Listen free for 30 days

  • Empire of the Summer Moon

  • Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History
  • Written by: S. C. Gwynne
  • Narrated by: David Drummond
  • Length: 15 hrs and 9 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (597 ratings)

Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Empire of the Summer Moon cover art

Empire of the Summer Moon

Written by: S. C. Gwynne
Narrated by: David Drummond
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $29.13

Buy Now for $29.13

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

Empire of the Summer Moon spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, the most powerful Indian tribe in American history. The second entails one of the most remarkable narratives ever to come out of the Old West: the epic saga of the pioneer woman Cynthia Ann Parker and her mixed-blood son, Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches.

Although listeners may be more familiar with the names Apache and Sioux, it was in fact the legendary fighting ability of the Comanches that determined just how and when the American West opened up. They were so masterful at war and so skillful with their arrows and lances that they stopped the northern drive of colonial Spain from Mexico and halted the French expansion westward from Louisiana. White settlers arriving in Texas from the Eastern United States were surprised to find the frontier being rolled backward by Comanches incensed by the invasion of their tribal lands. So effective were the Comanches that they forced the creation of the Texas Rangers and account for the advent of the new weapon specifically designed to fight them: the six-gun.

The war with the Comanches lasted four decades, in effect holding up the development of the new American nation. Gwynne's exhilarating account delivers a sweeping narrative that encompasses Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads - a historical feast for anyone interested in how the United States came into being.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 S. C. Gwynne (P)2016 Simon & Schuster
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Editorial Review

In a time of expansion in the American West, the Comanche tribe fought to halt and even roll back the drive of white settlers, the Spanish, and the French. Fighting so skillfully that settlers invented the six-gun to rival them, the Comanches had a staggering impact on the development of the fledgling America.

Writer S.C. Gwynne shares the harrowing tale of the four-decades-long struggle for the American West. From the gripping narrative of the Comanche tribe to the near-legendary rise of its last great chief, this is a historical account that feels like an epic fiction saga.

Narrator David Drummond is a highly seasoned professional with more than 150 releases under his belt. He won an AudioFile Earphones award for Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay, and is known for his nonfiction work. In Empire of the Summer Moon, David’s smooth and steady voice builds a colourful world where hours pass unnoticed as he brings history to life.

Gwynne was inspired to create an account of the Comanche after learning small pieces of information about the tribe, and realizing just how little he knew about early American settlement. Through original research and hard work, Gwynne created a narrative to enlighten countless listeners to this untold history.

This work has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

What listeners say about Empire of the Summer Moon

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    477
  • 4 Stars
    100
  • 3 Stars
    11
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    3
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    343
  • 4 Stars
    92
  • 3 Stars
    31
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    5
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    406
  • 4 Stars
    54
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing

Grueaome but worth it , so much history here , god bless them all

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Phenomenal Look Into A Relatively Forgotten Past

This book simply blew me away. To think that a character such as Quanah experienced the transition from Plains Indian to rancher within a lifetime is simply astonishing. An excellent look into life of the Comanches and Americans during the settling of the southern USA/Mexico region. Fascinating stories that highlight the ills of colonization, empire and the beauty within the human experience. Very easy to listen to and narrated very well.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A small portion of our history delightfully told.

The details of the story give the listener the ability to try to understand the time in which this happened. That is why it takes time to share. From the snipits of newspaper clippings and journals a magnificent story unfolds.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing history

Amazingly told and fascinating story of Native American history. Every minute was worth listening to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

very good

interesting from begginging to end.and some points I had never read before. might read it again sometime

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Addictive

I couldn’t stop listening to this one. Great narration and unbelievable story. Very strong characters and vivid landscapes. A great telling of an American story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very Educational

Shed a lot of light on the state both natives and Europeans found themselves in with arriving in America. Brutality of native against native, white man against natives, the practice of slavery on both sides. All the more reason we should all learn to live in peace.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great listening

Best thing I've listened to to date. Amazing history of this continent and its native peoples.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best books about Apache Empire

The story had managed to consume me for the whole duration of the book. Unbelievably great performance of the narrator kept me engaged until the end.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Luc
  • 2022-02-23

Insane book just reread it

This book will stick in your mind. Wish there was more like this. Very well done

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!