Book Review: Starter Villian, by John Scalzi, 2023

Starter Villain by John Scalzi, 2023
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Humor and Intelligent Cats: A Signature Scalzi Touch

John Scalzi's "Starter Villain" is a testament to the author's unique blend of humor and creativity. The intelligent cats, especially Hera, stand out as a delightful addition, showcasing Scalzi's prowess in weaving wit and originality into his characters. These cats are pivotal to the plot, demonstrating their remarkable intelligence in unexpected situations.

The narrative also incorporates striking dolphins, adding another layer of satire. This inclusion,

reminiscent of real-world events like the WGA and SAFAftra strikes, positions the book as a commentary on contemporary issues, not just a piece of fiction. Scalzi crafts an experience where laughter abounds, cats mastermind plots, and supervillainy is as much about navigating societal challenges as it is about world domination.

Navigating the Plot: A Journey of Anticipation and Laughter

The book's strength is its ability to keep readers on their toes. While some plot twists can be anticipated, Scalzi's humor ensures that revelations remain enjoyable. It's akin to watching a familiar magic trick being presented with a unique flair. This combination of anticipation and humor keeps readers engrossed, eager to delve deeper into Charlie's world of supervillainy.

Charlie Fitzer: An Entertaining Odyssey into Supervillainy

Charlie Fitzer's journey serves as a delightful escapade into a realm of humorous absurdities. Through him, readers embark on an entertaining ride filled with spy cats, unionized dolphins, and the quirky challenges of supervillainy. Scalzi's "Starter Villain" is an invitation to lose oneself in a world of sheer entertainment.

A Must-Read for Diverse Audiences

"Starter Villain" caters to a wide spectrum of readers. Whether you're a seasoned science fiction enthusiast, a comedy lover, or seeking a light-hearted interlude between intense reads, this book is a perfect fit. For fans of Scalzi's renowned works like "Redshirts" or "The Kaiju Preservation Society," "Starter Villain" will feel like a cherished reunion. Scalzi's distinctive voice and wit shine brightly, solidifying this novel as a memorable piece in his collection.

The novel brilliantly satirizes modern societal norms, from the bureaucracy of villainy to tech-bro culture, all while delivering laugh-out-loud moments. Scalzi's sharp wit shines through, with one-liners and comedic situations that could rival the best sitcoms. Yet, amidst the humor, "Starter Villain" offers depth, particularly through Charlie's relationship with Hera, providing the narrative with an emotional anchor.

In summary, "Starter Villain" is more than just a book; it's an immersive experience. Dive into a world where supervillains face hilarious predicaments, cats reign supreme, and laughter is ever-present. A must-read, this novel stands as a glowing testament to Scalzi's storytelling genius.

Plot Overview:

Charlie Fitzer, a once-journalist turned substitute teacher, finds himself at the crossroads of life. Living with his loyal cat, Hera, in his childhood home, his dreams of owning a local pub seem distant. However, life throws him a curveball when he inherits a supervillain empire from his estranged, billionaire Uncle Jake. From spy cats to unionizing dolphins, and from Zoom meetings to volcanic lairs, Charlie's journey into the heart of supervillainy is a rollercoaster of absurdity, challenges, and unexpected alliances.

Key Characters:

Charlie Fitzer: The protagonist, an underemployed substitute teacher with dreams bigger than his current circumstances. A good-hearted everyman who finds himself thrust into the chaotic world of supervillainy.

Uncle Jake: Charlie's enigmatic billionaire uncle. A parking-lot magnate on the surface, but in reality, the head of a vast supervillain empire. His death sets the events of the story in motion.

Mathilda Morrison: Uncle Jake's hyper-competent second-in-command. With a moral compass that adapts to her job's demands, she introduces Charlie to his new role and stands as a beacon of order amidst the chaos.

Hera: Charlie's cat, who turns out to be more than just an ordinary feline. An intelligent and resourceful ally, Hera plays a pivotal role in Charlie's journey.

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Review: Travel by Bullet (The Dispatcher #3), by John Scalzi, 2022

Travel by Bullet by John Scalzi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Travel by Bullet (The Dispatcher #3), by John Scalzi, 2022

Third in the Dispatcher series, Travel by Bullet is an Audible Original narrated by Zachary Quinto. The story seems to take place in our current timeline or very close to it, along with Teslas, Cryptos, and post-Covid pandemic (is that really over though???). 

Tony is our hero, a "dispatcher" in a hospital emergency room, and is unwillingly thrown into a web of shady schemes and plots involving billions of dollars, Cryptocurrencies, real estate scams, and murders-- or is it really murders?. Dispatchers have the job of essentially killing a person and sending them back in time earlier in the day. 

Short, fun, and entertaining. Mostly a detective-like mystery storyline with a touch of sci-fi for the plot device (more of a plot voucher, actually). A villain triangle (as opposed to a love triangle) was effectively used to move the story to a conclusion. A self-referencing (in a meta kind of way) MacGuffin was even thrown in for good measure. 

I've enjoyed very few Audible originals, and this is one of them. I'm such a fan of Scalzi, but I needed something new and different from his Interdepency space opera series, and this satiated my appetite.

I rate this audiobook 4 out of 5 stars.

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Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi, 2022

The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The Kaiju Preservation Society, by John Scalzi, 2022

The Kaiju Preservation Society is like bubblegum-cotton candy-flavored caffeinated soda pop full of nerdiness, absurdities, and humor delivered at a near-constant pace.

Jamie and the other new KPS employees experience their journey to the other Earth where Godzilla and Mothra-like creatures exist and in a Jurassic Park-esque set-up. The KPS team is responsible for preserving and protecting these animals.

The afterword by the author, I found, was just as fascinating, if not illuminating, as the story itself. It summed up some of my opinions of the book.

