Although the blurb really doesn't give any clues beyond what was pretty much established in book one, this really was a much better book, structure and story-wise. More things happened, there were clearer goals and objectives, and, after a slowish start, it was paced better.However, there are two more or less related things in this book that I'd somehow entirely forgotten from my first reading, that I found very difficult to swallow.The first is mandatory child-bearing. While I understand the reasoning for it, I don't think McCaffrey handled it very well. For starters, we didn't get any of the debate leading to the decision, just delivery of that decision to Kris. And I really feel that an issue like that, if you're going to bring it up in your book, you really need to do it properly, and that includes discussing the pros and cons fully, and maybe even delving into the philosophies behind both sides of the arguments, and so on and so forth. But there is a lot to discuss about it, and to gloss over that part entirely felt very... well it felt like McCaffrey knew she wasn't a good enough author to bring both sides out without painting everyone like either selfish child-haters or domineering controllers. But I think she continued to do the issue a disservice with Kris's reaction to it. Initially, she freaks, entirely understandably as she had a very active and somewhat risky occupation on the planet, had chosen a mate she was biologically incompatible with and thus had no plans for kids ever, and even if she had wanted any, it wouldn't have been for some time yet. So she's decidedly nonplussed at the thought of being required to bear at least a child or two, for the sake of the colony's long-term success. However, she also gets over it way too quickly, if you ask me, and tells herself she's just being silly. She's not. Procreation is a very big deal, and I hate that this issue was ultimately dismissed as though it isn't. Maybe it's just because I myself am fiercely protective of my rights to decide what does and does not live in my body, but I just found the presentation of this as a done deal, and Kris's almost immediate more-or-less acceptance of it rather disturbing.Then there's the second issue. It was stated explicitly that they had the technology to do artificial insemination, and Kris made it very clear very early and to anyone who broached the subject of fathering her child, that that would be the method she would use, if she had to bear a child. She had no intention whatsoever of being unfaithful to her mate, even if he was accepting of the whole situation. And yet, after she breaks her arm and has to stay home from a mission that she was supposed to go on with Zainal, she's miserable, lonely, and drunk as a skunk on the only analgesic they have available: moonshine. And one of the other characters, who we're supposed to like, takes her home and ends up sleeping with her. I was so nauseated by this that it made the rest of the book hard to read. It doesn't matter that she didn't protest. It doesn't even matter that she enjoyed it. To take advantage like that of a woman in the state she was in has a legal name, and it kills me to see that ignored entirely. The individual in question later claims that he was also so drunk he barely remembers what happened, and thus wasn't in his right mind at the time either, but I don't buy that. If you're so drunk you weren't functioning right in the head to the point of not knowing what you're doing and not remembering it later, you're drunk enough that you're not functioning right in other parts, either. You certainly wouldn't be good at it. Maybe if the sex had been described as being hopelessly sloppy and awkward, I could buy it. But not when it's described as being very good. If you were that good, you were not so drunk that you can't claim responsibility. End of story. So yeah. The way that whole situation was handled was something I found extremely distasteful, and in fact, downright offensive. The fact that that is how she ends up pregnant just adds salt to the wound. I just hated that whole situation, and I can't even begin to express how disappointed I am in Anne McCaffrey for how she wrote it. I just... I really can't.
4.5*Book source ~ My home library.In Freedom’s Landing after Kris Bjornson, Zainal, Chuck Mitford and hundreds of others had been dropped on a distant planet to colonize it for the Catteni they discovered it was inhabited by automated machines farming the land. Taking apart the machines to create usable items for themselves they’ve made a pretty good life for themselves. However, they want more and need to get out from under the Catteni’s thumb. With Zainal’s help they intend to strike back at the Catteni and in doing so strike at the Eosi who have controlled the Catteni for two thousand years. With some strategic planning and a lot of luck they intend to free the Catteni and Earth from Eosi domination.This story picks up where Freedom’s Landing left off. A probe has been sent to the whoever farms Botany and Zainal has made it plain to the Emassi who came to retrieve him that he was dropped and he will stay. Since he has refused to return and face his duty, his brother must take his place and be subsumed by an Eosi Mentat. The towering hatred Lenvec feels for Zainal intrigues the Eosi named Ix and soon Ix is consumed with the curiosity about the planet Botany and finding Zainal. Since it is quite unusual for an Eosi Mentat to become obsessed this behave starts to draw the attention of other Eosi.In the meantime, the Botanists are setting up a three stage plan to free themselves from the Eosi and the Farmers of the planet help protect them from attack by encasing the planet in a protective bubble after they have acquired a scout ship and a cargo ship. The Botantists are allowed to go in and out of the bubble, but nothing else is allowed in. Since the Farmers live according to the ‘Do no harm.’ rule, the bubble is the extent of their help.There is so much going on in this book that it’s hard to know where to start. Zainal’s refusal to leave, Lenvec’s subsumption by Ix, exploring Botany, a visit by the Farmers, several more slave drops on Botany by the Catteni increasing their population by thousands, a raid on Barevi, building homes, having children, adding one more ship to the fleet and planning how to stop the Eosi make for a jam-packed book. Even with everything going on the story flows along smoothly and at a good clip. I love watching it all come together and look forward to the next book to see how it’s all going to play out.
What do You think about Freedom's Choice (1998)?
(Group review for the whole series.) I’m a bit surprised that I haven’t written a Goodreads review for these books before, given that I’ve read all of them at least once. And the first time around, I wasn’t terribly impressed. I thought a lot of the plot stuff was just a bit too convenient to work as a book. Just recently, though, I decided to give the series a shot again. To my surprise, I found that it was quite enjoyable, though that doesn’t necessarily make it good. It’s just fun to read as McCaffrey sets up a science fiction universe, even if the fourth book does feel slightly tacked on.
—Matthew
Freedom's Choice by Anne McCaffrey is the second book of the Catteni Sequence. While the book continues with many of the same characters that were in the first book, the focus shifts more to the overall galactic picture of the Eosian sphere and those that domesticated the planet of Botany who the colonists call the farmers. The Eosians seem like the nightmare race that every science fiction story has ever made as they are a parasitical race which takes control of Catteni bodies use them until they are discarded. This is the race that is ultimately responsible for the conquest of earth and it is against them that the colonists hope that the farmers can protect them. In many ways it is this hope that drives the book and maybe even the series. The colonists don't have a hope which just sits and waits but instead they are actively working to try make the farmers like them so that they will be protected rather than destroyed. We too must realize that we can not overcome the whole world by ourselves but must seek allies in our fights against injustice and for ethical behavior. I must remember first that God is ultimately the only ally that truly matters but from the strength that he gives I must also seek to make others my allies in this world. I enjoyed the book even if it was very similar to many others in the field.
—Brian Schiebout
While yes, I continue to enjoy the continuing story of the planet Botany, I did have some issues with certain plot developments. SPOILERKris didn't want a child, and so completely adamant about not having one, so when McCaffrey decided to go ahead and have her get pregnant, I couldn't help but think: Why isn't she pissed? Because, dude, I would be. I'd be ripping Sarah and everyone else a new one. End rant. But, in typical McCaffrey fashion, the book was well written. I'd probably reread Freedom's Landing more often than this one though.
—Hanna Elledge
