ΛR ШIŦΗΛΜ

Looking for an absolute off-the-walls, crazy LitRPG packed with action and laughs? Look no further than DON’T DIE DAVE by @ARWitham. Yes, it’s inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl (the author says so), but the only real similarity is the humor. Beyond that, the two are completely different beasts. Both go full-on mind-bending chaos, but Don’t Die Dave leans much harder into a silly, anything-goes narrative. The story kicks off on a grim note. Dave is on his deathbed, battling cancer and drowning in debt. He’s offered a chance to pay for his treatment and survive—by pretending to be an AI helper inside a VMMORPG. Naturally, he takes it, diving headfirst into the game for a shot at life—and maybe a little payback against the insurance company. The highlight for me was the friendship between Dave and Pepper, the mysterious AI penguin companion. It’s charming, heartfelt, and genuinely delightful. The writing is sharp, and the pacing is relentless—you’re constantly being thrown from one insane situation to the next. If anything, it’s a bit too fast. I like spending quiet moments with characters, letting things breathe a little. That’s the one thing I’d love to see more of in future installments—more downtime, more emotional beats. Those moments are there, but they’re few and far between. That said - the stakes are real. For everyone else, it’s just a game. For Dave, it’s life or death. Literally. Still, the tone leans heavily toward zany, chaotic fun, which is clearly what the author set out to deliver. This is a fantastic start to a LitRPG series. Definitely worth checking out.