Review by Marlaszw -- Homecoming by Jude Austin
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Marlaszw
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Review by Marlaszw -- Homecoming by Jude Austin
[Following is a volunteer review of "Homecoming" by Jude Austin.]
Homecoming by Jude Austin is the sequel to Project Tau. Although it is a sequel, you could read it without the having read the first book. References to the previous events are fully explained. However, I do recommend starting with Project Tau because it is a great read and I don't think you can fully appreciate the complex issues the characters face in Homecoming without knowing their background story in full detail.
In Homecoming, Kalin Taylor (also known as Kata) and Project Tau attempt to find safety and a home. The only problem is they are wanted. They belong to a giant company, GenTech and they are listed as wanted with a half a million-dollar reward. That is enough to get the attention of the best bounty hunters.
Kalin plans to travel to his home planet where he can prove that he is not dead (he was declared dead two years earlier) and therefore reclaim citizenship and protection from GenTech. Once he has citizenship, he can speak on behalf of Project Tau to give him protection as well... he hopes. In short, nothing goes as planned and Kata and Project Tau both face another series of trials as they search for safety. On the way the way they learn some new things about themselves and find help in unexpected places.
The thing I liked the most about Homecoming was that the characters had to overcome their fear of trusting people. Not that they had to trust everyone indiscriminately, but they needed to trust those who were trying to help them. I also appreciated that the main characters, who are still quite young needed help to find their way to permanent protection and safety. I loved watching their healing slowly begin to unfold. Their faith in humanity may never be restored, but at least they have learned that some humans are worth trusting.
The thing I liked the least about this book was that there was no reunion between Kalin Taylor and his mother. His mother thought he was dead for two years. But when Kalin goes home, his mother is away visiting his aunt. For some reason, that is the last we hear of his mother, who was visiting his aunt because she was still sick with heartbreak over the death of her son. It does not make any sense to me that Kalin did not go to see his mother, or that she did not immediately drop everything to go see him. He met his father, so it only makes sense that his father would have told his mother that their long-dead son was alive. We are talking about an age of space travel; it could not have taken that long to go pick up mom from the aunt's house. I was disappointed that this relationship was left out of the story.
I give Homecoming 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written, professionally edited, and has a true depth to the story and characters which all come together to make an excellent read.
Although this book is science fiction, there are no aliens, humans have simply outgrown earth and settled throughout space. The construct is interesting. Each planet has their own language, but everyone is also fluent in English, which is what you speak to anyone who does not understand the language of your home world. There are a lot of cultural and historic references that date all the way back to 21st century earth. It is a unique style of science fiction, with a large dose of realism throughout. I almost wonder is Jude Austin is trying to make a new genre, a sort of sister to magical realism.
Because of this unique style I feel many readers who are not typically science fiction readers will enjoy this book. Reader beware, there is swearing, so if that is a deal-breaker for you, than this book will not be a good fit. I would just like to add that I feel the swearing that takes place is rather appropriate.
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Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Homecoming by Jude Austin is the sequel to Project Tau. Although it is a sequel, you could read it without the having read the first book. References to the previous events are fully explained. However, I do recommend starting with Project Tau because it is a great read and I don't think you can fully appreciate the complex issues the characters face in Homecoming without knowing their background story in full detail.
In Homecoming, Kalin Taylor (also known as Kata) and Project Tau attempt to find safety and a home. The only problem is they are wanted. They belong to a giant company, GenTech and they are listed as wanted with a half a million-dollar reward. That is enough to get the attention of the best bounty hunters.
Kalin plans to travel to his home planet where he can prove that he is not dead (he was declared dead two years earlier) and therefore reclaim citizenship and protection from GenTech. Once he has citizenship, he can speak on behalf of Project Tau to give him protection as well... he hopes. In short, nothing goes as planned and Kata and Project Tau both face another series of trials as they search for safety. On the way the way they learn some new things about themselves and find help in unexpected places.
The thing I liked the most about Homecoming was that the characters had to overcome their fear of trusting people. Not that they had to trust everyone indiscriminately, but they needed to trust those who were trying to help them. I also appreciated that the main characters, who are still quite young needed help to find their way to permanent protection and safety. I loved watching their healing slowly begin to unfold. Their faith in humanity may never be restored, but at least they have learned that some humans are worth trusting.
The thing I liked the least about this book was that there was no reunion between Kalin Taylor and his mother. His mother thought he was dead for two years. But when Kalin goes home, his mother is away visiting his aunt. For some reason, that is the last we hear of his mother, who was visiting his aunt because she was still sick with heartbreak over the death of her son. It does not make any sense to me that Kalin did not go to see his mother, or that she did not immediately drop everything to go see him. He met his father, so it only makes sense that his father would have told his mother that their long-dead son was alive. We are talking about an age of space travel; it could not have taken that long to go pick up mom from the aunt's house. I was disappointed that this relationship was left out of the story.
I give Homecoming 4 out of 4 stars. It is well written, professionally edited, and has a true depth to the story and characters which all come together to make an excellent read.
Although this book is science fiction, there are no aliens, humans have simply outgrown earth and settled throughout space. The construct is interesting. Each planet has their own language, but everyone is also fluent in English, which is what you speak to anyone who does not understand the language of your home world. There are a lot of cultural and historic references that date all the way back to 21st century earth. It is a unique style of science fiction, with a large dose of realism throughout. I almost wonder is Jude Austin is trying to make a new genre, a sort of sister to magical realism.
Because of this unique style I feel many readers who are not typically science fiction readers will enjoy this book. Reader beware, there is swearing, so if that is a deal-breaker for you, than this book will not be a good fit. I would just like to add that I feel the swearing that takes place is rather appropriate.
******
Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Flat Top Mountain Ranch -- the beginning by James E Doucette
