Review by -TrinS- -- Homecoming by Jude Austin
Posted: 12 Sep 2020, 16:31
[Following is a volunteer review of "Homecoming" by Jude Austin.]
Kata and Tau have successfully managed to escape the lab, but what now? Kalin Taylor legally no longer exists and Projects are no different than animals in this interplanetary world. With GenTech hot on their trail, Kata does his best to figure out a way to keep both he and Tau out of its clutches. Little does he know, GenTech is not the only one looking to use him for personal gain. After being tricked by his own planetary government into accepting an impossible task in exchange for help, Kata finds himself stranded on a lawless planet while Tau is being taken back to GenTech. Drowning in desperation and barely able to function, Kata finds help and salvation in the last place he was expecting it, but will he be able to learn to trust again in time to save Tau and give them both a chance at freedom? Homecoming, the sequel to the book Project Tau, continues the thrilling adventure of this pair's desperate fight for freedom.
Jude Austin’s second book Homecoming is just as thrilling as its predecessor. As always, it is evident Jude puts so much effort into character development and a good storyline. The reader can feel the emotions of the characters and can vividly imagine each of the different scenes the story takes place in. She is detailed without being too extensive, which is something I can greatly appreciate. A story without good detail is bland, but a story with too much detail is exhausting. I’m rating Homecoming 4 out of 4 stars because Jude did such an amazing job. I find myself often nervous about reading sequels because they often lack the same excitement and drive the first book has and even sometimes feel drawn out and unnecessary. This was definitely not the case with Homecoming. It not only answered some of the questions left by the first book, it also brought out new and unique perspectives as well as some amazing new characters. The book was well proofread and formatted.
To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. I am not joking when I say I was so enthralled I hated putting it down. That being said, there were so many things that I liked. The old and new characters were relatable and the twists and turns were riveting. If I absolutely had to choose a favorite, there would be two. The first is the way the author addresses Kalin’s internal turmoil. After everything he had been through, before and after the lab, Kalin was very mistrusting and had more than a few psychological problems. While reading the book, I was able to relate to some of the issues Kalin was facing and loved seeing the character arc as he worked through them. The second is experiencing the new "human" world with Tau. Since he was created and trained in the same lab, he had never experienced most of what people often took for granted. Jude did an extraordinary job of showing what the world would look like to someone who had never experienced it before.
I can honestly not think of a single thing I did not like in this book. Even the “villains” were the type you love to hate. The storyline was interesting, the grammar and writing were professional, the characters had great growth, and the world’s culture and creatures were new and exciting. I loved every bit of this book.
Similar to the first book, anyone who loves a good sci-fi story with awesome characters will love Homecoming. There is an underlining message of slavery and equality throughout the book if that is something that interests you. Jude does touch on some tough subjects such as rape and abuse. It is by no means in-depth or graphic, but if you are uncomfortable with these subjects, I would be careful. The book also has a good bit of cussing in it, so those who are sensitive about profanity may want to read a different series.
******
Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Kata and Tau have successfully managed to escape the lab, but what now? Kalin Taylor legally no longer exists and Projects are no different than animals in this interplanetary world. With GenTech hot on their trail, Kata does his best to figure out a way to keep both he and Tau out of its clutches. Little does he know, GenTech is not the only one looking to use him for personal gain. After being tricked by his own planetary government into accepting an impossible task in exchange for help, Kata finds himself stranded on a lawless planet while Tau is being taken back to GenTech. Drowning in desperation and barely able to function, Kata finds help and salvation in the last place he was expecting it, but will he be able to learn to trust again in time to save Tau and give them both a chance at freedom? Homecoming, the sequel to the book Project Tau, continues the thrilling adventure of this pair's desperate fight for freedom.
Jude Austin’s second book Homecoming is just as thrilling as its predecessor. As always, it is evident Jude puts so much effort into character development and a good storyline. The reader can feel the emotions of the characters and can vividly imagine each of the different scenes the story takes place in. She is detailed without being too extensive, which is something I can greatly appreciate. A story without good detail is bland, but a story with too much detail is exhausting. I’m rating Homecoming 4 out of 4 stars because Jude did such an amazing job. I find myself often nervous about reading sequels because they often lack the same excitement and drive the first book has and even sometimes feel drawn out and unnecessary. This was definitely not the case with Homecoming. It not only answered some of the questions left by the first book, it also brought out new and unique perspectives as well as some amazing new characters. The book was well proofread and formatted.
To say that I loved this book would be an understatement. I am not joking when I say I was so enthralled I hated putting it down. That being said, there were so many things that I liked. The old and new characters were relatable and the twists and turns were riveting. If I absolutely had to choose a favorite, there would be two. The first is the way the author addresses Kalin’s internal turmoil. After everything he had been through, before and after the lab, Kalin was very mistrusting and had more than a few psychological problems. While reading the book, I was able to relate to some of the issues Kalin was facing and loved seeing the character arc as he worked through them. The second is experiencing the new "human" world with Tau. Since he was created and trained in the same lab, he had never experienced most of what people often took for granted. Jude did an extraordinary job of showing what the world would look like to someone who had never experienced it before.
I can honestly not think of a single thing I did not like in this book. Even the “villains” were the type you love to hate. The storyline was interesting, the grammar and writing were professional, the characters had great growth, and the world’s culture and creatures were new and exciting. I loved every bit of this book.
Similar to the first book, anyone who loves a good sci-fi story with awesome characters will love Homecoming. There is an underlining message of slavery and equality throughout the book if that is something that interests you. Jude does touch on some tough subjects such as rape and abuse. It is by no means in-depth or graphic, but if you are uncomfortable with these subjects, I would be careful. The book also has a good bit of cussing in it, so those who are sensitive about profanity may want to read a different series.
******
Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon