Review: Liberty by Annie Laurie Cechini

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Sci-Fi, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , ,

Liberty
Annie Laurie Cechini
Rhemalda Publishing
Published February 1, 2013

Goodreads | Currently out of Print

Captain Tabitha “Dix” Dixon and her crew make a living transporting cargo across the solar system and staying off the radar of the corrupt and powerful System of United Planets (SUN). To Dix, the crew are family, and she will do anything to protect them.

But Dix carries a secret in a tiny vial that even most of her crew don’t know, one that could cost them their lives. Eternigen is a miracle serum that would allow humans to travel through deep space, beyond the control of the SUN. Agents of the SUN will go to any lengths to get it back, and now they have a new ally.

Eira Ninge is about as unbalanced as her name sounds. She pursues Dix and her crew relentlessly, gruesomely disposing of anyone who chooses to help them escape.

Despite the looming threat, resistance messenger Jordan Barrett joins forces with Dix. The captain is used to having her orders obeyed without question, but Barrett isn’t afraid to challenge her. Or laugh at her. Or call her Tabitha, which is just asking for it. Letting Barrett close means the risk of losing him, and Dix isn’t sure she can handle that with SUN agents drawing ever nearer.

Dix has a plan. Hobs, a crew member and brilliant scientist, is close to finding a way to replicate the Eternigen. If Dix can dodge Eira until Hobs unlocks the formula, she and her crew can escape beyond the reaches of the SUN and find a place where they can truly be free. With mounting deaths of those she loves and Eira closing in, can Dix keep her crew safe long enough to escape for good?

Liberty is a fast-paced, fun read. Our solar system has been terraformed and the planets occupied by settlers under the control of the SUN, who ration electricity and information. Elite groups of people have excesses of food and beautiful homes while most of humanity languishes in poor slums. Resistance movements gather to discuss and complain, but only Dix seems willing to buck the SUN openly. Dix is as spirited, goofy and easy to love as her crew members and their story.

Language Content
Only faux swearing. Includes words like “flark,” “skud,” and “jackwagon.”

Sexual Content
Light.

Spiritual Content
Brief discussion about whether heaven exists. A motherly figure tells Dix she must believe she will see those she loves again after this life.

Violence
SUN dissenters are hanged. Punches are exchanged in battle sequences. A space ship is destroyed. Scenes are brief and without high level of detail.

Drug Content
Characters go into a couple of bars but order things like ginger ale and root beer.

Win a Copy!
Leave a comment on this post naming your favorite science fiction character from a book or movie. One commenter will win a free copy of Liberty! (Winner must have a US mailing address.) Contest ends Friday at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

Save

About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

41 thoughts on “Review: Liberty by Annie Laurie Cechini”

  1. Congratulations to Heather Norcross! Email me with your mailing address at youngadultrocks [at] gmail [dot] com.

    1. colleenshinephillips – Writer, veteran missionary, adventure and intrigue-lover. Convinced of the power of the word and the Word.
      Colleen says:

      Yay, Heather!!!

    1. I’ll have to check out that series. Thanks, Justin!

    1. Aww! There’s another one I haven’t seen. I will have to check it out. Thanks, Theresa!

  4. gatosqueak – I am a licensed social worker (LBSW) and I am the Community Outreach Manager for a local library. I do reminiscing programs for 25-30 senior facilities around my county. I absolutely love learning about the social worker/non profit sector the new technologies that are out there. I enjoy volunteering, my family, friends, and reading.
    Heather Norcross says:

    Heroine in the fifth element!! 🙂

    1. Leeloo! Awesome. Thanks, Heather!

    2. Congrats, Heather! You won the book. Please email me at youngadultrocks [at] gmail [dot] com with your mailing address.

  5. Interesting sounding book… also reminds me of a book i read recently – Interworld by Neil Gaiman. Fav sci fi character? Hands down Han Solo!!

    1. I felt sure Solo was going to get a nod sometime! Super awesome! I’ve not read Interworld, but I liked Neverwhere (despite it’s near-horror moments). He’s a master, no doubt.

