Although I’ve read David Brin a few times before, I first learned about The Postman from the Kevin Costner movie of the same name. I haven’t seen the movie yet. Here are Brin’s thoughts on the film, which ran 177 (!) minutes. I won’t rush to see it, but I won’t avoid it, either. Still, awareness from the movie is why I checked this book out of the library.
The book is excellent, despite the awful movie reviews.
Like all the best science fiction novels, it’s more fiction than science…and the fiction feels real enough. It’s an apocalyptic vision, set mostly in Oregon. The Postman, though, focuses its attention on those who preserve communities, rather than those who destroy them. Having now read Brin’s brief personal ideology, I see the thread of wonder that despite ourselves, human society can continue and achieve great things. Daily headlines focus on the tragedies and potential for disaster, but the rule of law (for instance) is a pretty amazing background that we should all treasure.
Oregon
Random thoughts about the book’s strong sense of place:
- The plethora of placenames made me long for a map of the state.
- I had stray sad thoughts of James Kim, solely because of the locale.
- I did enjoy welcome memories of the 2001 edition of Hood to Coast, my only personal exposure to Oregon