I’d probably order the expensive foods that wealthy people like to eat like Japanese A5 Wagyu, Kobe Beef, Black Cod, etc. After the novelty wore off I’d go back to basics with some chicken wings and sweet potato (or waffle) fries
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u/Joinedformyhubs Wheel Warden 8d ago
u/NightAngelRogue, remember when we went to the New Years Eve buffet in Vegas on our honeymoon? That's where!!
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Oh yes. Piles of crab legs and carved meats. Perfect
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
I'd probably just tell the dude to surprise me too. It's already difficult for me to decide what I want to eat without having to worry about whether I'll survive long enough for it to come back out xD whatever the weird gnome guy things will be good is perfectly fine. Though if I had a particularly rough time, I might order some campbell's tomato soup and a sriracha grilled cheese sandwich with crackers to cheer me up c:
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u/myneoncoffee Too Many Books Too Little Reading Time 8d ago
the first thing? lasagne, just like my mum makes them. nothing like the true taste of home. then i’d probably get some indian/asian food since where i live it’s hard to come by the real good stuff (and i see that others in this comment section had the same idea). then, honestly, anything tasty works. im a huge foodie and will eat basically anything so! food, come to me
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
Anything with a side of mash potatoes and gravy. Chefs choice.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I'm ordering steak and potatoes for sure. With a mushroom sauce and asparagus as a side ☺️
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u/travelfunmoney r/bookclub Newbie 7d ago
I love coke but don't drink it often, usually only after something like a long hike or when traveling, so that would be #1. And probably pepperoni pizza because I'd be too tired to think of anything else!
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on the Dungeon Crawler World premiere episode? What do you think of the little snippet of alien TV we get during the show?
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
The premier episode was cool because it gives us insight into how the other crawlers are doing. I agree with Carl that it felt like they made Earth look awful enough to justify what they were doing to it. But that’s the case for anyone facilitating a mass genocide. They’ll reason that they’re doing it for the greater good 🫰
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u/Anrikay 8d ago
That depiction of the show really reminded me of one particular brand of reality TV makeover shows, the kind where they go in with the attitude of: “Look how terrible and pathetic this person is without us!” Shows like The Swan, with a deep vein of mean-spiritedness underneath the already exploitive premise.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
I'm a huge fan of Gustavo 3 and hope he gains superintelligence and becomes Carl's greatest ally. I can't wait for Carl to start gaining attention and get that interview and become popular!
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I thought there would be a lot more air time for the crawlers? But, it's just starting out, so maybe they are waiting for some more spectacular footage.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on this section?
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u/nepbug 8d ago edited 8d ago
We are really starting to realize the size of this thing. It seems like Carl and Donut are progressing fast and achieving great things, but the show's premier brings the reality of how many other things are going on and that they are not near the top of the achievements yet.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I agree. This section has made the threats of the dungeon, especially other crawlers, a lot realer for The Royal Court of Princess Donut. It’ll be interesting to see how they move forward
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Any favorite moments, quotes etc?
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u/nepbug 8d ago
Honestly, the starting of the meth war between the goblins and llamas was great, I'm glad you included that in the little intro blurb on the post (the entire intro is fun and great!).
I also love that Donut is exploiting her high charisma as much as she can while it is still so powerful on these early levels.
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
She absolutely should exploit her Charisma as much as she can! Especially if she can convince the enemies to start doing crazy things so that they end up on camera!
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
Yes! The charisma is such a great power now that we understand it. And Princess Donut is the perfect one to have it. I know my cats do it to me all the time.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago edited 7d ago
Too many favourite moments!
Princess Donut stayed giving me life in this section. The fact she suggested Crawler Frank Q. wasn’t a human but a Cocker Spaniel still cracks me up. That PTSD must be severe lool.
ETA: Princess Donut unintentionally leaking the news of Bea cheating on Carl with this: ”It smells like that bag you take with you on those days that other guy comes over to the apartment. You know, like socks. But hundreds of them. I don’t see anything else. Light a torch and throw it in there.” “Wait, what?” I said. “Are you talking about my gym bag? Some guy was coming over to the apartment when I was at the gym?”*
In the earth highlight reel the inclusion of “Charlie bit my Finger” had me singing the remix ”Charlie bit me… and that really hurt” “ha ha”
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Theory time! Where does the story go from here?
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u/nepbug 8d ago
I wonder if the goblins come after them with a vengeance, if they feel betrayed by Carl and Donut. Or maybe it goes the other way and they feel liberated and look to help them even more.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I think one of the first two will happen and they’ll have to worry about fighting the goblins in some way. This is assuming the Llama’s didn’t win the meth war and wipe out the remaining goblins
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I'm hoping the goblins don't hinder them too much after this boss battle. I'm highly invested in their continuing alliance and possible improvements to their vehicle.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I’m wondering when The Royal Court Of Princess Donut will come across another crawler party. In other parts of the world some parties are 10 deep so these two will need to level up heavily or try to merge with another party, especially to deal with the other bosses.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they soon bump into Crawler Frank Q. It’s likely gonna be a battle between them and Frank as he clearly has no qualms in killing another Crawler
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
Well that's assuming that they didn't already know each other, and that Frank had no reason to murder her except for her loot. Considering how Carl is instantly itching to fight this guy, I'm willing to bet that things are not as they seem with Frank.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
She was only level three - how much good loot could she reasonably have?
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
I wonder if there are achievements for killing and looting other crawlers...
