Actual rating: 3.5

Very interesting and chilling. Card's brilliant writing had me flying through this book in a matter of days, even though it's quite long. And I want to read the sequel. However, I took off a half-star because the characters weren't as fully developed and interesting as those in, say, the Enderverse. I did like them, though, and there were some nice character moments throughout. Such as...

-When Reuben cried. My heart melted for him.
-Cecily's strength of character and love for her children.
-How Cole hit it off with Nick and Mark. Also, how Cole kinda felt like an outsider in Reuben's jeesh.
-How Reuben's jeesh rallied around Cecily. <3

It started really strong and couldn't quite maintain it throughout, but a solid thriller with some interesting things to say about US history, and polarization.

As I was clearing space in my home office, I happened upon Empire, which I had never read. I read the blurb and thought it might be interesting to see Card write a contemporary thriller instead of his usual science fiction/fantasy books, for which he is justly renowned, or his less known but excellent historical fiction. The man can spin a tale.

For my part, I’ve read many military, political, and legal thrillers, and I’ve reread a couple dozen of the best. As for this one …

Meh.

The character development was excellent and mostly convincing; I expected that from Card. But the plot seemed forced; it seemed to be going where the author needed it to go, because he needed it to go there. It needed more work and less of a heavy authorial hand — and maybe an extra 100 pages or more, so complexities and plot twists could develop organically and not feel rushed.

Dystopia where

I appreciate the note at the end, explicitly denouncing the polarization of our society.

As a frequent reader of OSC, this book was a monumental disappointment. Its premise is a violent revolution in America as the vocal fight between the Liberal and Conservative movements ultimately results in a civil war as one side becomes determined to take the country back from the traitors who have seized it. These unscrupulous fanatics hoard dirty money in secret, assemble a high tech army, and finally when the moment is right, they pounce and attempt to take the government by force. Which gun-toting movement is fanatical and unprincipled enough to resort to violence to change the country? You guessed it - the Liberals! Card's protagonist is a brilliant right-leaning Special Forces soldier, who despite his conservative nature, has complete empathy and a deep cultural appreciation for the Muslim civilians in the theater wherein he fights because we all know conservatives are never judgmental of those who hold different beliefs. When he uncovers the treachery of the Liberal movement, he knows the media cannot be trusted since it's been completely corrupted, so he goes on the only fair and balanced show left: The O'Reilly Factor with host Bill O'Reilly, and no - I'm not kidding about that. I typically enjoy OSC because he challenges me and presents fresh perspectives. This book was utterly predictable, base, and pandered to the lowest common denominator of our current political landscape. I thought Card was better than this. If you genuinely believe that Fox News is a legitimate news organization, I expect you'll love it and I would encourage you to buy it. It sucked several hours out of my life that I'll never get back.

I made it all the way through this book mostly only because OSC is (no matter what) a fantastic storyteller. I did however find the book rather insulting. It paints liberals as America-hating anti-military power-hungry idiots, and oddly I didn't like that. It is interesting in his theories of how our current "red states vs. blue states" division could possibly lead to a second civil war, and I did like watching his mind tick... I believe that OSC was Trying to say that if we all get so wrapped up in our personal politics it will drive us apart, that's fine but I still felt like the parts of the book that were supposed to be "pro-liberal" were ineffectual and anti-liberal biased. It's good to hear other points of view but it wasn't exactly an enjoyable read for me.

Not one of his best. This one is convoluted and proves that Card should not try to write the techno-thriller. It also proves that he should stay out of politics. I didn't like too much that he never answers (only hints at) one of the main questions of the book. I also didn't care at all for the ending.

I had high hopes for this book, and it ended up being just a bit too violent for my taste at the time. The premise is/was fascinating, and I wish there was clear-play for books sometimes, because I still wish I could read it.

Sort of like listening to your favorite uncle go on a political diatribe at Thanksgiving.

Ok, I finished it. there was along afterward by Card, that explains the dangers of polarization and how both the left and the right are guilty of fanaticism, and waht we need are reasonable moderates who are open to each others ideas to bring america back form the potential brink of civil war. he says that those who believe it can;t happen here, are flat out wrong, and points to Rwanda and Yugoslavia as warnings.

theoretically I can't argue with him. this is a book about a civil war that occurs probably around 2007, after a devastating attack on the US ( no spoilers here). But his presentation and plot, while having some valuable and insightful elements is a ridiculous charicateur of the left int he United States, with absolutely NO critique of the right. the heroes, principled Military special-ops veterans, are conservative but honorable and are only interested in protecting genuine american interests and fighting real terrorist threats. I have no doubt there are many who fit this bill, but the ceaseless praise of the military wears thin after awhile.

