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mamajoanThe interesting (to me) thing about Freedom's Gate by Naomi Kritzer is that the first time I tried to read it, I couldn't get into it at all. I got it as a freebie giveaway at Worldcon in '04, and the first time, I think I literally got to the second page and put it aside. But this time, I picked it up and forged on, and was almost immediately drawn in. I'm not sure why it didn't do anything for me back then and caught my interest so solidly this time, but in any case, I'm very glad that I tried again.
I'm not going to do too extensive a review, because it is the first book of a trilogy and does end on a bit of an inconclusive note, so I feel like a full review wouldn't be possible until I've read the whole trilogy. But I'll say a bit about it. In general I enjoyed it a lot; it's nothing terribly "deep" or earth-shattering in terms of the message, but a gripping story with engaging characters and a lot of interesting stuff going on.
This is an alternate-history story, dealing with ancient Greece and Asia in a world where Alexander the Great didn't die young. Some of the history stuff is a bit over my head, but it's just background, and you don't have to be a Greek historian to grasp the basic concepts. To wit, there's some ethnic conflict; some magic; and a lot of tension between the ruling Greeks and the natives whom they enslaved. (There's also a touch of lesbianism, nicely understated, fitting in with the plot and setting, but not in-your-face, as it doesn't need to be since it's not a major plot point.) The main character is a half-breed, who starts out as a loyal servant of a Greek commander, but by the end she is deeply questioning her alliances.
Some aspects of the plot are either subtly telegraphed (if you want to be kind to the author) or predictable (if you don't). Some aspects are a little too facile (like the way one particular adversary is converted to an ally). Some of the stuff about slavery treads a bit close to the edge of the simplistic (do slaves "choose" to remain slaves if they don't take, or find, opportunities to escape?). And occasionally the author spends a little too much time recounting the protagonist's thought processes (although one can argue that this is necessary because the character is going through such mental/emotional upheaval). These are all points that can really sour me on a story, depending on other factors; but in this case they are minor issues that didn't detract from my enjoyment. Overall, it's a good story, well-written, and engaging. It kept me reading even at the spots where I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen; and there were plenty of spots where I didn't.
I had a thought last night about how the lead character's internal conflict related to some stuff I'm going through right now, but that point eludes me at the moment. Maybe I'll post about it later if it comes back to me.
In any case, a very worthwhile read and I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel. (which I haven't managed to get hold of yet, but I am determined!)
I'm not going to do too extensive a review, because it is the first book of a trilogy and does end on a bit of an inconclusive note, so I feel like a full review wouldn't be possible until I've read the whole trilogy. But I'll say a bit about it. In general I enjoyed it a lot; it's nothing terribly "deep" or earth-shattering in terms of the message, but a gripping story with engaging characters and a lot of interesting stuff going on.
This is an alternate-history story, dealing with ancient Greece and Asia in a world where Alexander the Great didn't die young. Some of the history stuff is a bit over my head, but it's just background, and you don't have to be a Greek historian to grasp the basic concepts. To wit, there's some ethnic conflict; some magic; and a lot of tension between the ruling Greeks and the natives whom they enslaved. (There's also a touch of lesbianism, nicely understated, fitting in with the plot and setting, but not in-your-face, as it doesn't need to be since it's not a major plot point.) The main character is a half-breed, who starts out as a loyal servant of a Greek commander, but by the end she is deeply questioning her alliances.
Some aspects of the plot are either subtly telegraphed (if you want to be kind to the author) or predictable (if you don't). Some aspects are a little too facile (like the way one particular adversary is converted to an ally). Some of the stuff about slavery treads a bit close to the edge of the simplistic (do slaves "choose" to remain slaves if they don't take, or find, opportunities to escape?). And occasionally the author spends a little too much time recounting the protagonist's thought processes (although one can argue that this is necessary because the character is going through such mental/emotional upheaval). These are all points that can really sour me on a story, depending on other factors; but in this case they are minor issues that didn't detract from my enjoyment. Overall, it's a good story, well-written, and engaging. It kept me reading even at the spots where I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen; and there were plenty of spots where I didn't.
I had a thought last night about how the lead character's internal conflict related to some stuff I'm going through right now, but that point eludes me at the moment. Maybe I'll post about it later if it comes back to me.
In any case, a very worthwhile read and I'm greatly looking forward to the sequel. (which I haven't managed to get hold of yet, but I am determined!)
