Homegoing

by Frederik Pohl

Sandy Washington was a pretty normal guy. The only unusual thing about him was that Sandy had been raised by aliens on their spaceship. The Hakh'hli had done everything they could to give Sandy an Earth-type boyhood. Now, finally, the Hakh'hli were bringing Sandy home to Earth. And while they were at it, they intended to give humanity some extraordinary gifts. The Hakh'hli seemed to have Sandy's -- and humanity's -- best interests at heart. But the people of Earth weren't so sure . . .

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space, Ebooks, Fantasy

283 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Frederik George Pohl, Jr. was an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years. From about 1959 until 1969, Pohl edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine IF winning the Hugo for IF three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993.

Reviews

[Denis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a good fun read. Pohl is capable of "serious" SF novels (Heechee) or hard SF (Mars Plus) good fun satire (The Space Merchants) and even well researched historical subject matter (Chernobyl or All the Lives He Led). This is a 'First Contact' type story with many surprises and twists that differentiated it from many others.

Pohl also takes advantage on addressing many environmental issues in this novel; a subject that had been very important to him from way back -see Pohl and Asimov's "Our Angry Earth".

Also, I rather did like the pulpy solution at the end.

An enjoyable read.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good stand-alone novel that couches Pohl's warnings of environmental abuse in a somewhat humorous first-contact story, rather than in the grim, hard-sf Dystopian satires for which he was noted. There's more of a pulp-influence than is to be found in Jem, say, or the Gateway books, though he definitely gets his point across. It's another good Pohl read.

[Rory · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hah! I accidentally put this on hold instead of Yaa Gyasi's new novel of the same name. It took me just a few painful paragraphs to wonder why the hell this had ended up in my hands. I admit I blamed my GoodReads group--"someone in my feed must have five-starred this yucky sucker as a prank!"--but nope, it was just me not paying attention to details. Anyway, this was yucky and it sucked. Really immature, rote sci-fi.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A little too much sex & language for my liking, but the story is humorous and enjoyable. The aliens seem like a species that could realistically exist... but they’d have to have unimaginably advanced technology to achieve some of the things they claim to be able to do. Even the existence of the main character is questionable without a crazy ingenious technology, biologically & industrialized.
I would say I did enjoy it though.

[Radia · Rating 1 out of 5]

So.... I meant to read a different book by the same title and honestly this was.... Pretty bad but....I finished it... Super weird.... Can't believe I didn't realize earlier lol .... Still three stars because I did read it in like two days hah

[Kevin Phyland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sandy Washington has only ever known life aboard the alien Hakh’hli starship, as he was told he was raised from his dead parents by alien technology when their spaceship was apparently wrecked near Mars during a global Earth Star War. The Hakh’hli have spent millennia traveling to different star systems ostensibly to survey but when they arrive at Earth after a fifty year voyage which involved inculcating the aliens on board with films showing the aggression of humans it starts to occur to Sandy that the aliens may be keeping some secrets from him. After landing he is questioned relentlessly by InterSec and in particular by a female who Sandy imprints on, but who is also secretive about all her reasons for befriending Sandy. Some answers suggest themselves when it is found that the Hakh’hli have started constructions in Africa and have millions of frozen fertilized eggs on board - and nowhere else to go. Frederik Pohl has given us a look into a climate change future and the results of war but also makes you look at eating meat animals in a whole new way! Minor Pohl but entertaining enough.

[Dinofly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from library two times. And only because I've forgotten I read it already.

This book is telling a story of a boy who is created and raised by lizard-like aliens. These come to Earth and offer the war decimated humanity some incredible gifts. Only things are not so as they appear. The aliens have some not so clear intentions. The humanity is not so decimated as it would appear (OK, Africa is dead, but hey, the rest of the world is still in tact...). There is a love story, there is a conflict, some torturing, some eggs, there is a solution.

