
Member Reviews

This book is a delight to read. It’s like of Avatar had Godzillas instead of blue people. I laughed out loud in multiple sections of book and would 100% reread on a day I needed a funny pick me up.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan/Tor-Forge, and John Scalzi for this incredible eARC.
The Kaiju Preservation Society is the perfect balm to the exhaustion and weariness that set in as we enter the 25th month of the pandemic. Excellent pacing; complex 4-dimensional characters that actually evolve from their 3-D counterparts over time as they learn and grow; perfectly timed jokes & pop culture references; and a near-perfect allegory for our modern ills. The world building is stellar and the book short enough to read in a single sitting... the butt cramp will be well worth it!

Another thoughtful, sweet and gentle entry in the Monk and Robot series. A few moments that I found profound, and then the general clutter of life as a monk traveling with a robot.

My first Scalzi book, and a great fast read. Yes, super fun and funny, as other reviewers have stated, but not fluffy - some pretty serious issues discussed, even if in a funny way.

As the pandemic gears up, our protagonist loses his tech job and is reduced to delivering food for the app he once actually worked for. Then he gets a much weirder job. Kaijus, asshole billionaires, and gleeful fun ensue. It is as slight and rollicking as it sounds, and I enjoyed it though probably not as much as Scalzi enjoyed writing it because that’s probably impossible.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is everything and more that I've come to expect from John Scalzi. The book opens with Jamie losing their job at the beginning of the pandemic. I know this is relatable to most people, but I felt very connected to the main character's plight because Jamie was working on a dissertation for a Ph.D. in literature, and never finishes that degree and I know what that is like! This book has great pacing---slow, but in the kind of way that feels like a long inhale until you meet the kaiju. At this point in the story, you really get the feel of Jurrasic Park---science talk without needing a degree to feel like you can follow along. The story didn't suffer from an overabundance of "science" jargon as can sometimes happen, in fact, I think this is mainly because the characterization was done so well. Each character is so real, even the ones you don't see much of, that falling into the reality of this book is easy. The world-building was on point as well, as we start in the weirdness of the pandemic (which all of us are all too familiar with) the fantastical elements of the book become easy to swallow. I never found myself questioning the world, even the alternate reality world. These two elements, characterization and world-building really fill out the story for me. Without either one or both, the story likely would have been lacking as Jamie is primarily learning how to live in the world they find themselves in and this can be burdensome without good side characters and world-building.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes Scalzi books, is looking to fill a Michael Chriton shaped hole, or just loves monster media. It is a quick read and you will love every second of it!

In the acknowledgements, Scalzi was just like, I wanted to write something fun. Y'all, he was successful. He even managed to weave COVID in there in a believable way. COVID aside, this is a delightful romp with kaijus and I'd recommend it to anyone in the mood for something a little fun and silly. I don't have much to say about it aside from: book = fun. So, yeah!. 4 stars.

This was a pop song book indeed. So fun and so cool and such a fun way to tell a story about the pandemic and greed and being above self. I truly loved every aspect of this book and the connection to Godzilla and Pacific Rim was so cool. Scalzi is so cool. And his writing is Amazon and I can’t wait to see this book adapted into a film (as it should be). The characters were top notch and even the attention to gender and pronouns was done in a respectful way. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to SF readers and fans of Scalzi, but also fans of humanity.

In the Acknowledgments, John Scalzi calls this book a pop song. It's meant to be enjoyable and fun, something that makes your heart lighter. Mission accomplished! I devoured this book in a single day and enjoyed the heck out of every second of it. Scalzi has always had a way of perfectly infusing humor into this books, and KPS is no exception. I also greatly appreciated the diversity of his characters, presented in a seamless way and not clubbing you over the head with it. He even manages to incorporate Covid without weighing down the tone. Well done, Mr. Scalzi, and I look forward to the next one.

