Book Review: Tales of Roumanhi-Homequest: Liberation by J.E. Browning

By Meghan Morrow

Typically, I am annoyingly selective when it comes to reading sci-fi/fantasy novels. There are so many cookie-cutter stories out in the world that I have grown to dread seeing the cover of a new fantasy. When I picked up J.E. Browning’s novel, Tales of Roumanhi-Homequest: Liberation, fearing that it was just another attempt at science fiction, I can’t say that I was instantly intrigued, but upon delving further into the novel, I was sorely mistaken. Right from the beginning, Browning introduces her readers to a different world, complete with a mystical terrain and a new language. I have to say that the geek in me did a little flip at the thought of an entirely make-believe language.

Homequest: Liberation opens with a young environmental technician, T’skya, and her crash landing into a strange desert on her way to finding a new home for her people. After mysteriously transporting to the edge of the Roumanhi forest, she is captured by Cail and Hollum then accused of being a member of their enemy clan, the Kházakha. Both technologically superior and devoid of morality, the Kházakha corrupted the land of Roumanhi and continue to tyrannize the inhabitants. T’skya manages to convince the Roumanhis that she means them no harm and works with them. In between her new daily life and worrying about her people, T’skya becomes quickly attached to the Roumanhi clan, even allowing for a romance to kindle.

Days pass and cause T’skya to become more anxious about her ship until she finally warns the Roumanhis that her abandoned ship will alert the Kházakha of her presence so it must be located. The supplies T’skya finds after returning from a less-than-perfect search expedition allows her and the Roumanhis to hatch a plan that will sabotage the Kházakha. The mission goes awry and they lose Cail to the enemy, so T’skya and the rest of the Roumanhis must find a way to bring him back to safety—if he hasn’t already been lost.

In a world of fantasy, Browning has done a wonderful job not to stray into the unbelievable. From start to finish, Homequest: Liberation captured me. Every character had soul that leaped from the page and I found myself emotionally invested in every one of them. The land of Roumanhi is filled with, not only beauty, but dangers as well, and the trek along the terrain had me anxious and excited. Liberation is a maze of stories that take the reader off in several directions, but Browning was able to lead us easily through the labyrinth.