Book Review: HOM

Wilbur posing with HOM by James Moore. Photo by Kate Ota 2022

HOM by James Moore is a YA Christian fantasy novella (172 pages in paperback). The main character, Hom, was raised in a lab to cultivate his powers—he is visited by angels and demons and can teleport to Hell. However, when demons attack the facility, he learns he’s not the only teen with powers. He teams up with the ragtag group to escape, but when they learn the truth of what the demons are planning, they must make a tough choice—their own freedom, or saving the world.

James is part of the Judging More Than Just the Cover Book Club Podcast, and I was even a critique partner for many parts of this book. I also know it started as a storyboard type outline for a videogame. And it certainly feels like a videogame, with big boss fights, specified powers, and unique uniforms. I also liked Frieda, Hom’s pseudo-mom figure, the interesting settings, and the morally-gray scientist.

The novella went by super quickly, as novellas tend to do. There was a lot more action than emotion, which is not necessarily a bad thing, depending on your mood. I know indie books are sometimes bashed for typos, but the ones here are few and far between, so worry not.

This book is for you if you like Christian fantasy (i.e. angels, demons, and biblical God on the page), if you are in the mood for videogames but don’t want to actually play it yourself, or if you’re looking for a quick paced, high action read. It’s not for you if you aren’t into biblical content in fantasy, if you’re looking for deep emotion, or if violence in a novel is not your cup of tea.

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Have you read HOM yet? I know James would love your support! Be sure to review indie books, it helps the authors get more readers.