I haven't read any of John Scalzi's books prior to this, but The Kaiju Preservation Society was a fun science fiction romp with plenty of references to the book's obvious cultural influences! Following the exploits of an "animal rights group" that protects kaiju from other worlds. The novel is by no means heavy sci-fi, and it would actually be a great recommendation for people who don't usually read the genre. Overall I had fun with it!

John Scalzi gives his protagonist the ultimate pandemic escape in The Kaiju Preservation Society.

After Jamie Gray loses his job after Covid starts, he takes a well paid position (working with 'very large, very wild, very dangerous animals'). He's soon sent on a field visit (via Greenland) - to an alternate dimension, where the massive (and endangered) Kaiju roam!

Fast paced action (always laced with humor in a Scalzi novel) explodes in that dimension and then all over Labrador, as Jamie wonders who are the real monsters.

Clever and captivating this is such a fun story of an alternate world that exists alongside of our own. I enjoy how Scalzi writes seamlessly such creative and imaginative plots that hook me immediately and that flow so well. I'm willing to accept whatever scenario and sci-fi twist that shows up.

This book blended the thrills and feeling of awe that Jurassic Park gives, with the feeling of intergalactic/multiverse travels for science reasons. I enjoyed it a lot, was excited by the story, and think this is a great summer read.

This book had a lot of potential for parallel worlds. I love the idea of being able to go to a different earth and finding a completely different atmosphere and ecology. I had a hard time with the trite conversations and I didn't really care what happened to any of the characters. It was a short book so there wasn't a lot of time to build characters and plot. I just wanted more.

. Wow! What an amazing, funny, scary, laugh riot of a book! Well-developed characters, understandable technology, and great premise. I devoured this book, loved every word of it and was super sad that there was nothing else to read when I finished it. This was the first title I have read by the author and I look forward to reading more. I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this title! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing access to this title.

This was my first book by John Scalzi, but holy crap, you can bet I'll be reading more! I have a friend who is obsessed with his books and we read this together. It was hilarious and we kept texting each other back and forth bits we thought were extra funny (the dialogue in this book is absolutely The. Best. Ever.)

A fun breath of air for the Spring that I was sadly too desperately busy to read until almost the summer. I thank Scalzi for trying to bring a bit of light into the world with his writing.

Pasará bastante tiempo hasta que se estudien en profundidad los efectos que la pandemia y el confinamiento han podido tener sobre la sociedad en general y las personas creativas en particular, pero de lo que no cabe duda es de la repercusión que ha tenido en John Scalzi, ya que él mismo lo deja patente en el final de su libro The Kaiju Preservation Society. No es ni mucho menos el libro que tenía pensado escribir, pero es el libro que le sacó del bloqueo así que eso al menos habremos de agradecérselo.


The Kaiju Preservation Society es un libro alocado, entretenido, perfectamente olvidable y que encaja como un guante en la definición de “palomitero”. El autor homenajea a los grandes monstruos de las películas japonesas como Godzilla y Gamera, sacándose de la manga un mundo alternativo con una biología cuando menos ecléctica donde estas centrales nucleares andantes campan a sus anchas.

Scalzi no deja pasar la oportunidad de criticar a los megamillonarios y al sistema que permite que jueguen con cartas marcadas para que siempre ganen, aderezando todo con referencias ochenteras no muy veladas pero que resultan divertidas. Es una novela que se olvidará conforme pasen unas pocas semanas desde la lectura, pero que consigue completamente su objetivo de entretener y dejar que la mente divague librándose de pensamientos más oscuros.

Los personajes son bastante maniqueos, aquí no hay escalas de grises en las intenciones de unos y otros y desde el principio queda perfectamente cristalino quién es el malo y el bueno de la historia. Los diálogos son muy fluidos, como suele ocurrir en los libros de este autor, y las escenas de acción también son entretenidas, algo que resulta más fácil cuando hasta los parásitos de los monstruos (que tendrán un papel importante en la historia) te pueden sacar una cabeza.

