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The Postman
by
David Brin (Goodreads Author)
Gordon Krantz survived the Doomwar only to spend years crossing a post-apocalypse United States looking for something or someone he could believe in again. Ironically, when he's inadvertently forced to assume the made-up role of a "Restored United States" postal inspector, he becomes the very thing he's been seeking: a symbol of hope and rebirth for a desperate nation. Gor...more
Published
January 4th 1999
by J'ai lu
(first published 1985)
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Christmas 2010: I realised that I had got stuck in a rut. I was re-reading old favourites again and again, waiting for a few trusted authors to release new works. Something had to be done.
On the spur of the moment I set myself a challenge, to read every book to have won the Locus Sci-Fi award. That’s 35 books, 6 of which I’d previously read, leaving 29 titles by 14 authors who were new to me.
While working through this reading list I got married, went on my honeymoon, switched career and became...more
One of my all time favorite books, no question. I don't give out many 5 star ratings. Here I give it enthusiastically.
I stumbled on this book some years ago and frankly was surprised at how much I liked it. There are a lot of post apocalyptic books out there. They run the proverbial gamut from excellent to unreadable. This is actually not only a good one, but one of the best.
No spoilers, but we pick up some years after "the collapse" when the infrastructure of the country has ceased to exist. O...more
I stumbled on this book some years ago and frankly was surprised at how much I liked it. There are a lot of post apocalyptic books out there. They run the proverbial gamut from excellent to unreadable. This is actually not only a good one, but one of the best.
No spoilers, but we pick up some years after "the collapse" when the infrastructure of the country has ceased to exist. O...more
I really enjoyed this. The Postman was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula the same year as Ender's Game, which really isn't a fair competition. Had this book come out in a different year, I think it would've won both.
The Postman tells the story of Gordon, a loner trying to survive in post-Apocalyptic Oregon. The world had fallen apart 16 years ago, from a combination of nuclear war, biological weapons, and domestic terrorism. Now, there is virtually nothing left of civilization, just tiny, isola...more
The Postman tells the story of Gordon, a loner trying to survive in post-Apocalyptic Oregon. The world had fallen apart 16 years ago, from a combination of nuclear war, biological weapons, and domestic terrorism. Now, there is virtually nothing left of civilization, just tiny, isola...more
In my experience people who pretend to be postmen are usually up to no good, they are more apt to enter your homes under false pretenses and rob you blind than attempt to unite the post apocalyptic Disunited Sates of America. The protagonist of this book has to be the most heroic postman in fiction. You thought Postman Pat and Cliff Clavin from Cheers are the bees knees? They got nothing on Gordon The Postman, he really knows how to deliver!
This is the second Brin book for me, the previous one I...more
This is the second Brin book for me, the previous one I...more
Aug 02, 2012
Wesley
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
2012-reading-challenge,
solo_favorites
Obviously the dystopian/post apocalyptic genre is my favorite. I’m not crazy or anything I just love perseverance, what more can just living or trying to live provide as an example.
In the last 5ish years it looks like it’s become more popular to write for, lucky me. That being said dystopian books written decades ago that are more relevant now, WOWEEEEEE. This came out in 1985, turns out the current years in the books are 2011ish, which is cool. Didn’t know it, aWESome bit of randomness (yes th...more
In the last 5ish years it looks like it’s become more popular to write for, lucky me. That being said dystopian books written decades ago that are more relevant now, WOWEEEEEE. This came out in 1985, turns out the current years in the books are 2011ish, which is cool. Didn’t know it, aWESome bit of randomness (yes th...more
Of course, I thought I'd be different and actually enjoy this book since I really enjoyed the movie. But, no. What a train wreck! The first half was great; I'd give it 4.5 stars. A post-apocalyptic wandering bard finds a postman's outfit and begins delivering the mail, hope, and unity to the scattered masses. Lovely. It could have cleanly ended there and all would have been well.
The second half of the book is, at best, 1.5 stars. It's as if someone else wrote it, and it barely resembles the firs...more
The second half of the book is, at best, 1.5 stars. It's as if someone else wrote it, and it barely resembles the firs...more
Sep 05, 2011
Checkman
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
post-apocalyptic,
a-disappointment
I wish I could give this book 2.5 stars.
First let me say I have to go against the overwhelming tide of opinion that holds this novel to be an excellent work. Not that it's terrible, but it wasn't what I expected - or wanted.
The first half of the novel isn't bad as we accompany the protagonist and his effort to survive in post-apocalyptic America. The character isn't heroic. Instead he's a survivor. And then we get started with the postman charade. At first it has potential - the reestablishing o...more
First let me say I have to go against the overwhelming tide of opinion that holds this novel to be an excellent work. Not that it's terrible, but it wasn't what I expected - or wanted.
