Carl's Doomsday Scenario

Carl's Doomsday Scenario by Matt Dinniman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely plowed through book 2 in a few days - and continuing on to book 3 is a no brainer here. While I do keep waiting for something terrible to happen most of the time, the game aspects allow me to plug in without thinking too much about it.

In this one we get to a sort-of outdoor level, which is a change from the more claustrophobic descriptions of the previous ones. We get to go to the circus, in the worst away, and we get to meet more species in the dungeon. Carl still doesn’t have pants, the AI is still playing games with them, and we learn a lot more about how these two act when they think they’re going to die. I’m really enjoying the moments of true connection that are sprinkled in with the mayhem and madness that is the dungeon.

This book may not be 100% as good as the previous book, but it feels like it is still finding the right balance of detail with action with sentimentality. I found myself particularly checking out in the extra long big bad monologue, but right after that it is a race to the finish so I forgave the random slowdown that derailed my enjoyment. I’m not sure how I feel about the party growing - I know we will likely see all the goodness that Carl has championed pay off eventually, but I don’t want anything to mess with the chemistry and dynamic between Carl & Donut.

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