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Freehold #6
Rogue
Kenneth Chinran commanded the elite unit assigned to take out an entire planet in a terrible war. Millions died; billions more perished in the aftermath. One doesn't send a sociopath on such a mission. A sociopath might not stop. Chinran did stop – but in the process nearly lost his sanity and his soul.
But one of Chinran’s men was a sociopath going in. Now he’s a trained sociopath with the knowledge and firepower to take out entire tactical teams, evaporate through security cordons and change identity at will. Who do you send after a killer like that? There’s only one answer: the man who trained him. The man who made him.
About Michael Z. Williamson:
“A fast-paced, compulsive read…will appeal to fans of John Ringo, David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, and David Weber.” – Kliatt
“Williamson's military expertise is impressive.” –SFReviews
340 pages, Hardcover
First published September 6, 2011
31 people are currently reading
273 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 6, 2022
I read The Weapon a number of years ago, and I liked it enough to rate it 4 stars. To be 100% honest, I can't recall much when it comes to the details, so I can't do a novel-to-novel comparison with Rogue.
Now, Rogue is touted as a sequel of sorts to The Weapon, it contains the same main character, but takes place a number of years after the events that left billions of people dead on Earth.
Now, here's the thing, and perhaps it's because I really can't remember a lot of the original story, but I couldn't help thinking (while reading this) that the protagonist is just a government backed terrorist (no matter how you try and cut it). As such I found it somewhat difficult to identify with him. Not that it should matter, these books are written in shades of grey (there are no "good" or "bad" guys, only soldiers working for different governments). Motivations rarely come in to the mix. However, I'm always leery of stories where teenage daughters can outwit seasoned assassins, that just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense (even in a genre that requires suspension of disbelief).
But I digress.
Rogue, despite taking place over a number of planets, reads more like a high tech thriller than a Space Opera or even a Military Science Fiction book. I know this author is highly lauded in Military SF circles, so I expect not everybody will agree with me, but different strokes for different folks, right? There's a lot of infiltration and exfiltration and what amounts to stake-outs (for lack of a better word) as Kenneth Chinran follows the antagonist (a member of his former unit who has gone rogue) from planet to planet. Wash, rinse, repeat. Etc etc.
There are some good action sequences, as you would expect, but they are few and far between. I struggled with the pacing of the story and came rather close to not finishing it. It just felt really slow.
Maybe this book just wasn't right for me at this specific moment in time. Not bad, but didn't blow my socks off by a long shot.
Now, Rogue is touted as a sequel of sorts to The Weapon, it contains the same main character, but takes place a number of years after the events that left billions of people dead on Earth.
Now, here's the thing, and perhaps it's because I really can't remember a lot of the original story, but I couldn't help thinking (while reading this) that the protagonist is just a government backed terrorist (no matter how you try and cut it). As such I found it somewhat difficult to identify with him. Not that it should matter, these books are written in shades of grey (there are no "good" or "bad" guys, only soldiers working for different governments). Motivations rarely come in to the mix. However, I'm always leery of stories where teenage daughters can outwit seasoned assassins, that just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense (even in a genre that requires suspension of disbelief).
But I digress.
Rogue, despite taking place over a number of planets, reads more like a high tech thriller than a Space Opera or even a Military Science Fiction book. I know this author is highly lauded in Military SF circles, so I expect not everybody will agree with me, but different strokes for different folks, right? There's a lot of infiltration and exfiltration and what amounts to stake-outs (for lack of a better word) as Kenneth Chinran follows the antagonist (a member of his former unit who has gone rogue) from planet to planet. Wash, rinse, repeat. Etc etc.
There are some good action sequences, as you would expect, but they are few and far between. I struggled with the pacing of the story and came rather close to not finishing it. It just felt really slow.
Maybe this book just wasn't right for me at this specific moment in time. Not bad, but didn't blow my socks off by a long shot.
September 17, 2014
I've been spending more time than I should chatting with Mad Mike on Facebook, and it was high time I actually read one of his books. On advice from others, I settled on Rogue as a good starting point.
Loved it!
Williamson writes the way he thinks, on many levels. You're sure to get the surface sarcasm, and maybe some of the contextual irony. But you really have to look for the sardonic subtext and the Easter eggs of scorn. He bets the farm that the protagonist doesn't have to be lovable, and wins big.
Loved it!
