Discount Dan

Discount Dan's Backroom Bargains #1

by James A. Hunter

Noclip In, No Way Out... All Dan wants is to find a way home. He'd settle for a beer, a bite to eat, and a place to sleep off his hangover.
But, in an endless, ever-changing dungeon cobbled together from twisted carnivals, abandoned shopping malls, janky laundromats, and condemned insane asylums, getting a bit of shut-eye is harder than it sounds.

Dan has accidentally "Noclipped" into the Backrooms—a bizarro, extra-dimensional Alice-in-Wonderland world, overrun with horrific nightmare creatures known as the Dwellers. No one ever gets out. Hell, forget about leaving, if Dan wants to survive the week, he's going to need to harness the strange game-like magic of the Backrooms, make some very sketchy allies, and carve out a little safe haven to call his own.

And he's going to need to do it fast because Dan is being hunted. The Flayed Monarch of the 999th floor has marked him for death and no one walks away from the Skinless Court with their hide intact...

“The book is a f***ing delight. I enjoyed the absolute hell out of it and think it's an excellent use of pop culture to make something fun and horrific and awesome.” – Eric Ugland, Author of the Good Guys and Bad Guys

“Buckle up, buttercup! James Hunter takes you on a balls-to-the-wall adventure that's as insane as it is awesome.” – Jez Cajiao, Author of Arise and Rise of Mankind

"Discount Dan is a fun, fast-paced read with awesome game mechanics, surprising humor, and a brutal adventure you won’t want to put down!" – Dakota Krout, Author of Completionist Chronicles, Full Murder Hobo, and The Divine Dungeon

Genres: Fantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Humor, Collections, Science Fiction, Survival

501 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2025

About the author

James Hunter is a full-time ink slinger, a member of SFWA, and the bestselling author of Vigil Bound, Rogue Dungeon, Shadowcroft Academy, Bibliomancer (The Completionist Chronicles Expanded Universe), and the litRPG epic Viridian Gate Online! In addition to writing, James also runs Shadow Alley Press, an industry leader that specializes in publishing LitRPG, Fantasy, and selection Science Fiction.

James is a former Marine Corps Sergeant, combat veteran, and pirate hunter (seriously). He’s also a member of The Royal Order of the Shellback—’cause that’s totally a real thing. And a spaceship captain, can’t forget that. Okay … the last one probably isn’t true. When not writing or spending time with family, James occasionally finds time to eat and sleep.

Find out more about James Hunter at www.ShadowAlleyPress.com

Reviews

[Teddi · Rating 2 out of 5]

- was recommended as similar to DCC.
-I've read some bad, mediocre and some great books of this type and this falls into the bad to mediocre range.
- it always bugs me when author's have their character just zap (or whatever method) into the game environment and they just go with flow without questioning what is happening and don't freak out.
- there seems to be no goal, no real backstory or storyline in general. we get a lot of "I did this, I walked there, I fought this and long explanations of relics, etc.
- there are a lot of very specific names given to things that the reader is supposed to know ?
- to sum up, it tries to be a knock off DCC (same big dude with military background and stupid clothes and instead of wearing crocs, he has a dog made out of croc material???) but doesn't even come close. it feels robotic and lacks story, emotion and heart.
PS - and why would he even think starting a store would be a great idea when he doesn't even meet another person until 50% into the book???

[Jon Von · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. Discount Dan has the fortunate(?) distinction of being a Dungeon Crawler Carl clone. But what if it had a third less charm, half the wit, a quarter of its emotional intelligence, but twice the action? The weird thing is that it’s successful. A former Marine finds himself sent to a universe made up of RPG levels based on human places like malls and department stores. He witnesses a high-level fight in which a hero dies and a high-level villain loses a valuable item. Bestowed with high-level defense abilities, a mapmaking skill, and a deadly screwdriver-and-hammer combo for weapons, he soon meets an inexplicably New Zealander dog named Croc, a shapeshifter made out of blue plastic. They really don’t meet many other characters until the second half, so it’s a lot of human-animal banter (except it’s not Carl and Donut, but a different gruff guy with a heart of gold and a mimic with low self-esteem).


