Birds Of Empire
5.0/5
Critic Rating
3.5/5
Listener Rating
A cinematic fantasy event in audio. New Dakota: 15,000 CE, thousands of years after the fall of civilization. In this eight-episode first season, the Earth has reclaimed the cities and glories of the modern world, reducing humankind to prehistoric tribal life. The old world is known only through myths and fables handed down through lost generations. Having barely survived, humanity has returned to a way of life more closely resembling civilizations of the ancient past: The Bears, The Rams, The Birds, and The Wolves. Book 1 — The Dawn Age serves as an introduction to each of the four young people from the cl...
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Stephen O. • Podcast Delivery • Dec 5, 2022
"If you’re the type of person who suspects we may be doomed to a future of dystopian tribalism, Birds of Empire is exactly what you need to get immersed in...This vibrant and enchanting listening experience...They crank the experience up by mixing each episode in spatial audio with Dolby ATMOS – something pretty damn cool for those with the right gear. …"
Score: 5
Bradley Chambers • 9to5mac • Nov 23, 2022
"If I were to describe it in a single sentence, I would say it’s on par with the first time I watched the Lord of the Rings in the theater, but in a cinematic audio experience. When paired with quality headphones (I used the new AirPods Pro), it’s a completely immersive experience. If Birds of Empire of any indication of what’s to come from audio-based storytelling, the future is bright. "
Listener Reviews
Score: 3.5
Jedidiah S. • Jan 13, 2023
"Birds of Empire is a technically impressive show that fails at its narrative. All of the characters fall into cliches and have extremely wooden dialogue. In addition, none of them are present long enough for the listener to become invested in their stories. It is a tale that attempts to be broad without depth, introducing lore and new characters in every episode without a logical narrative flow. That being said, some of the best episodes in the series are the Legends and Lore episodes -- my personal favorite is The Iron Axe of Whiterock -- which made me care about the world more than any of the series' flat characters. The setting is interesting but doesn't take advantage of the fact that it is set in earth's future, and might as well be its own separate universe. The sound design is excellent and completely engrosses the listener in the world of the series, and all of the voice actors do a good job in spite of the dialogue, but beyond that the series doesn't have much to offer. I am still willing to give season 2 a chance, but the writers really shot themselves in the foot with this first season. 3.5 -- mediocre but engaging."
