I think I enjoyed this a bit more than the second but not as much as the first.
At least in this book, the main plan was unknown to the reader until it happened.
It's one thing I find frustrating about McCaffrey's books is that the heroes' plans generally work perfectly without a hitch. If the plan is shared with the reader, then the book loses it's excitement as you read through the plan being perfectly executed.

Another thing I find interesting is the author's way of getting the heroine pregnant, since she is not able to reproduce with her partner.
Have an affair with someone? Too out of character for her loyal and faithful nature.
Artificial insemination? It was mentioned in an earlier book but for some reason was dismissed as an option.
A non-consensual rape, hence retaining faithfulness?

In the end went with drunk blackout sex between both parties (not just the once, but twice with different people). Interesting enough that Ms McCaffrey seems to consider this is not viewed as rape if both are drunk and consensual and that your faithfulness is not questioned if you only have sex with someone else when you are too drunk to remember the details.
Not sure my wife would be as understanding if I claimed to be too drunk to remember anything. ( )

Anne McCaffrey is one of my all time favorite authors and was one of the first fantasy authors I ever read. Her books can come across as a bit dated now but on the whole I quite enjoy them. Her world building is wonderful and I always find her characters engaging. The Catteni series is one of my favorites by her. ( )

What a Ride!

Save the whole universe? No problem. The Freedom crew continues their winning ways and it was quite fun to see grownups dress up and get drunk on foreign booze when they out to know better. As always McCaffrey does alien races as well as variant earth cultures quite well. ( )

Another book that I absolutely raced through.

http://allbookedup-elena.blogspot.ca/2014/09/freedoms-challenge-anne-mccaffrey.h... ( )

4.5

*Book source ~ Home library

The dropped survivors on Botany have come a long way from those first days when they had virtually nothing. They are living very well with many comforts of home and they are at the brink of ending the Eosi domination of several species and many planets and Kris Bjornson and Zainal are at the center of things. Making a good life on Botany isn't enough for Zainal though. He intends to destroy the Eosi for enslaving his people for two thousand years and for enslaving other worlds as well. However, the final piece of the plan will only work at great sacrifice to himself. Will his plan work and, more importantly, will he survive it?

Once again I'm plunged into the fight for survival, the fight to free Earth, Botany and many other planets and how everyone works together for the greater good of the community. It's an awesome ride. All of the pieces of the puzzle come together and if they do so a little too neatly I'm not going to argue. I love this series and I love watching how everyone handles their part of the Great Plan despite overwhelming odds. A fast-flowing plot, great writing and wonderful characters keep me engaged from beginning to end. Anne McCaffrey always has so much going on and yet manages to keep the books to a reasonable length. There's just no way to summarize her stories without going on and on about everything that's happening. All I can say is this; open to the first page and hang onto your britches. It's going to be a wild ride. ( )