Empire (2006 novel)

infobox Book |
name = Empire
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption =
author = Orson Scott Card
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Speculative fiction
publisher = Tor Books
release_date = 2006
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages = 352 pp
isbn = ISBN 0-7653-1611-0
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Empire" (2006) is a speculative fiction novel by Orson Scott Card. It tells the story of a possible second American Civil War, this time between the Right Wing and Left Wing in the near future.

Plot introduction

The book follows U.S. Army Major Reuben Malich and U.S. Army Captain Bartholomew Coleman, both former Special Forces, as America falls into a civil war, after the assassinations of both the American President and Vice President. A radical leftist army calling itself the Progressive Restoration takes over New York City and declares itself the rightful government of the United States.cite book | title=Empire | last=Card |first=Orson Scott | authorlink=Orson Scott Card | publisher=Tor Books | isbn= ISBN 0-7653-1611-0|date=November 28, 2006]

Plot summary

The book opens with Major Malich, a Captain at the time, leading a team of special op forces in a town of some unknown country, presumably somewhere in Iran or Afghanistan, because of the use of Persian. They are attacked and return fire, saving a village with only one civilian casualty.

Major Malich works at the Pentagon, where he wrote the plans to find holes in American security, having no idea that they would fall into the wrong hands. The plans called for a stealthy underwater entrance into Washington D.C., followed by a rocket launcher attack on the White House, relying on an inside informant to give the location of the President. Malich and Coleman come upon the attack in progress, and, after acquiring rifles, attempt to prevent the attack. Although they succeed in killing one of the men holding the launchers, the second fires and hits the south wall of the West Wing, killing the President, Secretary of Defense, and several others. It is later revealed the Vice President had been assassinated by a dump truck backing up into his limousine. Suspicion then turns to Malich, as he had written the plans and was present at the attack.

While Malich is being debriefed at the Pentagon, Coleman is asked to participate in a right wing coup to correct the existing government. Coleman recounts the meeting on live television and retreats to Malich's side in New Jersey. The next morning they both decide to take a borrowed SUV to Ground Zero. They are caught in an uprising led by high tech mechs that fire on anyone wearing uniforms. After rescuing a squad of New York Police officers, they escape on foot via the Holland Tunnel to New Jersey where they collaborate with the National Guard to repel a horde of the mechanized warriors. Two Air Force F-16 jets are shot down into New York Harbor, one hitting the gown of the Statue of Liberty.

Once back in New Jersey, Malich and Coleman join Malich's wife who used to work for an Idaho congressman who is now, due to the order of succession, President of the United States. Malich's wife is summoned by the new President. He asks for Malich, Coleman and Malich's former Special Forces buddies to help save the United States. Malich is ordered to retrieve his operations report created at the Pentagon. While there, his trusted secretary, DeeNee, betrays him, shooting him in the eye and killing him before his Secret Service escorts could react. Coleman escapes only to be pursued by more mechanized warriors and hover-bikes. They are eventually repelled by Apache gunships dispatched by the President.

The new National Security Advisor, Averell Torrent, is one of Malich's former professors. He sends a team including Malich's Special Forces buddies and Coleman out to discover information about the Restoration group responsible for Malich's death and the subversion of the United States of America.

Upon finding the Progressive Restoration's lair, the team, led by Coleman, reconnoiter the Washington mountain hideout. They invade and take its leader prisoner. With the defeat of the Progressive Restoration, the current president steps down, and Torrent is elected in a landslide victory as he was the presidential nominee for both the Democratic and Republican parties.

Towards the end of the novel, Reuben's wife Cecily begins to suspect Torrent's involvement in instigating the entire conflict in order to ascend to power. She discovers many of the key rebel leaders were taught at some point by him. From the notes Reuben left from his classes with him, she uncovers Torrent's obsession with the transition between the Roman Republic and the Empire, and Torrent's belief that the United States is in the same stage. The book ends with Cecily and Coleman, to whom she reveals her suspicions, wondering whether this is truly the case. No indication is given as to how Torrent will use his power, setting the novel up for a possible sequel.

