Lauren
The Butcher’s Masquerade is book 5 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Considering this is book 5 in the series, I’m assuming anyone reading this review is curious what other people think, and therefore there will be spoilers throughout. I continue to have fun with this series, but I’m stating to think my enjoyment comes from reading this with my partner, not necessarily the books themselves. I know I really enjoyed book 3, but the further I get into the series, the more issues I have. Let me start with what I liked, though. I enjoy seeing the cast of characters growing. It feels realistic that the choices they have to face are getting more and more difficult, and it’s frustrating to see how the rest of the universe doesn’t really see them as people, but just sources of entertainment (frustrating in a good way). I also really like some of the implications about different groups trying to help the crawlers come together and fight against the corrupt forces that run Dungeon Crawler World (especially happy to have Zev around again). I even appreciate this growing feeling of dread/anger/anxiety that Carl is feeling (although the river analogy got old by the end). I also enjoy the development of Lucia and hope to see more. All that being said, this book did have its usual issues. I’m sorry, but I’m so tired of a man thinking just because it’s in a joke or a female character says it, that we can use words like whore (9 accounts). Samantha is often referred to as a “sex doll head” despite her being a literal deity and so much more (18 accounts). Additionally, there’s a lot of girls hating on girls (Eva x Katia; Signet x Imogen). And of course there Vrah, who not only has to have it out for Carl, but then has to suffer a reoccurring STD despite being a virgin (how many times in history have women’s death certificates said something like syphilis when they died from other things?), yet it’s been a hot second since any male character was the problem?? Not to mention the casual mention of Bea having Bulima like it’s a joke? Gross. It just doesn’t feel good. Moving on, something found extremely frustrating was how thoroughly the author does not trust his audience. We will see an entire scene play out, be told the plan word for word, only for someone else (typically Donut or Katia - both female characters) to ask if they understood the plan or to have it explained again. This book could have been cut down significantly if we stopped over explaining everything. Readers are smart enough to keep up. For example, just prior to page 555 of the KU ebook, we get a whole rundown of how Diwata works. Then Katia (who is smarter than everyone else in this whole book) asked, “She changes form to mate with different creatures?” She didn’t ask it astonished or in shock. She just asked it, a clarifying question to a situation that was explained in multiple ways. I don’t believe she wouldn’t have understood. That is only one of many examples. Along the same lines, the ending was exhausting to read. I didn’t need to read the plan notes. Just unfold the scene, and tell me where things deviated from the plan as you go. I swear this book could have lost 100 pages with some editing. Carl is supposed to be the hero, but I’m over him. Now, I do think this MIGHT be intentional with the whole ring thing. I’m hoping it is. Otherwise? He kind of sucks. Yes, he tries to save his friends, but aside from his sexists and racist thoughts throughout the series (I don’t care if it’s commentary from the aliens, Carl describes things as he sees them), he tells us that he thinks killing the NPCs is better for them than living without asking their input, thinks of a time he got grease all over a jacket because he joined his ex and her parents for dinner after work (wash your hands? I’ve dated mechanics, the stains don’t come off the skin, but the grease does), and he justifies killing all the hunters because they pose a threat - but then later tells us, “They weren’t organized. They weren’t properly trained. They didn’t work well with one another.” So they’re not threats then! I don’t have a category to put this in (maybe the sexism one honestly) but the incest story line was unnecessary. I hated it. Write anything else. Anything. Im also starting to feel like Carl’s past is a bit…gratuitous. I love when a book makes me sad for a character, but the way his abuse and his mother’s suicide is handled is uncomfortable. There were some things that happened that I ALMOST liked, but just weren’t explored nearly enough. Prepotente’s grief and newfound resolve was nicely done, but because he isn’t on page very often. I hope we get more of him, but I’m not sure if he’s alive or not. Then there are the hunters. I really liked the inclusion that most of them are desperate (poor and impoverished, forced to live on inhospitable planets, homeless, etc.). It makes their choice to be there believable and gives us an idea of what the universe is like. Unfortunately, it is in one throw away line. It would have been nice for Carl to hear that and reflect. He could still do what he needed to do and have empathy. (Lastly, I didn’t consider this in my review as I’m unsure, but I wanted to note all the mentions of accountants felt like a dated reference to the TikTok trend of sex workers calling themselves accountants. Carl always found it funny, which is odd, and the book was written around that time. I could be reading into things, but that’s how it felt.)
I am going to continue reading partly because it’s something I get to bond over with my partner, partly because the epilogue was interesting, and partly because I’m always stupidly hopeful these issues will stop. I didn’t notice many of them in book 3, so I know it’s possible.
