Review by Frances019 -- Homecoming by Jude Austin

[Frannie Annie]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Homecoming" by Jude Austin.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Homecoming by Jude Austin is the second book in a sci-fi series about clones and the socially acceptable abuse they face at the hands of whoever is rich enough to buy them. In this installment, Kata and Tau have escaped GenTech but are still not free, as they are being pursued relentlessly at every turn. Kata has to find a planet safe enough for them to live on while dealing with strange people in alien environments he knows nothing about. Tau is overwhelmed by all the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the outside world as he has lived in a white sterile lab his whole life.

What I liked most about the book was everything! I was hooked on the first book and this one delivered just as well. It was nice to see Kata and Tau interact with the world outside of GenTech. When it comes to sequels that have different settings and situations than the first story, it is easy for me to feel unsatisfied. Like there is something missing that the first story had. However, that never happened when I finished this novel. It is just as satisfying and impactful as the first book, even though it delivers that impact in different ways.

I really appreciate the author wrapping up the main plot neatly with a fitting scene at the end. Often times, authors will leave cliffhangers or teasers once the main plot has concluded, to get readers worked up for the next book in the series. Although I can still enjoy those stories, I feel more closure and a sense of completion when a novel doesn't use that trick. That's not to say that every loose end was tied up; the author has stated that there will be more books coming and she will likely address some unanswered questions in the next installment.

I had to smile at the line "he was completely weightless as he flew through the air, blood spattering out of his leg like an obscene comet." I hope I can find more lines like that in the next book.

What did I dislike the most? Absolutely nothing. It looks professionally edited, and I only picked up a few "errors" which might actually just be creative grammar.

I will say that a few of the phrases used sounded strange to me. For example, there is a line where someone is planning to jog to a waterfall, but "A low growl from up ahead put paid to that idea." I don't think it's clunky writing on the author's part when the rest of the book is done so well. It could just be the way she chooses to express herself, or maybe she grew up in a different country than me with different dialects. Either way, I don't think it takes away from the quality of her work.

I voraciously read this book in about 3 days, which is fast for me. Even though this is a sci-fi novel, I think anyone looking for an action-packed YA story would enjoy this. There is profanity and violence, which I don't particularly mind but some people might. Naturally, this story is not at all suited for children. I would say teens 14 and up can read it, depending on how much violence they can handle. This book gets a whopping, fun-packed 4 out of 4 stars from me.

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Homecoming
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[Alice Heritage]

Austin has clearly pulled off some imaginative world-building in the Projects series. Thanks for your excellent review - you've confirmed my interest in this book!

[Anon_Reviewer]

I have been meaning to check out this series, but have been reluctant because of the vulgar language used in them. Nonetheless, I'm glad the second book did not undo the foundation laid by the first one. Thanks for the informative review!

[Kanda_theGreat]

I like your summary of this book.
Thank you for the nice review.

[JKO]

I wonder how Kata and Tau deal with strange people in alien environments he knows nothing about. I look forward to reading it. The fact that this book was a BOTD recipient shows how well written it was. Thanks for the review.