The first half of the novel isn't bad as we accompany the protagonist and his effort to survive in post-apocalyptic America. The character isn't heroic. Instead he's a survivor. And then we get started with the postman charade. At first it has potential - the reestablishing o...more
Jan 20, 2012
Kelanth, numquam risit ubi dracones vivunt
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fantascienza,
post-apocalittica
Il genere apocalittico o meglio post apocalittico è una branchia della fantascenza che mi ha sempre intrigato. Cerco sempre di scovare, soprattutto nelle banceralle dell'usato, come in questo caso, dei libri che ne trattano.
Purtroppo devo dire subito che questo non l'ho trovato particolarmente brillante; non ci sono descrizioni accurate dell'ambiente e dell'ipotetica vita post-apocalittica, che io solitamente apprezzo molto, anche la storia di fondo dell'avventuriero che si ritrova suo malgrado...more
Purtroppo devo dire subito che questo non l'ho trovato particolarmente brillante; non ci sono descrizioni accurate dell'ambiente e dell'ipotetica vita post-apocalittica, che io solitamente apprezzo molto, anche la storia di fondo dell'avventuriero che si ritrova suo malgrado...more
Review copy from author
This was another one of those novels that eluded me for quite a few years. Originally made aware of it's existence when checking out top 10 post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction lists, The Postman was hailed as one of the better books within those genres.
After searching high and low at local book chains, indie shops, library and used book sales, I contacted it's author David Brin, who selflessly sent me a copy for review. (Many thanks David!)
My timing for this novel could...more
This was another one of those novels that eluded me for quite a few years. Originally made aware of it's existence when checking out top 10 post-apocalyptic and dystopian fiction lists, The Postman was hailed as one of the better books within those genres.
After searching high and low at local book chains, indie shops, library and used book sales, I contacted it's author David Brin, who selflessly sent me a copy for review. (Many thanks David!)
My timing for this novel could...more
If I remember right, this is a book that received quite a mauling at the time of the 1997 film flop. However, when I read it in 1985 I quite enjoyed it. And it was Locus's book of the year in 1986, not to mention a Hugo and Nebula nominee.
Basically it's the story of how a postman (or at least someone with the garb of a postman) reunited a post-apocalyptic America by helping connect disparate communities through their official function.
The first section deals with how the Postman, aka Gordon Kran...more
Basically it's the story of how a postman (or at least someone with the garb of a postman) reunited a post-apocalyptic America by helping connect disparate communities through their official function.
The first section deals with how the Postman, aka Gordon Kran...more
I stayed away from this book for a long time, mostly due to some cheesy scenes from the Kevin Costner movie I've caught between switching channels on my TV.
I'm glad I've finally got around to give it a try. It starts as a rather bland post-apocalyptic adventure, but gradually the author weaves in the real theme - the role of myths (or Big Lies as they are called in the text) in shaping society. The Postman, the supercomputer and Denna are all riffs on the theme of the Messiah in the guise of Dut...more
I'm glad I've finally got around to give it a try. It starts as a rather bland post-apocalyptic adventure, but gradually the author weaves in the real theme - the role of myths (or Big Lies as they are called in the text) in shaping society. The Postman, the supercomputer and Denna are all riffs on the theme of the Messiah in the guise of Dut...more
Apr 22, 2009
Greg of A2
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction-scifi,
read-before-1990
Apocalyptic SF at it's most fun and endearing. I wouldn't call this great literature but the tale is quite enjoyable and it's softer (science-wise) than much of Brin's repertoire. It's almost like Brin decided to make a modern SF pulp novel and he succeeded.
Movie Opinion: Kevin Costner's movie version did not do this novel justice and was a big bore in comparison.
Also, if you ever get a chance to attend a Brin talk, he's an excellent speaker. He's very engaging and knowledgeable especially on s...more
Movie Opinion: Kevin Costner's movie version did not do this novel justice and was a big bore in comparison.
Also, if you ever get a chance to attend a Brin talk, he's an excellent speaker. He's very engaging and knowledgeable especially on s...more
Oct 06, 2008
Leo
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction,
post-apocalyptic
What starts as a ploy to survive takes on a life of its own and propels Gordon into an epic quest to bring hope into a dying and cruel world. The selfishness of the world is all that is left when everything else crumbles but Gordon is able to progress beyond mere survival and sacrifice his own desires for that of the greater good. Will his example be enough to inspire what's left of society to rise up and triumph over the terror the waits just over the horizon?
The author does a fantastic job of...more
The author does a fantastic job of...more
Feb 26, 2008
Andy
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People who routinely stop reading right before the climax resolves
The Postman is a perfect example of a great storyline with a great build-up that is then totally ruined by a deus ex machina resolution. It's as if the author were given a page count limit and then realized that he was about two dozen pages from that limit and said, "Uh-oh, I'd better wrap this up."