Williamson writes the way he thinks, on many levels. You're sure to get the surface sarcasm, and maybe some of the contextual irony. But you really have to look for the sardonic subtext and the Easter eggs of scorn. He bets the farm that the protagonist doesn't have to be lovable, and wins big.
Read
December 6, 2020Rogue is the sixth book in the Freehold series, and continues the tradition of action and adventure established early by Williamson. We return to the story of Kenneth Chinran, from The Weapon. Chinran has been psychologically damaged by his experiences in the war against Earth, and has disappeared from everyone's radar with his and Deni's daughter, Chelsea. He has been working as a male escort occasionally and running his own machine shop for a variety of clients, until he is discovered by Naumann again after he thwarts a robbery attempt at a local pizza joint in a manner that is an unmistakeable trail to someone with his skills.
Naumann recruits him, reluctantly, to track down and eliminate a former member of the team he took to Earth, who is now accepting independent assassination contracts. The political fallout that would ensue if it was discovered that an ex-military specialist from Freehold had gone freelance would be a bad thing. Chinran and his sexy sidekick, Silver, that Naumann assigns to help him, travel to the planet Caledonia, where they are in time to disrupt Randall's assassination of a prominent economist, but fail to stop the second attempt or capture the rogue agent.
They head off to Mtali in hot pursuit, and are unable to fulfill the mission there, then to Nova Rossia where Randall keeps one step ahead of them making mob hits, then to Earth, scene of Chinran's original crimes. Eventually the trail leads back to Freehold, and a final confrontation. Lots of blood, bodies and inventive assassination methods in this one, and perhaps some peace for Chinran's tormented soul at the end, leaving Williamson to move on to the focus on his Ripple Creek characters.
Naumann recruits him, reluctantly, to track down and eliminate a former member of the team he took to Earth, who is now accepting independent assassination contracts. The political fallout that would ensue if it was discovered that an ex-military specialist from Freehold had gone freelance would be a bad thing. Chinran and his sexy sidekick, Silver, that Naumann assigns to help him, travel to the planet Caledonia, where they are in time to disrupt Randall's assassination of a prominent economist, but fail to stop the second attempt or capture the rogue agent.
They head off to Mtali in hot pursuit, and are unable to fulfill the mission there, then to Nova Rossia where Randall keeps one step ahead of them making mob hits, then to Earth, scene of Chinran's original crimes. Eventually the trail leads back to Freehold, and a final confrontation. Lots of blood, bodies and inventive assassination methods in this one, and perhaps some peace for Chinran's tormented soul at the end, leaving Williamson to move on to the focus on his Ripple Creek characters.
October 4, 2017
This is the 6th book set in Michael Z. Williamson's Freehold universe. It is also considered to be the sequel to The Weapon which is the second book set in the Freehold universe. I have enjoyed the first six books and plan to read the rest but I think that this one is the best so far. In this one Kenneth Chinran has been in hiding and trying to raise his daughter and to forget his past. One day he must save his friend from being robbed and blows his cover and soon his old boss Marshal Alan D. Naumann finds him and convinces him to take one last assignment. He must hunt down a former teammate who is hiring out as an assassin and killing prominent people on several planets. With the aide of an untried but well trained female agent, named Silver, he goes to work but soon finds that things are not as clear cut as he was lead to believe. This book is a combination of action and thoughtful planning as he and Silver pursue the rouge agent across space and finally to Earth where Ken is the most wanted and hated man in Earth's history. I highly recommend this book and this series by Michael Z. Williamson.
November 29, 2016
With better editing, to shorten this book, it would be 5 stars. Good characters, though the villain is one dimensional, and mostly a ghost they are chasing the whole book. Not really SciFi, other then the chase moves from one planet to another. Big deal. But MZW is a good writer, who can tell a pretty good story, that moves along. I'll keep reading the series.
August 24, 2023
It was a decent book. Like most of this series it takes a while to build the story but there is plenty of action in a sci fi setting and the end is always very good. It is more of an action/adventure that is set in a future time period.
December 31, 2017
I've enjoyed the whole Freehold series so far.
September 8, 2011
The sequel to the outstanding The Weapon takes places a decade and a half later. Kenneth Chinran has assumed a new identity and is living peacefully with his now teenage daughter. However, he is found by the Freehold special forces and asked to do one more mission. Kimbo Randall, a member of his team that Ken thought had died during the attack on Earth, has resurfaced as an assassin for hire. We follow Ken and his new associate Silver as they chase down Randall across several planets.