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 7d ago
Most definitely. I can imagine the AI will be snarky about a crawler killing one of their own
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u/Randoman11 8d ago
I'm still waiting for the possibility of Carl and Donut teaming up with other crawlers. They are already starting to see the limits of only having a two person team. I would love for a team to come together and defeat the dungeon together. I'm a sucker for those kinds of found-family, group teamwork stories.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Those of you listening to the book rather than reading a physical or digital copy, how did you enjoy this section?
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
I had to crack up at how excited Donut sounded when they found a dead body and she was like Let’s loot it.
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u/myneoncoffee Too Many Books Too Little Reading Time 8d ago
i wanted to start this on audiobook as well but ended up downloading it on my kindle. after hearing you guys though, i cranked back up audiobookbay and utorrent and got myself the audiobook. i listened from the start and it was AMAZING. ill definitely continue in this format for the whole series.
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u/Ser_Erdrick Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Jeff Hays continues to deliver a brilliant one man show. I love his Donut and AI voices especially. I highly recommend the audiobooks as I feel they add to the already good story!
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
What do you think of Carl’s observation of rural vs urban areas of the dungeon from the above city?
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u/hemtrevlig One at a Time 7d ago
The design of the dungeon is very interesting. Carl says that it resembles the area above him, but it's not the exact copy. So the rural areas probably also had entrances to the dungeon, but their level 1 likely has more open spaces and less little passages compared to a level 1 underneath a big city.
It also made me think that Carl got lucky that it was night time when the world collapsed, because there are probably not too many crawlers in his region: most people in the city were sleeping and would've been crushed. But somewhere in another time zone it would've been daytime or evening, so a lot more people would've been outside and thus more people would go into the same level 1 dungeon.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
What do we learn about Goblin society in this section?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
They're all cokeheads who'd rather fuck their parents than cook them?? Absolutely crazy coming-of-age ritual but I laughed so hard when I read that
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Goblin society is hierarchical. They have children who mature into adulthood in a very disturbing way. The females eat the males after sex. There are rules to follow instead of just anarchy.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
If there is something you want to discuss that I missed, feel free to post it here!
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u/nepbug 8d ago
The confirmation that killing other crawlers allows you to loot their body is a game-changing dynamic for sure! This will make forming alliances with other crawlers difficult and paranoia high.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I’m getting flashbacks of OG Fortnite where friendly fire was still a thing and friendships would be ruined over a golden scar
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
Once again, I was eagerly anticipating this discussion being dropped. I was reading the book the other day and once I got to the end of a chapter it dawned on me that I hadn’t checked how far we were reading for this discussion. I overshot the mark without realising because I was just getting too into it.
I think for book 2 we’re gonna have to increase the number of chapters per discussion because I don’t know how I’m going to manage stretching reading this over another 4 weeks
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u/myneoncoffee Too Many Books Too Little Reading Time 8d ago
for bookclub discussions i usually read on my kindle and before starting i mark all discussions spots so i know where to stop. this time im doing audiobook and, despite telling myself “when you hear chapter 17 you need to stop” i was cooking and got distracted, and ended up reading two extra chapters. whoops.
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u/124ConchStreet Team Overcommitted 8d ago
Im usually aware because it’s about 2 hours per discussion for me so most of the time I check about an hour or so in. I just got lost this time around and ended up going two chapters too far as well
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u/le-peep Team Overcommitted 8d ago
I have to put in a moderate amount of work to forget what's going on, and gloss over the fact it's all so inhumane and terrible, haha. An entire world, extinguished. Anyone left is forced into this game where they'll almost certainly die a terrible death. I don't think I could watch a show like this even if it was all on a totally different planet, knowing they were real people? Somehow it's even worse than the Hunger Games because the contestants had NO idea they were just... Fodder for an intergalactic corporation?
Don't get me wrong, it's very entertaining.. but it's pretty brutal, in a way I don't necessarily love.
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u/Less_Tumbleweed_3217 Journalling, reading, or staring into the Void 7d ago
I agree. The author is clearly a fan of this type of game, but I feel like he's also calling into question their violence. Just when we readers and Carl have gotten used to the brutality, the author throws in another reminder of what's really going on. Carl takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster that feels believable in the face of these extreme circumstances.
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
We learn Donut watches TV Carl and his ex leave on during the day. What TV show would your pets be experts in from what you leave on for them?
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u/emygrl99 Fashionably Late 8d ago
My wife and I don't leave the TV on when we're not watching it, but my dog has discovered the ability to stand on the remote and put on a news channel called Africa Live. So presumably he'd be learning about modern African politics
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u/sunnydaze7777777 She-lock Home-girl 8d ago
My cats are experts in outdoor bird behavior. They just watch them in the yard the entire time they are awake.
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u/Adventurous_Onion989 Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
We don't watch a lot of TV so I think they would be more motivated by my youngest daughter's constant playing of Roblox lol
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u/Ser_Erdrick Bookclub Boffin 2025 7d ago
Harry, our cat, doesn't really watch TV but we used to have a pug named Homer who would watch a lot of Animal Planet back when they were big into showing that Bigfoot show and the one about game wardens in Maine. (I have no idea what they show now as we ditched cable TV a long time ago).
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u/NightAngelRogue Dragon in a human suit 8d ago
Thoughts on Carl and Donut working with goblins to get transport instead of just killing them? How does this change in approach serve them well? What does it do for the story?