etting

Evidence within the book itself suggests that it takes place during and shortly after Friday June 13, 2008. This is supported by a number of suggestions, namely the fact that the only year in the near future (from the perspective in which the book was written, published in 2006) which includes both a Friday the thirteenth in June and a Presidential Election is 2008 [http://www.pd13.com/friday_the_13th_dates.htm] . Additionally contemporary commonly used electronic items, such as Apple iPods and Nintendo DS and Sony PSP portable gaming devices are directly named and mentioned, as well as a Chevrolet Corvette C6, which according to "Motor Trend" is slated for replacement in 2010 [http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2007/112_0704_chevrolet_corvette_z07] . Later in the book, when Malich and Coleman go to ground zero, the area is described as it appeared in 2006-2007. Finally, a "Senator Stevens," who is Acting Speaker of the House, is mentioned as being 84 years old; Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska will be 84 years old between November 2007 and November 2008, and his seniority is appropriate to be appointed as Acting Speaker if the need arises and the Republicans regain majority (keeping in mind "Empire" was written before the 2006 United States general elections results were clear).

The leader of the "Progressive Restoration" rebellion movement in the book, Aldo Verus, is often seen as corresponding the real-life liberal financier George Soros. [ [http://www.sfreviews.net/empire_osc.html Empire] . SF Reviews.net. ]

Literary significance and reception

The novel's political stance has received both praise and derision. "Booklist" commended the novel for being "heartfelt and sobering" and expressed approval for "the author's message about the dangers of extreme political polarization and the need to reassert moderation and mutual citizenship".cite web
title= Card, Orson Scott. Empire. (Brief article) (Book review)
url= http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30593588_ITM
accessdate= June 2008 Registration required. ] Other critics were less favourable. "Right-wing rhetoric trumps the logic of story and character in this (...) implausibly plotted departure from Card’s bestselling science fiction," wrote "Publishers Weekly". [cite web
title= Publishers Weekly - Web-Exclusive Reviews: Week of 11/6/2006
url= http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6388449.html
accessdate= June 2008 ] "Library Journal" assessed the novel as "entertaining, though not one of Card's best efforts", and expressed reservations about its tendency to "lean heavily to the right" and sound "more like social commentary than fiction". [cite web
title= Library Journal: Audio - 6/1/2007
url= http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6446871.html
accessdate= June 2008 ] In "Locus", Gary K. Wolfe faulted the novel for constructing a world where "insanity is mostly the province of liberalism" and compared the characters and dialogue to "Mattel action figures" and "bumper stickers and political-convention applause lines". cite journal
last = Wolfe
first = Gary K.
authorlink = Gary K. Wolfe
title = Locus Looks At Books: Gary K. Wolfe
journal =
volume = 58.2
issue = 553
pages = 71
date = February 2007 ] He also dismissed its afterword's claim of impartiality as a false centrism. In addition, the novel has received praise for its action. "Booklist" characterized it as a "relentless thriller", praising its plot and pacing: "Intriguing plot wrinkles come fore and aft of those basic developments, there are many deftly shaped supporting players, and major shocks explode in a split second (...) Moreover, all the action doesn't obscure the author's message (...); indeed, it drives it home."cite web
title= Card, Orson Scott. Empire. (Brief article) (Book review)
url= http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30593588_ITM
accessdate= June 2008 Registration required. ] "Entertainment Weekly" praised the story as a "blistering read" in which "Card plots hard-boiled action just as well as Tom Clancy, and layers in character detail and dialogue you'll never find in a Jack Ryan novel". [cite web
title= Entertainment Weekly: Book Review - Empire (2006)
url= http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1562776,00.html
accessdate= June 2008 ]

Awards

The novel was nominated for the Prometheus Award for Best Novel in 2007. [cite web
title= Libertarian Futurist Society: Prometheus Award for Best Novel -- Nominees
url= http://www.lfs.org/novel_nominees.htm
accessdate= June 2008 ]

Adaptations

Video game

"Empire" is not an original Orson Scott Card project, but rather stems from the development of the "Empire" video game. The game is being developed by the brothers Donald and Geremy Mustard, founders of the newly formed Chair Entertainment Group development studio. Card was contacted by Donald Mustard and offered the chance to develop the game's storyline as well as a novel to set the series into action. [ [http://www.chairentertainment.com/company/projects/empire "Empire"] on the official ChAIR Entertainment website]

Film

The rights to a film version of "Empire" have been acquired by Joel Silver and Warner Bros. [cite web | title=Movies Rights acquired by Joel Silver and Warner Bros | url=http://www.darkhorizons.com/news06/061113g.php | accessdate=2006-12-01 ]

References

ee also

*List of works by Orson Scott Card
*Orson Scott Card

External links

* [http://www.hatrack.com/osc/books/empire/empire.shtml About the novel "Empire" from Card's website]