Customer Reviews

Freedom's Challenge

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Of the three books in this series, this was undoubtably the worst. I greatly enjoyed the first two, and certainly do not think that my reading of the third book was a waste of time . . . but I think perhaps Ms. McCaffrey was a bit hasty in ending this storyline. She didn't have her usual depth in resolving the plots. The characters were also not as fully developed as I've come to expect from this marvelous author.

In this third volume of the Freedom trilogy, Anne McCaffrey closes all the loose ends she'd left open in the previous two volumes, effectively ending the series. As a whole, the series was interesting, and throughout the three books, I felt for the characters, and wanted to know what they'd do next. It was a step-by-step detailed description of how a small group of exiles built a home on a planet that was initially hostile to them. In the context of being a series ending, the book is satisfying. The colonists finally realize success after so long and hard an endeavor. But when viewed by itself, this book contained only the successes, and none of the real hardships.

The entire book passes by with very little challenge to the colonists of Botany. It was an interesting logistical inventory for setting up a successful colony, but there's no real conflict. Just about everything they attempt works out, often better than they'd expected. About halfway through the book, I was sure something would finally go wrong, but it never did. Some of the successes were ridiculously easy. Some were at the very least, improbable. The humans on Botany were able to disguise themselves as Catteni with a little makeup and prosthetic cheekbones. This disguise was somehow able to fool real Catteni even after prolonged interaction. I found this a little bit unlikely.

As an ending to the series, it was adequate. But to make it a good installment in a trilogy, the author really should have included more conflict and story. The last book could have ended "And they lived happily ever after" and no real plot points would have been lost. Still, the writing style is enjoyable, and I already liked the characters enough to see what happened next. The same favorites are back in this book, and the story such as it is moves along with good pacing. On that merit alone, the book earns three stars.

It's science fiction with completely wrong science! It's slice of life without any character development! It's a cookie-cutter plot formula done badly! It's book three of a series, but introduces tons of new characters with no reader attachment. I fell asleep reading it.

To be a good story, the novel needed to be combined with book two and actually edited. What happens with the Farmers is exceptionally idiotic. A ghost writer likely had major input in this book, as opposed to an editor. If you've read other McCaffery, it's like someone hollowed out the work, took all the emotional and interesting parts out, and published this pile of excess words, consisting of small talk and meetings.

Do yourself a favor and avoid Freedom's Ransom. Book four is even worse because even the pretense of using actual science is gone.

As a devoted reader of Anne McCaffrey I couldn't wait to find out what happened with the Botany people. I was very disappointed to find out that the book tells the story in such a general fashion, and in such broad notions, that no depth is created. I always loved Anne McCaffrey's books for their characters' depth. Since she has given a lot of information and details in the Pern series, I expected that to reflect in other works. It was not. The character of Zainal is shallow. There is no info on the way he thinks, feel, or even why he is doing what he is doing. And if you do not like to know that, but just like the action of the book - well, not much there either. The story is what I would tell a friend if asked what the book is about. It is general, without the details that are expected. It gives the basics of actions taken, without giving information about the actions themselves. If you read other works of science fiction or fantasy, such as another favorite of mine Rober Jordan, you immediately see a difference. In the Wheel of Time series, for example, the characters come to life and the story is complete without gaps. I really regret to write this about this book, as I truly like the writing of Anne McCaffrey, and plan to continue reading her books.

I read them, my wife read them, and we both loved them. So you can release the forth in the series now, no need to wait any longer Ms. McCaffrey, just roll the presses, and send it off to Amazon so we can read it and enjoy as much as we enjoyed the first three. Thank you so very much!

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this third installation of the Freedom's series. I loved the way they used a male voice and female voice to play the different characters. Listening to the story is a little like watching it play out on a stage. The Freedom series is a good tale, but it's just a little on fast-forward. The "dropped" has accomplished a lot in the time they spent on Botany. Granted they have thousands of "dropped" with highly specialized skills that enable the former-slaves to develop Botany so quickly, but I'm sure a lot of sci-fi realists (is there really such a thing) would be a little put off by what the Botanists have achieved (freeing Earth and Cattani from the dreaded Eosi) in just a short time with their wit being their main resource. Just keep your vision on fast-forward and you'll enjoy the series. I'm looking forward to the fourth in the series, Freedom's Ransom, due out June 2002. I hope it'll explain a few things and tie up some loose ends.

I was disappointed when I finished the book. Usually I can hardly put one of her books down, but I found this hard to get through, as it did not hold my attention at all.

I really liked the first two books in the Catteni Sequence. I really disliked this one. It just didn't make it - none of the plot or human interest attractions that made me look forward to finishing the series. It felt as though McCaffrey took what should have been a final chapter to the second volume and spun it out into another book. She should have quit while she (and we) were ahead. I was really disappointed!

After waiting for so long for a conclusion to the trilogy, I was sadly disapointed. "Freedom's Challenge" just doesn't have the same flair as the previous two books. It was not as gripping, almost as if Ms McCaffrey had written it to satisfy her readers and just finish the series.

Whil the author is finishing the series and concluding the plot, she forgets to include reality. The book is not worth the hardcover price but will definitely be worth reading for the paperback. I waited (ever so impatiently) for this book to come out only to be very disappointed. Too many gaps with too much filler in other spots of the book. While mildly entertaining, this book is not up to Miss Mccaffrey's normal standard of writing.