When Covid hits New York City, Jamie Grey finds himself stuck working for the same food delivery app that fired him. He hates it, but there aren’t a whole lot of other options with the city stuck in lockdown and businesses letting people go in floods. One night on delivery, he runs into an old acquaintance in the form of Tom, who makes him an on-the-stop deal: work for an animal rights organization and make great money. Tom’s organization needs a last-minute hire. Jamie is available. The catch? He’ll be out in the field for months, the job has a really vague description, and everything is super hush-hush. Out of options and intrigued, Jamie takes it…and discovers there’s an even bigger catch to everything.
“I lift things.”
I really, really enjoyed this one.
Notwithstanding my liking of it, I’m recommending a bit of a drinking game for those of you entering this book for the first (or second, or third) time. Every time Jamie says, “I lift things,” take a drink!
You’ll be drunker than a skunk in no time.
Anywho, to the review!
“So, just to be clear, the choices here are ‘homicidal maniac’ or ‘shit tornado.'”
After agreeing to the deal, Jamie finds himself working for an animal rights organization in the loosest of terms. He discovers that the multiverse is real, and the closest Alternate Earth has these giant monster creatures (and a bunch of smaller ones that will kill you in a heartbeat) affectionately called kaiju…and that there is some truth to the Godzilla myth. And that these creatures are powered by biological, semi-functioning nuclear reactors and are drawn to nuclear explosions, which thin the planes between worlds.
Jamie’s job is to lift things, sure, but his job takes him all around the compound and he learns how everything fits together, and how absolutely vital the mission is to both prevent the kaiju from slipping into his Earth and from assholes trying to get over and wreck havoc.
With all this plot going along, it’s just a whole lot of fun, made zippy with the witty dialogue and quirky characters.
Yes, the main character is basically John Perry from Old Man’s War but in a younger body, and yes the plotline is basically info dumping through dialogue, but where this would be annoying as fuck in the hands of someone trying too damn hard to be relevant and witty [insert dig on space algae and interrobang misuse], Scalzi knows how to lean into his dad rock sci-fi, and he really knows how to make his everyman protagonist not be an obnoxiously stale crouton of a human being.
As Scalzi says in the author notes, it’s a pop song, it’s not original but it’s fun and boppy and just a pleasure to read.
And dammit, it was just so fun to read. I’ve been reading some Serious Science Fiction (and fantasy) recently, and after a lot of deliberation I requested this book from NetGalley and Tor, and I didn’t regret one minute. It has Dora the Explorer, a Pitch Perfect references that’ll make you realize that movie came out ten years ago, lots of fantastic poop jokes, a random zeppelin that makes sense, tons of lifting of the things, much slam dunking on venture capitalist bros, and giant horny monsters getting it on with help from Science.
Also, there is a beautiful full circle moment at the end that is just *chef’s kiss*, not to mention positive queer and POC representation.
And did I mention the poop jokes?
“Avoid excessively fatty foods, since one of these is going to tell your body to purge fats in a way that absolutely challenges normal sphincter control.”
“That’s…not great.”
“It’s a mess. Seriously, don’t even think about trying to fart for the next eighteen hours. It’s not a fart. You will regret it.”
“I don’t like you.”
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review
The Kaiju Preservation Society releases March 15 from Tor

First time reading this author and I really enjoyed it. It made me laugh out loud in bits. It felt very Godzilla /Jurassic park with lots of facts and science based explanations. Reminds me of the new Godzilla movie where that spider wanted to breed…. It was all very light hearted and I enjoyed learning about the Kaiju but the banter between the group did get a little much in the end.
Other than that I would definitely be keen to read more from this author!

A secret parallel world full of giant monsters and parasites where everything sees humans as part of the food chain sprinkled with some company espionage.. a fun, quick read reminiscent of the worlds of Jurassic Park and Land of the Lost

Where do I even start?! This was literally amazing and I can already see it being one of my favourites for the year. I was laughing within minutes of starting and continued the whole way through. The atmosphere was fantastic and the writing was phenomenal. There was a lot of science-y stuff which generally isn’t my thing but Scalzi wrote it in a way that felt accessible without making it seem like he was trying to explain to a 5 year old.
I found the premise fascinating and I loved every character. There was even some quiet non binary rep in this which I wasn’t expecting from an older male ssf author so that was a lovely surprise! The pop culture references were *chefs kiss* and I would 100% read a 10 book series set in this world (PLEASE!)
I originally wanted to read this purely because the title caught my interest but I now plan to read everything Scalzi has ever written, with no care for the title or subject matter.
Overall this was an extremely fun book that I would highly recommend to basically everyone!

