Synopsis
‘Laugh-out-loud funny, intricately plotted and big-hearted’ – SFX
Warning: supervillain in training. Risk of world domination.
Locus and Hugo Award-winning author John Scalzi brings us Starter Villain, a turbo-charged tale of a family business with a difference. This one comes with a hidden headquarters, minions, talking cats and villainous rivals worthy of James Bond.
Divorced, broke and emotionally dependent on his cat, Charlie hasn’t been loving life. Then he finds out his recently deceased Uncle Jake has left him a top-secret, international supervillain business. And, as if this wasn’t problematic enough, Jake’s vengeful rivals ambush the funeral. Charlie must decide if he should stay stuck in his rut, or step up to take on the business, the enemies, the minions, the hidden volcano lair . . .
Even harder to get used to are the talking, computer-savvy cats – and the fact that they’re management. If Charlie says yes to his inheritance, could this lifeline become a death wish? Or could it finally be his chance to shine?
‘An enormously entertaining comedy’ – Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Service Model and Children of Time
‘You will laugh so loudly you will wish you weren't reading in public’ – New Scientist
‘Prepare to be delighted’ – Daily Mail
Details
21 September 2023
9781529082951Reviews
Scalzi's latest is a light-hearted story with a likeable fish-out-of-water protagonist and a lot of very smart cats. There's also a dolphin labor dispute, some truly awful techbros, and a volcano island lair . . . Who could resist?Rebecca Roanhorse, author of Black Sun
Laugh-out-loud funny, intricately plotted and big-hearted enough to touch even the grumpiest cynic, Starter Villain establishes Scalzi as SF's leading humouristSFX
Prepare to be delighted and surprisedDaily Mail
Satire aplenty . . . Charlie has to handle the lethal machinations of rival villains and also a pod of talking dolphins with militant trade union tendencies in a novel that gleefully skewers the vanity and inanity of a certain kind of plutocratThe Financial Times
