LitPick Review
Dray Quintero is considered a rebel leader because he is completely against everything The Agency stands for, which is an all-powerful federal organization that controls the United States. The Agency has embedded high tech implants into the citizens to control everything they do by using the victim’s eyes and brain. Sadly, the head of The Agency, Zion Calloway, used to be Dray’s best friend, college roommate, and business partner. Dray was a highly skilled engineer at one time who was responsible for many of the country’s innovations until Zion decided to hijack Dray’s top surveillance system, which was linked to every camera across the nation to keep citizens safe. Zion can now see and hear everything across the nation and has complete control over everyone.
Dray refuses to let this control happen, so he stages a rebellion to overturn The Agency. Many deaths happen as a result, and Zion imprisons him saying he’s responsible for their deaths. But through many twists and turns, Dray not only loses his youngest daughter, Talia, but his eldest daughter, Raven, is also imprisoned and being tortured close by to Dray’s cell. Is he able to deal with all this loss and heartache to continue trying to overturn The Agency? Or does he try fleeing the prison to survive?
Opinion:
Right from the very first page my heart was pounding in my chest. Readers unfold this intricate story with a cast of characters who are so believable you feel they are real people that you know. Immediately, I bonded with Dray and knew that he was in a very bad situation for many reasons. He was used by his best friend by stealing all the high tech surveillance Dray created for the United States citizens to be safe. Instead, Zion envisioned a more sinister plan for such useful technology. The betrayal that I felt as I turned the pages was extremely palatable to me. It ran so deep that I felt that I was being betrayed myself. I knew that Dray was against the odds in every aspect that he faced, but I didn’t want him surrendering to Zion by any means.
This is the third book in this series, but I didn’t have the pleasure of reading the first two books. That didn’t hinder me by any means, and I never felt lost in understanding the storyline or characters because I hadn’t read the first two books. Author Michael C. Bland told the story expertly enough that I followed along without issues while reading his masterfully created Sci-Fi novel. I would strongly suggest though that if you have the option to read the books in order, do so. This is one series that you will fully enjoy right from the very first book.
One thing that I loved about this story was that it was based in 2047. Bland interwove such high tech ideas into his storyline that one must wonder if we will see such technology when we reach 2047. It felt extremely believable, and I found myself trying to come up with my own ideas not only in trying to assist Dray in overturning The Agency, but also escaping safely from prison with his daughter, Raven.
Overall, The Price of Freedom is a Sci-Fi story that you can’t put down. While your heart is pounding in your chest as you turn each page, you’ll feel as if The Agency is after you as well. This book comes highly recommended!
