This book seems to have a bit of a slow start with the real life pandemic starting. Then BAM! you are somewhere else.
This book blew my mind with the scientific explainations, the realness of the people, and the kaiju. It has LOGIC.
It has explanations that make sense. The training so you "would know it in your heart" is genius. There is a quick pace. I read it in one sitting because I did not want to miss anything. It could be continued but rests as a stand alone. That is author's choice and I respect that.

It took me a little while to get into the groove of this book, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. Monsters do exist and the KPS protects them, even if it's from us. The main character was very likeable and made you care about him and his coworkers. The science was smart enough to make you think but I didn't need a school lesson to figure out what they were talking about. I hope John Scalzi plans on making this a series because I'm really looking forward to reading more about this world.

I received an Advance Readers Copy (ARC) from netgalley.com. Jamie Gray is up for a promotion... but then a pandemic hits and like so many others he is forced to take whatever job he can get. Which leads him to delivering food to an old acquaintance who gives him an offer he can't refuse... a job lifting things. Little does Jamie know that he will be going on an adventure to an alternate Earth and helping lift things at a preserve for very large, animals.

Wow this totally lived up to expectations! This gave me the same fuzzy feel good feelings as my favorite RomComs only it was science fiction. I loved the characters and the witty banter. While I want to read a whole series of books with all the characters and this world!

The Kaiju Preservation Society is part Jurassic Park, part Men in Black with a touch of Uber Eats and a nod to COVID times. Via an access point to an alternate dimension, mankind has discovered kaiju running freely; giant creatures that dominate their environment and the minds of a large group of scientists.

Machinations and skulduggery ensue and to say more would spoil a tale that unfolds rapidly. It’s a fairly light piece of sci-fi, rattles along at a decent pace and is interesting enough without being wholly original. Scalzi confirms as much in the afterword, suggesting that this book is 'a pop song, meant to be light and catchy'. And it's fair to say that Scalzi is on the mark with this comment. The Kaiju Preservation Society is an enjoyable book which feels familiar, whilst telling a wholly new tale.

Escapism in its purest form, The Kaiju Preservation Society reaches the heights of Redshirts while being rooted solidly in the reality of 2020 in America. Nerd Jaime is fired from his job at the beginning of the pandemic, leaving him willing to take any job offered, even one that involves traveling to an alternate Earth to help scientists study Kaiju, monsters so massive they break all the laws of science. With his usual skill, Scalzi brings to life a team of smart, passionate people who still make fart jokes while saving the world. Scalzi's fury at the unfairness of modern capitalism comes through without overwhelming the story, though anyone who has made it through the last few years without wanting to feed a billionaire to Godzilla is a more compassionate person than I am. Check it out, see what everyone will be quoting for the next few years.

I received a copy of this book from Tor Books and Netgalley.

Amazing. I loved this book so much. It pretty much has a found family vibe and a heist and Kaiju? Oh, my heart. I feel like this book was written for me in a way. It's got so many elements of things I love by a banger of an author.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Macmillian Tor/ Forge for an advanced copy of this comedic science fiction adventure.

Only an author as skilled and talented as John Scalzi could make a novel that mixes the gig economy, billionaire bros, COVID- 19 of all things, with the Godzilla pantheon,a healthy dose of alternate universes and make it fun. Not just fun but rollicking fun. To paraphrase and answer Frank Zappa immortal question, "Does humor belong in Science Fiction", yes, yes it does.

Mr. Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society starts with our narrator, Jamie Grey, losing his job at the beginning of the COVID- 19 pandemic and shutdown, with only a food delivery job keeping him and his roomates with a roof over their heads. A chance meeting with a sorta friend gets him a possible job offer, one that he can't talk about, but will make his money and shelter problems go away. Soon he is on his way to Greenland, and then to parts unknown as a grunt worker for a large Earth governmental program, with a lot of billionaire investors involving alternate Earths and huge, huge monsters. High jinks ensue.

The story is light, even Mr. Scalzi says this in the afterward to the book. Lots of quick science, great ideas, big creatures, fun characters and a pleasant story, that the reader wishes was real because I would honestly work there for free. The ending gets a little dark, and heavy, but not so much to ruin what has come before. The pacing is good, never and lags and Jamie Grey is a good host and a real nice person to follow around. One we need more of in this world. The story is a stand-alone, but I I hope there is a possibly of a sequel or two, in the same style.

