The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook by Matt Dinniman is just so much fun.
I love how much character growth and poignant moments there are mixed in with all the humor, irreverence and mayhem.
You genuinely never know what is coming next and it’s just constant action and chaos from start to finish.

DNF. This is the third book in the series. The plot got to be too convoluted, too over my head to keep it straight.
Thank you to Ace for the copy of this book.. Opinions are my own.

Welcome to the Iron Tangle.

I am enjoying this series so much. I worried that the excitement I felt from reading the first two books would be diminished by the time I got to book three and that I wouldn't enjoy it as much, but I was wrong. I think I liked this book more than book two. The level was a lot of fun, even though I had a hard time getting my brain to stop envisioning how the map was laid out. (this is even in a note by the author a the top of the book that you don't need to try to follow how the level works as it's important to the characters but us as the audience didn't need to try to map it. But tell my brain that.)
Carl and Princess Donut are even more engaging, Katia gets explored more and I can't wait to see more about her in the future, there's intrigue, backstabbing, crazy antics and mimic city bosses. New beloved NPC's are introduced, a lot of levelling up happens and the crawlers finally band together to take down some mobs and making sure that they can descend to the next level. Carl and crew do amazing heroics, especially in the last third of the book, and two of my favorite touching scenes involve Princess Donut and how she responds to events that transpire. I didn't think I'd fall in love with her more but here we are.
Also my mental image of her sitting on Sledgie's shoulder with the two of them head bopping in the Desperado Club is my favorite new scene on loop. I really need to see if anyone's made any fan art, I need some in my life with Princess Donut and Mongo.
I am looking forward to continuing in this series and I don't know what I'll do when I'm caught up. That'll be a sad day.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I cannot express enough how much I love this series. The train station level was action packed and full of surprises!

This 3rd installment did not disappoint. The world became a little bigger with this book as we met more crawlers "physical" that had at this point only been in mentioned or seen from afar. The antics of all of our characters was an entertaining as always. The drama between those in control and in the dungeon is heating up and I can't wait to see what happens next for our fave crawlers!

This series continues to surprise me in the best way. I didn’t expect to enjoy Book 1 as much as I did, and now here I am, three books in and completely hooked. The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook delivers another solid adventure—this time on the fourth floor, complete with a new setting (trains in the Iron Tangle!) that kept things fresh and fun. Katia is a great additionto the major characters, and the down-to-earth dialogue makes all the characters feel incredibly real. The monster warnings still crack me up. My review stack is piling up, but all I want to do is dive into the next book. Bring it on!

This book had so many fast paced events! The narrators both do amazing jobs of bringing all the characters to life. The story is unique and easy to follow given how the author breaks down the information. The only part I did love was the toad voices from the manager and I was glad he was missing for several chapters. I can't wait to see what happens on the next levels.

This was quite good but not as fast as the last two. There was a lot of complicated floor plan stuff that honestly took away from the story. Overall I can’t wait to read more of the series.

This series is getting mundane. Eighteen levels to conquer in this video game and book three ends with our "crawlers" leaving just the fourth level. Perhaps the author is trying to write a screen play for an actual video game?

Time for me to pause the series. Onto other things go I.

Ok, I only gave The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook 3 stars. The trains got really confusing and the reader really had to be willing to just ignore them and focus on the mayhem.
I'm still deeply invested in Carl and Donut and I did like the book, but this would probably work better in a visual medium (please make a TV show).

Characters ~ I appreciate Carl and Donut. The extended cast of characters, and how they help them to grow and develop, are also fun, aggravating, and irritating in turns. I appreciate the NPCs as well as they also lead to so much growth.

Plot ~ It's a video game and a shonen all in one. You know where you are being led, but not how you'll get there. It's both fun and comforting.

Worldbuiding ~ It would be so easy to fall back on tropes, but the author doesn't do that, which I greatly appreciate. This is a unique and different world with a slow buildup.

Writing ~ Pacing is important for a story. I think the author's writing keeps a pretty good pace. Sometimes we do get a bit bogged down in the details, but then it picks up again and all is well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Glurp, glurp, m*therf*ckers!"

If Dungeon Crawler Carl hooked me and Carl’s Doomsday Scenario sealed the deal, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook straight up injected this series into my bloodstream. Book three is a mind bending, blood splattered, laugh out loud continuation of the most chaotic reality show the galaxy has ever seen.

This time, Carl, Donut (best feline royalty in fiction), and a growing crew of weirdos and wildcard crawlers find themselves on the fourth level of the dungeon: The Iron Tangle. Picture a spaghetti bowl of cursed train tracks, haunted subway cars, eldritch puzzles, and monster packed railways that defy the laws of physics, logic, and basic sanity. You will question everything. Like: Is that train eating people? (Yes.) And: Why is the murder chicken somehow still the most terrifying character? (Also yes.)

🧠 What’s new in Book 3:
The dungeon gets WAY more complex, not just in design, but in social dynamics, too. Trust becomes a currency.
Political subplots and intergalactic power games start creeping in, and it’s so juicy.
Character growth? HELLO. Carl is evolving into an actual hero (but still a snarky mess), and Donut is now dangerously close to being my spirit animal.
We meet Katia, who quietly steals the show with her strength, softness, and no BS attitude. Shoutout to Matt Dinniman for writing female characters with actual depth, because I do not always have faith that men can do that, but he excels at it.

⚔️ Violence & Humor:
Yes, it’s still incredibly violent, gross in places, and full of “did they just say that?” moments, but that’s the charm. The humor hits, the action slaps, and the pacing is really perfect. You will laugh, gag, cheer, and maybe cry a little. (Also, Jed is the worst.)

