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 labour dispute, some truly awful techbros, and a volcano island lair . . . Who could resist? -- Rebecca Roanhorse, author of <i>Black Sun</i> Laugh-out-loud funny, intricately plotted and big-hearted enough to touch even the grumpiest cynic, Starter Villain establishes Scalzi as SF’s leading humourist * SFX * Prepare to be delighted and surprised * Daily Mail * Satire aplenty . . . Charlie has to handle the lethal machinations of rival villains and also a pod of talking dolphins with militant trade union tendencies in a novel that gleefully skewers the vanity and inanity of a certain kind of plutocrat * Financial Times * Fun, short and tightly plotted * New Scientist * In this clever, fast-paced thriller, Hugo Award winner subverts classic supervillain tropes with equal measures of tongue-in-cheek humour and common sense . . . The result is a breezy and highly entertaining genre send-up * Publishers Weekly * 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 . . . Readers of humorous fantasy are sure to love Scalzi’s latest as much as those cats; it’s also for those who enjoy seeing superhero stories folded, twisted and mutilated, and anyone wishing for a righteous villain lair surrounded by intelligent sharks. Highly recommended -- <i>Library Journal</i>, starred review Irreverent and subversive . . . James Bond-level bad guys set in the everyday trudge of corporate life a la The Office * Entertainment Weekly * Funny satire . . . the cats are the real heroes (obviously) * Good Housekeeping * 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 humour 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 -- <i>Booklist</i>, starred review