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Secret Supernatural Past
The Last Dungeon Crawler follows a morally gray explorer into a deadly underwater quest for a mythical artifact, where collapsing tunnels, political machinations, and ancient magic threaten to destroy them both. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Fahlgrim/Frank started out as a Dungeons and Dragons character that I played in Dungeon Crawls with my friends. Over time, I was thinking about writing a comic book about a hero who was an immortal dwarf cleric in New York City. I ultimately decided that the stakes had to be bigger than just fighting street-level crime. That inspired me to create Fahlgrim’s world and his entire tragic backstory.
Frank Barbarossa walks a fine line between hero and antihero. How did you shape his moral ambiguity?
Frank/Fahlgrim is what you would call “Chaotic good,” bordering closely to “Chaotic neutral.” He is less concerned about rules and the feelings of others and is focused on his 6,000-year-old mission: protecting mankind by destroying all remnants of the world’s secret supernatural past. He will stop at nothing to succeed, and sees everyone as either a tool to achieve that end or an obstacle in his way.
The book hints at the supernatural. Was that a deliberate creative choice or something you plan to expand in future stories?
Deliberate. The Last Dungeon Crawler is first and foremost a Fantasy novel. Steeped in the lore of magic and supernatural beings. In our reality, Tolkien’s works were a huge inspiration for my writing. In Frank/Fahlgrim’s reality, his world and his exploits spawned the legends and myths that ultimately inspired Tolkien to create his literary universe.
This is book one in The Fahlgrim Firebeard Saga. What can readers expect in book two?
Book two, which I am currently writing, will explore the supernatural in more detail and reveal more about the various lives Fahlgrim has led over the course of 6000 years. The working title is Tears of the Dragon, and I am targeting a June 2026 release.
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By day, Franklin Barbarossa is an eccentric NYU professor. But behind the books and lectures stands Fahlgrim Firebeard—battle-worn dwarf, last cleric of a forgotten god, and the final guardian in a war that has faded into myth and legend. And now, the darkness he once bled to stop is rising again.
When a relic of unspeakable power resurfaces in New York City, the barrier between myth and reality begins to crack. Shadows stir in the alleys. Old enemies gather strength. And an ancient evil, thought buried forever, is awakening.
To stop it, Fahlgrim must face the ghosts of his past, forge unlikely alliances, and fight battles no mortal could endure. The stakes are nothing less than the survival of a world that no longer believes in heroes.
Some evils never die, but some heroes never yield.
Perfect for fans of modern fantasy with ancient magic, relentless action, and battle-scarred heroes who refuse to surrender—The Last Dungeon Crawler is your next epic read.
The Last Dungeon Crawler
The Last Dungeon Crawler by Mike Simpson is a fast-paced and pulpy adventure that blends modern archaeology with high-stakes treasure hunting, political intrigue, and just a hint of the fantastical. The story follows Dr. Frank Barbarossa, a seasoned explorer with a mysterious past, as he embarks on a perilous underwater journey to uncover the Mantle of King Tobanya, an artifact steeped in myth and danger. What begins as a daring dive beneath an ancient pyramid quickly spirals into a race against time, filled with deadly traps, collapsing tunnels, and secrets that reach far beyond archaeology. Alongside his loyal but unsuspecting companions, Frank navigates both physical hazards and the moral minefields of ownership, truth, and exploitation in the world of antiquities. The narrative switches between Frank’s perspective and that of Sarya Barzani, an ambitious young journalist determined to expose him, adding a layer of cat-and-mouse tension to the tale.
What I enjoyed most about Simpson’s writing is its sense of momentum. The opening chapters throw you headfirst into the action, and the book rarely lets up from there. Scenes are tightly choreographed, with just enough detail to make the environments feel rich without bogging down the pace. The action sequences, particularly the tense underwater dive and the puzzle-solving in the ancient vault, are visual and clever, clearly inspired by the spirit of classic adventure serials. I also appreciated how Frank isn’t portrayed as a flawless hero; his quick thinking and skill are matched by a willingness to lie, manipulate, and withhold truths when it suits his goals. It makes him a more layered, if morally slippery, protagonist.
The dialogue often makes the characters’ thoughts and motivations crystal clear, ensuring readers never lose track of what’s at stake. And the novel’s blend of grounded techno-thriller elements with touches of fantasy and ancient magic gives it a unique flavor, appealing to fans of both realism and the supernatural. I personally enjoyed those supernatural glimmers and would have liked to see the book lean into them more boldly. The interplay between Frank’s secrets and Sarya’s investigation is a smart structural choice; it keeps the tension alive even in the quieter chapters and builds toward an inevitable clash between them.
By the time I reached the final chapters, I was fully invested in both the treasure hunt and the personal stakes. The Last Dungeon Crawler is the kind of book that rewards readers who enjoy brisk pacing, cinematic set pieces, and protagonists who thrive in the moral gray. If you’re into stories like Indiana Jones, National Treasure, or the Tomb Raider series, this novel will scratch that itch while adding its own modern twists.
Pages: 230 | ASIN: B0F8VQ7Y24
LITERARY TITAN 