Freedom's Challenge (A Freedom Novel, Band 3) - Softcover

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Anne McCaffrey was the multi-award winning bestselling author of more than fifty books, including the Dragonriders of Pern series, the Freedom series, and the Tower and the Hive series.

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“Readers will savor [McCaffrey’s] works for generations to come.”

—Starlog

Praise for Anne McCaffrey’s Freedom series

Freedom’s Landing

“McCaffrey has created another set of winning protagonists and a carefully detailed, exotic background.”

—Publishers Weekly

“There are enough problems and mysteries involved in establishing a colony to keep things interesting and to promise intriguing developments to come.”

—Locus

“Not for nothing do her fans call the author ‘the Dragonlady’…She crafts a sci-fi adventure that will please followers of the genre and of the author.”

—Dayton Daily News

“Exciting and totally convincing…There can be only more action in the sequels McCaffrey presumably plans.”

—Booklist

“The narrative hits an admirable groove.”

—Kirkus Reviews

Freedom’s Choice

“A fun adventure…Delightfully audacious.”

—Locus

“This episode of the Freedom saga is as exciting and convincing as the first.”

—Booklist

“The setting is crisp and expertly detailed, and the plot spins out smoothly…Readers will be eager for the next installment in the series.”

—Publishers Weekly

Freedom’s Challenge

“The action is fast-paced and riveting, and the characters—human and of other species—are well limned and exhibit great individuality. McCaffrey continues to amaze with her ability to create disparate, well-realized worlds and to portray believable humans, convincing aliens of varied sorts, and credible interactions between them all. A very satisfying tale.”

—Booklist

“Rip-roaring adventure no science fiction fan could possibly resist.”

—RT Book Reviews

Freedom’s Ransom

“Touching and humorous.”

—Publishers Weekly

“McCaffrey is masterly at creating universes and characters so memorable that readers can slip comfortably back into [her] world…Full of humorous events as well as excitement, the fourth entry in McCaffrey’s Freedom series will be relished by fans.”

—Booklist

Praise for the bestselling novels of
Anne McCaffrey’s Tower and Hive series

The Rowan

“A reason for rejoicing.”

—The Washington Times

“One of the best McCaffrey novels.”

—Locus

“The Rowan introduces readers to the Gwyn-Raven dynasty…complete with an interstellar love affair steamy enough to attract those not usually interested in science fiction.”

—Calgary Herald

“A well-told tale…McCaffrey’s popularity is immense and justified.”

—Booklist

Damia

“Dynamic.”

—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Holds the reader spellbound [with an] artful weave of romance and humor that infuses her characters.”

—Calgary Herald

“McCaffrey interweaves an engrossing romance with a coming-of-age story as she examines the issue of responsibility in a society where survival depends on the abilities of a gifted few.”

—Publishers Weekly

Damia’s Children

“Winning, carefully developed young characters, an attractive alien society, and an enemy drawn with more than a touch of mystery.”

—Publishers Weekly

“McCaffrey’s fans won’t be disappointed…Fascinating in its exploration of the brain’s potential and untapped powers.”

—The Calgary Sun

“McCaffrey skillfully combines elements of family, adventure, action, and the intriguing possibilities of psychic phenomena.”

—The Toledo Blade

Lyon’s Pride

“McCaffrey’s protagonists remain as warm and appealing as ever.”

—Publishers Weekly

“McCaffrey continues to spin a good tale…All in all, a rich, compelling novel.”

—Booklist

“Another exciting episode in the thrilling epic of the Rowan…Read and enjoy!”

—RT Book Reviews

The Tower and the Hive

“Readers looking for intelligent, heroic adventure will find it here, and Rowan fans will be especially pleased at this felicitous closing of a popular SF series.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Fans of the series will plunge right in.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“The fifth installment in the author’s Rowan series brings to a satisfying culmination the tale of three generations of a uniquely gifted family while leaving room for future novels. McCaffrey’s skillful storytelling and fluid writing…make this a necessary purchase.”

—Library Journal

“McCaffrey maintains the high quality of characterization of humans and aliens alike, and, once again, she skillfully interweaves the plot threads, making it easy to follow the action on all fronts.”

—Booklist

Ace Books by Anne McCaffrey

The Tower and Hive Series

The Rowan

Damia

Damia’s Children

Lyon’s Pride

The Tower and the Hive

The Freedom Series

Freedom’s Landing

Freedom’s Choice

Freedom’s Challenge

Freedom’s Ransom

FREEDOM’S
CHALLENGE

ANNE MCCAFFREY

Table of Contents

Don’t look back in anger, I hear you say.

Acknowledgments

I HAVE, AS USUAL, ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TO make for some of the material used in Freedom’s Challenge.

Especially helpful was Dr. Susan Edwards, Ph.D., social cognitive psychologist, author of Men Who Believe in Love, who helped me with the social and trauma techniques, which have been used so successfully to help the victims of catastrophes, both personal and public (such as hostage situations), in recovering their personalities and self-confidence.

Margaret Ball, bless her heart, had all the Swahili and hunted down information about the customs and traditions of the Maasai tribes of East Africa. Fortunately, she also speaks Swahili, though I didn’t have to use that much, since so many of the tribal chiefs are fluent enough in English.

I also wish to thank Georgeanne Kennedy for her careful copyediting and invaluable suggestions of what she wanted to know “more about” in this story. What errors a spell-check, even the most advanced ones, do not catch, the sharp eye of the intelligent reader does. And I give my spell-check a lot of hard names to cope with. Thank goodness it can’t complain…ALOUD!

Preface

WHEN THE CATTENI, MERCENARIES FOR A RACE called Eosi, invaded Earth, they used their standard tactic of domination by landing in fifty cities across the planet and removing entire urban populations. These they distributed through the Catteni worlds and sold them as slaves along with other conquered species.

A group rounded up from Barevi, the hub of the slave trade, were dumped on an M-type planet of unknown quality, given rations and tools and allowed to survive or not. A former marine sergeant, Chuck Mitford, took charge of the mixed group, which included sullen Turs, spider-like Deski, hairy Rugarians, vague...