Falling FreeFalling Free
Score Classic
What it's about
Engineer Leo Graf lives by safety rules; he helped write them. Then he's assigned to train the quaddies, a thousand genetically engineered people with four arms built for zero gravity, owned by a corporation. When their exploitation turns into something worse, Leo must teach them to be free.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Nebula Award and was a Hugo finalist. It's an early, standalone story in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan universe.
You'll love it if you liked
The Vor Game
Barrayar
A Closed and Common OrbitGood to know
It's set centuries before the Miles Vorkosigan books and stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers17 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics66 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #195 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #297 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #575 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1976 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous
More by Lois McMaster Bujold
Barrayar
Paladin of Souls
Mirror DanceThe Vor GameIf you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Hyperion
The Dispossessed
Foundation
Ficciones
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Falling Free worth reading?
Yes. It won the Nebula Award and was a Hugo finalist. It ranks #1,976 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Falling Free about?
Engineer Leo Graf lives by safety rules; he helped write them. Then he's assigned to train the quaddies, a thousand genetically engineered people with four arms built for zero gravity, owned by a corporation. When their exploitation turns into something worse, Leo must teach them to be free.
How long does it take to read Falling Free?
About 8 hours (307 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Falling Free won?
Nebula Award winner (1988).
What should I read after Falling Free?
If you liked it, try The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold, Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold or A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers.