Starter Villain is a very typical John Scalzi book—it has a ridiculous premise, is a fun and light read, and the text is permeated with a sarcastic, flippant attitude even as the story itself takes familiar tropes and examines them from a different angle. Charlie Fitzer's life is mediocre and he's down on his luck; there is absolutely nothing extraordinary about him. With exception of his recently-deceased millionaire-secretly-a-billionaire-but-none-of-that-is-liquid-assets uncle, who bequeathed his evil business empire to Charlie, secret volcano lair and all.

Oh, and this book has sapient cats and dolphins. What more can one want?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

5*

Another absolute win for Scalzi!

Starter villain has everything I needed in the current world climate, cozy funny and adventurous, you'll never look at a cat the same way again.

Volcanic lair - check
Swiveling chair - check
Superior breed of lap cat - check

<b>Real Rating: </b> 3.5

Plot/story: 3
Setting/worldbuilding: 3.5
Characters: 4
Writing/ prose: 3
Unputdownable: 4

Very fast read, really fun and it played with some tropes in ways I found refreshing and delightful. Truthfully this didn't go in the direction I thought it would, it was definitely a humorous/ parody story instead of an anti-hero story, which is my bad as I didn't take the cue from the silly cover!!!

It's a short-ish story so all I will say is Charlie is a man who really loves his cats and for that he has my eternal respect. He's also clever, but not overly clever that you want to roll your eyes constantly, more like he has the education and professional experience to back up his instincts and guesses in realistic ways (while still keeping up the shenanigans!).

The world is fleshed out enough that it seems plausible and the side characters do have their own mini arcs, including the cats! How delightful 😊

I'd recommend this as a quick palette cleanser between those epic fantasy tomes, I personally read it after WoT #1 and it worked well.

This book is an enjoyable and lighthearted read featuring clever cats. One of my favorite reads from the past year was Scalzi's "The Kaiju Preservation Society."

In the story, Charlie unexpectedly inherits his recently deceased uncle's secret super villain enterprise, complete with a lair on a volcano island, spy cats, and talking dolphins. However, along with these unique assets, he also inherits his uncle's rivals, who are part of a villainous organization determined to take him down.

The characters in the book are charming, and the portrayal of the James Bond-SPECTRE-esque world of super villainy is both amusing and grounded. The characters approach the fantastical elements with dry wit and a matter-of-fact perspective, making the story engaging and relatable.

Overall I give Starter Villain 4 Stars.

This was a ridiculously entertaining book. No profound life lessons, no bleak and depressing circumstances, just funny characters and absurd situations.

All Charlie wants is to open his own pub and keep living in his dad's house, despite all his siblings ganging up on him to sell the place. Unfortunately, Charlie is a divorced substitute teacher with pretty much no money in the bank, a stray cat his only company. Until Charlie's estranged uncle dies and Charlie is in charge of arranging a funeral. Somewhere between the wreaths with rude messages, the mourner attempting to stab his dead uncle and his house blowing up, it dawns on Charlie that his uncle was a billionaire supervillain and that Charlie has now inherited the entire business. And oh yeah, cats are running the whole operation.

Funny and lighthearted, with its humour occasionally straying into adolescent territory, this book will keep you entertained until the very last page. This is Scalzi's take on the corporations and CEOs who run the modern world, and he burns them all in his own satirical style.

3.5 stars

This was a fun, if not slightly (okay very) eccentric novel about a guy who inadvertently inherits his uncles evil empire and has to face threats both overt and subtle.

It is a really fun ride and in typical John Scalzi fashion super easy to read and entertaining. The contrast of the main character being just a normal person and getting thrust into a hilarious world of talking cats, subterfuge, mafia plots and unionising dolphins.

I think this is a fun read at the time but it’s not something that will stick with me or a particularly deep analysis on anything, however that is sometimes just what you are in the mood for!!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.

John Scalzi did it again, guys!
It was hilarious and entertaining! Such a fun read. Also, love the cat!

Charlie Fitzer, after a divorce returns to his hometown to care for his father. Staying in the family home after his father's death, he is being pressured to move out by his half-siblings so the house can be sold. He'd like to stay on, buy them out and take over a tavern; but this will take a couple of million dollars and Charlie is penniless.

The story starts when Charlie is asked to officiate at his uncle's funeral. Starting with the viewing, the funeral becomes surreal when various heavies don't quite believe Charlie's uncle is dead - apparently, he had faked his death before. After the funeral, Charlie is saved by his cat when his house blows up; the cat then inducts Charlie into his uncle's business: villainry, James Bond style, complete with a Caribbean lair on a volcanic island. Hijinks ensue as Charlie gets his head around the lifestyle before ultimately deciding that the life of a villain is not for him.

Fun, but light. Recommended.

Another typical Scalzi take on a concept – this time, the villain. It’s ridiculous, extremely readable, and just what I expected. If you’ve read his books before you’ll be familiar with the writing and level of comedy, flippancy. Add to that some cats – obviously – and a very new recruit to the evil overlord business and you’re in for a fun time.

