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Dell Tunnicliff

Author of No Space Like Home (Stars of Hiraeth)

1 Work 7 Members 5 Reviews

Works by Dell Tunnicliff

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My all time movie is the The Wizard of Oz. As a little girl I was glued to the television each year it came out. Even today I will watch it if I know it will be televised. I was so excited to read this book and see what the author could do with a classic movie. The author has an imagination that clearly takes readers on a journey to other worlds with excitement. Gail is a fantastic character and I enjoyed following her on her journey.

The story is set in space which I thought was a brilliant idea. There is so much out there we don't know about and with the author's guidance we are able to explore other worlds and learn valuable lessons along the way. There are some references to the classic movie but the author puts her own spin on it to heighten readers intriguing minds.

The technology and strange words used in the story at first irritated me. But I realized that we are in space and the language will be foreign to us. Running a spacecraft does take considerable knowledge and I began to become engaged in the story as I felt more comfortable with the writing.

I loved that Gail carried her Bible with her but I would have liked to see a bit more spiritual aspect to the story. I would like to see more interaction with characters and not so much techie lingo in the story. It would be nice to spend a little more time describing the place they travel to and give readers insight to the people there. I will be looking forward to the next book in the series and am excited to see where the author takes the story next. Overall good job of a twist on The Wizard of Oz.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
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Harley0326 | 4 other reviews | Jan 6, 2020 |
What I think you should know:
No Space like Home is a Young Adult Fiction, Science Fiction novel. It is the first in the Stars of Hiraeth series by author Dell Tunnicliff. It is a loose retelling of The Wizard of OZ and each chapter opens with a quote from one of L. Frank Baum’s Oz series. Instead of Dorothy we have Gail, who is sent on an unexpected journey in which she will need the reimagination of The Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion.

What I think about this book:
As a Mom of a young, but advanced YA reader I look at YA books with slight skepticism, however I was delighted with this one and highly recommend it for a fun twist on OZ or just a new series for YA readers. The book did contain mild violence, however it was fitting in the story and was not something I would object to my seven year old listening to ( he has already listened to the original).
As a reader I loved the story, it was quirky enough to catch my attention quickly and captivating enough for me look forward to the next book in the series.
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DonnaC83 | 4 other reviews | Jan 5, 2020 |
Because I am the homeschooling mother, I often find myself picking up Young Adult novels to read. I have to say I am very glad I picked up this one. Wit space travel, new friendships, and the similarities to The Wizard of Oz, this story drew me in from the very beginning. It was apparent from the start that things are not exactly what they seem to be. When Gail’s aunt and uncle basically force her to leave Kansa Station on the Cyclone ship she had been living in, I wondered what was going to be the outcome.

I think my favorite thing about this book is how God, prayer and faith play an integral part in the story. I also appreciate how some of the details mimic The Wizard of Oz, including a dog and how Gail joins up with others to go on her journey with her.

Then when she was forced to land on a different planet, I wondered even more what what going to happen. The friendships and connections she made throughout the story kept me reading. I had a hard time putting this book down. So if you have young adults in your life or if you just enjoy reading Young Adult books, check out this one for yourself.

I received a copy of this book for my fair and honest review.
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PattiPeanut1992 | 4 other reviews | Jan 3, 2020 |
As I was about to pass this one up, I found out that it’s a retelling of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, which is one of my mom’s favorites. The funny thing is, I have never been overly taken with it, and so I was quite amused to read in Tunnicliff’s note to readers that she isn’t, either! Moreover, I am definitely not a fan of futuristic or space tales. But that’s the beauty of reviewing books: stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying something different. Did I become a space fiction enthusiast? No, but I did really enjoy this book!

A clever reprise of L. Frank Baum’s beloved classic, Dell Tunnicliff’s “No Space Like Home” takes the primary elements from the original story and integrates them in such a way that the novel is not redundant and can be enjoyed by readers whether they are familiar with the storyline or not. The epigraph that opens each chapter consists of a quotation from Baum’s story that corresponds to the ensuing action and helps to anchor the science-fiction and space component in readers’ minds. I realized that while I have seen the 1939 movie numerous times, I have never read Baum’s original story, so there were some surprises for me, and I am very glad that Tunnicliff chose to incorporate these passages. They also helped me to further understand details of how events were unfolding, particulars that I would definitely have missed otherwise.

As for the characters, I personally did not feel a strong connection with any of them. I did not deduct any stars for this, though, because this may very well just be my personal quirk. I will say that I was disappointed that Gail decided to go to a nightclub with her friends, but I am also thankful that the author does not condone this behavior. One particular scene with Storm tore my heart out, but I will refrain from elaborating to avoid spoilers and simply say that this is a tender spot for me in any type of literature. I also would have enjoyed a more influential faith element; Uncle Henri does bolster Gail in the beginning by saying, “Remember God, our Shepherd, is always with you. The Good Book is key. It decodes what we can’t understand.” These truths carry throughout the narrative, but in a subdued manner.

The part of “No Space Like Home” that I found most intriguing but also struggled to process is the technological aspect. The target audience includes teens and young adults, and I feel that they would have a much better grasp on this than I. I might be in my thirties, but I have extremely limited knowledge when it comes to technology. I don’t have a smartphone or tablet, and I don’t get cell reception where I live. Therefore I felt clueless most of the time and would have been very grateful for a glossary of terms, but I doubt that many others would have this issue. The writing itself is well done; one of my favorite sentences is in the first chapter: “Painting provided temporary escape, but the envelope still leered from her cot-side table, cinching the knot in her stomach like a pneumatic torque wrench on a windmill’s yaw bearing.” This novel is laudable for being self-published and intricate, although it could use more editing to tidy up grammatical errors. Overall, however, it is a commendable debut novel for those interested in a unique twist on “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” as well as for science fiction and outer space enthusiasts.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through CelebrateLit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
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Stardust_Fiddle | 4 other reviews | Jan 3, 2020 |

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