This ranks right up there with Stephen King's The Stand for a horrible, abrupt ending that had little to do with the build-up and character development of the first 95 percent of the book.
If Brin wou...more
This ranks right up there with Stephen King's The Stand for a horrible, abrupt ending that had little to do with the build-up and character development of the first 95 percent of the book.
If Brin wou...more
Aug 23, 2007
Rob
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of post-apocalyptic America
To Brin's credit: this book moves along quickly, follows a nice formula, and goes roughly where you expect it to go with just enough twists to keep it engaging along the way.
That said, this is also an exemplar of a very average novel about a "post-apocalyptic America". It makes me want to see the film with Costner. Just to compare.
Also: Brin's attempt at being sympathetic to a woman's plight in this post-apocalyptic scenario? Fell way short. Trust me bro, these broads would be way tougher than y...more
That said, this is also an exemplar of a very average novel about a "post-apocalyptic America". It makes me want to see the film with Costner. Just to compare.
Also: Brin's attempt at being sympathetic to a woman's plight in this post-apocalyptic scenario? Fell way short. Trust me bro, these broads would be way tougher than y...more
He was a survivor - a wanderer who traded tales for food and shelter in the dark and savage aftermath of a devastating war. But when he borrows the jacket of a long-dead postal worker, his life changes forever. As he journeys from one isolated community to the next, the old, worn uniform becomes far more than a protection against the unrelenting cold: it becomes a reminder of how things were before the world collapsed - and a symbol for how things might be again. And his story becomes one of a l
...more
Don't let the movie version keep you away from this book. Yes, the plot is very similar-- a wanderer in a post-apocalyptic America stumbles across a US Postal Service truck/uniform, and uses the uniform to bluff his way into communities by promissing that he is a representative of a newly formed US Government -- but on the plus side, there's no Costner involved :) This book is actually three novellas with stitched together, each with its own distinctive story arc. All told, an interesting read.
Ok, first thing I want to say about this book--Sorry Kevin, you did NOT match my mental view of the hero of this book. You're a bit too tall and you didn't look anywhere CLOSE to "weathered" enough for the character. Having said that--taking the movie as something entirely different than the book, I will probably go watch it again, just to see how different it is.
The book was written in 1986 and takes place in what was then the future but is now our past. (The story ends in 2012, for those who d...more
The book was written in 1986 and takes place in what was then the future but is now our past. (The story ends in 2012, for those who d...more
It's trite to say that the book is better than the movie, because that's almost always true. In the case of The Postman, I found it to be exceptionally so.
The film has one main storyline, which it executes very well. The book, on the other hand, describes post-collapse Oregon in detail, with its various disconnected communities, ideologies, prosperity and poverty. After finishing the book,I feel like I know the setting better than with possibly any other post-apocalyptic fiction I've encountere...more
The film has one main storyline, which it executes very well. The book, on the other hand, describes post-collapse Oregon in detail, with its various disconnected communities, ideologies, prosperity and poverty. After finishing the book,I feel like I know the setting better than with possibly any other post-apocalyptic fiction I've encountere...more
I listened to the audio book and it completely pulled me in. Perhaps it was because it is set in a part of Oregon I know and love. Perhaps it was the reader. However, I think what pulled me in the most was the engaging story.
Set in a post apocalyptic Oregon, a drifter spends a night in an old, abandoned/forgotten U.S. Mail jeep to keep warm and avoid a gang intent on beating him up. He steals the long dead postman's uniform for warmth and a few letters to read to pass the time. However, in his...more
Set in a post apocalyptic Oregon, a drifter spends a night in an old, abandoned/forgotten U.S. Mail jeep to keep warm and avoid a gang intent on beating him up. He steals the long dead postman's uniform for warmth and a few letters to read to pass the time. However, in his...more
One of my favorites from the Science Fiction genre. It is amazing (and frightening) how in many ways it parallels our current political/societal discourse. Society in "The Postman" is in shambles and is polarized to the extreme. There are two types of people in this novel: 1.) Those who survive at any cost, who haughtily mock and murder those innocents that cross their path (perhaps in a subconscious play of survival of the fittest i.e. survive or die becomes kill or be killed) and 2.) Those who...more
Este libro inspiró una película de Kevin Costner, que no llegué a ver terminar. El libro, sin embargo, me ha gustado. No está tan bien como Gente de Barro, ni en el argumento ni en el desarrollo, pero se deja leer y mantiene la tensión.
