Postman by David Brin
He was a survivor—a wanderer who, in the bleak and brutal years following a catastrophic war, swapped stories for food and shelter.
However, his life is irrevocably changed when he takes a long-dead male worker’s jacket. The old, faded clothing becomes more than just protection from the bitter cold as he moves from one isolated village to the next. It also serves as a symbol of the possibility of a return to the pre-collapse world. His tale ends up being one of deception that transforms into the most significant kind of truth.
THE POSTMAN is a dramatic and moving story of the human spirit’s perseverance set against a backdrop of global failure by the author of
Postman by David Brin
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The book has a post-apocalyptic cowboy feel to it, and I like how much of it is about surviving and how society broke down after the war, but where this book really shines is in its conjecture about political divide and false histories. When one considers that this book was written during the Regan era, the politics are surprisingly current in today’s polarized political atmosphere and rather progressive. The real speculative fiction brilliance of the novel, in my opinion, comes from observing the polarization that occurred in the 1990s and how it would develop from the seeds sown by Regan and Thatcher.
It has a great beginning and keeps veering off in different directions as Gordon Krantz tries to survive in post-apocalyptic North America. It’s realistically executed, and I appreciated the emphasis on the good and bad sides of living in this severely degraded society. The plot is excellent; it presents a now-worn scenario in an engaging manner with what appears to be a novelty rather than gloom. The post-apocalyptic fight serves as a motivating force.
As Gordon Krantz strives to survive in post-apocalyptic North America, it starts off strong and keeps going in different directions. It’s realistically handled, and I liked how it focused on both the positive and negative aspects of surviving in such a badly deteriorated society. The plot is good; it depicts a cliched situation in an interesting way that seems to emphasize novelty over doom. The battle in the post-apocalyptic world acts as inspiration.
