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The Kaiju Preservation Society: Shortlisted for the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Novel

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We work in the theater,” Brent said. “And it’s like you said, everything’s shutting down. I don’t have any savings, and you know Laertes doesn’t either.” What were you thinking when you started beating the shit out of that thing?" Kahurangi asked Niamh. We were at the point in the video where Niamh had gone ham on the creature, but not yet where they had zapped it. Look, I don’t make it happen, I just give you the shots that make it happen. Finally, with this one”—Dr. Lee pointed to one of the last syringes in the longest tray—“in one in about two hundred fifty injections, the recipient feels the urge for, let’s just say, intense and homicidal violence. Like, ‘murder everyone in the building and build a pyre with their skulls’ level of violence.”

Food app delivery driver Jamie Gray has just about had it—with work, New York City and the pandemic. But a chance encounter leads Jamie to Tom, an old friend who offers Jamie a job working for a mysterious animal rights organization called the KPS. Eager to do anything to get out of town, Jamie jumps at the chance. But this job is unlike anything anyone could have imagined. On another Earth, one warmer and devoid of humankind, gargantuan creatures called Kaiju roam. It’s up to the Kaiju Preservation Society to make sure the incredible, powerful monsters don’t hurt anyone—and that no one tries to hurt the Kaiju. Tom smiled again; eye crinkles. “I take it you weren’t the one to come up with the ‘deliverator’ name.” Fair.” She handed me my severance paperwork. “I was also told to tell you that a deliverator account has been opened in your name.” She said deliverator like it hurt her to say it. “You know, just in case.” Yes!” I made a pointing gesture, which sank me farther into the beanbag. “I mean, we’re already better than the other apps. We just have to drive the point home.” KPS is not, and I say this with absolutely no slight intended, a brooding symphony of a novel. It’s a pop song. It’s meant to be light and catchy, with three minutes of hooks and choruses for you to sing along with, and then you’re done and you go on with your day, hopefully with a smile on your face. I had fun writing this, and I needed to have fun writing this. We all need a pop song from time to time, particularly after a stretch of darkness.”Sorry, inside joke,” the dude said. “You know ‘deliverator’ is from Snow Crash, right? The Neal Stephenson book? Anyway, the protagonist of the book is a delivery guy who has samurai swords. I forget the hero’s name.”

The novel was nominated for the 2022 Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction Novel [2] and the 2023 Hugo Award for Best Novel. [3] It won a 2023 Alex Award, the American Library Association's annual award recognizing the ten best adult books that appeal to teen readers. [4] [5] It was a top ten finalist for the 2023 Locus Awards, [6] and went on to win the 2023 Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. [7] Plot summary [ edit ] From here on out, Scalzi gets to do what he really came here for: write a story about nuclear powered Godzillas and lots of (rather infantile) snarky dialogue with a lot of WHAT?? going on. He spends so much energy on those two aspects that there's nothing left for either character development, workbuilding or even a single thought that has more depth than a dried-out puddle. But soon after they arrive, Jamie realizes why Tom had been so tight-lipped. As it turns out, KPS actually stands for a top-secret organization called the Kaiju Preservation Society, and though their location might be Greenland, in fact they have traveled to an alternate Earth. Here, giant creatures similar to those featured in Japanese fantasy and sci-fi monster movies called kaiju get to roam freely, and it is KPS’s mission to not only study them but also to keep them breaking through the barrier between worlds into our Earth. Because obviously, that would be very, very bad. This collision of academic hubris and human foibles is replete with pop culture jokes…………..and it worked well for me. You’ll do fine. Also, if you don’t mind me being blunt, at this point what I really need is a warm body that can lift things.” He pointed at his shawarma. “I know you can lift things.”

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Yeah. We don’t know why it happens, we just know it does. When it does, just look at something not blue for a while.” In describing the process of writing The Kaiju Preservation Society, Scalzi likened the book to a pop song, and that pop songs are sometimes what we all need. Amen to that! Everyone has that favorite catchy song they like to put on, a guilty pleasure to turn to when life is getting you down and you need something to cheer you up and lighten the mood. Well, what we have here is pretty much the literary equivalent.

This was such a blast! A terrific mix of science fiction, laugh out loud humor and some really touching character development, not to mention it has Godzilla sized entities on another Earth that is brushing dangerously close to ours. In New York City, Jamie Gray is a 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. So, yeah, that’s pretty nice. It’s lovely to have the book optioned well in advance of its publication; that’s a fabulous vote of confidence. Why? I mean, thank you, and I really, sincerely mean that. Thank you so much. You’re saving my life right now. But, why?” The one advantage of walking around in a nuclear explosion debris field, if one wanted to call it an advantage, was that there was very little verticalityScalzi is great with the science-fiction references, I was enjoying them a lot. And he doesn't overdo it, like, say, Ernest Cline who just is TOO MUCH. Scalzi is just the right amount. 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. Jamie Gray goes to a six-month performance review as an employee for food delivery startup füdmüd expecting to impress boss Rob Sanders with plans to grow the company, only to be terminated and offered a delivery contract instead. At first rejecting the offer, Jamie is eventually forced to take it after all to make rent, as jobs are scarce in COVID-19-afflicted New York City. One delivery client turns out to be Tom Stevens, an old acquaintance, and over the next few weeks of deliveries they renew their friendship. Tom has a lucrative position with KPS, a secretive animal rights NGO, and is slated to head out into the field right about the same time Jamie loses the delivery job (füdmüd having been bought out). Tom offers Jamie a job with his own employer, and Jamie, again out of options, goes in for the interview, is accepted, and is soon on a plane to Thule Air Base in Greenland.

The Kaiju Preservation Society is John Scalzi's first standalone adventure since the conclusion of his New York Times bestselling Interdependency trilogy. Stone dead,” I said, and walked into the CEO’s office. It was time for my performance review, and I’m not gonna lie, I was going to crush it. KPS is not, and I say this with absolutely no slight intended, a brooding symphony of a novel. It’s a pop song. It’s meant to be light and catchy, with three minutes of hooks and choruses for you to sing along with, and then you’re done and you go on with your day, hopefully with a smile on your face.” — Scalzi’s Author’s Note.Angrily consume your bacon on the toilet, is my advice.” Dr. Lee lifted the first syringe. “Ready?” It is classic Scalzi. His emphasis on the place of kindness in life reminded me a lot of Kurt Vonnegut’s fiction. His use of the devoted circle of friends seemed to recall Spider Robinson's group of allied weirdos in Callahan's Bar. That and the tendency among KPS staff to celebrate with alcohol and feasting (plus ukeleles and staff change-over rituals). His sense of humour is both ironic and pervasive. (And I “get" it, which I appreciate. That's not a given for me.) It's very much what I would call “internet influenced.” I haven't read his blog lately, but it was very much like I remember his blog being—interested in basic human rights, human justice, and being righteously angry about all the ways he sees society getting things wrong. Finally, with this one” - Dr. Lee pointed to one of the last syringes in the longest tray - “in one in about two hundred fifty injections, the recipient feels the urge for, let's just say, intense and homicidal violence. Like, 'murder everyone in the building and build a pyre with their skulls' level of violence.” Yes!” I made a pointing gesture, which sunk me further into the bean bag. “I mean, we’re already better than the other apps. We just have to drive the point home.”

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