The Weapon

Freehold, Book 2

By: Michael Z. Williamson

Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby

Kenneth Chinran was a disaffected youth who joined the military and was recruited for an elite deep-cover unit, completely training and exercises so tough that several of the recruits did not survive. At the peak of his career, he was sent by his star nation to infiltrate a fascistic, militaristic planet: Earth.

He lived in deep cover for years, marrying and having a daughter. Then the Earth forces attacked his home system, and he and his team came out of hiding, attacking and destroying the infrastructure of the crowded planet, disabling transportation and communications and creating terror in city after city.

As a result of his attacks, billions died for lack of the food, water, and power, which the ravaged system could no longer supply. His sabotage was successful, but the deaths of so many weighed heavily on his mind, making him wonder if he was still sane. Then the secret police discovered his identity. With his daughter, the only thing in his life that had so far kept him human, he was on the run, while the resources of a planetwide police state were tracking him down. He could see no way to escape from the planet, and if he and his daughter were caught, death was the very least that they could expect.

But Chinran is a warrior in his soul, and even if he loses this last battle, he won't go down without a fight that his pursuers - the ones who survive - will never forget.

©2005 Michael Z. Williamson (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Had it's moments

Is there anything you would change about this book?

It is a pretty simple story. It has it's moments. Overall it was just OK.

If you’ve listened to books by Michael Z. Williamson before, how does this one compare?

This is my first Williamson book.

What three words best describe Stephen Bowlby’s voice?

Fit the part.

Do you think The Weapon needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, I think it may have one but I don't think it needs one. The story wasn't that compelling.

Entertaining, but too much politics

The story overall is good, but the politics portion is painful to listen to and if I was reading this in a book I’d have quit long ago.

Satisfying military sci-fi storytelling

This is another example of where the provided synopsis is not indicative of the overall story. In this case, the description of a Freehold war with Earth comprises less than the final third of the audiobook. The first two thirds unfold in a diary fashion of a tale that describes our "hero's" military career from the earliest beginnings.

While hardly hardcore military sci-fi, the storytelling is superb and the listener is afforded a front row seat to the complete development of a seasoned and well trained special forces operative who can do it all if necessary. While the political overtones are kept to a minimum, there is sufficient explanation to appreciate the divergence between Earth and Freehold, although there is probably insufficient detail to understand how either societal organization has any long term viability.

At it's heart, the story is one of competing needs between an individual and his parent society and we are privy to that evolving struggle as the character develops. The diary-like conversational style of the performance is eminently suitable for the writing style and the listening is quite easy and inviting.

great, brutal scifi.

better than book 1. absolutely brutal. love it! You know it's good when you root for Earth to be decimated. Long live the FreeHold. They are Humanities rightful heirs. May they populate the Stars.

Good but not great; not as good as the first book.

The story was rather slow after the first few chapters. The performance was great; really conveyed the cockiness of the main character.