The ending like I said gets a little dark, but considering the times in which the book was written, it kind of makes sense, again please see the afterward of the book. Good fun, light story, very funny loaded with references from lots of other science fiction books, ones that Mr. Scalzi is quick to name check. Again, I would like to see more in this universe, or for more authors to ease off on the "heavy meaning" pedal while writing their books and just make something that doesn't have a ton of meaning, or leave you feeling worse than when you started the book. Perfect read for fans of Godzilla, good science fiction or in need of some distraction from the world.

John Scalzi’s Redshirts is one of the funniest science fiction novels I’ve ever read. Or, it was, until I read the Kaiju Preservation Society. Even though I know nothing about Japanese kaiju movies. Or that I found the Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020 horrific.

Scalzi himself sums it up in the Acknowledgements: “I had fun writing this, and I needed to have fun writing this. We all need a pop song from time to time, particularly after a stretch of darkness.”

So read it. Enjoy it. Have fun. And watch out for the tree crabs.

For most of the book, I thought this would a solid 5 star read. The story was fun to read and fast paced - a perfect book to spend a cold day with, curled up by the fire... Then I hit the last quarter of the book and finished it with my eyes rolling so much it hurt. 

But let's talk about what worked first, shall we? The story is lighthearted and rather optimistic, which is a plus during this pandemic times that seem never-ending. The protagonist is fun to follow. He never looses his optimism no matter what obstacles life throws in his way. We all could use a bit of that after two years of the global mess we're in. I also liked that he is an average joe, unlike a lot of other typical protagonists who are either hidden martial artists, or retired military, or chosen ones. He isn't even the smartest one around. He was hired to "lift things", not do science. Yet he does indeed lift things and accomplish other dangerous and sometimes gross things with good grace, optimism, and fun. 

I also loved the Kaiju Earth. To imagine a parallel world where life has adapted to a denser atmosphere that is richer in oxygen. A world where some animals are living walking nuclear reactors that sometimes go critical and explode. Only it's not a catastrophe, like it would be in our world, because everything else around them evolved to absorb that radiation, to use it as fuel and food. So an exploding kaiju is basically like a dinner bell - everything that survives the initial blast and firestorm rushed that way to absorb as much radiation as possible. It was fun to imagine a world where giant monsters like Godzilla were an inherent part of the ecosystem. It was also gratifying to have an explanation that worked. I also liked the explanation on how those monsters sometimes ended up crossing to our Earth, and why they couldn't survive here for long. 

So this was a fun romp until the last twist and the ending, which unfortunately killed the book for me. I almost rage-quit reading at one point, but decided to carry on since I was 80% at that time.

The problem is that the whole plot twist is highly unbelievable. But I could let that slip of the motivation behind it was sound. But as it stands, this book sports the worst antagonist I have seen in a book in looooong time. It's like Scalzi forgot the true and tried principal that every villain is the hero of his or her own story. Yes, their actions might be atrocious or ridiculous, their plans might be far-fetched, but the motivation behind them must be believable. The antagonist must have a reason for what they are doing. 

Here, they are just being bad for the sake of being bad. I mean, seriously, the author showed this antagonist in such a bad light from the beginning of the book that there isn't a single redeeming quality in them. They are so evil, they come across as a cardboard cutout. A real person can't be this horrible all the time. Even the worlds greatest villains and mass murderers have peoples and pets they care about. This antagonist doesn't. I mean, this might work for some readers, since the premise of the book is far-fetched anyway, but this absolutely didn't work for me. I can't stay involved in the story if I can't take the bad guy seriously - I simply stop believing in the stakes. 

Speaking of stakes, that twist with stealing Bella was simply ridiculous. Once again, a plan without any rhyme or reason with consequences that have been tacked on just for maximum damage and to show how villainous our antagonist is. I mean why pull the kaiju to our Earth and let it go nuclear? Those mercenaries had to come close to the kaiju in order to install the devices that would open the barrier, so why not just instruct them to take the samples required and quietly leave? It accomplishes exactly the same thing - the antagonist has all the samples he needs to breed his own living nuclear reactors, and nobody is the wiser. But now, he had to do this dramatic disappearing act, and kill a bunch of people in the process, just because he is evil. 

Oh and the fact that four nerds with absolutely no military training managed to break into a mercenary compound and bring Bella back without getting killed? Yeah, that was absolutely not believable. That's when my eyerolls reached such a speed that they gave me a headache. 

So kudos for a fun and wonderfully created Kaiju Earth and engaging characters, but the antagonist and the ridiculous ending ruined that book.