Because as DCC moves onward to increasingly ambitious literary heights, where’s the guy who likes those first three books? Discount Dan takes those LitRPG fundamentals and delivers solid turn-based RPG combat. I’ve read a handful of LitRPGs now, and this one does detailed stat-based combat particularly well while also being a creative sci-fi urban fantasy and comedy. By focusing more on the details of the action, this series feels like it takes its influence and mixes it into something different. Sure, it’s a spin-off. But that’s a compliment. It’s like being a Star Wars clone. The big monster fight at the end was a very satisfying use of the game mechanics, and I feel like a lot of those books don’t pull that off. I’ll look forward to book two, but think that might be enough.

[Tyler]

Carl Lite

TL; DR: A litRPG that focuses on humor and quips, but doesn’t have the same depth and connection as other…similar stories.

I want to preface by saying that this isn’t a bad book, and we all know what it’s doing, it does seem like, to quote another “it wears its inspiration on its sleeve.” The depth and format of the book just doesn’t reach the same lengths as its inspiration, though I’ll likely keep reading, even without that perfection.

Characters: We love Croc, honestly a big fan of Jacob too, but there are surprisingly few characters here or, put more aptly, they don’t get much depth. That’s something that DCC excels in: you never can tell who’s a major or minor character because no one is safe and the story grants the same support to both returning and unimpactful characters. Dan doesn’t have the same charm, but does offer a taste of a good protagonist, but there’s been no development of him thusofar and he’s just really shallow. We shall see in the future where it takes us.

Setting: The backrooms are a good jumping off point and I get what the author is doing, but there’s only so much you can do with the limited detail. It’s like he never fleshed out any area completely enough for me to take interest and I often found myself mistakenly on autopilot for the description periods.

Story: Pretty decent although again, I feel like nothing was fleshed out. Never did I ever receive enough background for me to care about any of the characters. All I really know is their existence post-backrooms. It’s fine, but nothing to sink your teeth into.

Writing: Meh, it’s very pulpy; I often found myself looking and going “what kind of deadline were you on, buddy?” It’s not bad and this isn’t meant to degrade the writer, but it felt like trying to cram a DCC story into half (or less) of the book size.

I’ll listen to more when the next one come out but DDBB wasn’t anything too snazzy, even if I liked it, but I suppose it’s a good pause before the next DCC.

3.3 🌟

[S.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a litRPG that scratches the Dungeon Crawler Carl sized hole in your heart, this is about as close as it gets.

Despite the surface level similarities, Discount Dan is its own unique story. DCC fans will enjoy the unhinged AI, horror-esque monsters and situations, and talking animal companion.

[Molly G · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book referenced Twilight more than 2008 teen magazines.

[Riccardo Leone · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like Discount Carl
This book feels inspired by Dungeon Crawler Carl: edgy humor, gore, sassy game interface, surreal game world, animal sidekick, players that change species, first-person narrator with a grumbly voice and military training.
Sadly, it lacks a couple of the major perks of DCC: a clear goal from the get go, beside survival, and solid side characters who can get the narrator out of his head.
The idea of opening a shop is pretty weak both in theory and execution. Running a store and adventuring seems a cute idea for a game (spoiler, you'll end up with two half-baked systems) but very bad for fiction, and indeed we don't see much of the store.
And also is pretty cruel to sell base equipment to people forced in a survival situation instead of giving it away. The whole economy of the dungeon is pretty wonky.
At least our big boy Dan is a magic user instead of another tank or brawler. That at least makes him stand out

[Jessica Gleason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore both LitRPG and horror novels and have devoured many of each the genre, but I've never seen them squished together before. Let me tell you, I'm here for it.

