Play Book Tag discussion

Redshirts by John Scalzi
4 stars
*Audible*

I loved it! I loved The Kaiju Preservation Society better but Scalzi is now a favorite author of both my and my husband. I picked the two titles up during an Audible sale based on a couple of people telling me I would like Redshirts. I picked these two in particular because they are both narrated by Wil Wheaton. Which Redshirts being narrated by Wil Wheaton is hilarious to me.

The book follows a handful of characters who are on a space ships exploring space on scientific excursions but something is a bit off. If you know about red shirts then you can probably guess what starts happening. It is absolutely hilarious and one of the most imaginative stories I've read (listened to) in a long time!

You'll definitely see a bunch of Scalzi reviews over the next few months as I devour anything he's written this year! New favorite author!

I adored this book! Such a hoot! And so very meta.

I still need to try some of his others and I hope they’re as good

I loved them all on audio read by Wil Wheaton. When I got a chance to attend a reading by Scalzi, I was delighted that he sounds very much like Wheaton (that's why he picked him.) His books are great fun but they always have a message of inclusion, even for aliens, nonverbal creatures, or in this case "red shirts." And the main character learns how to be a better human being. I had no physical book for Scalzi to sign so I printed out the Audible page with the titles listed and he signed that, while I said, "You know you are really a preacher, right? " which I meant as a compliment. In real life, Scalzi had been very active in denouncing sexism, racism and homophobia in the sci-fi/fantasy world.

The first one I listened to is probably still my favorite - Agent to the Stars. Aliens have learned about earth from all those TV programs we have beamed out into space, and now they are ready to meet us. But they have a problem - they look like snot and smell like dead fish. So they need a really good PR agent. They end up with a mediocre one, who is just trying to survive with his group of has been and never-were stars. Much of the plot is totally ridiculous but great fun.

I enjoyed Redshirts, but my favorite so far of his work (granted I haven't read many of his stuff yet) is the Lock In series. There are only 2 and 1/2 books so far if you include the short prequel, but I really hope he writes more in this world. This has a very different tone, as it's a mystery set in the future, with no humor in it, but it's a fantastic mystery with an intriguing premise and great twists.

Yes, that's good too. I got the Wil Wheaton narration because he is the voice of Scalzi to me and only afterwards did I realize there are 2 narrations because it is never actually told to the reader if Chris is male or female!

If y'all haven't listened to it yet, I highly recommend The Kaiju Preservation Society. Also read by Wil. I don't know that I've laughed out loud so much at a book. My husband said the same. We both liked it more than Redshirts.

Charlotte wrote: "If y'all haven't listened to it yet, I highly recommend The Kaiju Preservation Society. Also read by Wil. I don't know that I've laughed out loud so much at a book. My husband said ..."

Scalzi said he was writing a more serious book when the pandemic shutdown started and he just couldn't get anywhere, so he wrote Kaiju for fun.

Robin P wrote: "I loved them all on audio read by Wil Wheaton. When I got a chance to attend a reading by Scalzi, I was delighted that he sounds very much like Wheaton (that's why he picked him.) His books are gre..."

Oh, I wish I'd listened to the audiobook for this one, then!

I liked this,but have liked other books of his better.

Charlotte, I have The Kaiju Preservation on my want to read shelf already :) of my GR friends gave it 5 stars in mid-March so I added it then. The list of favourable friend reviews keeps growing for that book that I hope I forget them when I get around to reading it.