{Review} DISTANT SUNS - THE JOURNEY HOME by Patricia Smith

ISBN #: 978-1492727842

Page Count: 186

Copyright: September 14, 2013

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Description:

(Take from back cover)

The crew of the star ship Terra - the last hope to avoid extinction for the human race - are nearly two years from the dying planet Earth, when their four thousand year long journey, to reach the first possible habitable world, is unexpectedly halted.

Charlene's Review:

This is a sequel to Ms. Smith’s Distant Suns, a story of a deadly hydrogen cloud headed for Earth. As it gets closer, Jupiter intercepts the cloud and changes to it and the surrounding atmosphere mix to signal the eventual end of life on Earth. Select individuals are given a space on mankind's last hope for survival, the Star Ship Terra.

In The Journey Home, Ms Smith picks up two years later, and the civilians and crew of the starship are adapting well. The purpose of their journey is to ensure the survival of the human race and allow future generations to find a suitable home on another planet. They hold no hope for ever seeing their beloved planet Earth, or any remaining family and friends, again. When they are unexpectedly stopped along their journey, they must make a critical choice as to whether to continue on, or return to Earth and look for survivors.

Ms. Smith has a writing style that draws you in, quickly. There were a few surprises inside this sequel that I would never have expected, as she leaned heavily on astronomy and science in the first book. I was a little skeptical at first, as to how the new events would alter the original storyline, but it worked, and led to a whole new opportunity for the characters I loved so much from the first book.

I hate to let all the secrets out, so I will just say, if you have not heard of Patricia Smith, I do believe you will. She has a gift for intelligent, believable science fiction with a heart for engaging characters. I was especially delighted to see she left a possibility open for a third book with brand new dynamics, and I do hope she will allow me the pleasure of reviewing it. I will be looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.


*A physical copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.