Book Review: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

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 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 that's found its way to the alternate world. Others have, too--and their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.

I wanted something light and fun to read on my Kindle, as I was listening to a more complex book on audio. Scalzi is always a good option, and I had heard good things about this book in particular.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is an entertaining book without other aspirations than being just that. During the first half, nothing relevant happens, but we get to know the main characters and the setting. I had great fun reading about the kaijus and learning about the pseudo-science surrounding them, as well as the KPS dynamics and many charismatic characters. Like other books by Scalzi, we get a heterogeneous and likable group, engaging in good banter and forming a team that comes together to fight adversity. The book features a number of characters, and although they are not fully developed, all of them are easily recognizable and memorable.

While the first half of the book focuses on setting and character introduction, the second half is more action-packed, where our likable group fights evil forces.

Some elements were totally predictable, but that didn’t make me enjoy the book less. This is a book to be enjoyed, to laugh along with the good characters and root for them, but also to hate the evil ones, and celebrate when the good guys save the day. This is no high literature, but popcorn and pure enjoyment, like Scalzi describes the book in the afterword.

Story (Plot)
Overall:

lomeraniel

My name is Elena. Since I was a little child I loved science fiction and fantasy, and I can’t resist a good novel. In 2015, while wait I started to listen to audiobooks and I discovered the pleasure in being able to read while doing my daily tasks, so there’s always an audiobook playing on my phone. If you see me with my Bluetooth headphones on, please be gentle, I get easily startled.

I live with my boyfriend, which I met during my six-year stay in Belgium, four cockatiels, eight lovebirds, and a hamster in Madrid, Spain; and I like to spend my free time knitting and sewing while listening to audiobooks.