Freehold (Baen Science Fiction)

Mike is far too modest in his own review. Although his willingness to indulge in self-criticism bodes well for the sequal, Freehold is itself a spectacularly intriguing vision of a free-market society in conflict with larger, older, corrupt societies. Analogies to the fledgling US colonies vs. the British Empire are apt, but this is no cheap adaptation of history to a science-fiction setting. Mike brings a very well-thought out world to vivid life with characters and relationships which live and breathe and you come to care about through the course of the tale. As previous reviewers have commented, this is no Hollywood-style Happy Ending special, and people die and take brutally life-altering damage - which is a fact of war and something which people are better off acknowledging and accepting as a part of the price of combat. The underlying themes of responsibility, sacrifice, loss and triumph are vital and beautifully presented, although there is plenty of action, warfare, combat, gadgets, guns and more as well. Overall, a rollicking good read and a must-add to any serious collection.

I am a Libertarian at heart and a lover of science fiction. I've red my share of utopian stories and while they are fun, they are nothing close to being real. THIS book is as close to the real thing as you can get. The author spends over 300 pages building it up, allowing us to see the good and bad of Freehold via the eyes of Kendra Pacelli, and then uses 300 pages trying to let the United Nations destroy it all. No holding back, no magic tricks, no saving Freehold with a super-weapon invented in a underground lab nobody knew about. The characters are sometimes loving, sometimes enraged and sometimes are just this close to just plain wanting to sit down and give up. The end is both shocking and ruthless, and I'm sure it can't be called a happy ending. But maybe it was the only ending that fits. This book touches on everything from business to rape, from the joining the military to getting a job.

I haven't read a book this quickly or with this much enjoyment since I discovered Andrew Vachss one day and spent the next 3 months reading everything he had ever written. Williamson is an excellent writer, and knows how to hold the reader's interest even when the story slows down for necessary plot breaks. His depiction of the Freehold society is flawlessly done and a Libertarian idealists delight. His depiction of the corrupt UN forces and society is frighteningly familiar. If you love speculative fiction, military action, or have ever just fondled a beautiful sword and wished you had lived in another time where you had the freedom to carry it, you should treat yourself and buy this book. In short, I intend to buy anything Williamson writes in the future sight unseen, simply based on the strength of this first novel.

667 pages. Feels like 150. This is a *good* book. Reasonably interesting plot, nice depiction of a libertarian society that is, however, a little *too* perfect. Realistically flawed in some areas - there are still jerks here and there, and corporations can be dishonest - but still, the streetgangs in Freehold don't write graffiti and mug people, they take care of the local park and help lost children find their parents.That that's the worst flaw I've found in Freehold, says something. The book's well done; realistic, some excellent ground combat, and Williamson clearly knows what the hell he's talking about in everything from economics through war and diplomacy. Writing style is crisp, using less words rather than more - something I like - and intelligent.A very, very impressive first novel. I'm looking forwards to more from this guy.