The Postman

David Brin

This novel takes place in the early twenty first century after a "small" nuclear war and resultant fallout. Gordon is a loner in the Oregon wilderness. He is idealistic, but practical. To live on his own in post-war America is dangerous. At the beginning of the book he is attacked by a gang that take almost all of his possessions.

He stumbles across a dead letter carrier and takes the jacket, the mail bag, and some of the mail. When he enters a community, they are heartened by the appearance of "government personnel." The United States was reforming! They embrace Gordon as that representative.

The enemies are out there, though. The survivalists keep trying to take over any civilized area. Before he knows it, Gordon finds himself acting out the sham story to help him gain entrance into different communities. He also ends up helping with battles against survivalists.

Apocolyptic stories hold a fascination for me. I also liked the film. I could easily picture Kevin Costner in the role before I saw the movie. I also liked the film despite the criticism and the changes from the book. This was not a great film but it and the book were enjoyable. I like David Brin, and found this one weaves a good tale.

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
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