Review by leximutia -- Homecoming by Jude Austin
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Review by leximutia -- Homecoming by Jude Austin
[Following is a volunteer review of "Homecoming" by Jude Austin.]
Tau and Kata begin their journey as newly escaped Projects traveling through space in a stolen GenTech shuttle. Short on fuel and money, they have no choice but to make an initial landing on back-of-beyond planet Sedna. From there, they encounter various obstacles, from the criminal Diamond group to the corrupt Vasari at top of Trandellian authority, that intend on leveraging the Projects’ desire for freedom in exchange for dangerous tasks. When Tau and Kata end up separated, they both must overcome their own adversities in order to reunite, then fight for their rights as free individuals.
Homecoming by Jude Austin is undoubted a page-turner and one of the strongest, most compelling sci-fi novels I’ve ever read, greatly deserving of a 4 out of 4 star rating. There are several reasons Homecoming far exceeded a 3 out of 4 star rating. Complete engagement and high overall enjoyment aside, there were multiple strengths to the book.
Character development and the portrayal of various growing and changing interpersonal relationships were extremely well done. All questions, unfinished storylines, and loose ends from the first book were tied up into a very satisfying, and peaceful, conclusion. Jude Austin has done an exemplary job with Homecoming, and somehow, this sequel far exceeds its predecessor, as well my already high expectations from before I even began reading it.
In terms of what aspects I most liked, the book particularly shined in two areas, character development and the portrayal of interpersonal relationships.
First, there is impressive character development. Tau’s growing independence, through his introduction to the world outside the lab, was a delight to see. We delve into Kata’s mental health, the psychological impacts of his time in the GenTech facility, as well as his childhood, specifically regarding his relationship with his father. Then, we have the introduction of two new characters, Captain Alan Morgan and Lieutenant Kurai, who later significantly impact the lives of Kata and Tau and permanently change (amend) how the two Projects perceive humans and the world around them.
Second, there is the portrayal of interpersonal relationships. The dynamic between Kata and Tau evolves throughout the story, in the form of Tau’s growing independence from Kata and Kata’s resistance to this. Kata develops a certain jealousy towards Kurai, fueled by his desire to remain Tau’s sole support and by his unwillingness or fear of letting the other Project grow to be his own person. There is also the development of close friendships between Kata and Alan, then between Tau and Kurai. Being that Kata was so incredibly cautious and openly hostile to all (save for Tau), it was very significant and very touching to watch as he learned to trust other individuals again. In Tau’s case, he develops his first new friendship (outside of Kata) with Kurai, and the lieutenant’s patience in teaching the Project, allowing him to adjust gradually to the world outside of the lab was very heartwarming to see and played a huge role in Tau’s developing independence.
Now, as for what aspects I most disliked, I must explicitly say that there is near nothing that I dislike about this book. In fact, if I had to list one complaint at all, it would only be my intense curiosity as to where Project Sigma (Tau’s docile, intelligent, and potentially surviving predecessor) is. I have a sneaking suspicion that Project Sigma may be the true identity of one of the key characters in the book, but unless I confirm it with the author (who I fully intend on asking), I could not know for sure.
This book would most appeal to audiences who enjoy the sci-fi genre and place great value in the strength of the character cast. As previously mentioned, Jude Austin has outdone herself with the development of these characters and the growth and evolution of interpersonal relationships between them. Not to mention, the book was edited flawlessly, given that I had not noticed a single spelling or grammatical error throughout.
On the other hand, for audiences who do not enjoy the sci-fi subject or who are averse to profanity and sensitive topics such as mental health, sexual assault, and violence, perhaps Homecoming might not be the book for you.
Keep in mind that there is a good amount of profanity throughout the book, whether in spoken dialogue or in character thoughts. However, I never felt that the profanity was excessive or overwhelming. Additionally, while there is no explicit erotic content within the story, there are mentions of sexual assault that may be upsetting to audiences who are sensitive to the topic.
Regardless, I would strongly recommend Jude Austin’s Homecoming to not only sci-fi lovers but also to general audiences, who would not mind profanity and sensitive topics. Simply, she has written the characters so well and approached certain topics (ie. mental health and sexual assault) with such tact that appreciation of this book would extend even over genre preferences.