Discount Dan was a wild ride, full of messed up creatures based on real-world characters, insane magic, and featuring a set of unlikely companions making their way through a nightmare world as best they can.

I was both excited to race to the finish and also didn't want to say goodbye to the characters just as things were ramping up. Clearly there's more to come and I'm excited to see where things go.

[Luis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horrifying how much fun I had

The references were many, the action was plentiful, and the story was wild.
Though I wouldn't want to get sent myself, it was still pretty fun to see how cool but nightmarish this world is.

[Ella (DearFuturePublisher) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is the literary equivalent of waking up after a questionable night out and thinking, “WTF did I just experience… and why do I kind of want to do it again?” I went in very intrigued but slightly terrified and ended up loving every second of the wonderfully unhinged confusion that followed. This was my first LitRPG experience and I was not prepared. My initiation involved confusion, terror, and laughter in equal measure. I’m not even mad.

Quick Summary:
Dan accidentally “noclips” into the Backrooms, a chaotic, ever‑shifting nightmare world (think Alice in Wonderland but with abandoned malls and cursed carnivals). He’s hungover, confused, he just wants to go home but the thing is, no one ever gets out. And Dan? he is immediately thrown into chaos. From there, things only get weirder but in the best possible way.

Vibe Check:
Equal parts hilarious, horrifying, and unhinged. It’s chaotic, clever, and full of “I should not be laughing at this” moments.

Worldbuilding, Characters, Plot and Pacing:
The Backrooms feel like a dream built from nostalgia, nightmares, and expired mall food. The game mechanics are smooth and fun without drowning you in stats. Dan is a reluctant hero with a good heart and terrible luck, and Croc is the kind of sidekick you’d protect with your life. The pacing starts slow but once Croc enters the chat, the story takes off like a caffeinated squirrel.

Final Thoughts:
This book is absurd, clever, and ridiculously fun. It balances humor with dread, action with heart, and chaos with just enough structure to keep you hooked.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:
• Fast‑paced, character‑driven LitRPG
• Horror‑comedy with emotional beats
• Chaotic worlds with clever game mechanics
• Fans of Dungeon Crawler Carl

[Attila Balázs Warza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humor: 3/5
Character depth: 2/5
Emotional impact: 2/5
Worldbuilding: 3/5
Originality: 3/5

I could also choose the easier path (like many other readers/reviewers before me) and simply point out the parallels between Discount Dan and DCC, dismissing it as nothing more than a “Discount” copy. But I hold myself to a higher standard, and this novel deserves more than that.

It delivers the basics solidly, yet I feel as though it wants to present itself as something it is not quite yet—though it is not impossible that it may grow into it over time. I am thinking here, for example, of a seasonal worker who goes off to pick strawberries for three months, then spends their earnings on a 15-year-old BMW and an adidas tracksuit, scattering the remaining loose change on Starbucks, before moving back in with their parents in an apartment complex, praying to be called back for the next season.

The LitRPG elements are well developed and creative. It is by no means a one-to-one copy of another system. There is enough uniqueness present, along with a novel combination of familiar elements, to view it as having its own identity.

The humor, driven by a relaxed, slang-heavy, blunt, uncensored language, is not forced, but it is not strong enough to provoke continuous, out-loud laughter.

Character depth and emotional impact, however, are where the novel mirrors our aforementioned seasonal worker. Despite the fact that the first 48% of the book is a soulless, raw narration, the storytelling constantly gives me the feeling that I am supposed to care about the characters, while the author lays absolutely none of the groundwork required for that. Almost nothing is said about the characters’ inner lives, nor about the trauma of having their past erased entirely and being thrown into a new world. The protagonist sets himself a goal that later becomes a symbol of belonging and family, yet all of this feels entirely superficial, without any sense of real layering behind it.

In the second half of the novel, some emotional construction finally begins, but at the same time a large number of combat scenes are compressed into this section, making it insufficiently effective to overwrite the earlier monotony.