It's definitely not one of the author's more substantial works, but if you don't have anything else on your plate and are a John Scalzi fan, I suggest you read it. The KPS is a quick and easy read, and it's fun and lighthearted.    

I rate this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

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Head On (Lock In #2) by John Scalzi, 2018

Head On (Lock In #2) by John Scalzi, 2018

While Head On is a sequel to Scalzi’s earlier science fiction novel, Lock In , it’s a stand alone mystery story. Still, I would suggest starting with Lock In so you can get to know the world and characters before diving into Head On.

FBI Agent Chris Shane is watching a live game of hilketa, where players operating robotic bodies (“threeps”) attempt to behead each other on the playing field. The game is a showcase for potential investors in the league, so the stakes are high. Then, one of the players dies in the middle of the game, a first for hilketa. Is it simply an accident or is more at work? As Chris and Leslie investigate, coincidences pile up and more dead bodies soon appear.

With Lock In and Head On, Scalzi imagines a near future where one percent of the population has Hayden’s syndrome, which lives them conscious but locked into their non-responsive bodies. Through a series of tech and research initiatives, Hadens now interact with the world through neural interfaces, either digitally online or with robotic bodies to navigate the physical world.

The premise is fascinating, combining interesting science fiction concepts with themes relating to disability rights. Many people tend to look on the Hadens as less than human, overtly or subtly mistreating them for it. This is clear in Chris’s everyday interactions. Chris has been a Haden since birth and tends to find gender insiginicant to life; subsequently, Scalzi writes the books without ever gendering Chris. For the audio book, there are two different versions with male and female narrators, respectively.

Although Head On is largely a stand alone with an independent mystery, the world has changed from book one to book two. Laws have been passed slashing or eliminating government benefits to Hadens, leaving many struggling as a result. While Chris’s wealth provides some insulation, Chris is more than aware (and unhappy with) the suffering of the larger Haden community.

Obviously, fictional sports is the name of the game in Head On. Hilketa is an interesting concept seeming sort of like a cross between a traditional team game like football or hurling and those robotic fights I’m always seeing footage of. Only, in this world, those robots are directly linked into and piloted by people’s consciousnesses. I’m not super into sports. 

Like anything else by Scalzi, Head On is fast paced and fun, full of snarky dialog. Sometimes I find his writing style a bit tiring or too much on the snark, but that isn’t the case for either Lock In or Head On. 

My rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars) - I liked it.

The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1), John Scalzi, 2017

The Collapsing Empire (The Interdependency #1), John Scalzi, 2017

Scalzi continues to be almost insufferably good at his brand of fun but think-y sci-fi adventure.

A group of barren planets and space stations ruled by trading houses are linked by the Flow, an extradimensional mode of travel. Occasional shifts in the Flow have cut off the Interdependency’s connection to some planets (including Earth), but it's remained relatively stable...until now. Count Claremont, a physicist stationed on the remote planet of End, has determined that the Interdependency will soon lose access to the Flow completely. Once that happens, every member of the Interdependency will be cut off from all the others by impassible light-years of distance, and a delicate web of commerce and survival will dissolve. Claremont sends his son to the Interdependency’s ruler, the Emperox Attavio IV, to share their findings before the Flow routes disappear. But Attavio IV is dying, and his daughter, Cardenia Wu-Patrick, was never intended to assume the throne. The reluctant new emperox is immediately confronted with assassination attempts and the ruthless machinations of the ambitious House of Nohamapetan, whose members seem to have their own knowledge of the radical change in the Flow.

Readers might wonder whether Scalzi can write another space opera that shares the elements that made his Old Man’s War series (The End of All Things, 2015, etc.) so popular but be sufficiently different to feel fresh. Both include political plotting, plenty of snark, puzzle-solving, and a healthy dose of action, but there’s just enough here that’s new for this to avoid becoming a retread.

There’s nothing groundbreaking, but you’ll still want to find out what happens next.

The Android's Dream (The Android's Dream #1) by John Scalzi, 2006

The Android's Dream (The Android's Dream #1) by John Scalzi, 2006

Not entirely what I expected from John Scalzi after reading much, if not all, of his books.

The book, story, characters, descriptions, scenarios, etc., were all super packed- there was just a lot of information compressed in this story. Specifically in the first half.

The latter half of the book was fast-paced and action oriented and really made up for the former.

The ridiculousness of the circumstances and situations was nothing short of brilliant in the way it all worked together.  I have to admit, I had a couple of chuckle out loud moments.

I would have liked this book a lot better if the whole book were as good as the last quarter of the book.  I found myself trudging though some parts during the first half, and not really knowing where all of it was headed. It wasn't until towards the end when all the threads wove together a great story.

My rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars) - I liked it.

Here is the author's description of the book:

A human diplomat kills his alien counterpart. Earth is on the verge of war with a vastly superior alien race. A lone man races against time and a host of enemies to find the one object that can save our planet and our people from alien enslavement...

A sheep.

That's right, a sheep. And if you think that's the most surprising thing about this book, wait until you read Chapter One. Welcome to The Android's Dream.

For Harry Creek, it's quickly becoming a nightmare. All he wants is to do his uncomplicated mid-level diplomatic job with Earth's State Department. But his past training and skills get him tapped to save the planet--and to protect pet store owner Robin Baker, whose own past holds the key to the whereabouts of that lost sheep. Doing both will take him from lava-strewn battlefields to alien halls of power. All in a day's work. Maybe it's time for a raise.

Throw in two-timing freelance mercenaries, political lobbyists with megalomaniac tendencies, aliens on a religious quest, and an artificial intelligence with unusual backstory, and you've got more than just your usual science fiction adventure story. You've got The Android's Dream.