I think this is my favorite book in the series so far.

It perfectly hits that balance between comedy, drama, and heartfelt. I laughed out loud so many times my face started to hurt.

There is so much going on in this book that should not work. You should not be able to say an explosives expert, a sassy show cat, a human transformer, a wise old changeling who is currently a bird and a dinosaur have to decide what to do with a sex doll head that is housing a feral goddess. Spoiler they add her to the team that is trying to take down the alien overloards.

Why does it work so well?

What is Matt Dinniman doing to me?

It’s really unusual that I like EVERY SINGLE BOOK this much by book 4 but here we are. I haven’t found Anything I’ve genuinely disliked in these books yet. While the humor can be crude, I get it. It’s not meant to be the best situation ever and they need to laugh when they can. I appreciate that the characters continue to evolve and change. Their stories are unusual and hilarious or down right depressing at times but as we dig deeper into Carl and Donut’s past we learn so much more about them. I really adore these characters. Every character is so unique and has their own story. The characters and the pure insanity of the story keep me hooked the entire way through. I never know what will happen next and yet i’m on the ride and don’t want to get off. The more we dig into each character the more in love with them I become. I just hope my favorites don’t die!!! I’m not sure how I feel about Samantha yet but I adore Catia and Morticai soooo much! I need more!

"The Gate of the Feral Gods" (Dungeon Crawler Carl, Book 4) continues to push the boundaries of its chaotic universe.

This book offers a fresh and ingenious dungeon level with new mechanics that keep Carl and Donut on their toes. The creativity in the challenges and monsters remains a huge draw, consistently surprising and entertaining. Fans will love the continued hilarious banter between Carl and Princess Donut, which is as sharp and amusing as ever. "The Gate of the Feral Gods" also expands the overarching lore and galactic politics, giving intriguing glimpses into the wider world beyond the dungeon and raising the stakes for Carl's ultimate goals.

Carl and Donut's journey through the dungeon continues to the 5th floor in this book. It is, if possible, even more outlandish than the previous floors. This was a nice change of pace scenery-wise as we're away from trains and into bubbles. This was also a change in that we see more of the politics happening behind the scenes and our characters undergo some great character growth. This is easily one of the best, most hilarious, insane, chaotic, and amazing series I've ever read. Thank you to Matt Dinniman for bringing us along on this wild ride. I cannot wait to continue onward and see what happens next.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Matt Dinniman does it again! I enjoyed this book, especially because of the homage to television game shoes. It just gets more outlandish and more fun to read. I highly recommend this book (and the series so far).

You can’t miss in this series! It is an amazing ride like living in a video game with the best partners. You rock and roll the whole way

Ah, the 5th floor. What delightful chaos this has been!

We are meeting some intense characters and getting into some serious sh*t. All the remaining crawlers are divided up in separate domes, each tasked with taking three castles before their dome opens and they are free to descend to the next level. Naturally, Donut and Carl are tasked with the impossible - take a floating castle with no possible way up and defended by angry gnomes. Should be easy, right?

This volume seemed to have a lot more going on behind the scenes. More and more we are seeing humanized glimpses of Carl from the past, and there's an excellent foreboding of things to come as a result, I think.

This is easily one of the most entertaining series I have ever read. I can't wait to keep going!

Hilarious and surprisingly heartwarming. Carl and Donut are the perfect duo in this post alien apocalyptic world.

4.5⭐️

Thank you to Berkey Publishing Group, the author Matt Dinniman, and NetGalley for allowing me to preview this title.

Dammit, Donut, you did it again! Yet another fabulous installment in this wonderful series. For this book, Carl and Princess Donut the Queen Ann Chonk, are on the 5th Floor of the Dungeon Crawl: Earth Edition. As always, the dialog is witty, but this book is focused on story development.

The previous books have been setting up character development, dynamics, and the workings of the dungeon. With this book, we start to get to the heart of the plot line, now and those to come. This book set up the warring alien factions, adding depth and intrigue to its already interesting storytelling. Princess Donut stays her sweet and charismatic self, but she is growing as a person (?) which has been a wonderful journey. I cannot wait to continue with this series as the story gets deeper, all while keeping the charm and hilariousness that originally drew me to it.

I just can’t stop this series. I just need more and more. This book was completely amazing and bonkers from start to finish. It keeps you tuned in with all of the action and bizarreness that’s on every page. We follow our beloved characters through multiple different tasks to get through this floor of the dungeon. Do things ever go to plan? Of course not.

This book was non-stop beginning to end. I am enjoying that it is starting to take a bit of a different direction from the earlier books. A little more complexity and substance. As always I love Princess Doughnut and the relationship with Carl. It's so fun to see how that is changing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I am emotionally invested in these characters and cannot wait to continue this series. The ending left me at the edge of my seat.

The continuation of the adventures of Carl and Donut and friends. It does not disappoint!

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.

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Gate of the Feral gods by Matt Dinniman
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Sci-Fi Fantasy
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 1, 2021
📖 586 pages

Subterranean Tombs
Anthropomorphic Camels
RPG Meets Reality
Steampunk Contraptions
Conquering Castles
Feral Deities

Review: Dangerous sandstorms, cocksure dromedaries, evil gnomes and the quest for an ancient artifact all while being hounded by an AI with a foot fet!sh!

This series keeps getting crazier and I'm here for it! We get lots of humor, nearly impossible quests, and some unexpected twists! If you're reading this, be sure you have the next installment hot and ready because the cliffhanger is a doozy!!

