partisanship to the next level (fiction)...

[unlurking]

Orson Scott Card (I'm sure many of you have read the Ender's Game series) has joined up with a video game company to create a multimedia story (including a book(s), video game, movie, comics, etc.).

The premise is pretty interesting considering how polarized the country is right now...

The American Empire has grown too fast, and the fault lines at home are stressed to the breaking point. The war of words between Right and Left has collapsed into a shooting war, though most people just want to be left alone.

The battle rages between the high-technology weapons on one side and militia foot soldiers on the other, devastating the cities and overrunning the countryside. But the vast majority, who only want the killing to stop and the nation to return to more peaceful days, have technology, weapons, and strategic geniuses of their own.

When the American dream shatters into violence, who can hold the people and the government together? And which side will you be on?

Wired has an interview with the author here (http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,72093-0.html?tw=wn_index_2)

A Red vs Blue civil war concept is pretty interesting, although I don't think we are anyway near that kind of hatred, I think I'll at least read the book (coming out this month).

http://www.hatrack.com/empire.jpg

[Adept Havelock]

No thanks. I bought and enjoyed Ender's Game years ago, but refuse to spend a penny to support any author who has publicly endorsed censorship as Card has.

Besides, this premise usually comes up with some really craptacular books. See John Ringo/Tom Kratmans "State of Disobedience", or the utter dreck that was Ian Slaters "USA vs. Militia" series. Or the usual hacks from Gold Eagle like William Johnstones "Breakdown", or James Axler, Mack Maloney, and the like.

"The Second Civil War" was pretty funny as a dark comedy, IMO. Phil Hartman as the President? ROFL

There's also an average "Panzer General" clone out there called "Shattered Union" with a similar premise.

[unlurking]

Well, I don't normally read "political thriller" type stuff, but I always did like Card's work. Didn't know he supported censorship, kind of a strange line for an author. Got any links?

[Adept Havelock]

Well, I don't normally read "political thriller" type stuff, but I always did like Card's work. Didn't know he supported censorship, kind of a strange line for an author. Got any links?

In fairness, I should point out it's not censorship by the government he supports. In fact, he opposes government involvement. He advocated a "community" effort to repress "disagreeable" things like Sex, Violence, and Profanity in media at a Q&A at a Sci-Fi Con I attended a number of years ago. The word "ostracism" came up a few times.

He seems to believe that only the government can be a censor, and claims to hate censorship.

IMO, he is advocating censorship. So, I don't buy his books. :shrug:

Here's a link to an article where he mentions it. He was a bit more fervent about it at the con, IMO.

See the answer to the question "Do you believe that violence depicted in computer games, TV and films have an effect on teen violence, such as that which occurred at Columbine High School?"

http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/sep99/card.htm

[unlurking]

Thanks for the link, I'll have to read the rest later tonight (just read the one question pointed out). It appears to me (not having heard his speeches at a con and from this comment only), that he is very in favor of self-censorship, and warning that by taking things to far we are leaving ourselves open to censorship from the "religous right" type of groups. He uses the smoking laws as an example, and unfortunately as a smoker, I have to agree with him. I am always "over-courteous" about smoking to try and make up for the rude assholes, it obviously just isn't enough.

Anyways, thanks for the info, I never read much about him, just his books. I'll read the rest of the interview this evening.