Starter Villain is an outrageously smart and funny book. Charlie's life is mediocre at best until he receives a request from his absent uncle. One request which leads to drastic changes in Charlies life, as his uncle, his absent, very rich uncle, was actually a supervillain. And he has left it all, including the obligatory lair, to Charlie.

I have had a great reading year this year and I'm glad to say that it has continued with Starter Villain. I loved this book. It is funny, actually snorting out loud funny. Scalzi has a very loose, slightly sarcastic voice and it suits this story extremely well. The characters were delightful, which is not surprising as a good portion of them were cats. Charlie is the POV and spends most of his time confused, although he has just been thrust into a criminal underworld he knew nothing about. The plot is great, with some neat twists and turns. I especially loved the penultimate scene at the Bellagio and how everything turned out from that. It is not subtle or sophisticated but it's not meant to be. It's somebody starting out in a world they didn't even know existed!

You know there are people that will hate it, saying it's too irreverent and humorous to be good fiction. That it is not high-brow enough to be winning awards. The voice is too personal and the words aren't long enough. Blah blah blah! I don't see why award-winners can't be fun and, believe you, this is a fun and exhilarating book. I had a great time reading it and adored every minute. I also read it in the style of Henry Hill from Goodfellas (RIP Ray Liotta), which seemed fitting. If you want to take things seriously and read books with some serious literary pretension, Starter Villain is not for you. However, if you want a funny but seriously good take on supervillains, this is the book for you.

Huge fun and wonderful pastiche of spy tropes.

This was brilliant. Would read a sequel. And definitely watch the film. A great tangent to the typical spy story. Charlie is pretty down on his luck. He's a substitute teacher. Divorced. Living in a family home his siblings want him to leave so they can sell up. He's got a cat though. He can't get a loan to bring the local pub back to life. Things aren't great (apart from the cat).

When Charlie's uncle dies, a businessman he didn't know, and he's asked to play a role in his funeral, Charlie realises something funny is going on when mourners do some very... un-mourner-like things. And it turns out Uncle Jake was actually an international supervillain. With no other heirs.

So where does this story take a bemused everyman? Spy stereotypes are played with at great length. There's elements of Bond, Austin Powers, Despicable Me, but this is its own story and gives Charlie a few tasks to complete as the supervillain world decide how to react to this new player on the scene.

You may expect the love-hate-let's-stabe-each-other-in-the-back villain friendships. You may not expect the animal sub-plots (I'm desperate to mention them, but hate spoilers), and these are blinking funny. You may not be able to guess how it's all going to end. Good. Read it and see.

Great fun, if you're a fan of spy films and stories this will give you a definite lift. Very witty.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Scalzi doing Scalzi.. This book is unapologetically amiable and lightweight, taking a Bond-movie concept and running with it, along with some fun concepts including keyboard-talking cats - a real thing; find them on Instagram - and unionised dolphins.

Starter Villain by John Scalzi is a fun, fast-paced sci-fi caper perfect for a light read. The characters are likeable and the worldbuilding is interesting, but the story itself isn't groundbreaking.

The novel follows Charlie Fitzer, a substitute teacher who inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain business. Charlie is initially reluctant to embrace his new role, but he's quickly drawn into a world of intrigue and danger. He must learn to navigate the treacherous waters of supervillainy, while also dealing with his uncle's enemies, his sentient cat, and his new henchperson.

Scalzi does a great job of creating a world that's both believable and absurd. The supervillains in Starter Villain are a colorful bunch, with their own unique motivations and powers. The worldbuilding is also well done, with Scalzi explaining how the supervillain community operates and how it fits into the larger world.

The characters in Starter Villain are all likeable and relatable. Charlie is a sympathetic protagonist, and his journey from reluctant supervillain to unlikely hero is enjoyable to follow. The supporting cast is also well-developed, with each character having their own unique personality and quirks.

However, the story itself isn't particularly groundbreaking. The plot is predictable, and there are few surprises along the way.

Overall, Starter Villain is a fun and enjoyable read. The characters are likeable, the worldbuilding is interesting, and the pacing is fast. However, the story itself isn't particularly groundbreaking. I would recommend this novel to fans of lighthearted sci-fi and superhero stories.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I enjoyed this very much. It’s clever and fun: Joe Normal thrown into a Situation as the heir to Villainy is an interesting premise. This book is barely science fiction, except for one very fun bit of Science, and is more along the lines of a James Bond film, complete with a SPECTRE-like group of villains and high-tech gadgets. There is zero world-building and the language is very much “of our time” American, which is entertaining, but I’m not sure it will age well. I’m sure in 50 years, some scholar of colloquial English in America will find it illuminating.

Thanks much to John Scalzi, Tor and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun read with Villains and cats. What more does one need?! I enjoyed this refreshing take on villains as a job (Megamind vibes anyone?). The dolphins were just hilarious and so relatable. Definitely recommended as a quick pick me up read.

