Starter Villain

Okay, I admit it. I was hooked by the title...and the cover. Villain is such a melodramatic and somewhat antiquated term and why on earth was a cat wearing a collar and? This thoroughly entertaining novel  by John Scalzi, something of a mystery and something of a fantasy,  kept me engaged and rooting for the good guys (the good villains?). Made me look at our pet cats a bit differently, too. Kirkus opens their review by saying, "Some people are born supervillains, and others have supervillainy thrust upon them. Charlie Fitzer, a former business journalist–turned–substitute teacher, is broke and somewhat desperate. His circumstances take an unexpected and dangerous turn when his estranged uncle Jake dies, leaving his business—i.e., his trillion-dollar supervillain empire—to Charlie. Charlie doesn’t really have the skills or experience to manage the staff of the volcano lair, and matters don’t improve when he’s pressured to attend a high-level meeting with other supervillains, none of whom got along with his uncle." They did end the review on a bit of a sour note--"Fun while it lasts but not one of Scalzi’s stronger books."

Publishers Weekly apparently did like it: "After the funeral, to which goons show up just to make sure Jake is really dead, a bomb destroys Charlie’s house, leading him to move into his uncle’s secret island volcano lair, complete with a satellite-destroying death ray and genetically modified superintelligent cats. Danger comes in the form of the Lombardy Convocation, a coalition of fellow evil billionaires who secretly rule the world and want Charlie to join them or die. Scalzi balances all the double-crosses and assassination attempts with ethical quandaries, explorations of economic inequality, and humor, including some foul-mouthed unionizing dolphins. The result is a breezy and highly entertaining genre send-up."

Booklist also applauds Scalzi's wit and style: "Scalzi ... again examines tropes in a tale of an ordinary individual being cast into an extraordinary situation with his trademark quick pacing, clever banter, and ability to find humor in desperate situations." Library Journal offers: "Combining the sarcastic humor of Scalzi... with an origin story for James Bond...this story of snark with a heart reminds readers that the logical conclusion of "dogs have owners, cats have staff" is that cats are management and never let anyone forget it. VERDICT Readers of humorous fantasy are sure to love Scalzi's latest ... as much as those cats; it's also for those who enjoy seeing superhero stories folded, twisted, and mutilated and anyone wishing for a righteous villain lair surrounded by intelligent sharks [actually they're dolphins]." I, too, recommend it for a fun read.