Constituent Service by John Scalzi: Book Review

Rating: 3/5 ⭐️

I went into Constituent Service with absolutely zero expectations. I spotted it on Audible and just decided to go for it, mostly because I’ve read a few John Scalzi books by now and I generally really enjoy his sense of humor. It felt like a safe bet for a fun listen.

The story follows Ashley, who is starting a new job as a community liaison for the Third District. It sounds like a standard government gig until you realize the sector is absolutely packed with aliens. It’s basically Parks and Recreation meets Star Trek. On her first day, she’s dealing with noise complaints from alien parades and, my personal favorite, a "trip-and-fall" chicken who runs insurance scams.

What I liked was how it all ended up being connected. It starts off as just a series of annoyances (like a gross smell complaint that leads to a massive fatberg in the sewer), but Ashley ends up having to go way beyond her job description to save the city from some terrifying alien hornets.

The narration by Amber Benson was solid and really sold the dry humor of the bureaucracy. Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s a fun, light read with that classic Scalzi wit. A solid 3/5 for me.