Freehold

Rating:
Summary: Nolo Contendere
Review: Hi, it's Mike. I'm told it's a bad idea to respond to reviews, but I'm lousy at taking advice.

The comparisons of me to Heinlein are appreciated, of course, but not fair to him. Heinlein was a master of human experience and soul, and I learn something every time I read his better works. I'm simply not that good. As to the statements propounding this obvious fact, I wouldn't think a PhD would be necessary for the conclusion.

Nor did I "invoke" Heinlein. I mentioned him in tribute and quoted him twice with permission of his widow. And who in hard SF wasn't inspired by him?

It's true there's influence from him in "Freehold." The political system is a combination of that in Starship Troopers, and one he mentioned in passing in Expanded Universe. "Farnham's Freehold" has no bearing on it, except that we both used the term "Freehold," a thousand year old term for land held without being a tenant owing fealty. There's no deeper meaning behind the title than that.

It's not a utopic novel. The "heroes" torture people to death, there's a financial scandal that makes Enron look small, petty schemers and thugs and no succor for the poor. If that's a utopia, please don't buy me a ticket. I extrapolated from existing concepts as a mental exercise to see where it would go. The "incompetent" military operations are drawn largely from my 18 years service in the Army and Air Force. I'm sorry some people don't find them believable. I've had little disagreement from veterans, however.

As to public education, local and private education was the norm in the US through the 19th Century and even after WWI. HEW was created in 1953. A quick glance at letters home during the Civil War shows the common soldier to have been more erudite than the typical high school graduate today. "Everyone does it," regarding public education is not conclusive proof of its necessity. Technical education in many nations, Germany for example, is handled largely through corporate support in exchange for employment. Students from American private schools or home continue to shatter the curves set by publicly educated students.

The society isn't covered in as great a detail as some would like, because the novel is about Kendra. Writing a discourse about a political system would take 1000 pages or more and be very dry. I had to pick two of background, plot and character. I chose the latter two.

As to rating, I give myself 3 stars. In the four years since I finished this, my second novel (and first by a major publisher), I've learned a lot more about the craft of writing. "Freehold" IS long. What started as a story of a young woman in outrageous circumstances expanded with other characters and a rich setting, which I hope to do justice to in other works. This was the story of a person. I hope it's entertaining, and perhaps inspires thought. But there was no deep message about the human condition. I'm a writer, not a philosopher.

Hopefully and with thought, my future works (pending now! shameless plug. Please see my website, the URL should be obvious) will read better, more concisely, and with better purpose.

Thanks to all who have read or commented.

Mike

Rating:
Summary: All I can say is WOW.
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: A tribute to Heinlein
Review: I have to admire the authors style, he has a very fluid, easy going writing style that draws you in.

This is, for all intents and purposes, a light, enjoyable, good time of a story, that will keep up late at night.

Michael Z Williamson is obviously a Heinlein fan. I recognized a similarity in style by chapter 2, and there are several references to the man throughout the story. So if you've ever enjoyed Heinlein give freehold a chance.

The only drawback of the story is that he has obviously given this society such much thought that he can't stop talking about it.

Michael, if your reading this, sometimes its alright not to explain why things are. :)

I would, and am, recommending this to all my friends.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's "Friday" on Steroids
Review: I haven't read a book this quickly or with this much enjoyment since I discovered Andrew Vachss one day amd 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 frightingly 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.

Rating:
Summary: Heinlein's "Friday" on Steroids
Review: I haven't read a book this quickly or with this much enjoyment since I discovered Andrew Vachss one day amd 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 frightingly 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.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, there was just too much
Review: I read alot of adventure, sf, mystery books. I pay attention to the publisher. When it is an author I do not know, I usually get good value if the publisher is Baen or Forge.

Not this time. There was just too much sex and libertarian propaganda. Perhaps the too must go together, but Heinlein did the libertarian politics thing so much better. The boot camp military training section was good, but too obviously fortends that the big bullys (Earthling UN authorities)are a bunch of wimps that will never stand up to the rugged Freeholders. Maybe worth your time to read it, if you can re-sell the copy. Not worth shelf space in my library.

Rating:
Summary: Sorry, there was just too much
Review: I read alot of adventure, sf, mystery books. I pay attention to the publisher. When it is an author I do not know, I usually get good value if the publisher is Baen or Forge.

Not this time. There was just too much sex and libertarian propaganda. Perhaps the too must go together, but Heinlein did the libertarian politics thing so much better. The boot camp military training section was good, but too obviously fortends that the big bullys (Earthling UN authorities)are a bunch of wimps that will never stand up to the rugged Freeholders. Maybe worth your time to read it, if you can re-sell the copy. Not worth shelf space in my library.

Rating:
Summary: Less is more.
Review: I was anticipating something which moved a bit quicker. This effort would have been a really great novel and sequel, but putting it all in one book makes the reading too ponderous for a working man to comfortably read in a month.

Better than Rand's prose by a long margin, Williamson is trying hard and I think his next effort will show his skill and ability better. "Freehold" does present much more interesting plot and many more believable characters than, say, "Atlas Shrugged", but it still has too many pedantic moments.

Many have compared it to Heinlein's work, but I wonder if that is because of the libertarian philosophy and heavy handed sexual byplay or because they just like both writers? Maybe early Heinlein? Maybe very early Heinlein, as in the 1939 effort "For Us the Living"? Like Heinlein I think that Williamson will improve as he matures as a writer; in the end he will be well liked, but he's going to have to lose his fear of leaving something out.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: If you like Heinlein you'll like this. Think a combination of Starship Troopers and The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress.

The heroine, Kendra, is framed by her crooked superiors in the UN (Earth) military. Due to a warning from a friend she is able to escape to an independant planet and former colony called the Freehold of Grainne which is a libertarian planet. The first half of the book deals with how Kendra adapts to life in such a different environment. The second deals with how the UN attempts to conquer the planet and how the Freeholders fight back. Needless to say Kendra is in the thick of the action!

All in all this is a book that appeals on many levels as it has believable characters, a gripping story and a well constructed underlying philosphy.

Rating:
Summary: Freehold -- Wow
Review: Mike Williamson does war and politics. Moreover, he does them well.

FREEHOLD is fast-paced, with details of politics, everyday interactions and combat that read well. The combat scenes are fast, with the attention to small details that makes them realistic. The politics are idealistic, as are the politics of most novels. Mr. Williamson's grasp of political treachery is good. His villians are villians, heroes are heroes, soldiers are soldiers - on both sides.

In summation, if you like fast-paced novels of war and political betrayal, you'll love this one.