The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

The Kaiju Preservation Society

by John Scalzi

The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy.

When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization.” Tom’s team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on.

What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble.

It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society whose found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

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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.

Thanks to Tor Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 28 April, 2022: Finished reading
  • 28 April, 2022: Reviewed