PS: I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is certainly not Scalzi's most typical sci-fi book, nor is it typical of the topics usually covered in this genre, but I enjoyed it quite a bit, there are a number of good ideas, and some of the jokes are hilarious.

Questo non é certo il libro di fantascienza piú tipico per Scalzi e nemmeno per i temi che solitamente sono trattati nella sci-fi, ma mi ha divertito parecchio, ci sono una serie di idee niente male, ed alcune battute sono fulminanti.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

John Scalzi did it again! I was extremely happy when Netgalley allowed me to read the ARC of KPS, since I am a great fan of Scalzi, but also a bit nervous since I read somewhere it was
in the same vein of Redshirts, that frankly is the only Scalzi novel that completely fell flat for me. I assume I am too much of a Trekkie to appreciate parodies...
In any case, no, it has nothing to do with Redshirts. It has some points of contact instead with, could I even say it is inspired by, Fuzzy Nation (My gosh, this novel is already
10 years old?).
It is a novel that can be tasted like comfort food and leaves you with a smile when you finish it. The perfect book to spend a few hours out of this dark and painful world.
Therefore, don't expect an overly complex plot, or deep cogitations. But also do not expect a word too much, Scalzi is a master of that.
It is a stand-alone novel, but I think it is a world-building that opens fascinating possibilities for a possible return in the future.
Very funny is the part where the newbies travel towards the base trying to figure out which kind of animals they are paid to preserve, while we the readers smile thinking "you are in for a surprise, oh yes...".
All in all, highly recommended.

So this was quite a quick and fun read. And though Scalzi and the Old Man's War series has been on my to-read list for years now, turns out an ARC of a new standalone novel (and this is not a spoiler as it should be evident from the title itself) about monstrous Kaijus and the fellows who help look after them would be the first of his works I'd actually get to read.

So let's dive into the good parts. The book was a light and breezy read - it honestly just flew by and I enjoyed the pacing (an issue that I have encountered more than a few times over the last couple of years). The premise of the book requires quite the suspension of disbelief because like the Godzilla and Pacific Rim movies and all the other prominent Kaiju themed stories, the story is not only set in the same basic world we live in, but it does one better by having all of this play out in the middle of the pandemic. And I liked the clever way the book provided the umm... "environment" for the kaiju and still kept the status-quo of the real world. If the title and the blurb don't make it obvious, the story follows our witty 'grunt' of a protagonist Jamie as he starts a new job as a member of an organization meant to look after and research kaijus. Scalzi's characters are likable and diverse, and the only one I was even slightly disappointed by was our obvious antagonist... a little too much of a douchebag villain caricature.

Additionally, I had quite literally just finished reading the Murderbot novels the same day I started this, so the small shoutout was quite a fun and coincidental surprise. And so were the Foodmood, füdmüd, and Bangladesh references.

There were two things I felt the book could have improved upon that would have made it a more satisfying read - at least for me. Some of the historical kaiju encounters referred to in the book were a little too tongue-in-cheek. But more importantly, I felt the description of the kaijus were left a little wanting. I found there to be too few details for me to help picture the kaiju and the associated fauna in my head. I honestly think if there were some illustrations, like Brandon Sanderson does with the Way of Kings novels where there are sketches (maybe have our protagonist be an amateur artist or these could be outtakes from Aparna's, our biologist, notebook) it would have made the book even more enjoyable.

Loved this title by Scalzi! What a timely and fun romp through an alternate earth. If you are looking for a quick science fiction read full of characters who are eager about science, are kind, and are good at what they do look no further. Scalzi is at his best when he allows himself to have a good time while he is writing and you can tell that he had a blast writing this novel. Action-packed but not annoyingly so with a satisfying ending.

Jamie Gray finds himself in a tough situation, in the middle of a spreading pandemic, he finds himself without a job and in the only dead end job he can find to keep himself and his roommates afloat. Until he runs into Tom, someone who knew in a previous time of his life and who gives him a business card for the company he works for that works with "large animals." They are supposed to head out in the field and they find themselves short a man, and Tom thinks that Jamie will do great in his organization. He leaves out some things about the job... like it's location. Jamie is given a ton of vaccinations and told to pack for a trip where he will not need to bring clothing, just anything else he might need for 6 months. The animals in question are not of this earth, and the job is not something anyone could ever imagine. What also cannot be imagined is what can happen when one of these big animals makes its way into the wrong hands.

