Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
In Freedom's Landing (1995), a group of plucky slaves, both human and alien, were abandoned by their Catteni masters on the planet Botany. With the help of the Catteni rebel Zainal, the colonists survived their early days, and now they're making plans to get even with the Catteni as well as to learn the truth about the mysterious Farmers, or Mech Makers, who seem to be cultivating Botany by means of robots. Told mostly from the point of view of Zainal's human lover, Kris Bjornsen, the plot focuses on the colonists' struggle to survive independent of their Catteni overlords. Though a few settlers want to return to Earth to fight the Catteni, most of the women seem bent on having children and making a real go of the colony. While this wholesale enthusiasm to procreate stretches credulity, McCaffrey's characters are otherwise her usual well-tempered mix of heroes, rogues and out-and-out villains. The setting is crisp and expertly detailed and the plot spins out smoothly, with more than enough hints of future developments to keep readers eager for the next installment in the series. (June)
Library Journal
Continuing the storyline from Freedom's Landing (LJ 4/15/95), this second book in the series finds the human and aliens on the penal planet Botany planning a rebellion against their slavemasters. After the Catteni subdue and transport to penal colony planets people from Earth and other civilizations for their Eosi masters, one Catteni, Zainal, chooses to remain on Botany. His plan? To join his fellow slaves in convincing the absentee owners of the planet to turn against the Eosi and free the colonists. McCaffrey is at her best with interspecies interactions and uniting for a goal against a common enemy. Highly recommended for sf collections.
School Library Journal
YA-McCaffrey begins a new chronicle of human resilience and survival. Earth has been invaded by the Catteni, a race of soldiers who have come to quell opposition and to relocate troublesome cases (both human and alien) to inhospitable worlds. Kristen Bjornsen, a human, and a ragtag group must learn to communicate and begin to build a new life. Further, they must discover what is behind a completely different civilization that is using their planet (nicknamed Botany) as a farm for animal and vegetable produce. Underlying this cooperation is the resentment that some of the colonists feel for Zanial, a member of the race of slavers, and the romantic feelings that Zanial and Kristen begin to feel for one another. With two possible antagonistic alien cultures and their own internal problems, there can only be more interesting scenarios for the settlers of Botany. The characters are especially well developed: teens will be able to identify with their spirit, creativeness, and tenacity to survive despite all odds. A delightful novel for more than just McCaffrey's ``old'' fans.-Brian Martin, W.T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Kirkus Reviews
Third in McCaffrey's series (Freedom's Landing, 1995; Freedom's Choice, 1997) about planet Botany and its diverse population of humans and aliens, including ex-Earth Girl Kris Bjornsen and her aristocratic, renegade Cattani lover, Zainal. The Earth, you see, has been conquered by the catlike Cattani, but the Cattani are themselves dominated by the parasitic alien Eosi. Intended as a do-or-die prison colony, the Botanists have freed themselves from Cattani domination, aided in part by the planet's alien landlords, the Farmers, powerful but benevolent beings who've screened the planet from Cattani spacecraft. Now, Kris, Zainal and the others have ambitions to liberate Earth from the Cattani and the Cattani from the Eosi. McCaffrey provides a useful plot recap, and this entry—somewhat more conclusive than its predecessors—offers proven allures for series fans.
