Constituent Service by John Scalzi
Blurb:
It's a close encounter of the municipal kind! The aliens have come to earth...and a lot of them live in the Third District, the city's only alien-majority neighborhood. They work, live, shop and sing karaoke here, just like anyone else would. Ashley Perrin, right out of college, has gotten a job as the community liaison for the Third District's city councilman, and is learning very quickly that even if extraterrestrials are ordinary folks, their problems and concerns are, shall we say, pretty unique ones. Her first week will involve parades, sewer systems, con women and a chicken with an eye for trouble. It's more than Ashley expected...but she's ready to help where she can. It's a fast, funny novella from the Hugo-winning author of Redshirts and The Kaiju Preservation Society. Come visit the Third District!
Review:
I had a blast with this Parks and Rec meets Men In Black novella. I fell in love with its deadpan aliens and the insane scenarios they fell into (or brought to us). This isn’t a book to take too seriously, but rather to pal along with. Sometimes we need a story that lets us take it easy and gives us a good time in one sitting, so if that’s what you’re looking for, look no further.
The plot was really fun, with a bit of a Rube Goldberg effect, a lot of mundane happenings that affect the ball rolling towards its big finish. In its short length, the calamity of events that lead us through Ashley’s first week at work builds up on each other to satisfying ridiculousness. Pairing common municipal problems, like noise ordinances and disruptive pets, with these outlandish beings makes the whole thing an absolute delight. Did I see it coming? Mostly. But that's not really the point. It’s the journey not the destination for this story, and its cleverness isn't found in the outcomes alone. I'll let you see how the puzzle pieces all fit together, but if I gave you advice I'd say don't miss a trick.
“I’m finding out a lot of my job is telling people things they already know, in a way that makes them feel better about it.”
The way that Scalzi went about world building was kind of brilliant. Basing the novel in a district office of a city councilman, with all the monotony of an office within the Third District, we can find our bearings to overlay the spectacular array of alien species occupying it, complete with unique mannerisms, habits, hobbies and quirks. And if you think you know what to expect, Constituent Service will surprise you. Whether or not the author binged The Office while writing this I cannot say, but his brand of comedy, a mix of casual wit and dry humor, pulls it all together brilliantly. Dwight Schrute would find this book preposterous, and then binge it too. Our main character Ashley, a human facing an alien majority district, navigates animal control, the sewer authority, permitting and other bureaucracy while handling the wild characters she faces in dealing with the community.
“Ouigin knows where all the bodies are buried, sometimes literally, so if you have any questions, from where the staples are to the history of the Third District’s demographics, she’s your go-to.”
Ashley's job is pretty straightforward. Take complaints, try to solve them. But as she tours the office and constituents arrive, you're greeted with the coolest of oddballs you ever did see. Scalzi wasn't predictable here, his pairing of alien quirks with their spunky personalities was a favorite for me. Their obsessions, etiquettes, and general appearances were all fresh and downright hilarious. Whether it's the really intelligent potted plant with a singing frog assistant, the Nickelback obsessed buzzkill or the type-a boss with a big heart under her tough exterior (literally and figuratively), I was a fan of the whole thing. And if there’s anything to think deeper into it’s Ashley’s incredible tolerance, open mindedness and diffusion of culture clashes that the world could really use right now.
Which brings me to Scalzi’s writing. Whether or not there’s a social commentary underneath the laughs can be up to interpretation, but I absolutely loved the delivery of this story. It was so easy. I loved the banter, the stalls a greener writer would have cut, the minutiae that all worked together to become much more than it originally seemed. He incorporated the life of a city, the seedy karaoke bar with sticky floors, the crazy chicken lady on the side of the road, the cultural parades and those that can’t stand them. It captured me and it was exactly what I needed. Fresh, fun, and engaging.
“Okay,” Jensen said. “I have to take back that whole ‘humans aren’t on the menu’ thing.”
With the most outrageous of sassy new neighbors, flipped scripts on the most boring of jobs, and ridiculous scenarios, you will be thoroughly entertained. If you go into this for a good time with a masterclass on getting a little wild with worldbuilding, I can’t see why anyone wouldn’t enjoy this book. Or maybe you just aren’t that fun. You be the judge!
