Review of Homecoming

Kathy-Smith · Post by **Kathy-Smith** » 20 Sep 2023, 11:12

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

5 out of 5 stars

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Homecoming is the sequel to Project Tau. I really enjoyed Project Tau, but if it was a home run, then Homecoming is a grand slam!

The story picks up where Project Tau left off. The protagonists, Kata and Tau, barely have a moment to catch their breath before being thrown back into chaos and tragedy. While I enjoyed the action, what really makes the book stand out is the realistic and intense character development. Kata and Tau endured over two years of torture before escaping, and now we start seeing the mental effects. Kata especially struggles with his mental health in this novel as he also copes with trauma from before the events in the first book. The author’s handling of both characters’ mental health was well done; it felt heartbreakingly believable.

I enjoyed the new characters, especially Alan and Kurai, as they provided Kata and Tau with a positive counterbalance. I look forward to (hopefully) learning more about Kurai’s mysterious background.

I loved how the book had the same style ending as the first one; the events and conflict conclude, but the future is open and full of hope.

The book was edited very well; there were minimal spelling/grammar errors. I even learned a couple of new ways to describe things. Instead of a neon sign’s letters flickering, the author described the letter as guttering. I had to research if that was an appropriate use of the word because I didn’t know! There was one section that should be described differently. In Chapter 3, Kata experiences intense pain in his head, and he is described as “clutching at his templates, clawing at them as though he could tear the pain out through the skin.” Given that Kata literally has claws that have been mentioned multiple times to be incredibly sharp, clawing at his temples should have led to life-threatening injuries.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for its outstanding character development, world-building, and professionalism.

******
Homecoming
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Post by **Jennifer Coxon** » 05 Oct 2023, 18:35

Great review. I read the beginning of Project Tau when it was the book of the day and found I was quite interested. I hadn't realised there was a sequel, and based on your review I think I need to go away and read both of them immediately.

Kathy-Smith · Post by **Kathy-Smith** » 09 Oct 2023, 10:37

Jennifer Coxon wrote: ↑05 Oct 2023, 18:35 Great review. I read the beginning of Project Tau when it was the book of the day and found I was quite interested. I hadn't realised there was a sequel, and based on your review I think I need to go away and read both of them immediately.

Thanks! There's also a third one, which I also highly recommend. Just like this one I also rated it a 5 out of 5!