Starter Villain
By: John Scalzi
My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS
Best for: 18 and up

John Scalzi strikes again…

John Scalzi, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: Old Man’s War. Red Shirts. Fuzzy Nation. The Kaiju Preservation Society. Lock In. A bunch of others…and now Starter Villain?!

If only you didn’t have such a potty mouth.

Scalzi’s covid era writings continue to be inspired fun. The Kaiju Preservation Society seemed like a fun one off–something different from his norm; a wonderful, unexpected adventure. Now that he followed up with Starter Villain, I’m curious (hopeful!) that this might become his new norm: Standalone, sub 400 page modern joyrides with a scyfy/fantasy twist.

I was sold on Starter Villain from the moment that glorious cover was released. I preordered that day, and I’d been waiting for Sept 19th 2023 ever since. The day arrived. The book arrived. It took me a day. (Luckily the 19th fell on a work travel day…lots of airport time!)

Starter Villain was ridiculously fun. A down-on-his-luck, reluctant substitute teacher get’s the call we all dream of: His estranged and outrageously wealthy Uncle has died. Our unassuming hero is the sole inheritor of the entire estate. Amazing! Problems solved!

No.

Turns out the rich uncle wasn’t rich because of his parking garage business. The uncle was rich because he was a super villain. Complete with volcano island lair, minions, gadgets…and talking spy cats. Well, not talking. Sentient, but they have to use a modified keyboard to type what they want to say. So I guess they have that against them. But they’re the perfect spies! Who would suspect the cat?

Oh ya, and the dolphins can talk too. And they’re threatening to strike unless their employee demands are met.

THAT’S what our hero inherited. Now’s he’s gone from substitute teacher to supervillain over night. He gets all the cools stuff–and all the enemies, too.

This is the most fun fish-out-of-water story I’ve read. Maybe ever? I LOVED the creative use of all the super villain stereotypes to make a witty and lighthearted story that makes you root for the underdog–especially when he has to out villain the other villains!

My only beef with John Scalzi is his use of language. He’s free with the f-bombs, and that limits the breadth of who I’m comfortable recommending his books to. No sex or graphic violence in this one, so if you’re comfortable reading about dolphins with potty talk, jump right in.

Best for adults.

Happy Reading!