Thank you so much Berkeley Publishing, Ace, and NetGalley for the digital review copy!

M ⚠️: language, use of g**d****, gore/violence, emetophobia

5 🌟

The Gate of the Feral Gods is book 4 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and I can't get enough. I love the relationship between Donut and Carl so much! 🥰 These books are hilarious yet touching, and an adventure the whole way through. This one features castles, fortresses, ghosts, ooze - it's all pretty wild and I love it. The epilogue was interesting...I'm curious to see where this will go.

Time for book 5!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC.

That cliffhanger ending was fantastic. The way this author writes about so many different unique situations is outstanding. I love all the hidden Easter eggs and jokes. This book was intense with a lot happening and a few times I was nervous for some of the characters. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book.

The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl, #4)
The Gate of the Feral Gods by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

While I really enjoyed the elemental (air, water) locations in this lower level dungeon, I think I liked the whole subversive/anarchist/revolutionary bent against these asshole destroyers of whole worlds (ours included) the most.

I mean, yes, Doughnut the cat is awesome and still fantastic at getting the best bargain for explosives, but I think this plot is even better than dominating the whole floor or just staying alive.

I mean, this LitRPG is all about the ratings and the viewing pleasure of the rich across the galaxy. Who cares about the idiot humans who are forced to play for them, right?

Yeah. I'm all for Carl's hidden quest.

5 out of 5 stars – Bonkers, brilliant, and completely addicting

Okay, I cannot get enough of this series. The Gate of the Feral Gods is book four in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, and somehow, somehow, it manages to stay fresh, creative, and hilarious while still upping the emotional stakes and expanding the lore. This book picks up right after the insanity of the last level and drops Carl and Donut into yet another ridiculous death trap; this time, a bubble wrapped battleground with castles to conquer, low level misfits to babysit, and feral gods on the loose. As one does.

This level is full of chaotic fun: camel humanoid warriors with attitude problems, gnome air raids, and increasingly weird and wonderful new characters. It’s the kind of setting where you think you’ve seen it all, and then Carl launches a demigod’s severed head using a magical s*x doll jai alai mitt and you realize nope, this ride still has plenty of madness left.

Carl’s arc continues to evolve in a fascinating way. He’s becoming darker, more calculated, and honestly a little terrifying, but it makes total sense. You can only be tortured by AI sadists for so long before you snap. Watching him walk that line between survival and vengeance, humanity and monster, is one of the best parts of the series.

The audiobook is awesome. It has a full cast, great performances, sound effects, the whole immersive package. My only nitpick is the audio balancing. There are sections (especially underwater or AI voices) where the dialogue is super quiet, and I had to turn up the volume to really hear. Not a dealbreaker, but something to note.

If you’ve read the first three, this is a no brainer. It brings back the humor, action, and wild world building that made the earlier books so addictive and it sets up even more chaos to come. Plus, that epilogue? Absolute madness. Loved every second.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves LitRPGs, dark humor, clever strategy, and stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still hit hard when it counts. Carl and Donut forever.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review: Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl, Book 4)
By Matt Dinniman

By the time you reach Gate of the Feral Gods, you already know Matt Dinniman doesn’t pull punches—and Book 4 proves he still has tricks, twists, and trauma up his sleeve. This installment is a bold, chaotic, and surprisingly emotional deep dive into what makes Dungeon Crawler Carl more than just another zany LitRPG romp.

⚔️ Gameplay Mechanics Meets Madcap Mayhem
The book introduces a new structure: four thematically distinct castles must be conquered within a confined “bubble” map. Each area offers totally different threats—from gnomish skyships to cursed submarines to eldritch crypts—forcing Carl, Donut, and the gang to think strategically and politically. The time-based pressure and forced alliances with lower-level crawlers create fresh tension, pushing both the story and characters into more complex territory.

🐾 Donut’s Glow-Up Is Real
Princess Donut continues to steal scenes, now emerging as more than just a sass machine. She navigates alliances, disputes, and even becomes a sort of war general among the lowbies. Watching her become a genuine leader—while still demanding tuna and tiaras—is oddly inspiring.

😈 Carl’s Moral Descent (or Growth?)
Carl continues to evolve into something darker, more calculating, and more dangerous—not just to his enemies, but possibly to himself. His choices this round have heavier consequences, and there’s a growing sense that he’s becoming the very kind of weapon the system fears. The tone shifts just enough to let you feel it: we’re not in jokey tutorial levels anymore.

🧠 Lore Explosion
This book deepens the series’ mythology in major ways. We learn more about the dungeon administrators, gods, ancient tech, and even begin to understand Carl’s cosmic role in all of it. The introduction of Samantha—a bizarrely charming, sentient sex-doll head turned demigod—is absurd and brilliant. Only Mr. Dinniman could make you feel feelings about a talking head with blood magic and PTSD.

💥 The Humor Still Slaps
Despite its darker turns, the humor remains razor-sharp and unpredictable. This amazing author has a knack for balancing slapstick, satire, and gross-out gags with moments of real gravitas. There’s a reason readers laugh and cry with this series—it knows when to go hard and when to pull back.

😱 That Ending
No spoilers—but the last few chapters, and especially the epilogue, kick open a narrative door that promises some of the highest stakes yet. You can feel the gears shifting. This isn’t just a dungeon crawl anymore. It’s war. It’s rebellion. It’s legend-in-the-making.