Of Humans and Empires

By: Aaron Holloway

Narrated by: Jack Voraces

In a galaxy filled with terrors, the brave men and women of the Union Special Services stand ever ready to defend humanity and those races under its protection from the dark. Listen for yourself the now declassified experience of one agent, codenamed “Friend”, on their mission to discover any possible threats to the Union within the Empire. And see through alien eyes how humanity’s meteoric rise to power is viewed in the broader galaxy.

Inspired by stories from the HFY Subreddit.

©2020 Aaron R Holloway (P)2020 Aaron R Holloway

Great listen!

This was a fun story about humanity's first steps into space travel as recounted by a secret agent reporting from recently declassified files. For a short novella, it was engaging, and I wish it had lasted longer.

I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Jack Voraces. Apart from a little strangeness from my brain resulting from having just listened to Voraces narrate a chapter from the Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality podcast and thus having it sound like Harry Potter was the special agent reporting on humanity's ascent to space travel - though that could be a fun in-the-future episode for Harry and his gang - I really enjoyed Voraces' narration. As with his other works, his narration is engaging and pulls me right into the story. As a result, it was over almost before I knew it and I was wishing for more.

I guess that means I'm going to have to listen to the sequel.

A creative if limited look into a interesting future.

I enjoyed this story and it reminded me of the story “One Ship” by Alexander Bruce which is a very good thing.

I would love to have more then a cursory look at this world as it leaves a lot of questions but I enjoyed what was here.

Very immersive story by S tier narrator

Big Fan of the narrator and he brings this series to life. I enjoyed the unique writing style and will purchase the others in the series.

Straight out of left field. In a good way!

Jack Voraces blew my socks off with this over the top narration. Hilarious!
Imagine a drunken Scotsman regaling you with a crazy sci-fi tale.
So much energy.

I just wish, like others, that it was longer.

Oh well, I'm now in a hurry to read part 2!

Awesome Story

I can't remember ever listening to a story like this that was basically a mass of flashbacks and also this awesome.
A story about humanities challenges and encounters with the greater universe, if it wasn't so empty as it seems to be in reality, all told from the perspective of an outside observer.
The only other series i remember like this, were the entire story is essentially flashbacks, complete with interruptions is Kane Chronicles, but that one didn't lean into it this much.

All in all i really liked it and can't wait to continue this series.

Not long enough

I really enjoyed this story and want to know more about it. I wish it was longer. I seem to like these types of “storyteller” stories. Would definitely recommend to someone who likes this type of tale and science fiction.

Historical SciFi

This was an interesting story. it's short for sure but reads like historical fiction while being science fiction. basically the human races ascension toa space catering people is recounted on a bar room stool.

Fantastic Short Story

Of Humans and Empires is a fantastic short story perfect for listening while doing something like. washing dishes. The story is something of a mix of an interview for a news article and a spy novel, in a wonderful sci-fi setting where humans have recently been introduced into the galactic stage.

The naration done by Jack Voraces is awesome as always, while the story only has a couple of characters he does distinct accents so it is always obvious which character is talking.

Humans are Space Orcs, in 15 seconds

Entertaining, quickie of an audiobook. It’s in an interview style where the interviewer is never heard and the interviewee rambles about his experience with humans.

For what it is, it’s good but, I would love if there was an actual plot and the interviews provided a backdrop to the “other side” of the conflict.

Humans are weird

~Disclaimer: I got this audiobook for free~

As someone who spends time on tumblr scrolling through “Humans As Space Orcs” stories, this was certainly something up my alley.

The narrator does an amazing job giving our storyteller a clear personality. A quick humorous look at the perception of humanity from the eyes of an alien race. Worth a looksee.

The only downside of the listen was that it was too short.