Freehold [Paperback]

William C. Dietz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1987

Colonel Stell and his band of mercenaries yearn for a place to call home. To them Freehold is like a bright diamond in the vast universe. But its desert conditions, economic instability, social disarray, and political turmoil render the planet perfect for takeover. Willing to fight anything that stands in their way, Colonel Stell and his small crew contend with all who seek to dominate their planet, even vast interstellar empires. Their success will not be determined by their size but by their resolution to create creating a home for themselves.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 212 pages
• Publisher: Ace (March 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441251862
• ISBN-13: 978-0441251865
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,459,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

William C. Dietz is the best-selling author of more than thirty science fiction novels some of which have been translated into German, Russian, and Japanese. He grew up in the Seattle area, spent time with the Navy and Marine Corps as a medic, graduated from the University of Washington, lived in Africa for half a year, and has traveled to six continents. Dietz has been employed as a surgical technician, college instructor, news writer, television producer and Director of Public Relations and Marketing for an international telephone company. He writes full-time and lives with his wife in Washington State. For more information about William C. Dietz and his work visit: williamcdietz.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Sci Fi escapism at its best!, September 21, 2011

By 

K. Conn (DE, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Freehold (Kindle Edition)

If you're familiar with Mr. Dietz's work then you likely have a good idea what you're getting into when you open (or log on to or whatever) one of his books (again, some allowance for the electronic medium here). This volume doesn't disappoint. The action is rapid-fire but full of those rich details that make Mr. Dietz such a skilled raconteur. The characters are familiar to the experienced Dietz reader and though not necessarily multi-faceted or terribly deep, they are always evocative and allow the reader to empathize or detest as appropriate. Though I wouldn't rate this book as being on par with the "Runner" series, it is quality stuff for the fan of total escape Sci Fi. I strongly recommend "Freehold".

4.0 out of 5 stars Back to the Dietz "universe", August 18, 2011

By 

TBrien (Louisville, CO USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Freehold (Kindle Edition)

William Dietz has long been one of my favorite authors and I've read almost all of his books. I'm particularly fond of his Sam McQuaid books. This book, Freehold, is set in the same universe. Dietz stays true to the premise and the universe that he created with this work. Hearkening back to many of his earlier works he fills Freehold with characters that you can buy into, villains that you love to hate and fast paced action sequences to keep you turning the pages. While some of the character development could be better, Dietz doesn't fall into the trap he did with the Legion series and ramble on for pages about politics. Rather, he creates a very enjoyable, and quick, read. If you've read Dietz before, I'd highly recommend this book. If you haven't read anything by Dietz, then this is a great book to start with if you want an enjoyable book.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surprise!, March 6, 2002

By 

Christopher Nash "Fantasy Fanatic" (Whiteman AFB MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Freehold (Paperback)

I'm not much of a SciFi fan (this book was givin to me as a gift). So, I was very surprised at how good it was. Dietz's characters were appealing, which is hard to accomplish in such a short book (I'm used to 500 page or more books). I think the fast paced action is what really caught my attention though.

I recommend this book to any SciFi/Fantasy reader.