Freedom and Necessity

Rating:
Summary: NOT worth the effort
Review: I consider myself a die hard Brust fan and have enjoyed Emma Bulls works as well. This book was near agony to read and I am still one third of the way from finishing it (I bought it about a year ago). The plot is slow because of the the need for the characters to write each other. Insights that are given into the plot were not stunning enough to keep my attention. I got bored. This book is one I reccommend you pass by, as for EVERYTHING ELSE that Brust writes buy doubles, you will wear out the first copy.

Rating:
Summary: long but fun
Review: I didn't like how the story was presented in letters et al, and the words were a little hard to get through (of course I read it with a caffeine-head at around midnight) but the sheer WAHOO! adventure pace of the plot was a serious plus. Of course, it had a happy, suitably romantic ending... and one of the best parts was having Friedrich Engels, co-writer of the "Communist Manifesto", not portrayed as a killer anarchist but as a nice guy and a sympathetic character. Read this. NOW.

Rating:
Summary: Labyrinthine, 19th-Century Noir and loving it!
Review: I know a lot of people will knock this book for being tough to get into and stick with, but if you can, you're in for a ride. The plot, which develops by way of letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings, follows the adventures of an English playboy, who, in 1849, finds himself an amnesiac in a small village. He contacts his cousin, and the two begin to unravel the secret of where he has been for two months of his life which have disappeared. Add two heroines, some secrets, and you're on your way. The language is beautiful, and there's a bonus treat for fans of Steven Brust and Emma Bull--you can figure out which one wrote the part of which characters, kind of like a role-play. (That's actually how they wrote the book!) A most worthy addition to the works of Brust and Bull.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent characters, great story
Review: I loved it, but it would have been even better with some fantastic elements added. I do agree with one (only one?) low rater that the really long letters and journal entries were a bit unrealistic but I liked the format a lot, so I overlooked that bit of unreality.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, but not for all tastes
Review: I note that most of the reviewers who gave this low ratings begin with "Epistolary novels are boring" or "I don't like Victorian settings". So look: this is a story told through letters and journal entries and it is set in the mid-1800s. Got that? If you can't stand either of those, this may not be the book for you. It also delves into philosophy (hence the title) and the politics of the time, and by the way it contains the best love letter *ever* and the best romance story since Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night. There are a few loose ends that could have been better tied up, and I really wish Bull and Brust had done a better job with the alternate universe subplot; as another reviewer has pointed out, the Golden Bough-type myths are hinted at but it is never clear whether there's anything to them in the world of the story, or whether Kitty's experiments are anything more than hallucinations. The story is not weakened if the magic some characters believe in is mythical, but a bit more exposition would be nice. Otherwise, just brilliant.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant, but not for all tastes
Review: I note that most of the reviewers who gave this low ratings begin with "Epistolary novels are boring" or "I don't like Victorian settings". So look: this is a story told through letters and journal entries and it is set in the mid-1800s. Got that? If you can't stand either of those, this may not be the book for you. It also delves into philosophy (hence the title) and the politics of the time, and by the way it contains the best love letter *ever* and the best romance story since Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night. There are a few loose ends that could have been better tied up, and I really wish Bull and Brust had done a better job with the alternate universe subplot; as another reviewer has pointed out, the Golden Bough-type myths are hinted at but it is never clear whether there's anything to them in the world of the story, or whether Kitty's experiments are anything more than hallucinations. The story is not weakened if the magic some characters believe in is mythical, but a bit more exposition would be nice. Otherwise, just brilliant.

Rating:
Summary: This is one of the five best books I read in 1997.
Review: I read this book because I enjoyed Bull's War for the Oaks. This is completely different but excellent in its own way. It is multi-layered and contains so much that every time I reread it I come away with something new. The first time I read it, I read it as an intense heart-stopping historical adventure. The second time I got to know the characters better, absorbed more of the history, and was able to appreciate the philosophical discourse. Highly HIGHLY recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Difficult to start but those who persevere will be delighted
Review: I started reading this book after several people at the bookstore recommended it. That is the only thing that kept me going for awhile until I finally got caught up in it and the people came alive. (and you do not have to love philosophy to get through it!!!)

Rating:
Summary: This impressed I haven't been in a long time
Review: I stumbled over this book by accident - an accident which I now consider to be blessed. This is one of the greatest literary experiences I have had in years. "Freedom and necessity" has one of the greatest plots I have ever come across, a breathtaking mix of historical events, love and adventure. It's beautiful, horrifying, hilarious, intelligent and simply unputdownable. The character's are wonderful and very alive-seeming. The book can be read for its language alone, which is in my opinion absolutely marvellous, showing that these are two high quality writers. The disposition, finally, is also amazing, interesting in its unusual style and probably very demanding for the authors. Now, I would be giving this book 5 stars if I was not to critisize a little. The idea of telling the story through letters, diary entries and newspaper articles is very inventive, but can also get a bit confusing - clues are given at a time when you're not aware that they are actually clues, forcing you to go back to that page when they get an importance. And at least I who have not got English as my mother tongue, found many of the extracts of German philosophy somewhat hard to grasp, which is sad since they have a rather important significance. But overall this is a very recommendable book, especially if you are interested in history, particularly 19th century England and English. And even if you are not, the plot by itself is enough to make it splendidly enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Historical Fiction, Wilkie Collins would be proud
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this book! There were a few times when I know I missed a few points, and forgot a few events but I'm sure that will make it more enjoyable when I read it again. It's a long book, but be prepared to not want to put it down! I was late for work a couple of days because I started reading it at breakfast.