I do see potential in it and will continue with the next installment. However, if the author once again provides so little backstory for the characters and offers similarly minimal insight into their emotional worlds, then I can only imagine the series as something to be consumed in audiobook form, as background noise, rather than as a form of escapism worthy of full attention.

Even though it doesn’t quite stand alongside my other four-star reads, I’ll round it up from 3.5 stars because I believe it has the potential to go a long way.

[Brett Shiemke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m definitely new to the LitRPG genre but have quickly fell in love.

Overall, I enjoyed how Discount Dan was written. I love the premise of the main character, Dan, creating a convenience store filled with common items, food, and shelter for other individuals who have found themselves thrown into this video game dungeon.

My biggest issue with the book was that I kept comparing it to Dungeon Crawler Carl in my head, which isn’t fair to the author. It’s definitely different and able to exist in its own space but I would be lying if I wasn’t expecting a little more humor from the characters. I will definitely read the rest of the series.

[Jon Honey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super good.

Frankly I thought this would just be a dungeon crawler carl rip off, and in some ways it’s thematically similar but nah this was outstanding. I’ve read rip off books, and like most LitRPGs this has similar themes (snarky system, isekai, etc) but it’s not dungeon crawler carl. This is more like smiling friends meets SCP foundation meets dungeon crawler carl. It’s grimdark, it’s funny, (often less funny than DCC) but charming. Very creative. I love the use of crazy items. Reminds me of that one guy from one of Blaise Corvin’s novels.

One of my favorites if not my favorite read of 2025. Can’t wait to see more of this!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was insanely fantastic!! I couldn't put it down and immediately looked for the next book in the series. Reminded me of Ready Player One but more irreverent and fun! I really hope to be contacted to read the next one!!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Honolulu Polkadot · Rating 1 out of 5]

Definitely written by AI

You can always tell an AI written book by some of the words used. Eldrich is one of them. As soon as I saw it I lost interest. There are other tale tale signs as well. Good idea just AI written things aren't my preference.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to give this four stars because it has so much potential but there is a fine line between a joke and ripping off another work. In this case, Dungeon Crawler Carl.

A joke is the line about "maybe this is an intergalactic TV show."

The borderline ripoffs are:
1) Carl is a former marine who enters the dungeon in boxers and with his ex-girlfriend's cat.
Dan is a former marine who enters the backroom in jorts and meets a "dog" inside.
2) The aforementioned cat named "Princess" gains the ability to speak upon entering the dungeon and has a British accent.
The "dog" (really a mimic) has the ability to speak and does so in a New Zealand accent.
3) Prepotente is a goat that enters the dungeon and transforms into a more humanoid appearance. He is known for screaming randomly. His nickname, given to him by his human mother, is "Pony".
Princess Pony Pants is a golem Dan creates that, you may have guessed it, randomly "screams like a goat."

Yes there are others but I think three are enough. (but honorable mention goes out to the sassy AI both have)

However, Discount Dan has potential in there. I think it really could have leaned into the horror elements a bit more. At times, it almost feels like the Backroom is a Hellraiser-esk nightmare realm. I would have really liked to see it lean into that because this book had its really fun moments. Croc the Mimic might be the most interesting character in there. I also really like that Dan chose a path that has more spell casting. The store and its doors have some real fun potential. As do the arcades.

I don't know if maybe the author intentionally made Carl references to try to get ahead of the comparisons but, if so, I don't think it worked. I think he would have been better off letting Carl stay over there and focusing on Dan's journey. Dan didn't need to be a marine. Croc the Mimic can get away from Princess comparisons by losing the accent and shaping into different animals. The golem has zero reason to need to scream and the name could have been something like "Doris". It's all so avoidable so I have to believe it was intentional and the jokes just didn't land.

I think there's enough potential here to check out book two though and I really hope they leave the Carl references behind in book one.

