Tiger Chair

A Short Story

By: Max Brooks

Narrated by: Greg Chun

Length: 1 hr and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

When China invades America, guerrilla warfare explodes on the streets of Los Angeles in this provocative short story about the future of war from Max Brooks, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of World War Z.

China thought it would be a quick war, an easy war. But now, years later, as the insurgency on the streets of Los Angeles escalates but the propaganda never changes, a Chinese officer can’t keep silent any longer. Torn between loyalty to his country and loyalty to his troops, he writes a brutally honest—and possibly suicidal—letter home to unmask the truth.

Brooks combines his signature meticulous research with unforgettable characters in this landmark work of speculative fiction.

©2024 Max Brooks (P)2024 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

too short

just a fun listen could have used 8 more hours liked the format and max Brooks is solid

Wow. The kind of story that needs to bake in your head a bit.

I really hope Mr. Brooks is working on a novel length expansion of this excellent story. I will definitely need to listen a couple more times to it before I'll feel like it's completely absorbed.

His writing has been extraordinary in everything I've read of his, and this is the same I admit I was initially a bit disappointed to see he didn't narrate, but I needn't have been. Narrator is excellent.

Quite a few strong and conflicting feelings throughout this story. I'm a bleeding heart, ACLU card-carrying Liberal very against war and killing each other; I am also a strong supporter of our military troops. I found myself livid at the described invasion/occupation of my country while also nodding in agreement as I recognized that those things that make me livid are familiar because that's exactly the terms, propaganda, and behavior that our government and military have imposed on every country we've sent our military into at least in my lifetime (50ish years, I was born almost exactly as the Tet Offensive began in Vietnam.).

Unsurprising, my conclusion goes back to please we need to accept we're all the same. We all breathe, love, hurt, desire, and every single human is worth exactly the same as every other human. We're all family. Killing and harming each other hurts every single one of us. Nations are just line drawings. We do not have to like each other, but we need to respect each other. Or we can keep wasting our short time alive fighting, dividing, killing, and retaliating until whatever eventually ends our beautiful planet's ability to sustain us.

It's your choice as much as mine.

Max Brooks for the win!

Max Brooks does it again - one of the great things about speculative fiction is that is give the author and audience the ability to consider serious and often challenging suppositions and ideas and see them in a new light. Brooks explores politics, culture, social perception, economics, thru a fictional conflict and roots said exploration in a heartfelt human character. I hope this short could be part of a larger work, like WWZ, fleshing out this fictional conflict from a variety of perspectives. Great story and performance by the narrator.

Fantastic storytelling

Fantastic storytelling, from the writing to the performance. I'm a huge fan of Mr Brooks and his father.

Too short

The story is too short and lacks depth. It needs more development and pacing to allow the narrative to breathe. Additionally, the ending felt rushed and could benefit from more elaboration.

Fantastic! I want more.

Almost reads like guerilla warfighting manual, but from the enemies perspective. I want more. I'd easily listen to an expanded version. Make it letters from every perspective of the front. Letters home from American rebels fighting in LA, The Rockies, etc. Chinese Americans fighting back Smuggled letters out from civilians in the cross fire, new stories, etc.

a stunning indictment if the forever wars

It's a brilliant story. If you enjoyed World War Z, don't hesitate to choose this short story.

Wish there was more!

I wish there was more, that’s my only complaint. Love Max Brooks’ style of story telling.

Excellent

Always been a fan of Max Brooks, having read his world war z a couple of times. I really hope he decides to make this into a longform novel.

just so good

it's like a short story cross between band of brothers and world war z. I just happened to pick it up because I had a couple dollars on a coupon left and I really like the author. definitely not disappointed. highly recommend!