Empire: The Empire Duet, Part 1

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

Orson Scott Card is a master storyteller who has earned millions of fans and reams of praise for his previous science-fiction and fantasy works. Now he steps a little closer to the present day with this chilling look at a near-future scenario: a new American Civil War.

The American Empire has grown too fast, and the fault lines at home are stressed to the breaking point. The war of words between Right and Left has collapsed into a shooting war, though most people just want to be left alone.

The battle rages between the high-technology weapons on one side and militia foot-soldiers on the other, devastating the cities and overrunning the countryside. But the vast majority, who only want the killing to stop and the nation to return to more peaceful days, have technology, weapons, and strategic geniuses of their own.

When the American dream shatters into violence, who can hold the people and the government together? And which side will you be on?

©2006 Orson Scott Card (P)2006 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC

Critic reviews

"Couldn't be timelier...heartfelt and sobering....All the action doesn't obscure the author's message about the dangers of extreme political polarization and the need to reassert moderation and mutual citizenship...it drives it home." (Booklist)

Don't skip the epilogue

Over all a good book to listen to. keeps your interest but the best part is by far the epilogue. Good luck to the moderats of the world.

social and political commentary that entertains

remarkable storytelling combined with astute observation of human nature and social and political commentary that is very credible and has much applicability in the real world

Card saw the future

The story was a bit predictable, but that's also part of the merit. It's amazing how Card wrote this novel about 2020s way back in 2007.

An enjoyable listen!

While his research may not hold up to the levels of Tom Clancy, his story telling is certainly more than a match and leads the other authors of the genre.
Card manages to critique the radicalism of the left and the right, without coming to judgment on their respective viewpoints, while showing the inherent endgame of radicalism on either front, Totalitarianism.
The premise is very well thought through, the characters are believable, and while my personal beliefs may conflict with the details, yes I am a Conservative, the story is well written and well read, making for a very enjoyable listen!

A must for any Card fan!

Thought provoking

Orson Scott Card really calls on all of us to think and consider our own viewpoints. Terrifyingly closer to our current political climate.

An incredible start to a wonderful story!

Orson Card is quite far beyond talented, he uses such awesome ability so that he's in a class all his own. Bravo, you did WONDERFULLY sir!

Interesting perspective!

Even as a 70 year old progressive liberal, I enjoyed this fictional story. Like many Americans, I am concerned that our republic’s ongoing and deep philosophical and political divide could lead to armed conflict and eventually result in some authoritarian governmental system, hence, ‘Empire’.
I found the anti-liberal bias of the main characters strangely refreshing and couldn’t help but hope they would defeat the evil liberal revolt. Fiction is fictional and idea of an armed liberal revolt is, to this liberal, absurd in reality. In any case, I found this novel enjoyable. After all, there could be crazies on any philosophical side, (they’re not all right wing nut jobs).

Entertaining Escape

Taken for what it is, a work of Science Fiction, it is an entertaining escape. The listener should not bring any preconceived notions beyond this. It is fascinating and entertaining. However, it is fiction. It does not appear to be a discourse of his own political opinions (despite what others say) - save for the aftward.

However, Mr. Orson Scott Card, for whom I'm an immense fan, should re-read his Civil War history, for the causes he cites here for the cause of this fictional civil war are similar to the REAL causes of the last civil war and though opinions crossed boarders, it was a matter of mostly rural states vs. mostly urban (mostly urban states holding the majority vote).

In this fictional civial war it was the about liberals vs. conservates (liberal opinions being mostly urban and convervatives being mostly rural) - he supposes that the next war will fracture along county lines as opposed to State lines... Perhaps. But perhaps for different reasons than he supposes. Primarily because of the fact that after Civil War 1, the US congress made it illegal for States to secede. Seceding later became more difficult after the State Militia was turned over to the National Guard - taking any military power out of the hands of individual states. Therefore, nothing but a complete takeover of the government by it's own military and backed by a majority of 350 million mostly armed citizens would work.

Mr. Card needs to understand that the seemingly polorized opinions amongst the media (he being sort of in the media), does not represent the opinions of most Americans who are as fractured in their alignments along the lines of the political spectrum as he is. We merely choose sides based on what it most important to us. So it is not inconceivable that there are many Republicans that are pro-choice or many Democrats who are ani-gun control. As we are not in the media, we are drowned out by the money backed party line.

Needs to be a movie

Excellent portrayal of something that could realistically happen, given enough cash and determination.

The point driven home is perfect, Excellent descriptions (accurate) of US .mil tactics and camaraderie. The only "Factual/Technical Issues" are solved by the "waving majik wand" theory of Future Present Sci-Fi.

1000% Excellent, worth buying, let alone a credit.

Be warned tho, this is NOT in the same "Style" as the Enders series, it is a near future US based novel, with politics involved.

One of the few books on here that aren't tailored to the "left wing".

Enlightening point of view being explored

Great author, great story. The interview at the end with the author was really good