4* rounded down for letting similar material influence it too much.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean just read Dungeon Crawler Carl and if you're really starved for more litrpg then read this. Not plagiarism or anything but it seems like if you extracted key features from DCC and added just a splash of randomness you get Discount Dan. Not poorly written or anything just kind of a blatant copy

[Hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. I think DCC set an unreasonably high bar for me, so I’ll come back to this series later maybe.

I understand Dan was a Marine, but it felt like every other mention he had to mention it. That got a little much. The arcade and loot system were nicely designed though. Not allowing him to have every single thing equipped added a layer of gaming that felt great.

[Jessica Searle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Discount dungeon crawler Carl. The writing gets a bit superfluous in the descriptions like the author was trying to hit the word count for a school essay and just learned how to swear. This book also doesn’t have a wholeeeeee lot of a plot, like I understand what he’s doing but I couldn’t really tell where it was going to go or what the end goal was.

That being said! It was still interesting enough for me to want to read the second book (spoiler, it gets better, more concise, and has a clearer plot. Seems like the author learned from this book) The backrooms world is super interesting and a really cool concept for a dungeon lit rpg. Also, who couldn’t love Croc?? 🥹

[Amber Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy this book and the humor throughout. I can agree with the other reviews that it’s very similar to DCC. There is an AI, a comedic animal relief, and a main character that is ex military. I’m interested to see how it progresses and I hope that it does branch away from the similarities to DCC. I’m a fan of horror and would love to see it delve deeper into that genre.

[Erik Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby hands.

[David Rosencrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

really loved the story and humor. thought it would just be a dungeon crawler carl clone, was pleasantly surprised when it wasnt

[Stefan Pirzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leider zu viel Content auf einmal! Viele coole Ideen, aber es zerstört etwas die Integrität der Geschichte.

[Ian House · Rating 3 out of 5]

An absolutely shameless rip off of Dungeon Crawler Carl with the same sense of humor, animal sidekick, snarky system, pop culture nostalgia references and much more. Its really amazing how this takes DCC and rehashes it ever so slightly.

The good news is that its been a long time between Carl books so this was still a lot of fun.

[Alexis Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

take Dungeon Crawler Carl, but make it 90s themed, and add a dog made of croc material

[M.J. Kuhn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw this recommended for fans of DCC and gave it a chance and it does NOT disappoint. So fun, can't wait to read the next one.

[robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

not fully thought out

It seems like the main character is either very dense or the plot isn’t as well thought out as it should be.

Beware minor spoiler:





A great example is the fight at the very beginning of the book between the wandering king and the flayed monarch. The book never goes into why these beings are on floor 1 (especially as later it makes it clear that dwellers get weaker if they are on higher floors). As this clash sets up so much of the future plot it feels much more plot device than actual world event.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovedddddddd! Scratched my dungeon crawler Carl itch for sure which I’ve been chasing forever. Highly recommend

[TheThirdLie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Derivative, soulless, and painfully repetitive.

[RJ Meyer JR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable Read

Good start to a story, workable mechanics. Good dose of humor. Makes me wish James would continue the Vigil series, but this is a solid replacement

[Julie Keim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate enough to have met James Hunter at my local Comic Con and rest assured not only is he a good writer, but a nice human being too! I always love finding new small or indie authors and then binging all their books if they're good and I can say that this book was more than good.
There's a time and a place for real life references and this was the time and the place! Mixing sarcasm, cheesy comedy, and a whole lot of self-deprivation turned out to be the perfect mix. I'll be honest and say originally, I wasn't so sure if I'd be the audience this book needed because of my limited knowledge in things like D & D (and some 90's references), but this book was so easy to consume because you're learning with Dan along the way!
Every character felt like they could stand on their own and I cannot wait to read more about Croc and Dan because I feel so attached to the characters and plot that it would be a horror to forsake me to never pick up this series again!
The 5 stars was well earned and with whatever comes next, I am sure will be something weird.