Starter Villain

‘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

‘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

‘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

‘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

Now a New York Times bestseller! Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

Now a New York Times bestseller! Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

‘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

‘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

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.

Inheriting your uncle's supervillain business is more complicated than you might think. Particularly when you discover who's running the place. Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. But with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking spy cats, and a terrifying henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good. In a dog-eat-dog world...be a cat.