This one felt like it could have been a novella. But I still very much enjoyed the story. However it felt very rushed and felt like there was a lot of unnecessary filler.

This was a great read! I have been hearing a lot of great reviews about this series and I look forward to reading more books from Matt Dinniman.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

As the third book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, I had high expectations—and this one absolutely delivered. After loving books one and two, I was fully prepared for a wild ride. And wow, did I get one: nightmare trains, a constantly shifting system, and moments that kept me guessing the entire time.

This book had me giggling, sketching out floor maps, and obsessing over how they were going to survive. The dungeon floor in The Iron Tangle felt fresh and wildly creative. The environment was packed with complex moving pieces, and the lore expanded not just within the dungeon but around the entire production. Every book pulls me deeper into the world, and the best part? The lore never distracts from the actual plot—it enhances it.

The characters are stronger than ever. We finally get to see Katia in full force, and the twists in her arc brought this installment to the next level. Carl, Donut, and Mongo continue to be chaotic perfection, and I love how they flex and evolve to include Katia in their party dynamic. The heart of this story is still deeply human—at its core, it’s always asking: How do we keep as many people alive as possible?

By the end, I was practically foaming at the mouth for the next book. The Iron Tangle is a whirlwind of puzzles, boss fights, and absurdity around every corner. Be prepared to shift forms, lose sleep, and fall even harder for this world.

Welcome to the Iron Tangle! Carl and Princess Donut have to solve a deadly puzzle involving an impossibly complicated subway system full of monsters, mysterious railway stations, and exit that no one can get to.
Ok, this one hurt my brain. Seriously, the amount of time I spent trying to understand the Iron Tangle is wild. Matt Dinniman basically gave the advice to just go with it, and I’ll have to do that when I reread this book, because I’m still confused. That said, this book is a romp, and the plot (mostly) makes sense, even if you aren’t quite sure how they did it. Embrace the chaos and ride along with Carl and Princess Donut.

ALL ABOARD THE DCC HYPE TRAIN (literally in this case)

Look, sometimes these trains were confusing as hell. It was giving me, first time visiting Tokyo vibes. How are there so many colours and lines?! But it's ok, just let daddy Carl take care of you and buckle up for a crazy ride.

I can't believe how FAST I am consuming these books and I can't stop thinking about them. This is my life now.

Teamwork with deadly consequences for failure and an abundance of trains, combines to make this a book you'll remember long after finishing it.

Of the 3 books so far, this one might be my least favorite. The Tangle and the end reveal were impossible to follow and yes, Matt does give a disclaimer in the beginning warning you to not even try. But me being me, I had to try and make myself angry anyways.

Still 5/5 because what else would you give a Carl book?

Thank you to Net Galley and Ace for the ARC. I am not really into video games so this was not for me.

***4.5 Stars***

Overall,

This series is so much fun. You never know what to expect. This book takes place in such a creative world. I love meeting new characters. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a high stakes whacky story that will make you laugh out loud and also love the characters so much you want to see them succeed. also #PrincessPosse

*** Thank You Netgalley and Toor for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for my free and honest review***

It hits book after book and it's always refreshing! I always look forward to the next book because I know it's going to fix everything.

Absolutely jaw-dropping. This book takes the series to a whole new level of intensity, creativity, and emotional punch. Dinniman somehow blends absurd humor, gut-wrenching loss, and wild action into something that feels both utterly insane and deeply meaningful. Carl and Donut’s growth is so satisfying, and the lore is just mind-blowing. I couldn’t stop reading and didn’t want it to end. One of my favorite books in the series yet!

In the end how could you ask for more from entertainment. These books were outrageouly fun, engaging and addictive. On to the next. I'll absolutely be buying hard copies.

I'm beginning to think that Matt might just be putting something in his books, good writing? obviously.

This is another amazing installment to the series. As with the prior books it makes me want more. Carl and Donut are hilarious and so much fun to follow. This is in many ways a standard crawl, but the reality tv aspect makes it even better. The travel through the railway system can be a bit tedious, but it's nice to see a bit more serious plot than in the prior volumes. Katina had a staring role in this one. HIGHLY recommended.

I’ve been steadily making my way through the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook might be my favorite so far. It keeps all the things that hooked me early on—ridiculous humor, over-the-top violence, and oddly heartwarming moments—but adds a surprising amount of emotional depth.

This book takes place mostly in the Iron Tangle, a chaotic, shifting dungeon level that feels part subway, part horror maze, and part cosmic joke. It's pure Dinniman: unpredictable, funny, and layered with clever commentary on everything from bureaucracy to online fame.

What stood out to me this time was how well Dinniman balances absurdity with stakes. There are genuinely tense, emotional scenes that hit harder than I expected. At the same time, the book doesn’t take itself too seriously—which is kind of the magic trick of the whole series.

I LOVE THIS SERIES. I finish these books so fast because they have such great characters, pacing, worldbuilding, and conflicts. They are funny but still tackle some serious concerns. The characters fight with, for, and against each other and you never know what is going to happen next. Carl and Princess Donut are an absolute DELIGHT.

I really enjoyed the third installment of The Dungeon Crawler Carl series! Matt Dinniman’s writing is as hilarious and detailed as ever, and Princess Donut remains peak comedy—she steals the show in every scene. The character development for Carl and Donut continues to shine, adding depth to their dynamic and making them even more fun to follow.

That said, I wasn’t as fond of the floor design in this book compared to the first two. It felt a little confusing and less engaging than previous settings, which dampened the pacing for me at times.