All in all, it is a well written book that I've enjoyed. But now that I remember that I've read it, I do not feel the need to return to it once more.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been so long since I read this but I do recall I enjoyed it. The one thing that sticks in my mind was how the story had earth orbit cluttered with space junk making it almost inaccessible. Then recently I have read, just now in fact, the reality of that. A new report about how there are over 12000 objects in orbit which is going to result in collisions even though the volume there is great. I worked for NASA but in shuttle ops so didn't get involved in shooting shuttles through the mass of satellites up there. But with SpaceX launching loads of their Starlink satellites, in the thousands, and Blue Origin joining soon and a couple of others that's where we are headed. Rather sad and really doing damage to earthbound astronomers.

[Rogue-van (the Bookman) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sandy Washington was the only human on an interstellar ship that had been traveling for 3,000 years. There were 22,000 frog-like Hakh'hli on board who weighed as much as 750 pounds. Among his small cohort of friends, a very strong Sandy was relatively a wimp. But Sandy-wimp would have to scout out the planet earth, as secretly as possible, without knowing everything.

Like Heinlein's Stranger In a Strange Land, Homegoing tells the fascinating story of a human coming to America after having been raised in a totally alien culture. I enjoyed puzzling out each new situation with 22-year-old Sandy. Pohl would have kept me up reading even later if he had filled in more detail at the end.

[Leila P · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book, I've always liked reading about culture shocks. The ending was a bit too easy, though, but happy endings are okay.

The plot reminded me a bit of "Stranger in a Strange Land" by Robert Heinlein, it too tells about a young man brought up by aliens. His boy is truly alien, though.

[StarMan]

(Did NOT Finish). One word review: UGH.

[Dreameuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must preface this by saying that my first intention was not to read this particular book but the eponym by Yaa Gyasi. I got them mixed up on my kindle, and find it hilarious that I somehow wasn't the only one to do that.

Now, to this book itself. It was the classic take on hard SF. Advanced race of humanoid aliens wants to invade Earth because humans are destroying their planet anyway. As always when I'm reading this kind of story, I can't help but to wonder about the aliens. The universe is so vast that aliens would probably not ressemble any earthy being that we can grasp. I was also wondering about what the aliens understood or did not understood about the humans thanks to films as well as the state of the society after those nuclear war. It seemed arguable to me. But hey, all these are the choices of the author and I respect them.

So in itself, I will not remember much of the plot. But my favorite experience from reading this book was to compare the future as seen from 1989 and as seen from now. Some things were on point and timeless but others were really anchored in the past. The two main ones in this category were the Ozone layer and the AIDS. It's funny to see that those things were so important at that time that the author considered they could be the end of the human race, when now those problems are highly receding and we have other ones much more important in our eyes.

[A.L. Sirois · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Pohl's work, and this is no exception. It's a "human boy raised by aliens" story, rather like STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, except it might be better because it's a bit less pretentious. Sandy is a 22-year-old youth with an extremely muscular physique because he's been brought up in a high-gravity environment. The aliens who nurtured him, the Hakh'hli, are returning him to Earth in an enormous starship fueled by strange matter -- along with gifts they say will help men clean their polluted world; but Sandy soon learns there's more to it than that. With the help of an Earth woman, Sandy struggles to find his place in both societies, human and Hakh'hli.

[Melissa Padilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Birthday Book #2

Overall, a light 'First Contact' sci fi book with a fun perspective. This particular writing voice was not my favorite, but it's because Lysander (the protagonist) was not my favorite character. His childishness is addressed and the mystery of what's going on relies heavily on his understanding of the situation. The world building happened in the epigraphs, which became my favorite part of each chapter, and also how Lysander meets Earth. The climate issues and future earth addressed here are great and very relevant! Overall, the book was an enjoyable read.

Thank you, Zeb!

[Eliatan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a bit corny, but I really enjoyed this twist on the alien abdication concept in this novel. It was a fun read, with some clever plot twists and funky alien culture. Glad I picked it up at the second hand store - Pohl writes classic sci fi and I’m looking forward to reading more of his well known works.

[Paul Ket · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geschreven in 1991 gaat her ook over de problemen die Aarde in de toekomst heeft: afbraak ozonlaag, plastic-vervuiling, vervuiling van de ruimte om de Aarde en zeespiegel-stijging. En een mooi verhaal.

