John Scalzi’s books in order

What would happen if the moon really were made of cheese? John Scalzi answers this as he delivers an absurd yet profoundly thought-provoking story of a world turned upside down by the impossible. Through a series of interwoven stories, he introduces us to astronauts questioning their careers, billionaires with grandiose schemes, and ordinary people grasping for meaning amid lunacy. Each chapter gives voice to a cast as varied as teenagers, scientists, and politicians, all of whom grapple with the cosmic joke above. As laughter mingles with existential dread, When the Moon Hits Your Eye explores humanity’s resilience and absurdity, offering a wildly imaginative take on how we face the inexplicable.

John Scalzi brings us a turbo-charged tale of a family business with a difference, as Charlie discovers when he inherits it. It’s also way more dangerous than Charlie could ever have imagined, because his uncle had kept his supervillain status a secret. Divorced and emotionally dependent on his cat, Charlie wasn’t loving life. Now 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. But there’s much more to being an Evil Mastermind than he suspected. Yet could this also, finally, be his chance to shine?

In New York, Jamie is a driver for food delivery apps, looking for any opportunity to escape his daily schedule. Then, after making a delivery to old acquaintance Tom, he gets the chance to escape more than just his delivery gig. Tom works for an animal rights organisation – but not any that you've heard of. Known as the 'Kaiju Preservation Society', Jamie unwittingly signs on with Tom to venture to the Earth of an alternate dimension, where massive dinosaur-like creatures called 'Kaiju' roam a human-free world. But they’re in trouble – the Society are not the only ones who have found their way to the Kaiju world. . .

In the distant future, humanity has left Earth, but its new empire is threatened by disaster – can it be saved? The far corners of the empire are dependent on each other for resources, but the extra-dimensional pathways through the stars are changing course which could plunge the colonies into deadly isolation. The new Empress of the Interdependency must battle lies, rebellion and reason to save civilization.

As the extra-dimensional pathway between the stars continues to fail, the Interdependency is on the verge of collapse. Billions of lives will be lost unless Emperox Grayland II, the leader of the Interdependency, takes desperate measures. But there are those who see this as an opportunity to ascend to power – will a power struggle turn into civil war?

The pathways that connect the stars are collapsing rapidly, accelerating the fall of civilization, and will leave billions of people stranded. The evidence is insurmountable, but many people are in denial and even seeking to profit from this disaster.

Emperox Grayland II finally has control over her empire, but as she works to save her people, others are desperate to topple her from the throne . . . Will she save civilization?

Earth’s military machine can transform the elderly, restoring their youth. So when seventy-five-year-old John Perry is looking for a fresh start, he signs up for the army. But youth doesn’t come for free, and he is required to commit to two years of hazardous service in space. He’ll fight for his life on the front line, and discover just how dangerous the universe really is.

Three hostile alien racers have united against humanity in a plan masterminded by the traitor Charles Boutin, an ex-Colonial Defense Force scientist. Jared Dirac is a super-soldier created from Boutin’s DNA, and he may be the only one who can stop his plan. But when he fails to recover Boutin’s memories, he’s sent to train with the Ghost Brigades, elite troops who have been cloned from the dead.

When John Perry and his wife were offered the chance to lead a new frontier world, they couldn’t say no. But once they arrive on their new planet, they realise they’ve been betrayed. A war is raging, and Perry must struggle to keep his terrified colonists alive. And the planet may yet reveal fatal secrets of its own . . .

Zoë Boutin-Perry's life has never been ordinary, being the adopted daughter of two former super-soldiers. So she’s not phased by upping sticks and moving to another world. But this time is different. Because Zoë and her parents have been betrayed by the authorities and are stranded on a hostile planet.

The Colonial Union has always protected its citizens from the truth about the dangerous universe around them, but now their eyes have been opened. An alien alliance has formed against the Union, and it wants the incensed people of Earth to join. Lieutenant Harry Wilson must preserve the unity of humanity’s colonies in the wake of a terrible revelation. But will this be an impossible mission?

Lieutenant Harry Wilson of the Colonial Union’s Defence Force has an urgent new mission. A sinister new group is playing human and alien factions off against each other, and no-one knows why. The Defence Force is weakening and relations with Earth have broken down – can Wilson keep the peace?

Lock In delivers a high-stakes mystery in a world transformed by Haden’s Syndrome, a virus that leaves its victims, or 'Hadens', fully aware but locked inside their own bodies. Advanced tech allows Hadens to interact through robotic bodies or via 'Integrators' – people who let Hadens inhabit their minds. Rookie FBI agent Chris Shane, a high-profile Haden, is assigned to a murder case where the suspect may be an Integrator. But as Shane digs deeper, what seemed like a simple crime reveals layers of corruption, prejudice, and greed, exposing dark truths in a society still grappling with its new reality.

In a post-virus world, a daring sport for those with Hayden’s Syndrome is taking the US by storm. Using robotic bodies, the players compete to obtain their opponents head and carry it through the goalposts. But then a player drops dead on the field. Was it an accident or something more sinister? That’s what FBI agents Chris Shane and Leslie Vann are determined to find out.