The Butcher’s Masquerade is book 5 in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Considering this is book 5 in the series, I’m assuming anyone reading this review is curious what other people think, and therefore there will be spoilers throughout. I continue to have fun with this series, but I’m stating to think my enjoyment comes from reading this with my partner, not necessarily the books themselves. I know I really enjoyed book 3, but the further I get into the series, the more issues I have. Let me start with what I liked, though. I enjoy seeing the cast of characters growing. It feels realistic that the choices they have to face are getting more and more difficult, and it’s frustrating to see how the rest of the universe doesn’t really see them as people, but just sources of entertainment (frustrating in a good way). I also really like some of the implications about different groups trying to help the crawlers come together and fight against the corrupt forces that run Dungeon Crawler World (especially happy to have Zev around again). I even appreciate this growing feeling of dread/anger/anxiety that Carl is feeling (although the river analogy got old by the end). I also enjoy the development of Lucia and hope to see more. All that being said, this book did have its usual issues. I’m sorry, but I’m so tired of a man thinking just because it’s in a joke or a female character says it, that we can use words like whore (9 accounts). Samantha is often referred to as a “sex doll head” despite her being a literal deity and so much more (18 accounts). Additionally, there’s a lot of girls hating on girls (Eva x Katia; Signet x Imogen). And of course there Vrah, who not only has to have it out for Carl, but then has to suffer a reoccurring STD despite being a virgin (how many times in history have women’s death certificates said something like syphilis when they died from other things?), yet it’s been a hot second since any male character was the problem?? Not to mention the casual mention of Bea having Bulima like it’s a joke? Gross. It just doesn’t feel good. Moving on, something found extremely frustrating was how thoroughly the author does not trust his audience. We will see an entire scene play out, be told the plan word for word, only for someone else (typically Donut or Katia - both female characters) to ask if they understood the plan or to have it explained again. This book could have been cut down significantly if we stopped over explaining everything. Readers are smart enough to keep up. For example, just prior to page 555 of the KU ebook, we get a whole rundown of how Diwata works. Then Katia (who is smarter than everyone else in this whole book) asked, “She changes form to mate with different creatures?” She didn’t ask it astonished or in shock. She just asked it, a clarifying question to a situation that was explained in multiple ways. I don’t believe she wouldn’t have understood. That is only one of many examples. Along the same lines, the ending was exhausting to read. I didn’t need to read the plan notes. Just unfold the scene, and tell me where things deviated from the plan as you go. I swear this book could have lost 100 pages with some editing. Carl is supposed to be the hero, but I’m over him. Now, I do think this MIGHT be intentional with the whole ring thing. I’m hoping it is. Otherwise? He kind of sucks. Yes, he tries to save his friends, but aside from his sexists and racist thoughts throughout the series (I don’t care if it’s commentary from the aliens, Carl describes things as he sees them), he tells us that he thinks killing the NPCs is better for them than living without asking their input, thinks of a time he got grease all over a jacket because he joined his ex and her parents for dinner after work (wash your hands? I’ve dated mechanics, the stains don’t come off the skin, but the grease does), and he justifies killing all the hunters because they pose a threat - but then later tells us, “They weren’t organized. They weren’t properly trained. They didn’t work well with one another.” So they’re not threats then! I don’t have a category to put this in (maybe the sexism one honestly) but the incest story line was unnecessary. I hated it. Write anything else. Anything. Im also starting to feel like Carl’s past is a bit…gratuitous. I love when a book makes me sad for a character, but the way his abuse and his mother’s suicide is handled is uncomfortable. There were some things that happened that I ALMOST liked, but just weren’t explored nearly enough. Prepotente’s grief and newfound resolve was nicely done, but because he isn’t on page very often. I hope we get more of him, but I’m not sure if he’s alive or not. Then there are the hunters. I really liked the inclusion that most of them are desperate (poor and impoverished, forced to live on inhospitable planets, homeless, etc.). It makes their choice to be there believable and gives us an idea of what the universe is like. Unfortunately, it is in one throw away line. It would have been nice for Carl to hear that and reflect. He could still do what he needed to do and have empathy. (Lastly, I didn’t consider this in my review as I’m unsure, but I wanted to note all the mentions of accountants felt like a dated reference to the TikTok trend of sex workers calling themselves accountants. Carl always found it funny, which is odd, and the book was written around that time. I could be reading into things, but that’s how it felt.)
I am going to continue reading partly because it’s something I get to bond over with my partner, partly because the epilogue was interesting, and partly because I’m always stupidly hopeful these issues will stop. I didn’t notice many of them in book 3, so I know it’s possible.