I read an ARC. A quick-moving story with some fun ideas and appeal for cat lovers. There wasn't any character development, which is okay because it was essentially a goofy action movie in book form. I would definitely enjoy watching a movie adaption.

I am such a fan of John Scalzi and when I ran across this book as one to request from Netgalley, I was overjoyed they gave me the opportunity to honestly review it in exchange for the ARC.

Scalzi never disappoints with his humor and his unique stories. This one is no different. Charlie learns of the death of his uncle, but doesn’t think too much of it while he is working through his own personal struggles. The problem is, Charlie is his uncle’s only living relative and except for some exceptional cats, Charlie is expected to take over his uncle’s business. When all else fails, why not try a bit of villainy.

I love Scalzi’s sarcasm and the way he leans into his characters ( and perhaps even himself) being a bit of a smarta**. I laugh out loud with so many of his books and this one was no different. The cover alone makes it worth the read, but the story inside is bound to entertain. I flew through this book; it’s an easy read that leaves me wanting more. I don’t have any critiques at all, I just enjoyed the heck out of this book and can’t wait to see what else comes out of Scalzi’s brain.

Perfect for fans of Hench or Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - yes it's a weird mix, but I'm not wrong. Between the volcano base, references to James Bond and Austin Powers, and a choose your own adventure for faking your death, it's so kitschy and satirical in the best way. I don't want to say too much, but it's actually quite lighthearted despite the themes and mild violence. It toes the line between villain and antihero for sure. To no one's surprise, my favorite characters were the genetically modified cats. Hera and Persephone can do no wrong.

*Thank you to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I received an advanced ARC of this title.

This is a wild ride, in the best way possible. Charlie Fitzer, flat-broke laid off journalist and substitute teacher, inherits his late uncle's businesses, both legitimate and less so, and he is dropped abruptly into the world of supervillians.

Thus begins the adventure.

Charlie is dropped into an enormous corporate structure he knows nothing about, and watching him learn about his new colleagues -- many of whom are genetically engineered, hyper intelligent animals in addition to humans -- and his new life, is a joy and a wonder because it's so dang fun, even when it's deadly serious.

Charlie is not particularly villainous himself, but he now has a seat on a secret council and a lot of people who want him dead for a long list of reasons. The biggest joy of this book is watching Charlie navigate the world of ultra-wealthy people, and the sycophants and acolytes who want to become ultra-wealthy, ideally by taking down Charlie. Charlie is kinder and more pragmatic than all of them put together, and he ultimately triumphs by being a good judge of character, figuring out whom to trust, and whose advice he should definitely listen to, and simply not being a dick to anyone who isn't actively trying to kill him.

Scalzi, as is typical, offers a) witty dialogue b) excellent action and pacing and c) characters that I'd be happy to hang out with. The genetically enhanced animals (including cats and dolphins, well ahead of the yacht-destroying Orcas now taking over the internet) and the humans that they work with are both a lot of fun, and excruciatingly accurate judges of character.

I adored this. It's both funny and humane in the most delightful manner. The scene at his uncle's funeral had me wheezing with laughter. The large gathering of the council and its acolytes has some particularly hilarious methods for dealing with failure. And what we learn about cats (including the one on the cover) makes WAY more sense than it really should, but should not surprise anyone who has ever lived with cats.

Highly recommended, loads of fun.

This is the first book I've read by John Scalzi and it was delightful! I will be going out to get his other books. It's a quick, hilarious read, with great characters (the cats!) I would love to read more set in this world.

This smart and clever book made me laugh; it simultaneously offered incisive commentary on the labor market and ethics in the business world. This seems impossible, but the book pulls it off with panache. This might be my favorite John Scalzi book so far.

I went into Starter Villain thinking it was about superheroes and super villains because of the blurb and how it was listed on Goodreads. So, my expectations were a bit off from the start. The beginning was a bit dry, but it got really exciting a few chapters into it. The humor was awesome. I loved the sentient cats and dolphins. I really loved Tobias the Stabber lol All of the info dumping in the middle for the world building got boring, but the payoff at the end was great. I really liked how everything came together, as if it was a mystery book the whole time and I never knew it. I would read a sequel, if one was ever written.

The cover and tag line alone had me intrigued and I’ve been curious about Scalzi’s books as they always seem to have some sass and I love a sassy read.
Hilarious concept of inheriting your uncles villain business and all the drama and action that would entail gave me images of Dr. Evil.
This was such a fun ride. The dolphins had me laughing every time they interacted with them. It was chaos of backstabbing and shenanigans. I enjoyed it very much and can’t wait to read more from Scalzi.

I have been faithfully trying to read this book for a month now and it just CAN'T HOLD MY ATTENTION. I am loving the concept, loving the quirkiness... but after 2 pages I need a break. I'm giving up halfway through.

This book was so much fun! Imagine if you could see the workings of a villain’s lair, this would be it! We have talking dolphins and intelligent spy cats, Villains convention and a lair on a volcano (obviously).
We follow a clueless poor substitute teacher as he comes to inherit his now very dead uncle's businesses. He discovers these businesses are not just parking and tech development, its high profit villain activity and he is now part of management.
John scalzi’s humour and light heart approach was just too fun. It reminded me of Austin Power’s Doctor Evil and Despicable Me. Super easy to get into and a quick read.

I absolutely hate the cover to this one, but I loved the content! It was such delicious chaos. Like, talking cats, striking dolphins, evil villain plots, volcano lairs, and double crossing the double crossers. Every bit of it was chaotic, and I loved it. Just imagine every stereotypical villain attribute shoved into one book, and you'll have this. Starter Villain was such an entertaining read, and something I can definitely see myself rereading.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Not a fan of humorous science fiction except when written by John Scalzi. Starter Villain is a terrific book without a single dull spot. The human characters were either engaging or horrid, but the animals were all terrific. Wish I had a cat like Hera,

I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley, all opinions are mine.

If you, like me, were in any way a fan of the 2001 kids movie 'Cats & Dogs', this is the book for you! And if you weren't, but you're looking for a genuinely funny standalone sci-fi romp, this is also for you!

Charlie is an average down on his luck guy, struggling to find his way in the world post- divorce and job loss (ouch!) when his estranged uncle passes away and bequeaths him something truly wild - his entire supervillain empire. Because he was, you know. A literal supervillain.

Much like Kaiju Preservation Society, this is a cheerfully bizarre adventure with all the fast paced plot, snarky dialogue and excellent twists you could ask for. It has some similar themes in how it talks about late stage capitalism, wealth, unions and insufferable tech bros, but with hyper intelligent feline spies instead of alien dinos.

I found the quick pace refreshing, the characters good fun, the jokes delightful. The first scene with the dolphins had me crying with laughter - I don't know what I expected from the blurb but this was truly excellent. Highly recommend!

I received a complimentary eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are mine own. I loved this book! Starter Villain by John Scalzi is another humorous sci-fi thriller from the author of Agent to the Stars, Lock In, and The Kaiju Preservation Society. In Starter Villain Charlie, a down-on-his-luck journalist turned substitute teacher, just wants to buy a local pub…but suddenly finds himself at the center of a hidden world of crime and intrigue when he inherits his uncle’s business. What industry was his uncle in? Villainy! Like Scalzi’s previous books this novel is funny and entertaining while still managing to keep the pacing and stakes high enough to make the plot compelling. I devoured this novel in just a few days because I was so delighted by Scalzi’s jokes, plotting, and characters. Starter Villain is the primer on non-human labor unions you didn’t know you needed, and trust me you really, really, do. With tons of characters that are easy to love and some truly epic quips, this was a true delight. Publishing on 9/19/23, be sure to pre-order or place your library holds, as this is a book not to be missed.

This was stupid fun and exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. By far my favorite characters are the sentient dolphins who want to form a union and have the fantastic nicknames for their bosses that often include "fuck". This was my first Scalzi but I will definitely be reading more!

I didn't really know what to expect when I picked up this one, I just could not resist it with that cover! Humorous sff can be a bit hit or miss for me, but this one I really really enjoy!

The story itself doesn't take itself too seriously, and takes common supervillain tropes that are usually considered kind of ridiculous - like laser beams, cats - and turned it into something that fits really well into our current world. I especially loved the clever way the story criticized the capitalist mindset of billionaires, and great social commentary on how they access and maintain their wealth. All while telling a fun, fast paced story with a cinematic feel to it.

The mc and the cats are extremely charming. He is just a normal dude stuck in a really weird situation, while the cats reminded me of the supervillain cats from the movie Cats & Dogs.

Just a fun quick read full of silliness and classic Scalzi clever ideas. Definitely worth it for Scalzi fans and fans of fun in general.

This was my first John Scalzi novel and I wasn’t sure what to expect but I absolutely loved of it. Think “adult” Despicable Me with super intelligent cats, trash talking dolphins and lots of explosions. This story is funny and entertaining til the very end. Plus the cover is just genius and really drew me in as well.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

Scalzi strikes again. Charlie's life is a bit of a mess. Then he apparently inherits his uncle's business, that being running a villain empire. What could go wrong? He could run afowl of other villains who want to take over (or perhaps disassemble) his empire, his dolphin minions could go on strike, the FBI may want to speak to him, and the cats couldn't be more helpful.

Scalzi does a great job of expanding on the villain trope, taking it places you didn't know you wanted to go. Lots of chuckles, lots of suspense, lots of fun.

What a delightful new entry from veteran science fiction writer John Scalzi. An evil-ish uncle suddenly dies and leaves his drifting yet loyal and kind nephew Charlie a truly momentous amount of resources - including a lair on a volcanic island. Talking cats are awesome, talking dolphins are jerks, and corporate bros are going to corporate bro in this lighthearted and fun take on moral shades of grey in late-stage capitalism. Read this if you enjoyed Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society or are looking for something worthwhile yet easy to sink your teeth into for a road trip or hammock time.