Mr. Scalzi has accomplished exactly what he set out to do according to his author's note. Which is to write the novel the world and he needed at this moment in time. KPS is pure escapism and although it's not the greatest novel I've ever read, it's gives the reader enough fluff/fantasy to literally escape the toxic wastedump that has been the planet Earth for the last 2+ years. Escape COVID, visit Kaiju Earth! Violent insurrection got you down? Kaiju Earth. WW3 on the horizon? Kaiju Earth!
I hope that Scalzi is able to re-embark on the Sci-Fi stories that I have really come to enjoy, but KPS really showcases what a versatile novelist/lovable smart-ass Scalzi can be when called upon. Maybe not the novel we wanted to read or write, but the novel we all needed.

The Kaiju Preservation Society a fun book! Scalzi has delivered another Hit and incorporating Kaiju saving along with making their "plight" relatable you definitely want to read this book!

This was a BLAST. I needed this book. In Scalzi’s notes and acknowledgement at the end, he says that KPS is a pop song, and that pop songs are needed sometimes. I couldn’t agree more.
The Kaiju Preservation Society is fun, propulsive, hilarious, and oh so clever. It’s incredibly current and unique in its approach to how it is current. Since all the insanity of 2020 hit (and 2021, and please god let 2022 be different), I've been wondering how it would affect artists and the art they make, and this is it right here.
Scalzi is running on all cylinders, churning away through current modes of thinking and current events, and giving his characters escape routes, fantastic stories, and alternate ways of living through them. And giving the bad guys what they deserve for once, instead of what they always end up getting in the real world.
Thank you Scalzi, I appreciate this. Like I said, I needed this book, and I have a sneaking suspicion that you probably do too.

I received an ARC copy of this book from #NetGalley.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but it ended up being a very fun read. The plot and storyline moved really fast. Some of the science was a little over the top, to the point that the characters in story didn't understand or get it. Which really made the story all the more amusing. The characters were a little one-dimensional, but the story was engaging e ough that it didn't detract. Definitely worth a read if you are looked for a fun read.

4.5 for SURE.
KPS - the Jurassic Park Godzilla fans always wanted!
Jamie is at the top of his game, about to make a big pitch that would spring him up onto the board of an up-and-coming tech company... then he's fired. And the pandemic happens. And he's left delivering food to barely scrape by as a world quarantines. Then he delivers to an old friend...that has a job opening.
In the words of the author, this book reads like a pop song. Easy, fun and uncomplicated. I absolutely loved the story, the writing and Scalzi's explanation at the end of how it came about. My only wish is that it is the first of a riotously successful series!
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this book to review through NetGalley.
Thoughts: This was a fun, light read with a bit of a sci-fi bent to it. You have to kind of suspend your belief for the premise here, but that's not hard to do. There is a lot of humor, some action, and the idea behind the kaiju's existence is interesting.
The premise of the story is that a marketing specialist, Jamie, gets laid off right as COVID hits and ends up as a food delivery driver. On one of his deliveries he runs into an old acquaintance who offers him a strange job. Suddenly Jamie is traveling to a parallel reality to take care of giant Kaiju monsters.
The characters don’t have a ton of depth but they are fun. The world building and the monsters are incredibly entertaining and just generally awesome. I love all the Kaiju science and the action. Is this a masterpiece? No, and Scalzi even says as much in the afterward. However, it is fun and entertaining and a good mood lifter.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I enjoyed this. This book is kind of like a summer blockbuster movie; it’s fast and fun, a bit goofy and full of action. I liked the Kaiju science here. The plot and characters were fairly light but I didn’t really mind because I was so entertained by the world. I would recommend this if you are looking for a sci-fi light type of action read with a lot of fake science that is actually pretty cool.

4.5 stars. This is such a fun novel, sheer escapism from start to finish. Not being into Japanese monster movies, I had never heard of a "kaiju" before I read this, so for anyone clueless like me, kaiju are giant monsters such as Godzilla. After getting fired at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jamie Gray is working a boring job as a food delivery driver in NYC when a delivery to an old acquaintance leads to a very mysterious, secretive job offer as a low-level grunt for some sort of animal rights group. What Jamie doesn't know until he accepts the job is that he and his team will be traveling to an alternate dimension where kaiju rule Earth. The alternate Earth is bananas, I loved the descriptions of the plants and animals, and lots of exciting things happen when bad guys infiltrate Kaiju Earth. Jamie and his friends are fun but lacking much depth or character development. Which is fine, this is a really enjoyable science fiction thriller and exactly what I was in the mood for. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for this digital review copy.