The action takes place on Grainne, Mtali, Caledonia, Novaja Rossia and even Earth. It is interesting to revisit the places that were featured in The Weapon, especially Williamson’s over the top oppressive Earth. The action is constant and excellent, with Chinran’s first arrogant person voice a sardonic guide.
Ken Chinran is a tortured soul. He is reviled on Earth as the biggest killer in history, and feels personally responsible for the death of billions during the war. His daughter gives him a reason to live. Williamson very skillfully explores Chinran’s soul and his bleak outlook without sliding into corniness. This story is a journey of redemption, of sorts, and the last few dozen pages surprised me greatly. Almost to the end, I thought it was just a very good chase novel, but the ending raised it to another level.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1110
The action takes place on Grainne, Mtali, Caledonia, Novaja Rossia and even Earth. It is interesting to revisit the places that were featured in The Weapon, especially Williamson’s over the top oppressive Earth. The action is constant and excellent, with Chinran’s first arrogant person voice a sardonic guide.
Ken Chinran is a tortured soul. He is reviled on Earth as the biggest killer in history, and feels personally responsible for the death of billions during the war. His daughter gives him a reason to live. Williamson very skillfully explores Chinran’s soul and his bleak outlook without sliding into corniness. This story is a journey of redemption, of sorts, and the last few dozen pages surprised me greatly. Almost to the end, I thought it was just a very good chase novel, but the ending raised it to another level.
http://www.books.rosboch.net/?p=1110
July 25, 2012
This was the first SF novel I have read in a while and was a different experience because I actually know Mike personally. This is the first time I have read a novel by someone I know who isn't me.
Mike writes action scenes quite well. He handles 'gender difference' well in this novel. He uses common language quite well, but my own preferences are for more sophisticated use of the written word.
The plot was one that I felt was normal for the genre. It was not so formulaic as to be dully predictable but there was nothing abnormal about it, for SF.
The main characters were clear enough to have created a mental image but even at the end of the novel, I still felt that I did not know the main character well - even though the book was written from that character's point of view.
I can tell you that Mike was able to 'act' well enough that he and the main character are different people, but Mike is not psychotic as far as I know and is not a medium in the spiritualist sense.
For people who haven't 'burned out' on SF, and like simple language, this is a good story.
Mike writes action scenes quite well. He handles 'gender difference' well in this novel. He uses common language quite well, but my own preferences are for more sophisticated use of the written word.
The plot was one that I felt was normal for the genre. It was not so formulaic as to be dully predictable but there was nothing abnormal about it, for SF.
The main characters were clear enough to have created a mental image but even at the end of the novel, I still felt that I did not know the main character well - even though the book was written from that character's point of view.
I can tell you that Mike was able to 'act' well enough that he and the main character are different people, but Mike is not psychotic as far as I know and is not a medium in the spiritualist sense.
For people who haven't 'burned out' on SF, and like simple language, this is a good story.
August 29, 2011
This book is one of Williamson's better efforts, with the caveat that you have to like books with first person introspection. Kenneth Chinran hasn't recovered from his actions during the Freehold War (detailed in "Weapon"), even after 15 years. But he's dragged back in when one of his former agents go rogue and he's called in to take him down.
The hunt is long, dangerous, and full of stresses that remind Ken of who he was, what he did, and where he's both better, the same, and worse than the assassin he's chasing.
The action in the book occupies relatively few pages, so if you're not into dark introspection and psychological drama, you aren't going to enjoy this. If you are, you will enjoy it a lot.
The hunt is long, dangerous, and full of stresses that remind Ken of who he was, what he did, and where he's both better, the same, and worse than the assassin he's chasing.
The action in the book occupies relatively few pages, so if you're not into dark introspection and psychological drama, you aren't going to enjoy this. If you are, you will enjoy it a lot.
August 11, 2016
In a few sentences. Earth is a terrible place to live. Before the book starts there is a war between Earth and the planet of the hero. The hero is part of a special ops team that goes to Earth and kills millions of people.
Now to the book, one of the members of the special ops team has become a killer for hire. The head of special ops brings the hero back to track down and stop the "Rogue".
It was an okay book, but not a great book. It's been several weeks since I read it so I can't remember the details (okay this is mostly for me so that next year when I've forgotten that I've already read the book I can read this and know to not read it again).
Now to the book, one of the members of the special ops team has become a killer for hire. The head of special ops brings the hero back to track down and stop the "Rogue".
