5 LitRPG Books to Read After Dungeon Crawler Carl

LitRPG stands for literary role-playing game and represents one of the newest genres in literature. The term emerged in 2013 after a Russian publishing house used it for a series inspired by MMORPGs. Early stories featured characters trying to advance in game-like worlds by gaining abilities and facing dangerous threats. These tales often started as self-published works before earning formal book deals due to proven success. While Sword Art Online and Solo Leveling applied the concept to web novels that became popular anime, Matt Dinniman authored Dungeon Crawler Carl as the first English-language LitRPG crossover hit.

Ace Books published eight volumes in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, with two more in development. The story follows a Coast Guard veteran and a prize show cat navigating a dungeon while aliens film their exploits for a reality television show. The property is also adapting into a Peacock series produced by Seth MacFarlane and a tabletop role-playing game. Readers seeking similar breezy reads while waiting for the next installment can explore five alternative LitRPG books.

1. He Who Fights with Monsters, by Travis Deverell

Travis Deverell draws comparisons to Dinniman through the success of his He Who Fights with Monsters series, which he initially self-published under the pen name Shirtaloon. Aethon Books republished the first book, Outlander, in July, and it became a New York Times bestseller. The plot follows Jason, an office supply store middle manager who wakes up in another world with magic powers that seem inherently evil. He must quickly harness these scary abilities for good to battle monsters, cultists, and cannibals. Deverell authored 13 books in the series so far. Aethon Books published the second installment, Adventurer, on Sept. 8, and the third book, Hero, releases on Oct. 13.

2. How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, by Django Wexler

Davi once lived as a normal woman before waking up naked in a fantasy realm with a prophecy declaring her humanity’s savior against the Dark Lord. After repeated failures trying to rally kingdom forces, learn magic, and fight invaders—each time respawning to restart her quest—she decides to play for the other side and become the Dark Lord herself. Her new path involves leveling up quickly, building an orc army, and eliminating competition while avoiding fatal mistakes that reset her progress. Davi provides witty commentary filled with nerdy references that confuse her allies and enemies alike. Django Wexler minimizes heavy game mechanics like traditional stats and classes, making How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying an accessible introduction to the genre. Davi’s journey continues in the 2025 book Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.

3. The Wandering Inn, by Pirateaba

Pirateaba wrote 15 million words for The Wandering Inn web series starting in 2016, and Harper Voyage began publishing it in August. Erin Solstice was an ordinary girl transported to a fantasy realm where people gain classes and levels. Instead of becoming an adventurer, she opens an inn and creates a safe haven, establishing a strict rule by hanging a No Killing Goblins sign outside. Erin faces constant threats and schemes, though the series adopts a slower-paced progression fantasy closer to Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes than a traditional power fantasy. The second book, No Killing Goblins, arrives on Sept. 22.

4. Defiance of the Fall, by J.F. Brink

J.F. Brink wrote 17 Defiance of the Fall books under the pseudonym TheFirstDefier, though the series has not yet received a traditional print release. Similar to Dungeon Crawler Carl, Defiance of the Fall places its hero at a massive disadvantage. Zac finds himself alone in the forest with only a hatchet when Earth merges into a multiverse where civilizations fight for dominance. To find his family, he must battle demons and dangerous beasts while increasing his strength in a world where anyone can attain godlike power. The story blends LitRPG tropes with xianxia, a genre rooted in Chinese mythology and Taoist philosophy that focuses on characters seeking immortality and supernatural abilities.

5. Life in the North, by Tao Wong

Readers who fear long series stalling can dive safely into Tao Wong’s The System Apocalypse. The 12-book series concluded in 2022 and remains fully available in digital formats. John Lee is vacationing in the Yukon when Earth transforms. Technology stops working entirely, but a mysterious energy allows humans to gain skills, level up, and complete quests. John must learn the rules, fight mutated monsters, and navigate wilderness threats to survive. The series follows his quest to uncover the origin of the System while protecting other survivors from aliens offering protection in exchange for freedom.

Source: Polygon