Dungeons & Dragons is often seen as just a game, but it’s actually about so much more. While it is a role-playing game, at its heart, D&D is about collaborative storytelling and the rich, detailed worlds created by its official materials. The immersive setting, compelling characters, and exciting adventures are what truly make Dungeons & Dragons enjoyable.
Enjoying Dungeons & Dragons is fantastic, but what do you do when your game is over, or you’re looking for other fun activities? Books are a great way to fill the time, and there are plenty that capture a similar adventurous spirit. If you’re a D&D fan looking for something new to read, here are five excellent choices – and the best part is, you won’t need dice!
5) Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman
We highly recommend reading the entire Dungeon Crawler Carl series—currently seven books, with an eighth coming out on May 12th—but it all starts with the first book. The story follows Carl and his ex-girlfriend’s cat, Princess Donut (a very large cat!), who are among the few people to survive an alien corporation’s attack on Earth. They, along with other survivors, are forced to compete in a dangerous, televised dungeon crawl for the entertainment of an alien audience. Their only chance of freedom is to make it through the dungeon.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is a really funny book that Dungeons & Dragons players will love. It captures the experience of playing a D&D campaign, but in novel form – it’s a LitRPG, meaning it uses game-like elements. You’ll find familiar features like inventories, loot, character classes, and leveling up. The challenges Carl and Donut face feel like something a Dungeon Master would create, but with extra excitement and intensity. Overall, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable read.
4) Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Ever finish a Dungeons & Dragons campaign and wonder what your characters did afterward? Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes explores that idea. It’s a heartwarming fantasy novel about Viv, an orc barbarian who decides to trade fighting monsters for opening the very first coffee shop in the town of Thune. While she’s left the adventuring life behind, she quickly discovers that running a business comes with its own set of challenges – like introducing coffee to a town that’s never heard of it, and dealing with some familiar faces from her past.
If you’re a Dungeons & Dragons player, Legends & Lattes is like a cozy epilogue to an epic adventure – and it’s still a lot of fun! The book boasts a wonderfully detailed world, lovable characters (especially the ratkin!), and heartwarming themes of found family and community. It feels like hanging out and gaming with friends, and with more books in the series, there’s plenty more to look forward to.
3) Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
If you miss the excitement of a classic tabletop role-playing game, you should definitely read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. This book, the first in a two-part series (followed by Crooked Kingdom), takes place in Bardugo’s Grishaverse and centers around a team of thieves who are offered a dangerous, potentially lucrative heist. It’s a high-stakes job with a lot of risk!
Fans of Dungeons & Dragons will find a lot to love in Six of Crows. The book’s crew of thieves functions like a classic D&D adventuring party, and the central heist plot is exciting and engaging. Plus, the magic system feels similar to how dice rolls influence battles in D&D. It’s a really great book packed with action!
2) The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
If you enjoy creating worlds in Dungeons & Dragons, you’ll love R. F. Kuang’s The Poppy War. The novel is set in a richly detailed world inspired by 20th-century China and tells the story of Rin, an orphaned girl who avoids a forced marriage by joining a military academy. There, she discovers she has magical abilities and becomes entangled in a brutal war, where she must use those powers.
Rin’s story in The Poppy War is dark and intense, and it’s the first book in a planned trilogy. It falls into the ‘grimdark’ genre, which readers who enjoy games like Dungeons & Dragons might appreciate. The rich world-building and detailed history feel a lot like playing a high-stakes game where choices have serious repercussions.
1) The Blacktongue Thief by Christopher Buehlman
As a total fantasy nerd, I’m already hooked on The Blacktongue Thief. It’s basically everything I love about Dungeons & Dragons, but in a novel! The story centers around Kinch Na Shannack, a thief who owes a lot of money to his guild. After a robbery goes wrong, he ends up reluctantly joining forces with a knight on a quest to find the knight’s missing queen. Sounds like a wild ride, right?
This book features a clever and streetwise protagonist on a vital mission, facing constant peril from creatures like krakens and deadly assassins. It’s packed with detailed world-building, a unique magic system based on tattoos, and a surprising amount of humor that balances out the darker themes. If you’ve ever experienced a Dungeons & Dragons campaign gone wrong, you’ll likely enjoy this story.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Read More
- Gold Rate Forecast
- Dune 3 Gets the Huge Update Fans Have Been Waiting For
- Antiferromagnetic Oscillators: Unlocking Stable Spin Dynamics
- Hazbin Hotel Secretly Suggests Vox Helped Create One of the Most Infamous Cults in History
- 22 actors who were almost James Bond – and why they missed out on playing 007
- Jack Osbourne Shares Heartbreaking Tribute to Late Dad Ozzy Osbourne
- Action Comics #1096 is Fun Jumping-On Point for Superman Fans (Review)
- 5 Weakest Akatsuki Members in Naruto, Ranked
- Dungeon Stalkers to end service on June 9
- Disney Promotes Thomas Mazloum To Lead Parks and Experiences Division As Josh D’Amaro Prepares To Become CEO
2026-03-26 03:10