📖 Bonus points for:
Puzzles that scratch the itch in my brain
Ongoing worldbuilding that feels effortless
One liners that deserve to be embroidered on throw pillows
The fact that this somehow still feels like a satire, a horror, a buddy comedy, and a sci-fi RPG all in one

🎧 Audible plug: If you’re not listening to Jeff Hays narrate this series, you are doing it wrong. His voice work is INSANE, in the best way.

Bottom line:
If you’re into LitRPG, dungeon crawls, chaotic cats, video game mechanics, or just really smart, hilarious writing with hidden depth, this series is the jackpot. Book 3 proves Matt Dinniman isn’t just keeping up momentum, but he’s leveling up. Get on the train (literally, in this case), and don’t look back.

🚂💀🐓🐾
Next stop: Book 4. See you in the blood soaked subway of doom.

From the first few chapters I knew I would love this book and am now addicted to finishing all the books in the series so far.

I also have been telling everyone about it since I started reading it. It is so fun I have to share updates with my husband, son, best friend, everone has to know the crazy shannagins that are happening to Carl and Princess Donut.

The best way I can describe is this is an action comedy. Think: Running Man mixed with Hitchhiker's Guide adding a dash of Starter Villain.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced ebook to review.

I read the third book right after book 2 Thanks to netgalley and Berkley for these eArcs. I read these pretty quick & did a lot of highlighting of my favorite parts. I love "Collecting achievements". The world building has gotten better & better from book 1, 2, with more levels and side quests. Amazing pacing and even more side quests. Laughed a ton during this installment as well.

questioning every alliance becomes survival strategy in book three. carl and donut enter the iron tangle, a nightmarish subway system where they're now top targets with bounties on their heads. the mysterious cookbook becomes central to survival strategy while crawler katia adds complexity to their group dynamic.

the psychological pressure feels different here. previous floors tested survival skills, but the iron tangle tests trust and decision-making when everyone becomes a potential threat. dinniman handles the paranoia skillfully without losing the humor that makes this series work.

katia shifts the entire dynamic. her perspective challenges both carl and donut to grow beyond their established patterns. the three-way relationship develops with genuine tension and affection.

the setting itself becomes a character. the ever-changing subway maze creates claustrophobia and confusion. some readers might find the geography harder to track than previous floors, but the disorientation serves the story's themes.

what impressed me was the cookbook concept. it's simultaneously game mechanic and symbol for knowledge as power, adding strategic depth while maintaining the series' satirical edge about systems and exploitation.

perfect for readers who've been following carl's journey, fans of stories where trust becomes the ultimate weapon, or anyone wanting litrpg that doesn't shy away from psychological complexity.

save this for when you need proof that a series can evolve while staying true to what made it work originally.

arc received from ace books via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.

Dungeon Crawler Carl continues to surprise and delight! This book really just picks up where book 1 left off, and it really doesn't miss a beat. I tore through this in record time, I can't wait to find out what new crazy battles and challenges will await Carl and Princess Donut. I can see how this formula could get a little old, but for now, it's new and inventive enough to keep me both satisfied and coming back for more.

Dear Matt Dinniman, thanks.

I cannot explain how much I, and all the other librarians, are delighted by this series. We're definitely talking about buying merch for employee morale.

I'm having so much fun with this series! These books really read like you're playing a video game - constantly unlocking new skills, finding new equipment, and clearing level after level - which makes them so bingeable.
Just when I think nothing can surprise me anymore, Matt Dinniman comes up with the craziest ideas and twists. I loved the concept of the Cookbook and how it gives Carl an advantage - the way he strategized and experimented with it and got other crawlers to all work together! He's pushing against the rules, playing the game in his own way, and I can't wait to see him create pure chaos.
I'm really attached to Donut - literally, all hail Princess Donut the Queen Anne Chonk, she owns my heart. (If I could pull her out of the book, I really would) I'm also growing to love Katia, she's a great new addition to their team.
It is getting a little repetitive with the leveling up, fighting monsters, and trying to reach the next floor but each level is different enough, and the constant new reveals keep it interesting and enjoyable!
Donut is honestly becoming one of my favorite characters of all time. I'm so excited to read the next book!
～Thank you to Berkley (Ace) and NetGalley for the ARC!

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice: 🚫


Okayyyyyy. GUYS.
This one might be my favorite (so far, obviously).


Level 3 was intense and suuuuper creepy with the demonic circus, but Level 4. Y’all this one had me ✨anxious✨ 😩 This level is called the Iron Tangle and it’s basically our heroes traversing hundreds of train lines (thing old West coal powered trains to high tech bulletin trains to subway trains) and trying to figure out how to find the staircase to the next level without being eaten by ghouls.

I have to say I am really enjoying Katia’s character development and how Carl is invested in helping her develop into a true badass.

If you’re not currently reading this series, I highly recommend it. I’ve never had so much fun reading/listening to a book.


Notable tropes —

☠️ Apocalypse/End of the World
☠️ Deadly Game/Deadly Trials
☠️ Talking cat sidekick
☠️ Evil Overlords
☠️ High stakes fantasy
☠️"Don't talk to me or my son ever again" coded (Carl &
Donut)


Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group | ACE for the finished reading copy. I'm excited to read the rest of the books in this series!

This is the third book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. The books continue to get longer. The pacing is still brisk. There are a few parts tough to follow - maybe that's why it's called the Iron Tangle. Full of the irreverent humor readers have come to expect.