******
Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Tau and Kata begin their journey as newly escaped Projects traveling through space in a stolen GenTech shuttle. Short on fuel and money, they have no choice but to make an initial landing on back-of-beyond planet Sedna. From there, they encounter various obstacles, from the criminal Diamond group to the corrupt Vasari at top of Trandellian authority, that intend on leveraging the Projects’ desire for freedom in exchange for dangerous tasks. When Tau and Kata end up separated, they both must overcome their own adversities in order to reunite, then fight for their rights as free individuals.
Homecoming by Jude Austin is undoubted a page-turner and one of the strongest, most compelling sci-fi novels I’ve ever read, greatly deserving of a 4 out of 4 star rating. There are several reasons Homecoming far exceeded a 3 out of 4 star rating. Complete engagement and high overall enjoyment aside, there were multiple strengths to the book.
Character development and the portrayal of various growing and changing interpersonal relationships were extremely well done. All questions, unfinished storylines, and loose ends from the first book were tied up into a very satisfying, and peaceful, conclusion. Jude Austin has done an exemplary job with Homecoming, and somehow, this sequel far exceeds its predecessor, as well my already high expectations from before I even began reading it.
In terms of what aspects I most liked, the book particularly shined in two areas, character development and the portrayal of interpersonal relationships.
First, there is impressive character development. Tau’s growing independence, through his introduction to the world outside the lab, was a delight to see. We delve into Kata’s mental health, the psychological impacts of his time in the GenTech facility, as well as his childhood, specifically regarding his relationship with his father. Then, we have the introduction of two new characters, Captain Alan Morgan and Lieutenant Kurai, who later significantly impact the lives of Kata and Tau and permanently change (amend) how the two Projects perceive humans and the world around them.
Second, there is the portrayal of interpersonal relationships. The dynamic between Kata and Tau evolves throughout the story, in the form of Tau’s growing independence from Kata and Kata’s resistance to this. Kata develops a certain jealousy towards Kurai, fueled by his desire to remain Tau’s sole support and by his unwillingness or fear of letting the other Project grow to be his own person. There is also the development of close friendships between Kata and Alan, then between Tau and Kurai. Being that Kata was so incredibly cautious and openly hostile to all (save for Tau), it was very significant and very touching to watch as he learned to trust other individuals again. In Tau’s case, he develops his first new friendship (outside of Kata) with Kurai, and the lieutenant’s patience in teaching the Project, allowing him to adjust gradually to the world outside of the lab was very heartwarming to see and played a huge role in Tau’s developing independence.
Now, as for what aspects I most disliked, I must explicitly say that there is near nothing that I dislike about this book. In fact, if I had to list one complaint at all, it would only be my intense curiosity as to where Project Sigma (Tau’s docile, intelligent, and potentially surviving predecessor) is. I have a sneaking suspicion that Project Sigma may be the true identity of one of the key characters in the book, but unless I confirm it with the author (who I fully intend on asking), I could not know for sure.
This book would most appeal to audiences who enjoy the sci-fi genre and place great value in the strength of the character cast. As previously mentioned, Jude Austin has outdone herself with the development of these characters and the growth and evolution of interpersonal relationships between them. Not to mention, the book was edited flawlessly, given that I had not noticed a single spelling or grammatical error throughout.
On the other hand, for audiences who do not enjoy the sci-fi subject or who are averse to profanity and sensitive topics such as mental health, sexual assault, and violence, perhaps Homecoming might not be the book for you.
Keep in mind that there is a good amount of profanity throughout the book, whether in spoken dialogue or in character thoughts. However, I never felt that the profanity was excessive or overwhelming. Additionally, while there is no explicit erotic content within the story, there are mentions of sexual assault that may be upsetting to audiences who are sensitive to the topic.
Regardless, I would strongly recommend Jude Austin’s Homecoming to not only sci-fi lovers but also to general audiences, who would not mind profanity and sensitive topics. Simply, she has written the characters so well and approached certain topics (ie. mental health and sexual assault) with such tact that appreciation of this book would extend even over genre preferences.
******
Homecoming
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Hand Bringer by Christopher J. Penington
