LitRPG, which stands for literary role-playing game, is one of the newest genres in literature. (The term only emerged in 2013, when it was coined by a publishing house in Russia that was releasing a series inspired by MMORPGs.) The first stories about people trying to advance in game-like worlds by gaining new abilities and facing increasingly dangerous threats were self-published, but they have increasingly received formal book deals based on their proven success. While Sword Art Online and Solo Leveling used the concept for web novels that became extremely popular anime, Matt Dinniman’s Dungeon Crawler Carl is the first English-language LitRPG to become a real crossover hit.
Eight books in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series have now been published by Ace Books, with two more in the works. The story of a Coast Guard veteran and a prize show cat trying to navigate a dungeon as their exploits are filmed for an alien reality TV show is also getting a Peacock series produced by Seth MacFarlane and a tabletop role-playing game. The Dungeon Crawler Carl books are breezy reads, so if you’ve already made it through the series and are looking for more of the same while you wait for the next installment, here are five other LitRPG books you should pick up.
1
He Who Fights with Monsters, by Travis Deverell
Travis Deverell is often compared to Dinniman for the success of his He Who Fights with Monsters series, which was initially self-published under the pen name Shirtaloon. Deverell’s first book, Outlander, became a New York Times bestseller when it was republished by Aethon Books in July. It follows Jason, a middle manager at an office supply store who wakes up in another world and discovers he has magic powers that seem pretty evil. He needs to quickly figure out how to use his scary abilities for good to face monsters, cultists, and cannibals as an adventurer. Deverell has already written 13 books in the He Who Fights with Monsters series. His second, Adventurer, was published on Sept. 8. The third book, Hero, comes out on Oct. 13, so if you get hooked you won’t have to wait long to continue reading.
2
How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, by Django Wexler
A long time ago, Davi was a normal woman, but then she woke up naked in a fantasy realm and was told she was prophesied to save humanity from the threat of the Dark Lord. Davi tried to rally the kingdom’s forces, learning magic and combat skills to save them from invaders, but she lost over and over again – each time respawning to start her quest anew. So this time around she’s decided to try playing for the other side and become the Dark Lord herself. That involves figuring out the quickest way to level up her abilities, build an army of orcs, and kill the competition while avoiding mistakes that will force her to go all the way back to the beginning again. Davi is a hilariously unhinged protagonist, offering plenty of commentary filled with nerdy references that baffle her new allies and enemies. Wexler doesn’t focus much on actually gamifying the setting with levels, systems, and classes, making How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying an approachable intro to the LitRPG genre. Davi’s quest to break free of the cycle she’s trapped in continues with the 2025 book Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me.
3
The Wandering Inn, by Pirateaba
Pirateaba has written 15 million words of The Wandering Inn web series since 2016, and Harper Voyage began publishing it in August. Erin Solstice was a regular girl who found herself in a fantasy realm where people can level up and gain classes. But instead of becoming an adventurer, she takes over an inn that she turns into a safe haven – clearly establishing her rules by hanging a “No Killing Goblins” sign outside the door. Erin still has to deal with plenty of threats and schemes, but the series is a bit more akin to the slower-paced progression fantasy of Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes than the power fantasy of most LitRPG books. No Killing Goblins, the second book in the series, releases on Sept. 22.
4
Defiance of the Fall, by J.F. Brink
While the series hasn’t made it into print yet, J.F. Brink wrote 17 Defiance of the Fall books under the name TheFirstDefier. Like Dungeon Crawler Carl, Defiance of the Fall begins with the hero at a huge disadvantage. Zac was alone in the forest and armed only with a hatchet when Earth became part of a multiverse where civilizations fight for dominance. In order to find his way back to his family, he needs to fight demons and dangerous beasts and learn how to increase his own strength in a new world where anyone could have godlike power. Defiance of the Fall blends LitRPG tropes with the older xianxia genre, which combines Chinese mythology and Taoist philosophy for stories of people seeking immortality and supernatural powers.
5
Life in the North, by Tao Wong
If you worry about long series petering out and hate to wait for the next installment, you can dive into Tao Wong’s The System Apocalypse without fear. The 12-book series ended in 2022 and is all available digitally. John Lee is enjoying a vacation hiking and camping in the Yukon when the Earth is transformed. All technology ceases to function, but a mysterious energy makes it possible for humans to level up, gain skills, and complete quests. John needs to figure out the rules, fight mutated monsters and navigate new threats as he tries to get out of the wilderness. The series follows his quest to uncover the mystery of the System and protect other survivors from aliens who offer protection in exchange for freedom.