It was an okay book, but not a great book. It's been several weeks since I read it so I can't remember the details (okay this is mostly for me so that next year when I've forgotten that I've already read the book I can read this and know to not read it again).
July 19, 2013
A military/espionage thriller in a futuristic setting; a professional assassin
is pursued across interstellar civilization by a military infiltration agent
who trained and worked with him. The author tells an absorbing and suspensful
story of the hunt from the pursuing agent's point of view.
This is set in the same universe as the author's "Freehold" and reads well as
a sequel to that book, though it is actually preceded by "The Weapon". Combat
sequences are gritty and realistic and the story of the ongoing pursuit is
absorbing. Wry libertarian pokes at certain modern institutions adds a bit
of humor to the story.
is pursued across interstellar civilization by a military infiltration agent
who trained and worked with him. The author tells an absorbing and suspensful
story of the hunt from the pursuing agent's point of view.
This is set in the same universe as the author's "Freehold" and reads well as
a sequel to that book, though it is actually preceded by "The Weapon". Combat
sequences are gritty and realistic and the story of the ongoing pursuit is
absorbing. Wry libertarian pokes at certain modern institutions adds a bit
of humor to the story.
August 22, 2011
This is a sequel of sorts to his book Freehold, which I would have given 5 * to. This one is much less interesting, and on its own would get 3 *.
It involves his main character from Freehold going on a mission to eliminate one of his previous employees who have gone rogue, hiring on as an assassin. Much of the book involves either intense soulsearching/angst, or describing elaborate (made-up) methods he uses to try to clandestinely follow the tracks of his target from one planet to the next.
Overall, I thought he could have done a better job.
It involves his main character from Freehold going on a mission to eliminate one of his previous employees who have gone rogue, hiring on as an assassin. Much of the book involves either intense soulsearching/angst, or describing elaborate (made-up) methods he uses to try to clandestinely follow the tracks of his target from one planet to the next.
Overall, I thought he could have done a better job.
December 24, 2014
Very interesting writing this. It's a mix of military science fiction with a detective plot woven in. I like this writers style very much. More than I initially realized, as I come to the end of the book I'll bump my rating to five stars. I've only found a couple of his books so I'm missing a lot of background in the series which I assume would also be good reading. I'll look for more of Williamson's works, but he may be a niche writer and not available on the larger audiobook sites and I doubt he is on the free book sites.
December 29, 2012
Part of Williamson's Freehold series, "Rogue" is the sequel to "The Weapon". This is military Scifi in the Baen style, severely libertarian. If you like your protagonists slightly sociopathic and your action bloody this is for you. Fans of John Ringo's work will like Williamson.
November 8, 2012
This book was awesome, if you're a fan of military sci fi and espionage with some action and tense pacing thrown it pick this book up. I learned a lot from this book about the subject and burned through the pages quickly.
December 28, 2014
Another great book in The Freehold universe. This book, The Rogue is a sequel to The Weapon. I found that the two novels could be read independently. Yet I would highly recommend that the reader will get a deeper appreciation of the protagonist if they are read sequentially.
March 25, 2016
The return of the protagonist of "The Weapon" Kenneth Chinran, this time hunting one of his former agents who turned rogue. Nice to see Williams return to the Freehold universe, but I found this to be one his weaker stories. Simply not as compelling.
September 30, 2012
I love this series, the characters and the
author. So, I also love this book. You may not in fact, you probably won't if your a left wing anything. No worries, but steer clear if so.
author. So, I also love this book. You may not in fact, you probably won't if your a left wing anything. No worries, but steer clear if so.
November 3, 2012
Great book.. fast pace
May 8, 2013
A decent read. I like the internal conflict of the main character. I'm not sure earth would have treated him like they did, but I get it.
January 14, 2014
Great story, and wonderful character development. I had a hard time putting it down!
May 22, 2015
Old soldiers never die. Sometimes you have to kill them.
August 24, 2015
Good action and spy stuff, can drag a bit in the whole cat and mouse interplay. Great ending.
December 20, 2016
A solid read, and significantly more satisfying than I expected of the primary character.
August 1, 2025
A MUST READ SELECTION
The 4th book in the Freehold series is as good as the other books and a
Must Read if you like a great story.
The 4th book in the Freehold series is as good as the other books and a
Must Read if you like a great story.
July 19, 2012
Excellent story. Williamson is probably the best military scifi writer I've ever come across.
March 16, 2013
Excellent sequel to The Weapon; military scifi at its best.
March 28, 2017
Awesome in every way. Go buy it.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews