Book Review: THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY by John Scalzi

THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY by John Scalzi (Tor Books, March 2022) Hardcover, 264 pages.  ISBN #0765389126 /9780765389121  

Summary on the Goodreads website . . . . .

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 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.  

My Five-Star Review on the Goodreads website . . . . .

     THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY is the most fun you can have while reading a science-fiction novel. This one gets my nomination for Most Entertaining and Engaging Stand-Alone Novel of the Year. For that reason, it earns five stars.

     Great quirky characters, funny cynical observations, snappy dialogue, light-hearted social commentary and a really engaging storyline. Plus giant monsters, secret government agencies, corrupt and greedy corporate interests - - what's not to like? 

       Scalzi is such an immersive writer. He has a a light-hearted touch on the story that makes it instantly readable and pulls you in within a few pages. His handling of science-fiction themes and technology is presented in a down-to-earth manner that makes the explanations instantly understandable and logical. Plus, he always creates characters that I like and relate to. I've never been disappointed with a Scalzi novel, and he doesn't repeat himself. They are all different but every one features that easy-to-read style. 

     I love the premise and how Scalzi presents it during a q & a with a bunch of newbie recruits to the KPS (Kaiju Preservation Society). The nuclear bomb testing beginning in 1951 opened a dimensional portal to another version of Earth, allowing giant monsters to cross over. The first was a lizard-like behemoth, who died without incident and became the inspiration for the first Godzilla movie. 

     As nations continued with their bomb testing, portals continued to open. In 1955 various countries met to find a project that crossed over to the other Earth to keep the creatures from coming through. 

     I love the commentary in this sequence. After new recruit Jamie Gray (the main character and narrator) points out that "we don't do nuclear testing anymore," experienced team leader Tom Stevens answers "No, we don't. And one reason - - obviously not in any treaty - - is that keeping the kaiju out was more of a hassle than the nuclear powers wanted to deal with. There was also the conclusion that the aftermath of a nuclear exchange would include fifty-story monsters coming through a multidimensional tear to wreak havoc on any survivors of the ICBMs." 

     To which team member Niamh comments That's nice. It's okay if we turned entire cities full of people into nuclear ash, but the idea of monsters having a nibble afterward was just too much."

 

     There's some incredible world-building here, which means some necessary exposition. Instead of presenting this in an info-dump fashion, Scalzi doles it out in small doses. He utilizes the awestruck newbies to ask the questions that readers also want to know. Pretty clever way to do it, and I'm enjoying the conversations. Kaiju need to mate, and often have to be persuaded by the KPS to do so (hilarious). Kaiju also contain nuclear energy inside their metabolism, and explode ferociously when they die. Chapters 10 and 11 are not to be missed. I'm still shaking my head in wonder and amusement.