How Card squares this with the war in Iraq which everyone except extreme right wing fanatics , and therr shills (here is my leftist fanaticism showing itself I guess) knows had nothing to do with terrorism aimed at the US, and no WMD. that the administration lied and fabricated and diseminated false evidence and has done innumerable things against American interests and against the constitution.

he periodically has the main characters talk derisively about the lefts rhetoric about how the administration has shredded the constitution. yet he doesn;t give any explanation about how this is not true.
I don;t know if he is a right wing fanatic. he portrays himself as being the rational middle, but his portrayal in the book of Prinbceton as being a elite insitute of leftist propoganda, untinged by ratonality, is so far from my experience with ivy league professors. And his characterization of members of the progressive revolutionaries as being cowards and only interested in power and hatred of america, is pure right wing propoganda.

Now I agree that there are many leftists that are irrational and that will not discuss or look at issues realistically , and many refuse to chage their minds based on actual facts. But he has the main bad guys being progressives here, and the conservatives are just trying to portect the constitution. When what is going on in the ocuntry today is the exact opposite.
the right wing christian fanatics and neo cons have attempted to take over large aspects of the running fo the country form the national government to local government and have ben systematically excluding perople who do not hold their views from power.

yet int he book, he accuses the left of doing this in countrolling the cultural and educational centers of the country and unfairly shunning those whose views they do not approve of. This of course has happend to a certain degree, and tere is a level of snobbery and intolerance among many progressives, but they have NOT been the ones underminign the constitution and trying to ban diverse opinions.

I get the feeeling that Card believes he is open minded because he says he is, and because he does not subscribe to all right wing ideology. What comes across is a simplistic political moralizing that is so out of touch with reality that it is rather laughable. Except it is alos scary.

On the other hand, it is an interesting premise. if he had placed it 20 years in the future and explained how the right wing power grab of the early 21st century had had a boomerang effect a generation from now, it might be a plausible story. But his idea that progrssives could be as organized and as dismissive of human rights as he portrays them is not only idiotic it totally undermines his pretension of being balanced an dbasing this on anything resembling reality. he also ignores the role of corporations in American politics, which is just downright naive or manipulative.

It is also probably his least satisfying work. I imagine he forced himself to get it published in 2006, and just wrote it too quickly as a political statement. there are some good actions scenes and some touching moments, and definitely unexpected twists. the ending was also interesting, since it got out of progressive bashing at the end. but I give it two stars mostly because it was provocative and he is a good enough writer and thinker that I can;t only give him one

Below is my original review. it saddens me to trash one f my favorite writers.






I have read a few chapters, and i find myself deeply disturbed by his characterization of the elite left. While I do know some people who have elements of this kind of leftist closed-mindedness, it is rather unbelievable that they would somehow form a cabal to try to destroy America.

this is quite ironic, since , in my view we are in the midst of a rigth wing ,proto-fascist administration that has been doing exactly that.

The main character, a brilliant and honest mid level military officer, has so far been to Princeton where he has seen how rigid the intellectual left really is. This is hogwash. While I have serious issues with elements of the leftest intellectual elite, much of the thinking and principles of the professors that I know in this diverse group are extremely aware and open minded, and much less rigid than than the majority of people in this country. Certainyl much less rigid than the people who are leading figures on the right, especailly the fundamentalist christian extremists and neocons.

I am enjoying reading it , and while the dialogue ( as others mention) is rather stiff and overly explanatory, I enjoy the political and philosophical jousting that the issues he raises represent.

I just hope that Card is not as ridiculously closed minded about real leftist thinking as the slant of this book portrays.
I jsut read a review of Ayn Rand on OKCupid and the person ripped her apart. What passes for political thinking in this book reminds me of her simplistic demagoguery

Particularly applicable in today's political environment. I absolutely LOVED this book. As I said in my tweet, I both think all politicians should read/listen to this book and am terrified that one/some of them might. I can only hope that we all do our part to end the divisive nature of our political and general culture.

What is the definition of a great book? Is it about the storyline and its delivery or is it about how it may leave you thinking after you have read it?

I listened to the audiobook version - and thank goodness I did - because this book is very long and drawn-out discussions and dialogs. There is a good chance I would have given up on the book if I had to make the effort to "read" all of it. That is not to say that the content was not intelligent. If you really listen (or read) you will find that Card is exposing us to some very intelligent ideas and possibilities that many reviewers have dismissed as crazy. For those who like the cerebral exercise, particularly in analysing history, then this is the book for you. It is not all a diet of healthy vegitable snacks, Card throws in more convensional action (chips and dip) to keep you going. Does that make a good book? I give it a 3 only because it was read to me.

But if a book makes you think after you read it, that could be considered a success too. In this book, I had to check when it was written (2006), well before Trump entered politics. While the story in this book may appear to be far-fetched to suggest that another civil war is possible in the US, is it so far-fetched in 2020? In his afterword, Card talks about the way in which people who believe in a certain perspective or stance are branded as trators for disagreeing with a single element from the other side. If you are a conservative, for example, but believe in gun control, then you cannot possibly be a conservative - it's all or nothing. After reading this book, I started to think about the society of 2020 and realize that a civil war (not deliniated by geographic boundaries but ideologies) is absolutely possible.

For making me think after the book, I give it an extra star. I am not, however, so enamored with the style or story to commit to reading the second book.