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Homeward Bound - Harry Turtledove Book Review

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Review Summary


Del Rey, Jan 2005. 26.95, 608 pp.
ISBN: 034545846X

The Race as they call themselves travel the twenty light years distance from their planet to invade earth, which is preoccupied with World War II. However, the locals proved adaptive and managed to stop the intruders though the Race was never fully driven off planet (see WORLD WAR: IN THE BALANCE).

Over two decades later, a shaky truce has held up between the Race and the humans. However, humans refer to the Race in derogatory terms as "Lizards" while the aliens call their “hosts” the “Big Uglies". Tension has recently mounted as the Race realizes that the Big Uglies are technologically advancing at a rate that they will pass them shortly. Proof of that is the stunning launch of the Commodore Perry, an armed human space vessel faster than the speed of light, allegedly on a diplomatic mission heading to the Race's home planet. Though diplomats are on board, Sam Yeager (see WORLDSTAR) is too and he nuclear razed Indianapolis without a second thought. The earthbound Race ponders whether to annihilate the planet to halt human advances.

The tale contains a large tedious diplomacy subplot.

Harriet Klausner

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar


Detailed literary breakdown of Homeward Bound
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 10%
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10%




Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - alternate history
Political power play Yes
Political plotlets - preventing/managing clash/war between govts/kingdoms
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - diplomat
Age: - 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - an entire race
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an above average amount

Setting
A substantial portion of this book takes place on a non-Earth planetary body: - humans in a futuristic society
Planet outside solar system? Yes

Style
Person? - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - none/very little science jargon needed
How much dialogue? - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Homeward Bound
The Seven Hills by John Maddox Roberts
Out of the Darkness - World at War 6 by Harry Turtledove
House of War by Judith Tarr
Andromeda by Steven Barnes
The Victorious Oppostion by Harry Turtledove




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
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