  6. Hmmm…that’s a tough one. While I was always more on the side of Star Wars than Star Trek, I will say that Q from ST:TNG is one of my favorite sci-fi characters ever!

    1. Aw yeah! With his super-net. Great pick.

  7. colleenshinephillips – Writer, veteran missionary, adventure and intrigue-lover. Convinced of the power of the word and the Word.
    Colleen says:

    Okay, so I decided not to share my favorite science fiction character because of the U.S. mailing address clause, but since I want to read the book…maybe I can get it when I go to the States. Anyway, my favorite character? You aren’t going to believe it. Nobody is going to pick this. Alex Rogan/Beta Alex from The Last Starfighter. Most of your readers, including yourself, probably don’t remember it or didn’t watch it. It didn’t exactly make the Academies. But I loved it and watch it every time I can because it is a classic story of the underdog and how he becomes somebody. There ya have it!

    1. Man, that does go way back!! I’ve seen that one, though, and I totally agree. It’s a classic. Sure, if you want the book mailed to where you’ll be staying in the US, that completely works. 🙂 Yay!

    1. Great picks! Thank you. 🙂

  9. I agree that this book’s premise is reminiscent of Firefly – your review really invites one to find out how the story ends!

    Hmmm… It is always difficult for me to pick my favorite anything. I really like the characters in Enemy Mine and Farscape (which may not really count since it’s television.)

    1. Thanks! 🙂 I’ll have to check out Enemy Mine. Farscape – definitely. “How Batman was that?!” Good stuff.

    1. Great stuff! Thanks, Candice. 🙂

  11. Derrick Brewer – Sault Ste. Marie – I was born on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada in 1969. A place where time has left alone. For the first 18 years of my life I lived, learned and enjoyed good times with friends and family. When I turned 18, I left this hidden oasis to go to Sault College here in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, where I graduated from Computer Programmer Analyst in 1993, then from Chef Training Apprenticeship in 2001. In 1991, I met my wife to be, and tied the knot in 1997. We currently have two children and have our careers well under way. I am now 43 years old and have decided that I would like to do what I want when I want.
    Derrick Brewer says:

    Reblogged this on welcometosuccess and commented:
    Reblogging! 🙂 http://www.welcometosuccessonline.com

    1. Thanks, Kelly! Have you listened to Hitchhiker’s Guide on audio book? I thought Douglas Adams did a great job narrating. Great pick! 🙂

  13. That’s a difficult question. There are so many that are all good for different reasons. I think, for now, I’ll go with Ender Wiggin, from the Ender’s Game series… mostly because I can’t wait for that movie to come out. 🙂

    1. Thanks, Nakia! Ender is super cool. I am excited about the movie, too!

    1. Scary awesome! 🙂 I liked him in the Lego Star Wars game. Thanks, Chris!

  15. Man favourite is a tough one. I think I’d have to say the Firefly characters are my favourite. I can’t pick one! They are all so good together, the blend of them. I don’t know if that makes this invalid… 🙂

    1. You just squeaked by. 🙂 Thanks!

    1. Thanks, Monique! LOL! And he didn’t even need human speech to be memorable. 🙂

  17. I would read this, Sci-fi being my first literary love. It sounds reminiscent of Firefly.

    Ok, favorite character then, it has to be Paul Atreides aka Muad’Dib from the Dune universe by Frank Herbert Sr. I think it must be a tremendous challenge to create a protagonist ruler of the universe that readers find believable and palatable.

    1. Liberty definitely has some similar elements to Firefly.

      I haven’t read Dune – yet – but I’m eager to check it out based on your description. Thanks!

    1. Yay!!! Thanks Stephanie!

  20. colleenshinephillips – Writer, veteran missionary, adventure and intrigue-lover. Convinced of the power of the word and the Word.
    Colleen says:

    Finally……a book that sounds like I would like to read!!! Great review. I think you should link it to the author.

Comments are closed.