As an unapologetic Scalzi/Wheaton fangirl, I came to Starter Villain with sky-high expectations. This dynamic duo delivers addictive audiobook escapes like no other. Could their latest collaboration live up to the clever social satire and side-splitting humor that made Kaiju Preservation Society a legend?
In short: Scalzi has done it again.
Starter Villain proves his funniest escapade yet, infusing a zany story of a rookie supervillain with biting corporate commentary. The vulgar union-organizing dolphins are worth the price alone! Is the plot as philosophically rich as his sci-fi epics? No, but the emotional core still touches the heart.
Scalzi lampoons billionaire CEO egomania by asking: what if companies really did plot global domination? Turns out modern supervillainy looks a lot like everyday corporate greed. It’s a brilliant, cathartic takedown that frees our inner heroes.
Could Starter Villain reach Lewis Carroll heights of absurdity? Perhaps, but it never loses sight of the joke, and never stops entertaining. My only complaint? Like catnip for book nerds, its dazzling pages ended far too soon, leaving me craving an elusive sequel.
So who will love Starter Villain? Obviously existing Scalzi fans, especially Kaiju Preservation Society devotees. But truly, ANYONE whose cat secretly runs their life needs this therapeutic escape from modern supervillains…aka ordinary CEOs.
Let me know if you would like any changes! I aimed to convey humor and fun while highlighting the incisive criticism.
