Mark Twain wrote: The old saw says, "Let a sleeping dog lie." Right. Still, when there is much at stake it is better to get a newspaper to do it.
Category: Dystopian Fiction
Average Rating: 2.0
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.
This is the story of a lie that became the most powerful kind of truth. A timeless novel as urgently compelling as War Day or Alas, Babylon, David Brin's The Postman is the dramatically moving saga of a man who rekindled the spirit of America through the power of a dream, from a modern master of science fiction.
Rating: 2
David Brin's The Postman, narrated by Kevin Kenerly, is a much more literary work than is typical for post-apocalyptic science fiction. Readers who enjoy dense prose, extended metaphors, and philosophical introspection may find plenty to appreciate. For me, however, those qualities came at the expense of the story itself.
The novel often seems to substitute elaborate vocabulary, symbolism, and dreamlike or hallucinatory sequences for compelling storytelling. While there are moments of genuine intrigue, the pacing is slow, and the action is too sparse to maintain consistent engagement. I found myself waiting for the plot to build momentum, but it rarely did.
Kevin Kenerly delivers a solid narration that helps keep the listening experience enjoyable. His performance is steady, expressive, and well-suited to the material, making it easier to stay with the story even when the narrative began to wander.
In the end, the narration and the occasional bursts of action were enough to carry me through to the conclusion, but not enough to change my overall impression. Readers looking for thoughtful, literary science fiction may enjoy The Postman, but if you're hoping for a more engaging, action-driven post-apocalyptic adventure, this audiobook is likely to disappoint. Unfortunately, I can't recommend it.
Copyright © 2006-2026 by MyListens.com