Ο Γουλφ γράφει πολλά πράματα. Παίζει με το ύφος, με τη δομή - είναι ένας ευφυής συγγραφέας. Μα όπως όλοι οι άνθρωποι με όραμα, έχει τις εμμονές του. Και μία από αυτές είναι το γριφώδες, κρυπτικό γράψιμο. Αυτό που απαιτεί την ολοκληρωτική συμμετοχή του αναγνώστη.Αυτό κάνει και σε τούτο εδώ το βιβλίο του, όπου οι ανατροπές έρχονται απανωτά. Τίποτα δεν είναι αυτό που φαίνεται. Και τίποτα δεν εξελίσσεται όπως το περιμένει ο αναγνώστης. Κι όμως, καταφέρνει να γράφει με αυτή τη σπάνια, λόγια οικονομία του, και η ανάγνωση να είναι τόσο απολαυστική που ποτέ δεν θες να βγεις από τους κόσμους που χτίζει ο Γουλφ.Εδώ διαβάζουμε: ένα κατεδαφιστέο κτίριο φιλοξενεί τέσσερις ανθρώπους που βρίσκονται, ο καθένας με τον τρόπου στον πάτο της οικονομικής κλίμακα;, σε μια Αμερική ευημερούσα, το '80. Κοντολογίς άνθρωποι του περιθωρίου. Το κτίριο κατεδαφίζεται, ο οικοδεσπότης τους, γηραλέος, υπαινικτικός, κάτοχος κάποιων παράξενων πραγμάτων, εξαφανίζεται. Και από 'κει ξεκινά μια αναζήτηση, κατά τη διάρκεια της οποίας προσωπικά μα και κρατικά συμφέροντα συγκρούονται. Σέχτες, το απόκρυφο, η μαύρη μαγεία, το πάνθεον των σκοτεινών δυνάμεων, η παραφιλολογία των θεωριών συνωμοσίας - όλα μπλέκονται γοητευτικά σε μια αχλή νουάρ. Και φυσικά, τα πάντα συνεχώς παίρνω αδιόρατα μια στροφή. Κοιτώντας τον κόρφο του ο αναγνώστης συνειδητοποιεί πως ο Γουλφ τον πάει όπου ο ευφυής νους του θέλει.Καταπληκτικός και ξεχωριστός, στριφνός για πολλούς, ο καλύτερος εν ζωή και τόδο αδικημένος για άλλους -μεταξύ αυτών κι εγώ- συγγραφέας. Είναι ο Γουλφ και για άλλη μια φορά παραδίδει αυτό που ξέρει τόσο καλά: ξεχωριστή, καλογραμμένη, ευφάναστη λογοτεχνία με τα όλα της.
Here I have found an unexpected and nice surprise.This story is an unconventional quest taken up by the oddest characters you can think of. And here it lies its strength and charm. Because that pack of losers just made a hole in your heart and meant to stay there. You do not know why, but... Besides, Wolfe shows a cunning style that easily takes you from the hilarious scene (not that I laugh so easily, but Wolfe just made it happen: my prise for that) through strange settings and spiced with Sherlock Holmes' ways. It is true that you try to guess how it will end or the explanation to all that from every possibility perspective you may imagine. Wolfe knows, masters that and plays delightfully with you all over the novel. So well he does it that I did not care so much about explanations at the end. Although they came. As unexpected as the rest of the book. That part I enjoyed less, but it was so (again) unconventional that it fits well in the novel.I may gladly put a five star finally, but let it be a four for the time being.
What do You think about Free Live Free (1999)?
As always, I loved the writing between all the dialogue. There are some very imaginative set pieces. The four main protagonists were living charicatures, but believable and filled with human flaws and hopes. On the other hand, Wolfe's conversations could be frustrating and hard to follow. You I will say that the ending was not disappointing at all as other reviews have said; it actually resonates quite a bit with some of the concepts in Book/Urth of the New Sun. That being said, I know this book will be more fulfilling on a reread, so hopefully I will find the energy sometime to do a closer reading of it.
—Severianthelame
Not his best in my opinion. The writing read like Pynchon written by Salinger. And I like Pynchon and dislike Salinger. I enjoyed many of the subtle and not so subtle references littered throughout the text but I'm sure I missed hundreds, which is a disheartening feeling, but one I am used to with this author. The book seems to suffer most because it is of its time and does not age well, if I had read it in the 80's or early 90's I may have enjoyed it more. It reminds me a lot of Philip K. Dick's Simulacra and Catcher in the Rye with the characters behaviorism's and story construction, but is far better than either. Wolfe has done and continues to do better.
—Tony
In the novel, a group of four down on their luck strangers answer an add and soon move in with the eccentric elderly owner, Ben Free, of a house that is to be knocked down in just a few days. His only requirement of them is that they help him to try to delay the destruction of the house. From there, the story unfolds...I'm not quite sure how to set about reviewing this book. On the one hand, the portrayal of the actions and motivations of the main characters involved was very good. Quite a few scenes were downright hilarious. The ending was somewhat of a surprise (a rarity) - but then, I had been warned of that before reading the book. Yet, somehow, the book as a whole seemed like something was somewhat lacking. I think that the reason for this feeling is my extremely high expectations from anything that Wolfe writes. I would still recommend this book, as it is a good read. But if you have yet to read anything else of Wolfe's I would suggest Peace, the "New Sun" series, or The Fifth Head of Cerberus.
—Eric Wisdahl