Tras el holocausto nuclear, el mundo ha retrocedido hasta tiempos medievales. No hay máquinas, no hay apenas tecnología ni medicina, y la gente vive en ciudades-estado (las viejas polis, que tanto juego dieron). Nuestro protagonista, un juglar errante, descubrirá...more
Tras el holocausto nuclear, el mundo ha retrocedido hasta tiempos medievales. No hay máquinas, no hay apenas tecnología ni medicina, y la gente vive en ciudades-estado (las viejas polis, que tanto juego dieron). Nuestro protagonista, un juglar errante, descubrirá...more
Years, ago I remember buying this book along with several others at Borders. I remember driving home, opening the front door, sitting in my reading chair, opening the The Postman, and finding myself 4 hours later, still reading, shoes still on, keys and wallet still in my pocket, bag of newly-purchased books still not rifled through as I hadn't moved an inch.
The first few pages just captivated me and I kept on reading, finishing the book in one day (I didn't sleep). I'm a sucker for post-apocaly...more
The first few pages just captivated me and I kept on reading, finishing the book in one day (I didn't sleep). I'm a sucker for post-apocaly...more
Don't EVER watch the movie allegedly based on this book. And if you were so unfortunate as to see the movie, try the book anyway, because it is WORLDS better than the movie (when I heard that Kevin Costner was starring in the movie, I knew it would be awful and unfortunately I was right).
The book is a hopeful post-apocalyptic novel, which sounds like a contradiction in terms, but the heart of the book is about hope, about the power of hope to transform not just individual lives but whole communi...more
The book is a hopeful post-apocalyptic novel, which sounds like a contradiction in terms, but the heart of the book is about hope, about the power of hope to transform not just individual lives but whole communi...more
A post-apocalyptic novel with a few too many gimmicks. Without the additions of artificial intelligence and genetically augmented humans, I would've liked this book a lot more. The premise is quite good, with a nuclear war devastating the planet. The powers that deploy the weapons have second thoughts and war is cut short, but the damage has already been done and a 3 year long nuclear winter results. This allows humankind to survive and not be totally obliterated. The chaos that results after th...more
With all due respect to Kevin Costner - who is one of my favorite actor/directors - do not see the movie... ever. Just read the book. The wanderings of Gordon backgrounded by the ruined planet are very intense and well-descibed. The various factions that exist - the hurt and scared citizen survivors, the remnants of the Holnists, the scientific commune of Cyclops - all hurt in the Doomwar, all trying to survive in their own way. Into the middle of this stumbles Gordon with his found Postman unif...more
Again with my interest in post-apocalyptic stories. I guess I’m always a sucker for man stripped of all his contrivance and forced back to earlier software build. It’s kinda like reinstalling the OS for the world, I guess.
The Postman must not be confused in any way with the Kevin Costner adaptation for screen. While that one did a decent job of capturing some of the visuals, the emotion of the story seems bleached out.
In brief, our hero is a survivor in a fractured post nuclear war United States...more
Oct 09, 2009
Ratiocination
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction
A thoughtful take on a post-apocalyptic setting. There's a hard balance to strike in the subgenre; a lot of works suffer from either "too close to be so different," or "too far for so much to be the same." Either the big global disaster is in the recent past, in which case you shouldn't have complex new societies and traditions yet, or it's in the distant past, in which case there shouldn't be quite so many artifacts of our present lying around. You want your mohawked barbarians, but you also wa...more
Aug 28, 2009
Cécile Cristofari
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Kevin Costner fans????
Shelves:
science-fiction-sf
Given what I had heard of David Brin, I had very high expectations when I began The Postman. Consequently, I was sorely disappointed. This does not sound at all like the work of a major SF author. The writing has absolutely nothing exceptional, I cannot remember a single striking sentence, image ir idea. As for the story, the only thing that struck me about it was its lack of subtlety. I really don't know if it can seem meaningful or moving to an American (after all, this is about rebuilding the...more
Very American. And not in the good ways.
Politically I am probably the opposite of David Brin in almost everything, but that hasn't stopped me appreciating his writing in other cases. The Uplift trilogies (The Uplift War) - fantastic. The Practice Effect - great fun. But this one was just a continuous irritation almost throughout, despite the usual engaging adventure and general air of intelligence that is characteristic of Brin's writing.
If you don't mind yet another characteristically American...more
Politically I am probably the opposite of David Brin in almost everything, but that hasn't stopped me appreciating his writing in other cases. The Uplift trilogies (The Uplift War) - fantastic. The Practice Effect - great fun. But this one was just a continuous irritation almost throughout, despite the usual engaging adventure and general air of intelligence that is characteristic of Brin's writing.
If you don't mind yet another characteristically American...more
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David Brin is a scientist, speaker, and world-known author. His novels have been New York Times Bestsellers, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula and other awards. At least a dozen have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Existence, his latest novel, offers an unusual scenario for first contact. His ecological thriller, Earth, foreshadowed global warming, cyberwarfare and near-future trends...more
More about David Brin...
Existence, his latest novel, offers an unusual scenario for first contact. His ecological thriller, Earth, foreshadowed global warming, cyberwarfare and near-future trends...more
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Aug 28, 2012 06:15am