The Price of Freedom: A Wing Commander Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

William R. Forstchen (Author), Ben Ohlander (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wing Commander | Publication Date: October 1, 1996

In "Heart of the Tiger" the Kilrathi empire was eradicated through the bravery of a few flying aces. Now, Captain Blair and his wing are fighting a more familiar menace - their fellow humans. Blair had settled down to the quiet life of a farmer, but he's been called back into action to fight rebels from the Border Worlds. And Captain Blair finds that dog-fighting with people is a whole different kettle of kittens than fighting an alien cat species. Those humans are "tricky"

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Baen (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671877518
• ISBN-13: 978-0671877514
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #782,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN has a Ph.D. from Purdue University with specializations in Military History and the History of Technology. He is a Faculty Fellow and Professor of History at Montreat College. He is the author of over forty books, including the New York Times bestselling series Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor (coauthored with Newt Gingrich), as well as the award-winning young adult novel We Look Like Men of War. He has also authored numerous short stories and articles about military history and military technology. His interests include archaeological research on sites in Mongolia, and as a pilot he owns and flies an original World War II "recon bird." Dr. Forstchen resides near Asheville, North Carolina with his teenage daughter Meghan and their small pack of golden retreivers and yellow labs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh the humanity! Why?, September 4, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Colorado Springs, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Price of Freedom: A Wing Commander Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Fans of the Wing Commander Saga, don't waste your time with this sloppy and uninspiring story. I waited anxiously for this book for months, since I enjoyed the PC game so much. I was hoping that it would fill some of the holes in the story the way Heart of the Tiger did. You can't imagine my disappointment. Blair, the great war hero of the game, is now a pathetic and cowardly loser with one foot in a bottle, and the other in the grave. He jumps at the chance to fly again, (who wouldn't?), and from there begins a staid adventure that is nowhere near as exciting as the game. The book also goes off on tangents that the game never pursued. As others have already stated... #1. A romance with Sosa? Where did this garbage come from? #2. While not a major character in the game, I missed Catscratch. #3. In the more popular version of the game, Vagabond plays a vital role. The book ignores him completely. #4. Blair becoming an Admiral was one option of the game, but according to devotees of the game, not the true ending. William Forstchen has told many great tales of the Kilrathi war in other books, but it seems to me he just hurried this one along because he was under contract or something. I wouldn't recommend this book to any serious fan of the game. You're better off ignoring it.

2.0 out of 5 stars Going through the motions, exhibit A, April 19, 2009

By 

Pharaoh (Erie, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Price of Freedom: A Wing Commander Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Aside from "Freedom Flight" I can't name one Wing Commander book I ever fully enjoyed. But still, I expected more from this one. There's nothing wrong with the first few chapters - they do a good job of setting up Tolwyn as a shady megalomaniac and Blair as a man who has been lulled by a long and uneventful peace. But from there the book launches into autopilot, more concerned with recounting events then telling a good story with good characters. I can't help but feel Forstchen and Ohlander ducked all the important questions: The push/pull of loyalty vs. duty, the questionable morals of carpet-bombing civilians from outer space, the disorientation of turning your back on everything you've ever known. These events fly by almost without comment. The book does differ from the game in including a romantic subplot between Blair and Sosa, though in the last chapter it's presented as a fait accompli. And if you're a fan of Vagabond and Catscratch... forget about it. They're just scenery-chewers. Even by the loose standards of game-to-book novelizations A Price of Freedom is not up to snuff.

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey Hey!!!!, May 21, 2002

By 

General Pete (SC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Price of Freedom: A Wing Commander Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

I remember playing the game with my Uncle back in '96. I remember thinking to myself then-"Hey wait this is the Admiral T. he can't betray the Confederation!!" Now I realize that this is what made the game better. The big bad leader of the human fleets has greed and ambition. As for the book I think it is the 2nd best wingcommander book with the exception of Action Stations. It really helped tie up some lose ends left in the game.