The Postman

Maybe it was the fact that it is the basis for one of the worst movies ever (I haven't seen it but the trailer is enough to make you want to steer clear), maybe it was that I'd never read David Brin before, or maybe it was that it doesn't seem to get the highest rating on this site (6-8, I'm the only 9), but I wasn't that excited when I started reading this book. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised and was treated to a fantastic book that has the distinct feel of literature.

I've seen the arguments on this site and elsewhere about whether or not Scifi is literature and tend to believe that all fiction is literature. Whether or not it is any good is another question entirely. What I mean when I say that this book feels like literature is that it is the type of book that feels important, the type of book that high school english teacher assign. I mean this in the most positive way possible. I'm not talking about those books that you thought were boring and then decided to read the cliff notes instead. I'm talking about the ones you enjoyed, the Lord of the Flies, and Last of the Mohicans' of the world. The Postman feels crafted. It has atmosphere, emotion, plot, intrigue, and ideas. I'm not saying that this is my favorite book on the site but it's the one that feels the most like literature. Needless to say, I'll be checking out more David Brin.