Rating: 
Summary: Falling Free
Review: (...)Formulaic. This is the best way to describe the disappointing Falling Free, which is predictable from page one. The basic plot line should sound familiar: Multiuniversal (as opposed to multinational) corporation creates genetically engineered human beings that are perfect for work in free fall and drastically lower operating costs; these "quaddies" become obsolete after invention of artificial gravity for space stations; corporation wants to rid itself of the quaddies and cut costs. You can imagine for yourself how they may want to dispose of them. Falling Free also has the standard hero who wants to save the quaddies and is set up against the heartless corporate administrator who will do anything to advance in the company and cut costs. The reader knows what will happen from page to page and it makes for a rather boring book. There is no in-depth character analysis or drama which make the Miles Vorkosigan books so enjoyable. I knew the basic plot and outcome of many of Bujold's Vorkosigan novels but her characters, humor, themes, and surprises from page to page made them greatly enjoyable and entertaining. This is not the case with Falling Free. The most interesting aspect of Falling Free was the exposition of the horrors of genetic engineering. The "quaddies" are four armed human beings designed to work more efficiently in free fall. The quaddies are raised and completely controlled by GalacTech who exploits them to the fullest. Their eduction, reproduction, reading material, free time, literally every aspect of their lives are controlled by the corporation. When the quaddies become a liability rather than an investment the corporation cares little about how they are "disposed". Bujold could have had a more interesting book had she explored the moral dilemmas presented by genetic engineering and its possible abuses. Unfortunately, the reader's anger at the plight of the quaddies dissipates rather quickly because of the superficial nature of the entire book. Bujold's quaddies are interesting, however, and she does a nice job of briefly exploring their characters. Having been raised and educated on a space station for specific purposes affects their interactions with one another, their sexual mores, and how they interact with two-legged creatures. For Miles Vorkosigan fans this book is NOT a must read. While the quaddies show up in the The Vor Game you really do not learn anything essential about them in Falling Free. Falling Free does not approach the high quality to which Miles Vorkosigan fans have become accustomed.
Rating:
Summary: Falling Free
Review: Book Review by C. Douglas Baker
Formulaic. This is the best way to describe the disappointing Falling Free, which is predictable from page one. The basic plot line should sound familiar: Multiuniversal (as opposed to multinational) corporation creates genetically engineered human beings that are perfect for work in free fall and drastically lower operating costs; these "quaddies" become obsolete after invention of artificial gravity for space stations; corporation wants to rid itself of the quaddies and cut costs. You can imagine for yourself how they may want to dispose of them. Falling Free also has the standard hero who wants to save the quaddies and is set up against the heartless corporate administrator who will do anything to advance in the company and cut costs. The reader knows what will happen from page to page and it makes for a rather boring book. There is no in-depth character analysis or drama which make the Miles Vorkosigan books so enjoyable. I knew the basic plot and outcome of many of Bujold's Vorkosigan novels but her characters, humor, themes, and surprises from page to page made them greatly enjoyable and entertaining. This is not the case with Falling Free.
The most interesting aspect of Falling Free was the exposition of the horrors of genetic engineering. The "quaddies" are four armed human beings designed to work more efficiently in free fall. The quaddies are raised and completely controlled by GalacTech who exploits them to the fullest. Their eduction, reproduction, reading material, free time, literally every aspect of their lives are controlled by the corporation. When the quaddies become a liability rather than an investment the corporation cares little about how they are "disposed". Bujold could have had a more interesting book had she explored the moral dilemmas presented by genetic engineering and its possible abuses. Unfortunately, the reader's anger at the plight of the quaddies dissipates rather quickly because of the superficial nature of the entire book. Bujold's quaddies are interesting, however, and she does a nice job of briefly exploring their characters. Having been raised and educated on a space station for specific purposes affects their interactions with one another, their sexual mores, and how they interact with two-legged creatures.
For Miles Vorkosigan fans this book is NOT a must read. While the quaddies show up in the The Vor Game you really do not learn anything essential about them in Falling Free. Falling Free does not approach the high quality to which Miles Vorkosigan fans have become accustomed.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun sci-fi adventure with some deeper philosophical issues
Review: I absolutely love Lois McMaster Bujold; she is one of my all-time favorite authors. But one of the problems I have with recommending her books is that I don't know where to start! It's hard to find the beginning of her Vorkosigan series. Falling Free, although not really part of the series, is the chronological beginning and a good introduction to LMB. In this book (as with all her books), she combines intelligence, humor, drama, and a touch of philosophy and blends them into a rollicking, quick-moving adventure story. This particular novel also has some good, hard science-fictional ideas, ideas which I found fascinating.
Rating: 
Summary: Struck me as a standard sci-fi fare.
Review: I admit to enjoying this book, once the things started happening, anyway, but I could not quite bring myself to see the originality.
