Due to forgetting to post a Waiting on Wednesday up last week, I’ve decided to do a second entry today on top of my Waiting on Wednesday for The Trespassers by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez.  To make it even more interesting, I’m going to highlight a very awesome and entertaining upcoming book from one of my new favourite authors, Matt Dinniman, with the fantastic and no-doubt bonkers 2026 release, Operation Bounce House.

Amazon

Those who have been paying attention to my blog the last couple of weeks will know that I am currently obsessed with brilliant, and slightly unhinged, author Matt Dinniman.  This is because I made the ill-advised decision to try the first entry of his Dungeon Crawler Carl books, and I’ve been unable to stop reading the series since.  Set around an amazing group of characters, including a stoic former Coastguard member, Carl, and his now sentient cat Princess Donut, the Dungeon Crawler Carl starts with the destruction of every building in the world, and then follows the remnants of humanity who are forced to compete in a massive fantasy dungeon as entertainment for trillions of alien viewers across the galaxy.  A unique and amazing take on the LitRPG genre, the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels have been a constant ball of fun, and I love Dinniman’s crazy creativity, great characters, amazing humour, and the general elaborate nature of the entire story concept. 

Due to all these awesome elements, as well as an exceptional audiobook adaptation, I have powered through the first five books in the series, including Dungeon Crawler Carl, Carl’s Doomsday Scenario, The Dungeon Anarchist’s Handbook, The Gate of the Feral Gods and The Butcher’s Masquerade, and I’m currently making great progress through the sixth novel, The Eye of the Bedlam Bride.  All these books have been exceptional, five-star reads, and I will probably dive into the seventh book, This Inevitable Ruin, within the week.

Naturally, after having such an incredible time with Dinniman’s main series, I have become very curious about what other books the author has written or coming out on the horizon.  While I am particularly excited for the potential eighth Dungeon Crawler Carl novel next year (which I have no doubt will be one of my most anticipated reads once I finish This Inevitable Ruin), I also noticed that Dinniman has an intriguing standalone novel coming out in early 2026, which I am very keen to get my hands on.

That book is the epically titled Operation Bounce House.  Set for release in February 2026, Operation Bounce House has an excellent science fiction plot that sees a human colony planet forced to defend itself from killer robots, piloted by bored, corporate-sanction Earth gamers.  This novel sounds really dawn awesome, and it looks set to be one of the more entertaining, and bloody, science fiction releases of early 2026.

Plot Synopsis:

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU BECOME YOUR PLANET’S FINAL BOSS?

All New Sonoran colonist Oliver Lewis ever wanted to do is run the family ranch and keep his family’s aging fleet of intelligent agriculture bots ticking.

But when his planet’s transfer gate finally opens and restores instant travel and full communication between Earth and his planet, New Sonora, there’s a complication.

The colossal Apex Corporation is hired to commence an ‘eviction action’ – exterminate all life on New Sonora in preparation for a reboot. And they charge bored Earthers for the opportunity to design their own war machines, remotely pilot them, and make it a game.

The game is called Operation Bounce House . . .

And New Sonora is its playing field.

Oliver and his friends soon find themselves fighting for their lives against these machines. But with the help of an old book from his grandfather, Oliver is determined to defend the only home he’s ever known.

Now this is going to be good.  I love the sound of Operation Bounce House, and it looks like Dinniman is planning to continue his trademark carnage.  Falling into a similar, anti-authoritarian plot about innocent people adapting to the dark rules of the soulless corporate entity trying to destroy them as the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, Operation Bounce House is probably going to feature similar over-the-top action, this time facilitated through various robots.  It will be very interesting to see how Operation Bounce House comes together, and I imagine that this book will be a little less LitRPG and more science fiction with some game-inspired element.  However, even if the mechanics of the novel change, I’m still expecting that Dinniman will provide an intriguing set-up, followed by a comedy-laden narrative, featuring compelling and likeable characters, complex themes, and the author’s fantastic comedic charm.  As such, this will likely be a very intense and exciting book, and I look forward to seeing how the entire awesome story comes together.

I’m going to be honest here; Operation Bounce House pretty much became a must-read book of 2026 for me the moment I started Dungeon Crawler Carl.  Matt Dinniman has shown himself to be an extremely exceptional author, and I have no doubt that his next release is going to be just as impressive as his main series of books.  Operation Bounce House sounds like a particularly amazing standalone novel, and I cannot wait to see what crazy antics and over-the-top moments Dinniman fits into this upcoming release.  One of my most anticipated science fiction books in the first half of the new year, Operation Bounce House is going to be pure, chaotic fun, and I am so there for it, especially if it has a good audiobook version.