Title: The Postman

Author: David Brin

Publisher: Bantam Books 1985

Genre: Scifi - Post-Apocalyptic

Pages: 428

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Dystopian; New Author; ebook; 52 Books - W22

How I Got It: iPad read

He was a survivor--a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war.  Fate touches him one chill winter's day when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker to protect himself from the cold.  The old, worn uniform still has power as a symbol of hope, and with it he begins to weave his greatest tale, of a nation on the road to recovery.

Another science fiction book J has been bugging me to read for the past few years.  I went into it skeptical, but was hooked after Gordon's first encounter on the mountain.  I immediately latched onto this reluctant hero, the pretend postman, who eventually becomes something much more than a man.  I loved the discussions of society and civilization.  I loved seeing the different sides argue about which way was right. I even liked the gender arguments (although I must say Brin paints feminism in a very specific manner that I personally disagree with).  The characters are intriguing.  The action sequences kept me on the edge of my seat.  And by the end, I was rooting for the band of misfits to beat to the survivalists and remake a nation.