While not as satisfying or as meaty as Earth, Brin’s portrayal of a post-apocalyptic America is still compelling. The main character, trying to survive in the Oregon wilderness, happens upon a dead mailman and confiscates his uniform. Putting it on, he becomes the “postman” for the people in the enclaves he visits and even begins carrying their mail, all the while bemoaning the fact that no one will take responsibility for restoring civilization without realizing that he, in a small way, is doing exactly that.

One interesting plot point is that the collapse is not brought about by war or disease but by an anarchist militia movement capitalizing on those things to destroy American society from within. Of course, at the end, the Postman and his followers must fight a decisive battle with that same militia to determine whose way of life will ultimately win out.