Special thanks to Pan McMillan Tor and Netgalley for providing me an advance copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest work by John Scalzi, fun, action packed and with plenty of unexpected twists.
Charlie is at a low ebb in his career and life, staying in his fathers house which his half siblings wish to sell, working as a supply teacher and adopted by cats. He finds his estranged billionaire uncle has just died and he is now the likely heir to his uncles' car parking business...or so he thinks.
After attending his uncles funeral, stopping some rather odd behaviour by mourners, his house explodes and it look likes his only housing options are to live in his old Nissan Maxima. However in steps his Uncle Jake's PA/Go to person /Mathilda Morrison, better known as Til and in a surprise twist finds that his cat Hera, not only owns her own house (an Airbnb!) but can communicate.
This is the first steps into the real side of his uncles business empire - being a super villain. This comes with his own volcanic island lair in the Caribbean, with subsidiary companies and his own pod of super dolphins. As part of his inherited role he attends a villain super conference, there he is framed for murder so he needs to use all his business journalism acumen and personal integrity to navigate the murky waters he finds himself in.
A great read and it definitely will make you look at dolphins in a new light :)
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC - all views are my own.

Our gutsy, but somewhat clueless protagonist spends most of his time out of his depth and trying to catch up. That can grow a bit old – but Scalzi is smart in making sure that Charlie has enough nowse to avoid the pitfalls set out for him by the odious, entitled men who are in charge of major chunks of worldwide industry. Their antics are funny, with the humour having an extra bite because said characters bear a strong resemblance to those entitled, odious characters in real life who believe they ought to be In Charge, when they haven’t the integrity and/or talent to do a proper job.

Fortunately, there is also plenty of light relief in the form of talking cats and dolphins, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I liked the fact that Charlie is uneasy at the prospect of becoming a villain – I found him a thoroughly likeable character and I very much cared what was happening to him, in amongst the twisty plotting and double crosses.

All in all, this is a blast from the first page to the last. It can be read on two levels. With the talking cats, elaborate villainy and secret island stuff – it can be taken as a bit of light-hearted nonsense. Or the uncanny similarity between certain villains and some of our world leaders also throws a bit of satire into the mix. Both levels worked very well for me and if you enjoy either some escapist fun, or a far-fetched adventure that nonetheless has a pop at those attempting to run things these days, then this offering comes highly recommended. While I obtained an arc of Starter Villain from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

I really enjoyed Starter Villain when I read it over the weekend! The cats were all the best tbh but did leave me side eyeing my own to see if they were judging me. Charlie was a delight and I rooted for him from the start. He found himself in a weird situation and totally bossed it 💪.

After reading The Kaiju Preservation Society last year I had an idea of what to expect with Scalzi's writing which I think worked in my favour. The narrative has such a blunt honesty behind it and such a dry sense of humour that I can't help but enjoy myself while reading. The pacing works well and there's just enough backstory and scene setting that it doesn't drag you back from the out there story.

What to expect:
1. Wit and Sarcasm
2. Endearing Characters
3. Silliness
4. A quick read - less than 300 pages!
5. Typing cats 🐈

If you're looking for a lighter but not fluffy read, give this one a try - I'll stick the synopsis in comments for you!

What a fun read! i had so much fun with the book. The MC was all over but i loved the cats and other "creatures".
Kind of like a comedy villain movie as the villains from Despicable Me.
Charlie was way too nice to be a super villain. The book had a lot of laugh out loud moments and heartfelt undertone with Charlie and Hera.

‘Warning: supervillain in training. Risk of world domination.’

My thanks to Pan Macmillan Tor for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Starter Villain’ by John Scalzi. I complemented my reading with its unabridged audiobook edition, narrated in his enthusiastic geeky style by Wil Wheaton.

Former business journalist, Charlie Fitzer, is 32, divorced, and living in his deceased father’s house with his best friend, Hera, a ginger cat. His three older half-siblings are pressuring him to allow them to sell the property. Given that he is hardly making ends meet on his substitute teacher’s salary he is resistant to any changes.

Then he receives news of the death of his Uncle Jake, whom he hasn’t seen since he was five. He knew that his maternal uncle had been wealthy, the owner of a number of parking garages. However, until he is asked to represent his uncle at the funeral, he had no idea how dangerous his uncle’s business had been. It appears that Uncle Jake had been a supervillain.

Then he is invited to take over his uncle’s business. Should he stay in his rut or step up and take over the business, including the enemies, the minions, the hidden volcano lair? Then there’s the sentient cats. Charlie is rather overwhelmed as he realises that there’s much more to being an Evil Mastermind than he had ever suspected.

Well John Scalzi had me at sentient cats. I found ‘Starter Villain’ a delightfully bonkers romp written with tongue firmly in cheek. The narrative is peppered with plenty of pop culture references. There’s also underlying themes of global economics and animal and workers’ rights (often combined in the reality of this novel).

Overall, ‘Starter Villain’ was so much fun. Absurdist fiction might not be to everyone’s taste though for me, John Scalzi’s satirical take on the action-adventure thriller was just brilliant. Plus, there’s all the wonderful cats.