En definitiva The Kaiju Preservation Society es una lectura amena y divertida, una novela para disfrutar en el momento aunque luego la olvides.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is a lot of fun. I expect it probably doesn’t hold together if you try to inquire too deeply into how the science works, but it’s perfectly fine for a bit of fun that’s much more interested in imagining what could be. How can we make kaiju work despite the square-cube law? Why might kaiju have appeared for real on our planet? What if, what if, what if…

It’s a romp, as most of Scalzi’s books are, and it’s pretty cheery about everything except death and billionaires. Imagine being a biologist who gets to go to another world and study kaiju; imagine if while you’re there, you live in basically a socialist utopia where everyone’s needs are met, and everyone is as keen as you on the work you need to do. Not everything is a joy (someone has to test the reeking kaiju pheromone spray), and it’s hard work, and it’s good, you know what you’re contributing to… It’s an appealing idea (and an escapist one), and the little group of newbies that join KPS alongside Jamie throw themselves into it much as I would.

You don’t get a ton of a sense of personality from the group, because the characters aren’t really the point — to my mind, that escapist fantasy is much more prominent… combined with, y’know, kaiju. (But really, for me, the socialist paradise part where each scientist gets to do real groundbreaking work? That’s the fantasy.)

I ripped through this book, giggling and going “Oh shit!” at all the right moments. It’s not incredibly surprising, but it’s a lot of fun.

Jamie Gray thought he was an up and coming marketing executive for fudmud. But when COVID moves into New York, Jamie ends up delivering food orders to home-bound people. When his friend, Tom, offers him a job with The Kaiju Preservation Society, Jamie jumps at the offer. Little does he know what is in store...KPS does not work on this Earth. It works in a trans-dimensional world where 50-story Godzillas exist. The gate is located in Greenland and Jamie adapts easily to the work, he is the designated "lifter," running errands and lifting things for the other scientists who are studying the ecology of Kaiju Earth. Things get complicated when Jamie's former boss at fudmud arrives from Earth. Jamie knows Rob is going to make a lot of trouble for the group. This is an extremely entertaining book. Scalzi is always an excellent writer, but this book is light-hearted and a lot of fun to read. The author explains his motivation in a very personal afterword. Like in the movies, where fun things happen while the credits are rolling, read the afterword.

I Love John Scalzi. Old Man's War is my all-time Favorite series. So I was excited to read this one. As always it is so well written and fun and witty and timely. The only thing that will make this book better is the audiobook being read by Wil Wheaton. I do not want to give too much away but trust me this book is amazing.

I loved this story! The characters were amazing. The humor was spot on. The timing with this being a "post covid" story. And did I mention monsters? I would love to go on another adventure with this crew.

Scalzi has been one of those authors I know I’d like for a long time, but the premise of all his previous books has been just slightly askew of what I was looking to read at any particular time. That was until this book. I’m happy to have my assumption that I would enjoy his writing confirmed and would recommend this book happily.

I loved the description of this book and having read previous books by the author had good expectations all of which were fulfilled. I do admit to googling Kaiju (a giant monster of a type featured in Japanese fantasy and science fiction films and television programmes) however this only confirmed that this was the book for me.
We start in a familiar recent scenario of lockdown when Covid 19 sweeps through New York City. We meet Jamie Gray at his performance review where he expects to dazzle the CEO of fudmud, a food delivery start up, only to be fired but offered a job as a delivery driver. Initially turning this role down he has to backtrack as Covid takes its toll in employment market and food delivery is the only way to pay the bills.
During his deliveries he crosses paths with a college friend, Tom,who has an interesting line of work and a lifestyle to match. Tom works for an 'animal rights' organisation called the KPS. Tom's team is about to ship out on a 6 month tour when a spot becomes free for someone who can lift stuff and has an open mind. In a life changing decision Jamie takes Tom up on the offer and becomes a member of the Kaiju Preservation Society. His adventures are just beginning...
This was a delightful book to read, light in tone, fabulous concept, great characterisation and a romping plot to keep you turning the pages. Highly recommended.
My thanks to the publisher Tor and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC, it was exactly what I needed and as always all views are my own.

