Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson

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Freehold
by Michael Z. Williamson

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Sample Chapters

The Innocent Run When Everyone Pursueth!

Sergeant Kendra Pacelli is innocent, but that doesn't matter to the repressive government pursuing her. Mistakes might be made, but they are never acknowledged, especially when billions of embezzled dollars earned from illegal weapons sales are at stake. But where does one run when all Earth and most settled planets are under the aegis of one government Answer: The Freehold of Grainne, the only developed system that belongs to neither the UNES nor the Colonial Alliance. There, one may seek asylum and build a new life in a society that doesn't track its residents' every move, which is just what Pacelli has done. But now things are about to go royally to hell. Because Earth's government has found out where she is . . .

A Fast-Paced Novel of an Indomitable Individual Against a Monolithic Tyranny

Published 1/1/2004

SKU:	0743471792
Ebook Price: $5.00

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Ghost	At All Costs	Choosers of the Slain	Kildar

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1. Peter on 8/26/2010, said:

A good read because of appealing characters and fast-moving plot. The utopian society is not just idealistic, but unrealistic, taking no account of human behaviours, the selfish gene, the tendency we have to look after ourselves and our own first... but at the same time it's meant to be fiction and so I don't mind that too much. Enjoyed it!
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2. Max on 12/19/2009, said:

I love this book. I recommend it to everyone who likes reading. i have read it about 5 times so far. A world like this will never exist but its nice to escape to it every now and then.
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3. James on 10/11/2009, said:

Freehold is a novel about a Libertarian Utopia. This leads the author to sometimes paint the society in unrealistically complimentary terms without seriously exploring its dark side. For instance: * A street gang (complete with red bandannas and canine teeth) control an eight block area, but rather than fighting over turf, they see it as their job to make it "the safest, cleanest urban environment in the system." The disconnect between aggressive, rebellious styling (canine teeth) and civic pride is never explored. I suppose if they had been dressed like boy scouts the author's scenario would have been less radical. * Another example is a throwaway comment from the author that "bullies were rare and the older kids would stop the few there were." The reader never gets an explanation for how human nature has been so effectively subverted. * One last example is that at one point the main character helps someone out in an emergency. The next morning she receives an unasked for check from the insurance company of the person she helped, covering much more than the cost of her damaged clothes. In what world other than a Utopia does an insurance company pay out money the very next morning, without being asked, and for more than they had to? Those are just a few of the more blatant examples, but the book is full of situations in which the libertarian society works implausibly well or without sufficient explanation. The author also fails to capitalize on opportunities to make his society more realistic by showing the disaffected. For instance, at one point the main character is working with prisoners cleaning up a park. That would have been a fantastic opportunity to introduce someone who could serve as a window into the society's seedy underbelly. Letting the reader see that not everyone is well-served by the society (even if only a small minority) would make the whole thing more believable. All that said, the book is not badly written and when I wasn't throwing my hands up in frustration I enjoyed it. Those willing to overlook (or push through) the Utopian styling will find a solid and enjoyable book.
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4. Clayton on 6/10/2009, said:

Good book. Bit unrealistic in its politics and ending. Recognizes the inherent conflict between Libertarianism and large scale Socialism/Totalitarianism. Misses the boat that Libertarian only works where population density is low enough that as a rule your neighbors failure doesn't effect you (picket fence houses versus apartments for fire safety problem). A crippled infrastructure would merely force a worldwide Socialist/Totalitarian government to abandon sufficient population to recover living standards and industry for war. And theoretically excess population lets you do that fast. Lots of military detail and realism with the exception that pototoe gun rocket launchers are NOT advantageous against thermal spotting. Good grief it is hotter and larger flare than cigarette. Hell at night it has a visible flame and during the day the projectiles are slow enough to track with the the old Mark I eyeball! But great in urban environments as short over building booster mortar where horizontal LOS is blocked.
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5. Michael on 5/17/2009, said:

The book was really well written. If you want to see what the UN will do to the US in the not to distant future, just change the books venue to the here and now. One caution there are strong sexual scenes which are not recommended for Christians. They took away from the quality of the work, IMHO I liked Kendra and if there is a sequel I will have to weigh that against the sexual overtones.
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6. Dan on 3/11/2009, said:

Excellent, thought I was reading Heinlein. Can’t wait to read the sequel.
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7. Anna on 10/24/2008, said:

Really good book, superbly told story. .... and a description of the only setting (frontier, pioneer) where such a an extreme of libertanism may be of benefit for all people concerned.
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8. Robert on 6/16/2008, said:

The best since Heinlein.
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9. Laird on 3/21/2008, said:

As libertarian/anarchist screeds go, this one is far and away ahead of the pack. Only Heinlein did it better. On the other hand, Williamson absolutely fails to take certain basic human motivations seriously, and so produces an rose-glass vision of a individualistic society, not a realistic one. This is a common fault of idealists everywhere, so I suppose I should forgive him. Hell, if Marx could be so radically wrong about human motivations, Williamson can hardly be faulted for going to the opposite extreme. Both men (and all other idealists), of course, fail in that they were/are ultimately optimistic about human nature. There's nothing wrong with optimism - It's a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, human nature is survival-oriented, not egalitarian. That said, Freehold is still a wonderful, utopian, energetic, engaging read. A little hopeful fantasy is a good thing!
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10. Peter on 1/13/2008, said:

Absolutely amazing. One of a rare handful of books (fantasy, sci fi, or otherwise) that has REAL world building and character development. Great characters, and a compelling story with a 'bad guy' you can easily dislike.
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The Innocent Run When Everyone Pursueth!