264 pages
English language
Published April 5, 2022
The Kaiju Preservation Society is a science fiction novel written by American author John Scalzi. It was first published in hardcover and ebook by Tor Books, and audiobook by Audible Studios, on March 15, 2022; British hardcover and ebook editions were released by Tor UK on March 17, 2022. A large print hardcover edition was issued by Thorndike Press on July 27, 2022, and a trade paperback edition by Tor Books on January 24, 2023.The novel was nominated for the 2022 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. It won a 2023 Alex Award, the American Library Association's annual award recognizing the ten best adult books that appeal to teen readers.
It was a fun read with some really good moments. While I liked the background, the current events in the book felt a bit too forced. I also wanted to learn a lot more about the kaiju and their world.
Still, it was very entertaining and after having read a lot of trilogies and series in the past, it was refreshing to read a stand-alone book.
Is this a fun ride with lots of satisfaction, a good story and a quick pace. Definitely. Is this a good book? No, not really. Scalzi is an amazing storyteller, but not a particularly good writer. (Having said that, he is far better than he used to be, and he's even commented on problems with his writing that he has tried to correct.) I started this as a light vacation read and it performed exactly as expected.
