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Dungeoncore reads are the perfect recipe for escapism when you just need to pretend you’re somewhere else, even if that place is a dungeon with puzzles and challenges that get progressively harder. You rack up tangible rewards and indications that you are leveling up, proving that all of this is, in fact, worth it. Which is… sort of the opposite of a vocation like writing, if you really think about it. Maybe that’s why I can’t get enough. The dungeons in these books are more than just a setting: they’re games and characters in themselves.
Unfortunately, this is not currently a very diverse genre. The website Royal Road contains web novels by women writers, but I struggled to find many published novels by anyone who wasn’t a cis white man. It can also be tricky to find diverse authors because a lot of this work is published pseudonymously. Since this is a more niche genre that recently blew up, I hope that there’s more to come from diverse authors who can bring their own talents and experiences to this genre.
 Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt DinnimanLike a lot of people, this was my introduction to dungeoncore novels. Carl is a regular guy who is navigating a breakup with his girlfriend when the world is taken over by alien entities. Every building has been flattened, and Carl has no choice but to enter the World Dungeon with his girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut (and without shoes or pants). At eight books and counting, this series has made me laugh out loud, but has also made me think about the things we see as entertainment. |
 Induction by Sean OswaldSilas discovers that we are not alone in the universe when he becomes the latest of Earth’s “forerunners.” The fate of his world and five others depends on his performance—will Earth take its place in the multiverse or be mined for parts? There are currently twelve installments in this series. |
 He Who Fights With Monsters by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)Jason is a middle manager at an office supplies store who wakes up in a magical world. Oddly enough, his first task is also to find himself some pants as he faces wizards, cannibals, and monsters. His adventures take him across dimensions and from a weak fighter to a very strong and skilled one. |
 The Primal Hunter by ZogarthIt’s just an average day when Jake, an office worker, finds that the world around him has changed. Humanity has crossed a threshold, and it is time for humans to join the multiverse. His coworkers are terrified, but this might be the world Jake was always meant to live in. |
 Apocalypse: Regression by R.A. Mejia and Charles DeanAs humanity faces the end of its existence, the last three people on earth find a way for a hero to go back and stop the apocalypse. But before she can enter the portal to the past, she and the portal’s creator are killed, leaving only their weak assistant to save the world. Will he be able to become the hero the world needs? |
 The Reluctant Dungeon by J.D. AstraDolli neglected her village in favor of using alchemy to brew cups of tea and driving petitioners away from her lawn with magical repellent. When the village is transformed into a dungeon ripe for the looting from roving Heroes, Dolli must strengthen her people and her community against the roving Heroes. She also must deal with the pair of wyverns who are nesting in the dungeon core. |
 Solo Leveling by Chugong, translated by J. Torres and Hye Young ImE-rank hunter Jinwoo is out of luck, out of money, and abandoned by his party in a hidden double dungeon. He is set to face some of the most horrific monsters in existence. However, his luck may be about to change. |
Summer is the perfect time to disappear into a long series. I hope you find all of the loot your heart desires and are inspired to level up in your own life!
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