Starter Villain

Scalzi's latest is a light-hearted story with a likeable fish-out-of-water protagonist and a lot of very smart cats. There's also a dolphin labor dispute, some truly awful techbros, and a volcano island lair... Who could resist?--Rebecca Roanhorse, author of Black Sun

"Combining the sarcastic humor of Scalzi's Redshirts with an origin story for James Bond-like supervillains operating with the competence-porn-level efficiency and work ethic of Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots, this story of snark with a heart reminds readers that the logical conclusion of "dogs have owners, cats have staff" is that cats are management and never let anyone forget it... Highly recommended." --Library Journal, Starred Review

"Scalzi again examines tropes in a tale of an ordinary individual being cast into an extraordinary situation with his trademark quick pacing, clever banter, and ability to find humor in desperate situations.... With a large print run and a clever premise, Scalzi's latest will appeal to his legion of fans and draw in new ones."--Booklist, Starred Review

"In this clever, fast-paced thriller, Hugo Award winner subverts classic supervillain tropes with equal measures of tongue-in-cheek humor and common sense... The result is a breezy and highly entertaining genre send-up."--Publishers Weekly

"Classic Scalzi set pieces like a class of managerial cats or dolphins on strike - and moments when you will laugh so loudly you will wish you weren't reading in public."--The New Scientist

"Witty dialogue, clever world-building and engaging secondary characters make this a satisfying escape from the real world. And of course, if you've got a feline companion, Starter Villain is a perfect lazy Cat-urday read."--Wall Street Journal

"Irreverent and subversive...with James Bond-level bad guys set in the everyday trudge of corporate life a la The Office."--Entertainment Weekly