Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Matt Dinniman)

Picking up from last time, where Carl and Princess Donut made it through the first two levels of the dungeon that has become their world now that the Apocalypse has come (and is televised) . . .

Level three is the Over City—a sprawling world replete with ruins and echoes of a past calamity that have left its surviving inhabits in rough shape. But still dangerous shape—even the inhabited towns hold secrets and horrors that force our heroes to choose: will they help these pitiful souls and complete mysterious quests? Or is it really all about survival?

I enjoyed book one well enough, but I expected the sequel to be more of the same and grow stale. I was wrong. I liked this better—though the entire book covers just one level (remember, there are 18 total . . .), there is a surpising depth to this (on top of the endearing absurdity) that makes the tale thoroughly engrossing. The standard warnings from before apply: beware profanity/violence/crude humor. But if you can stomach that, this is a good one. And I'm hooked. 

Rating: A