Let me start by saying that I love John Scalzi and this book did not disappoint. It was so good in fact that I read it in less than 24 hours. It was an easy, entertaining and interesting read. The characters were all well created.... you either loved them or hated them, just as you are meant to. I am not sure I understood everything in this story, but I am not sure that you are meant to understand all of the "science" that is discussed in the text. I put "science" in quotes, but honestly, I do not know if any of it was based on anything real or not.... because it would be that far over my head, either way!The story reminds me of a reimagined Jurassic Park with a twist. So if you loved Chrichton, you are going to love The Kaiju Preservation Society.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a fantastically fun science fiction read that I have already recommended to buy at our library! Great book for older teens looking to branch between YA and adult fiction, or for adult science fiction readers who want something with a bit of adventure and giant monsters. Also, I laughed out loud in this book and had to read a few portions out loud to others, which is a rare gem!!! It might not age well as it is set during Covid, but sometimes books shy away from placing themselves in an actual moment of time and it was refreshing to know when this was taking place.

Scalzi has this amazing ability to pack humor, wholesomeness, and great action into a story. I was sucked into this one from the word go. It was fun, seeing this alternate little world tucked right along side COVID without erasing it, or making light of it. The dialogue earns 12/10 stars. Each character had a unique and marvelously sassy voice that I couldn't get enough of. It was fast paced enough to hold my attention, and the world building was excellent.
I'd read anything Scalzi wrote, but I Think this might be my new favorite.

2020 was a rough year. This book takes place in 2020 but in a 2020 that’s just different enough from our own. In that there’s a secret organization that studies kaiju on a parallel earth. Most of the other problems of 2020 still exist (pandemic and political) but if you realms this book you’ll get to experience a more interesting version, one spent trying to (among other things) get two gigantic impossible monsters to mate. Scalzi is often good for a pleasant romp, and this is surely no exception. I laughed, I felt tense at all the right moments, and I even had to question if hanging a lampshade on the trope of hanging a lampshade was going too far. Something I kept being reminded of when reading this book was a variant of the MST3k mantra: “it’s just a book, I should really just relax.” And relax I did. Disclosure: I was provided a digital copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. This is that review.

This was everything I could have hoped for and more. I was hoping to find a book that was fun and that I could escape a little with, and this definitely delivered on both fronts. The whole thing manages to be fun and completely ridiculous while also including a realistic cast of characters who actually reflect the make-up of most friendship groups.

The pacing is quick, the snark levels are high, and a lot of crazy stuff happens. It's everything I expect from a Scalzi novel and I laughed out loud multiple times.

Every character brings something unique to the story. It's exactly what you imagine when you think a bunch of nerds being transported to another planet. They're smart and curious, and there's so much joking around and doing inadvisable things just to see what will happen.

If you're looking for a novel that includes all the references adored by sci-fi nerds, and some very questionable references (see above), but that doesn't take itself too seriously, or seriously at all for that matter, The Kaiju Preservation Society might just be the book for you.

However, it wouldn't be a Scalzi novel without its fair share of heartbreak, so you've been warned.

I started and finished this in the same afternoon because there was no way I was going to leave it once I'd begun reading, and I'm still looking forward to listening to the audiobook when it's released.

I completed my reading of an ARC of "The Kaiju Preservation Society" by John Scalzi provided to me courtesy of MacMillan-Tor/Forge (the publisher) just as the holiday season erupted upon us, and I am only now catching up with my reading. At any rate, the confluence of my perusal of this work and the holidays was a happy one in that the book is a lively and fast read laced with far more humor than I have come to expect from this author. Indeed, on more than one occasion, I found myself laughing out loud. Those of you familiar with the author's canon and prominence in the Science Fiction genre might be surprised at this since it is quite a departure for him. It often puts me in mind of "Jurassic Park." For those of you who choose to pick up a copy of the book, I urge you to read the author's Afterword, which acknowledges what I just reported and provides an interesting and entirely plausible explanation of the genesis of this work. At any rate, I found it refreshing and timely in view of the times we live in. Kaiju should be familiar to most of you as those great beasties best represented in film as refugees from another dimension who have escaped to plague ours (think Godzilla and you will get the picture). The author's deft touch and familiarity with popular culture informed every page of the rollicking romp and kept me reading well into the night. Even the intriguing title, ironic as it might seem, serves the text well. I am now 69, and I enjoyed the work without reservation, but I think it has a much greater audience than aged sci-fi fans. My guess is that younger generations who have never even encountered this author will be delighted at this little jewel. It is light-hearted and intended to raise our spirits, and it does so with panache. The author deserves our thanks.