In the introduction, Card makes comments to placate anyone who takes offense too deeply by claiming that Ambrose Bierce appeared to him in a vision and presented the text of this book to him, paralleling the Angel Moroni appearing to Joseph Smith and telling him about the Golden plates that composed the Book of Mormon.
In the introduction, Card expresses apologies to anyone who feels offended by suggesting that Ambrose Bierce appeared to him in a vision and provided the text of this book, similar to how Angel Moroni presented the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith about the Golden Plates.