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drewvan's review against another edition
4.0
An all too believable scenario in a country bitterly divided along partisan lines. Card, as always, creates compelling characters, poses moral dilemmas, and writes fascinatingly intricate plotlines. This guy is not capable of writing anything less than great fiction.
ladyozma's review against another edition
5.0
Empire takes a look at our nation and how it relates to Rome and looks towards the possibility of a 2nd American Civil War and political shift such as seen when looking at the history of Rome.
We've not seen as much political strife like we have today since just before the American Civil War in the 1800's. There may not be a Mason-Dixon Line in today's verbal war, there may not be a skin colour attached to today's prejudices, but there is a lot of rhetoric from both parties. There is a belief that if you remotely favour one political party over another you must then espouse every single aspect of that party and thus you are hated by the opposing party.. If you don't, you are a traitor to the party and your own despise you.
I hear the things said by pundits on the news, by those I call friends and I see this today. When did we become so bitter? When did we stop seeing that a President can do something good, even if he's on the other side of the political field from us? When did we stop admitting that a President in our own party might do something wrong?
It is these questions that Card asks and uses when looking towards what could cause the next civil war. What is scary is that each year we seem closer and closer to Card's idea.
Maybe we can settle our differences, and I hope we can. Card's job here was just to question, to say "What if" and he did it so well. I think that is what draws people to political thrillers - not the thought that the author is saying "This will happen" but that the author has taken an idea and made it SEEM plausible and then shown you how it COULD happen. You then sit on the edge of your seat as you flip through the pages, hoping that everything will turn out all right in the end so that you aren't left in fear that "What if..." Card definitely had me hanging on to see if the nation was absolutely ravaged as in the past. Why? Because really, in regards to civil war, there is absolutely no winner. Everyone loses because you are fighting your neighbour, your friend, your family.
While the story is mostly a political thriller that will cause you to really question not only yourself but those around you and things happening in the world today, it has great touches of sci-fi. I love that the rebels had giant mech pod-monsters storming NYC. Card's writing clearly painted a picture that I could visualize as though I were in a movie theatre.
We've not seen as much political strife like we have today since just before the American Civil War in the 1800's. There may not be a Mason-Dixon Line in today's verbal war, there may not be a skin colour attached to today's prejudices, but there is a lot of rhetoric from both parties. There is a belief that if you remotely favour one political party over another you must then espouse every single aspect of that party and thus you are hated by the opposing party.. If you don't, you are a traitor to the party and your own despise you.
I hear the things said by pundits on the news, by those I call friends and I see this today. When did we become so bitter? When did we stop seeing that a President can do something good, even if he's on the other side of the political field from us? When did we stop admitting that a President in our own party might do something wrong?
It is these questions that Card asks and uses when looking towards what could cause the next civil war. What is scary is that each year we seem closer and closer to Card's idea.
Maybe we can settle our differences, and I hope we can. Card's job here was just to question, to say "What if" and he did it so well. I think that is what draws people to political thrillers - not the thought that the author is saying "This will happen" but that the author has taken an idea and made it SEEM plausible and then shown you how it COULD happen. You then sit on the edge of your seat as you flip through the pages, hoping that everything will turn out all right in the end so that you aren't left in fear that "What if..." Card definitely had me hanging on to see if the nation was absolutely ravaged as in the past. Why? Because really, in regards to civil war, there is absolutely no winner. Everyone loses because you are fighting your neighbour, your friend, your family.
While the story is mostly a political thriller that will cause you to really question not only yourself but those around you and things happening in the world today, it has great touches of sci-fi. I love that the rebels had giant mech pod-monsters storming NYC. Card's writing clearly painted a picture that I could visualize as though I were in a movie theatre.
theartolater's review against another edition
4.0
I'd give this 3.5 if I could. This is essentially It Can't Happen Here for conservatives, a very action-oriented political/military thriller of sorts. It's by Orson Scott Card, so you know what you're getting, and the story is good, not great. Still glad I read it, but I ultimately expected more.
nutti72's review against another edition
4.0
This not real scifi book from a well known scifi author was kinda scary. Ok it was alot scary. What happens when the divide between red and blue states gets too much. What happens when extremism overwhelms common sense. This book is an extremely realistic book, outside of military hardware, of how a 2nd civil war could be fought on American soil. It's scary to contemplate it.
kagarner's review against another edition
2.0
Reading this book was like watching several episodes of the TV show 24 all in one sitting. Everything in the story is moving along and then BAM something crazy happens and you almost have to go back and re-read to make sure you didn't miss something. Didn't really care for all the anti-leftist political whining that comes through in the book. Although I think what Card was really trying to get at is that it isn't always the RIGHT-wing nut jobs that are trying to undermine the system it was painted on too thick for my taste. Not the best work from one of my still-favorite authors.
theeohgee's review against another edition
1.0
Sort of like listening to your favorite uncle go on a political diatribe at Thanksgiving.
sfahrney's review against another edition
4.0
Easy read, engaging but predictable for the most part. Tension between left and right wing politics. Thought provoking given the times we live in.
papernapkin's review against another edition
1.0
Orson is in over his head with this one. First, it was too short. You can't cover a subject like the 2nd American civil war from beginning to end in 350 pages: way to much "telling," not enough "showing." Second, it was too long. I dislike a book that feels like it's goal is to be made into a movie. Too many Hollywood one-liners and giant shooting robots, for me.
beth27's review against another edition
4.0
Classic Orson Scott Card writing with a touch of Tom Clancy intrigue.