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 Wins AudioFile's Earphones Award!
Review: AudioFile awards Earphones to truly exceptional audio presentations that excel in all the following criteria:
-- Narrative voice and style
-- Vocal characterizations
-- Appropriateness for the audio format
-- Enhancement of the text
--This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition
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: A Good Read
Review: I read this book when it first came out years ago, and I really enjoyed it. Bujold's writing got better after this novel, but don't let that stop you from reading this non-Miles adventure.
Rating:
Summary: One of her weaker works
Review: In Falling Free Bujold fails to create characters as complex as Aral, Cordelia, or Miles. The story feels very plot oriented, with hard science fiction tendancies. The story distance in time from Miles days makes it an unimportant novel in regards to her other novels. The book ends leaving one waiting for a sequel. Maybe a second story would make this one feel more complete.
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: Good, but not her best.
Review: It took a little while to really get into, but this book is a good read. It is not, however, as good as much of Bujold's other work, most of which, for some reason, Amazon does not seem to carry. She has a series of books featuring the very engaging character Miles Vorkosigan (and before that, his parents) that are truly outstanding. 9s and 10s all the way. Some of these have been collected two or three at a time into large-format paperbacks. For the sake of the unitiated (and Amazon stock-holders), I hope Amazon adds all of Bujold's titles to their listings soon
Rating:
Summary: Great dialogue. Okay prose. No big whoop.
Review: Just read this, and although she writes some of the best dialog I've ever read in science fiction, I couldn't stand her prose style. "No, I didn't," he denied. Well, DUH. She also had people smiling, grinning, gulping and laughing dialog, which is big pet peeve of mine. Plus the scene between Silver and the woman with the violin was downright nauseating. Much too sweet and happy for my taste.
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