[BAGNULO MARCELLO · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ho letto il libro tantissimi anni fa. Carino, ma non bellissimo.

[Kathleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Set in the future, the author weaves a story of visiting extraterrestrials with the damage careless humans from today’s time have caused to a damaged Earth.

[Caleb Diffell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what a fun scifi yarn is supposed to be like. Take a simple idea or two and run with it. A bit too prurient for my tastes but well done and interesting storyline.

[JC Sevart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 2.5, the world building is kinda lazy and the tone is all over the place. What the hell was that, the only relatable part is my man lands on earth and is immediately horny

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wrote this before reading "Homegoing":

Found this in the neighborhood mini-library; will return when done. I remember reading a lot of Fredrick Pohl in the 50s and 60 and associated him with the SF authors of my youth. Apparently he continued writing well into the 21st century, and this one was written in 1989. I had no idea. Looking forward to recapturing some of the fun I had reading SF as a teenager.

Now that I've read it, I can say it really was a return to the YA (though the term didn't exist then) SF of my youth. And fun, other than the rushed, far-too-easy, happy-happy ending. Definitely not written for adult SF readers, but I enjoyed it.

Now returning it to the neighborhood book drop; maybe it'll cheer someone else up.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This SF tale is a vehicle to warn of the effects of green house gases, other misuses of the environment, and space junk in orbit around earth emphasizing the dangers of the 80's's Star Wars program. Homegoing has a mystery element to a first contact story that is well done. Pohl misses some of his projections regarding the environment and Star Wars but is vague enough that it doesn't detract from the story. Pohl uses a little humor without being ridiculous that almost gives the story a light feel. There isn't a lot of action and very little violence but I was surprised that I didn't want to put it down until I finished it. This is the first book by Pohl I've read but will definitely pursue more.

[Wilson E. Stevens Sr. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, typical of old school science fiction like I like it. Aliens take young Earth man back to Earth to be reunited with his people. They have raised him from a baby from a couple in a space ship orbiting Mars, to a young man of 22 years old. They have taken great effort to learn English, and provide him with Alien companions that will visit Earth with him. But when he arrives, he under goes culture shock, historical shock as earth is not like they expected it to be. And as he gets to know more about earth and its people he finds that almost every one is lying to him. Then the greatest shock of all, his alien friends are planning on invading earth. So he must make a decision for the first time in his life, and on it depends two civilizations.

[⚔️Kelanth⚔️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un discreto romanzo di fantascienza che si fa leggere senza pretese, senza per altro sprecare molto tempo. Non vi aspettate nulla di che perchè i classici della fantascienza sono altri, ma se avete del tempo che vi avanza potete impiegarlo in questa veloce lettura.

E' la storia di un essere umano, Sandy, nato e trasformato geneticamente da una razza aliena su un'astronave interstellare degli extraterrestri Hakh'hli. Ora Sandy è pronto per tornare sulla Terra e gli alieni sono animati delle migliori intenzioni, ma...

Discreto.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fred Pohl novels are to me the perfect blend of science and story. The characters are always interesting and easy to care about. In this novel Sandy who has lived with aliens his whole life finds that coming home to Earth is not as great as he thought. He has to deal with trust and loyalty issues but in the end rises above and makes a good decision.

The pacing is a tad slow at first but it picks up and comes to a very satisfying conclusion. While not as emotional or thought provoking as "Man Plus" of the Heechee series, it is a solid read nonetheless.

[Bruno Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Uma bonita história de humanização de um humano que nasceu e sempre numa nave extraterrestre q pretende q ele seja o embaixador de contacto na visita à terra, mas tudo o q ele acreditava serem as verdades q lhe comunicavam eram afinal mentiras e ilusões

[Harpoon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is fun, a quick read, not too profound. I enjoyed it.

Suitable for mature teenagers. Many of the customs of the alien race are based on reproduction, so there's a lot of emphasis on sex, but mostly in a cartoonish way -- nothing graphic.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun concept but weak execution.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing, diverting first contact story, told from the point of view of a human rescued and raised by aliens and brought home to earth. Or is that the whole truth about him?

Good airplane day read.

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides a weak conclusion, it is one of Pohl's best.