The dungeon gets deadlier than ever in The Butcher's Masquerade, the explosive fifth installment in Matt Dinniman's #1 New York Times bestselling Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Packed with laugh-out-loud humor, relentless action, unforgettable characters, and LitRPG adventure, this hardcover edition also includes exclusive bonus material only available in print.

The gates have fallen.

The hunters have been released.

And this time, Carl and Princess Donut aren't just fighting monsters—they're the prey.

After surviving impossible odds through the previous dungeon levels, Coast Guard veteran Carl and his fiercely independent feline companion, Princess Donut, enter the terrifying sixth floor: The Hunting Grounds. A lush jungle filled with bloodthirsty dinosaurs, deadly traps, and ruthless alien hunters awaits them.

For the first time, wealthy extraterrestrial tourists are allowed inside the dungeon to hunt surviving crawlers for sport. Among them is legendary hunter Vrah, determined to claim Carl as the greatest trophy of her career.

But Carl has no intention of becoming anyone's prize.

As the mysterious event known as The Butcher's Masquerade approaches, alliances will be tested, enemies will rise, and survival has never been more impossible—or more entertaining.

Blending epic fantasy, science fiction, dark comedy, and game mechanics into one wildly addictive adventure, The Butcher's Masquerade is another unforgettable entry in one of today's most beloved fantasy series.

Why You'll Love The Butcher's Masquerade

• Dungeon Crawler Carl Book 5
• #1 New York Times bestselling series
• Exclusive hardcover bonus content
• Action-packed LitRPG adventure
• Hilarious dialogue and unforgettable characters
• High-stakes survival game
• Epic fantasy meets science fiction
• Perfect for binge-reading the series

Tropes & Themes

• LitRPG
• Dungeon crawler
• Survival game
• Found family
• Alien invasion
• Dark humor
• Monster battles
• Epic quests
• Underdog heroes
• Game mechanics

Perfect For Fans Of

• Dungeon Crawler Carl
• He Who Fights With Monsters
• Beware of Chicken
• Cradle
• Defiance of the Fall
• The Primal Hunter
• Progression fantasy
• Science fantasy adventures

Book Details

Title: The Butcher's Masquerade

Series: Dungeon Crawler Carl

Book Number: Book 5

Author: Matt Dinniman

Format: Hardcover

Genre:

• LitRPG
• Fantasy
• Science Fiction
• Adventure
• Humor

Special Features:

• Exclusive bonus material in the hardcover edition
• Illustrated edition

Pages:
720

Publication Date:
April 8, 2025

Dimensions:
9.18 × 6.42 × 2.14 inches

Series Reading Order

1. Dungeon Crawler Carl
2. Carl's Doomsday Scenario
3. The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook
4. The Gate of the Feral Gods
5. The Butcher's Masquerade
6. The Eye of the Bedlam Bride
7. This Inevitable Ruin
8. A Parade of Horribles

About the Author

Matt Dinniman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the wildly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series. Known for blending hilarious humor, unforgettable characters, intense action, and inventive LitRPG mechanics, Dinniman has become one of the genre's most celebrated voices. He lives in Gig Harbor, Washington.