Still, it’s a fun, chaotic read filled with the sharp humor and creative world-building that fans of the series will love. Definitely worth picking up if you’ve enjoyed the ride so far!

This series just gets better and better! Everyone should pick up "Dungeon Crawler Carl" (the first book of the series). Once they have they will be hooked and will look forward to getting to "The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook" (which does not disappoint). This third book in the series continues with the nonstop action and adventures of Carl and Donut. While I will admit the trains were a little confusing, it didn't matter because the characters were great, the action was on point, and the emotion (yes the emotion) was still there. I cannot wait to read the next books in the series and will continue to root for Carl and Donut and the friends they make along the way.

Dungeon Crawler Carl is the gift that keeps on giving. Just when I thought the series couldn’t get any better, it blows me away again with the third volume, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook. So many great moments in this installment, which is so far my favorite one yet, and I am excited to sing its praises.

A short recap: After the apocalyptic takeover of Earth by an alien conglomerate, Carl and his cat Donut have found themselves participating in a televised dungeon crawl with the surviving remnants of humanity. Making it through the first three levels in spectacular fashion has rocketed them up the social media charts, amassing them quadrillions of views and favorites, making them solid fan favorites. However, all this attention also has a downside. Making it to the top ten crawler list may mean more sponsorships and better loot, but it also paints a giant target on your back, making it more attractive to player-killers to collect your bounty.

As the book opens, Carl and Donut have made it to the fourth floor, called the Iron Tangle. True to its name, this level is once again different than the ones we’ve seen before, introducing a highly complex subway system made up of hundreds of trains and lines, all packed into a tight space. The cars are populated with new mobs and bosses, posing more dangerous and difficult challenges, and finding and accessing the stairways down to the next level will be harder than ever. Still, one positive side of a smaller map is that for the first time, crawler groups can interact and work together. New alliances are formed as Carl catches up with old friends, but unfortunately, his notoriety also makes him a magnet for schemes and suspicion. Despite knowing he can’t save everyone, that won’t stop Carl from doing everything he can to try.

Things just keep getting better as this third book ramps things up for Carl and Donut while striking an impressive balance between the author’s sense of humor and some surprisingly emotional moments. Furthermore, the one criticism I had with the previous book—namely its shift to a quest narrative, resulting in our protagonists working through a string of mini side adventures, mostly on their own—is happily not an issue here, with The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook returning readers to a plotline that is once more heavily focused on crawler-to-crawler dynamics.

The fourth floor of the dungeon also makes for a wild setting. Dinniman deserves credit for his attempt to explain the labyrinthine layout of the Iron Tangle, which features an eclectic mix of trains and systems from different worlds and timelines. Ultimately though, his efforts might not have been enough. While I’m sure it all makes perfect sense in his own head, translating it to readers is another matter. Visual aids such as maps or diagrams would have been extremely helpful here, because I confess I had trouble piecing together a clear mental picture in my mind. Still, even if you can’t wrap your head around it, the payoff in the end I worth the price of admission. It’s the boss fights and the sense of urgency that keeps the pages turning after all, not to mention Carl’s explosive methods of problem solving.

The other highlight of this book is the character development, which continues to be exceptional. Carl is proving himself to be more than just a stereotypical action hero, growing into a true leader. Donut’s character arc also takes an intriguing turn as we see her maturing in her own unique way. But the biggest treat of all is perhaps Katia, who joins the fray and becomes a major player in a big way. This book had me pumping my fists by the end of it, and she’s a huge reason why.

Hilarious, heartfelt, and filled with action, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook is filled with everything I loved about the first two books of Dungeon Crawler Carl and more, building upon the unstoppable momentum. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, you’re missing out on one of the most entertaining LitRPGs around. Highly recommended to readers and gamers alike.

Blog post scheduled for Nov 12th
Most definitely have and will continue to talk about these books on Youtube and Instagram frequently. I love this series.

**TL;DR**: Another fantastic installment in the Carl series - I continue to love these
**Source**: NetGalley! Thank you for the eArc! I also bought a physical and audio edition. I love these y’all.

**Plot**: Carl and Donut are now in the Iron Tangle, trains galore!
**Characters**: I adore these guys, I can’t say that enough
**Setting**: This was my only issue with this book, I just got real confused by the trains and the hoping of the lines. But I still enjoyed it.
**Fantasy:** More great worldbuilding here, we got some very interesting hooks for the next books and plots as well!

**Thoughts**:

I can’t say much about the Carl books without spoiling much but I’ll give you a cleaned up version of my thoughts. Carl and Donut have made it down to the Iron Tangle. Unlike the past few levels that felt fairly traditional in dungeon/town layouts, this one is a level of just train lines that are all intersecting and weaving around. The only way to get anywhere is via trains and the only stops and rest stops are train stops. I’m not going to lie that confused me just a bit as someone who has never been on a train or subway, but if you’re familiar you’ll probably understand it easier.

I also really enjoyed the character conflicts in this. The stress between Hekla and Carl’s crew came to a head and we saw a resolution, maybe not a complete one, but the start of one with that. There wasn’t as much as far as leveling and skill-ups but I’m looking forward to seeing more of that in the new level which seems a bit more like a normal dungeon.

This series stays strong. If you like the first book and I continue to advise you to pick up the rest. They’re hilarious but also pack a bit of a punch. A fantastic series and I’ll be continuing it, no questions asked.