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi Fluff
Review: In order to assure myself that I read quality sci-fi and fantasy and skip the fluff and bad stuff, I tend to try to read only Hugo and Nebula award winners. Sometimes, this tactic serves me well as in the case of "Ender's Game" and "Hyperion" but it's become apparent that I am not always in agreeance with the award judges. This is the case with "Falling Free". It was written in the 80s and it reminds me of an early 80s music video - bold at first glance, but essentially fluff underneath. Novel idea, but struck me as being rather shallow, simplistic and uninteresting. The characters have no complexity whatsoever. The plot is predictable - you know that everything will work out in the end. And, come on. Why in the hell would a 15 year old female character have any interest in a 40+ year old engineering teacher who seems about as interesting as a cardboard box? I have not read any of Lois McMaster Bujold's other books yet - but given this one - am not too interested in trying her other ones. Reminded me of "Snow Crash" by Neil Stephenson, which I also really didn't like or the Foundation Series by Isaac Isimov which I was really surprised was so well reviewed because there was just no complexity there. Flat like a stale potato chip. I think this book might appeal to 16 year old readers. Can't give it a completely bad review (though I was torn between giving it three and two starts) because I did see some merit in the book. Interesting premise. A series that I am enjoying very very much right now is George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire". Try it out if you are interested in more complex characters with lots of plot twists.
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi Fluff
Review: Leo Graf is an engineering instructor, with a problem... How to teach engineering to a new race of genetically enhanced humans called 'quaddies' who have an extra set of arms instead of legs. But he has other problems as well...The quaddies are being exploited by an evil organization who considers them only 'inventory.' I really enjoyed Falling Free, but I found the progression of the story to be rather typical. We all know Leo is not going to leave things, well enough alone, don't we? So, Leo's meddling is almost inevitable. In my opinion, if Bujold had made the Quaddies exploitation a little more subtle, there might have been a bit more suspense in this department -as it is Leo would have to be a real cad to ignore the Quaddies predicament. My caveat: Personally, I could've done without Leo Romancing one of the Quaddies. I thought it was unethical for a teacher to get involved with one one of his potential students, especially considering she is less than half his age, and as naive as the Quaddies are reputed to be, it struck me as just plain wrong.. ICK. Other than that, this was another great Bujold Audiobook. Listen away. You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Visionary Space Adventure
Review: Richly deserves the Nebula award it received. A true space adventure with superior imagination, original thinking, characterization, psychology, and insight into motivations. Without ever directly mentioning philosophic issues of ethics, natural rights, political rights, justice, individual responsibility, or what makes a human a human, Bujold shows you all of these issues in the actions of the characters. Seemingly without effort. That is great writing. She makes you think simply as part of reading a great, visionary adventure. Here are some of the insights, not necessarily original, that Bujold illustrates even though she does not state them explicitly. Intelligent beings, however genetically engineered, cannot be molded. They will be individuals, not subordinate parts of a collective. They will necessarily develop through the process of everyday living their own psychologies, goals, and choices suited to their natures as humans. Everyone might be considered a degree of mutant in the sense that we all have different genetics, though the term is intended for more than usually significant differences. Even so, the degree of difference required is somewhat subjective and has no inherent moral significance. Love and sexual attraction are responses to values and virtues seen, or imagined, in others, not simply biological chemistry. The concept of justice includes natural rights and freedom for intelligent beings regardless of their political affiliation or designation. Neither justice nor natural right of freedom necessarily ensures any political protection against violation of your freedom or life by others. Thus, responsibility for providing for oneself (food, self-defense, etc.) is both a natural right and an obligation. People have the power to make, and are responsible for, their own choices and actions. My favorite insight points out that life is a process of effort and achievement -- tasks suitable to humans. No problems only occurs with death. "...don't be afraid of troubles, Silver. They're a sign of life."
Rating:
Summary: An earlier look at Bujold's universe, and highly enjoyable
Review: There are those who consider this below Bujold's usual standard, but I found it quite a fun novel with several highly sensitive sequences, and therefore give it five stars. It is a story to relax and enjoy, not overly analyze. It takes place 200 years before the Vorkosigan stories, and follows Leo Graf, an engineer sent to the planet Rodeo to be a welding instructor to the genetically altered Quaddies. He immediately discovers an attitude on the part of the administrators on the planet toward these mutated beings, but takes them as they are, a human species most of whom are still developing youngsters. This is primarily an adventure story with well developed human and mutated human characters. There are tender scenes such as that between Silver who's deeply attuned to music and Madame Minchenko, the project physician's wife who also is deeply musically inclined. But there's also plenty of action, and the underlying plea for respect for all forms of life. Read for enjoyment and I think you'll quite appreciate it.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent ethical adventure
Review: This fascinating story starts out as a moody, introspective, disturbing glance into the deep, dark, truthful mirror of corporate ethics (or the lack thereof). Suddenly, the next thing you know, the story turns into a rollicking good adventure yarn and an entertaining satire of bureaucracy that will have you laughing and cheering at the end. Not the greatest story in the world, but definitely worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Weakest novel in the Miles Vorkosigan universe
Review: This novel is set in same universe as the Miles Vorkosigan series, but about 200 years before the birth of Miles, so connected very loosely to the main series. Main character Leo Graf is an engineer who is assigned to the quaddie project - quaddies being bioengineered humanoid workers who are specialized in freefall work because they have 4 arms rather than 2 arms and 2 legs. I've become a Bujold fan after reading a handful of Miles Vorkosigan novels, but this is by far the weakest novel I've read by the author. The plot is very thin and extremely predictable, the characters are flat, and if not for Bujold's talent in keeping the story moving and the dialogue lively, I would have ditched this book after 100 pages.
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