Hidden Empire: The Empire Duet, Part 2

By: Orson Scott Card

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki, Orson Scott Card, Rusty Humphries

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

In this sequel to Card's best-selling novel Empire, Averell Torrent has become president of the United States, with enormous political and popular support, and, if people only realized it, a tight grip on the reins of both political parties. He has launched America into a get-tough, this-world-is-our-empire foreign policy stance.

But Captain Bartholomew Coleman, known as Cole to his friends and enemies alike, sees the danger Torrent poses to American democracy and the potential disasters involved in his foreign military adventures. He quickly runs afoul of the president, and on the run, he and a few friends and allies seek proof of how Torrent orchestrated the political takeover - by assassinating a president and nearly starting a civil war.

©2009 Orson Scott Card (P)2009 Macmillan Audio

mlleErica

I love Orson Scott Card -- in fact Ender's Game was the first audio book, and the first sci-fi book I remember enjoying. Stefan Rudnicki could read the telephone book and make it sound like poetry. But I have been disappointed by the Empire duet.

Some parts read like a top notch thriller, but this is a book lacking the heart, character, and subtley of OSC's usual style. The characters on all sides commit acts that make them unsympathetic -- as a listener I didn't know who the good guys were, even when I was told.

I'm giving it a 3 because of Rudnicki's narration, but I'd skip it unless you're an OSC junkie.

Great book timely and thought provoking

Good story couldn't stop till it was done. Was a little disappointed with the narration which changed to Rusty all of sudden 3/4 through the book.

Hidden Empire

Listen to Empire first and continue the story with this book. Another wonderful and thoughtful story from Orson Scott Card.

Empire, Hidden Empire....Hungry for #3!

Would you listen to Hidden Empire: The Empire Duet, Part 2 again? Why?

YES! This is a poignant story. I loved the hint of sci-fi weaved into the story of political intrigue and divisiveness, reflecting a version of our current affairs.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I listened to both Empire and Hidden Empire and the performance was A+

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

If I had the time, I would have listened to this in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

The reviews hinting or overtly pointing to any partisanship as a reason for a less favorable review are the symptoms manifesting from the underlying problems the author addresses.Whether Left or Right or whatever, it is truly time for people to take a difficult, long hard look in the mirror and acknowledge their intolerance towards others.

scary how plausible both of these seem

Scary how plausible both of these books(empire and hidden empire)seem in today's political environment even though written quite a few years ago.

Good, but the first book is more engaging

the first book was definitely more engaging. it is a good conclusion to the story just went a little slow for my taste

Great read! Well done!

This is kind of scary considering what is going on right now in our world! It is not the same but close enough to be scary and eye opening! If you've read the book read it again, it will have an entirely new meaning!

card has outdone his excellent work on Ender

This is the most profound and right on today's polarised climate I have read. I can't wait for the series or single by Card

A Great Sequel

As a sequel to Part 1, this is a fantastic follow-up. However, it is not quite as good as the first one. The conspiracy heightens, but is not quite as realistic. I would still recommend this to everyone who enjoys political conspiracy.

Better Than the First

I found myself enjoying the sequel even more than the original. a great book and performed very well.