This story was so damn FUN! It is so fast, and clever, and modern. I couldn't believe it was finished! No spoilers but I loved all the ... options.... this story gives us. Excellent romp! #Netgalley #KaijuPreservationSociety

Do you ever see a book and think to yourself “This book was written for me to read and I need it in my life”? That was my reaction when the premise of John Scalzi’s latest novel, The Kaiju Preservation Society, was announced. And let me tell you, boos and ghouls, it exceeded every single one of my expectations.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is lead by Scalzi’s signature rapier wit and dialogue-driven story, so if either of those things don’t appeal to you then you’re gonna have a bad time. But personally I find both to be super engaging and entertaining.

Speaking of entertaining? Giant. nuclear. monsters. I am here for them and everything they bring with them — and this novel is no exception. As wowed as I was by the premise of The Kaiju Preservation Society, the actualisation of it is just so much fun. There are things you would expect from a monster story and things that you absolutely wouldn’t expect but that are even more welcome for it.

In The Kaiju Preservation Society Scalzi manages a fascinating sci-fi novel with fast paced, witty action that never takes itself too seriously but is still seriously entertaining. If you like fun monster novels then The Kaiju Preservation Society is a must read.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this book.
If you like Scalzi you will enjoy this book.
If you don’t like him you will most likely enjoy this book.

This story combines a quick beach read and a summer blockbuster into a great flowing sci-fi story.
It follows Jamie Gray- a guy suffering through what the pandemic is doing to him in New York City until rare good fortune provides him with a much needed job.
Monsters and mayhem!
Give it a go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for letting me receive an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun quick read to end April with. It makes me want to pick up more creature feature books and films since that’s a genre I haven’t really dipped my toe into but I think it’s one I’ll really enjoy. However, this book did have some things that made me enjoy it less. The humor didn’t work for me, which is usually how it goes with books that are supposed to be funny and I wish there was a larger focus on the Kaiju themselves. My favorite part was definitely the science of it all, with many of the characters, except for our protagonist, being experts ranging from geology to astronomy to organic chemistry. Overall, this was a nice introduction to Scalzi’s writing style and storytelling capabilities and I do look forward to reading more from him.

3.25/5

Jurassic Park. But replace the dinosaurs with kaiju. A raucous good time, as always, from Mr. Scalzi. Loved the fun cast of diverse characters and while this story completely stands on its own, I wouldn't hate it if he turned this into a new series.

Is anybody else absolutely delighted with the title of this book? The Kaiju Preservation Society is one of those books that immediately demands attention, especially for readers who enjoyed Pacific Rim and other monstrous tales.

Jamie Gray is admittedly not doing a great job of coping in a world rocked by a pandemic. Perhaps this is why he jumped at an opportunity presented by a friend, Tom. Tom asked for his help with an animal rights organization, and it sounded like the perfect escape.

Little did Jamie realize how literal that escape would be. You see, the animals this organization is concerned with are not on earth. Meaning that to help, Jamie himself must vacate the planet. Not exactly what he had in mind when he signed up.

“It was a very cozy meeting. In addition to my role as visitor liaison, I was also, once again, supervising snacks.”

I mean, seriously, who can pass up a book titled The Kaiju Preservation Society? I know I can't! And trust me, this one is well worth the read. Every inch of this book is as amusing and entertaining as that title promises.

I read many nerdy books – I'll admit it (and I am proud of it). But I honestly think that The Kaiju Preservation Society is perhaps the nerdiest book I've read. This year, at least. It's full of references and nerd humor and really feels like Scalzi was writing a love letter for fellow nerds. It's actually quite sweet.

Everything about this book screams a good sense of humor. While it is very well written, it also knows better than to take itself too seriously. At points, the entire thing almost feels tongue-in-cheek. And before you worry, the current setting of The Kaiju Preservation Society doesn't hold the tone down for long, I promise.

Long story short, The Kaiju Preservation Society was a blast to read. I highly recommend it to any fellow nerds, especially those that appreciate a monster book with a solid sense of humor.