History Literature / ThePostman

* DeconstructorFleet: Openly admitted by the author as the massive take down on [[AfterTheEnd the entire post-apocalypse genre]], which was at its peak of popularity back then. Most of it is achieved by simple PerspectiveFlip and telling the story from the perspective of people that are usually saved by some cliché, OneManArmy-style AntiHero and making it a point to show just how horrible life without modern civilization can get. And that usual hero archetype is most represented by the ''bad guys'' here, with a lot of the ideas underlying it deconstructed.

* BadassPacifist: George Powhatan's reputation matches his size, but he doesn't want to fight. [[spoiler:He's an augment who is dragged out of seclusion to kill Macklin, another augment, when there's no other option.]]

* BadassPacifist:
** Once Gordon figures out that the original postman had died rather recently, he realizes he was this, courageously going behind lines for the sake of the mail.
** George Powhatan's reputation matches his size, but he doesn't want to fight. [[spoiler:He's an augment who is dragged out of seclusion to kill Macklin, another augment, when there's no other option.]]

* CrazySurvivalist: The "Holnist Survivalists"; it's explicitly noted that after everything fell apart, Holn himself was dragged out and [[HoistByHisOwnPetard lynched for getting them started]]. Also that the Holnists forever tainted the term "survivalist".

* {{Eagleland}}: The book examines both sides of this dualistic trope. Type I, which idealizes liberty, equality and peace, is contrasted with Type II, which idealizes paranoid extremism, a gung-ho attitude, and over-the-top individualism. The hero is representative of the former, the villains the former.

* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: The Willamette Army on ''their own fallen'', to convince the general public how horrible the Holnists are. The Holnists, of course, are no saints -- collecting genitals and ears of killed enemies is a standard procedure for them, just as rounding up the survivors for slavery and [[TheSocialDarwinist castrating males they perceive as weak]].

[[FallenStatesOfAmerica America has been left in ruins]] in the wake of the [[DoomyDoomsOfDoom Doomwar]], a conflagration of various doomsday scenarios. Seventeen years later, Gordon Krantz, who was a college sophomore before it all came down, struggles to survive in a harsh environment where scavenging and violence is the norm and the [[RightWingMilitiaFanatic vicious, fanatical Holnists]] reign supreme. He has been searching and searching for a place, anywhere, where "someone is taking responsibility." When he is robbed of most of his possessions, Gordon takes the uniform of a long-dead postman for warmth. The simple act of taking up this symbol soon [[SnowballLie snowballs]] into an elaborate tale casting Gordon as an agent of the fictional Restored United States. At first, he maintains this lie only to survive, but as hope springs up in his path, the lie becomes something more.

* AmazonBrigade: Dena's Army Scouts. [[spoiler: They are almost entirely wiped out after a failed attempt to infiltrate and sabotage the Holnists.]]
* AmericaSavesTheDay: In a sense. [[spoiler: The Restored United States of America starts as a lie and ultimately becomes very much real.]]
* AndTheAdventureContinues: The book ends with the Postman departing to find and make contact with [[spoiler: the Republic of California.]]
* ApocalypseHow: Continental/Societal Collapse. Unusually, there was not one single cause of the Doomwar. In fact, humanity probably could have weathered the nukes, the electromagnetic pulses, and the bioengineered diseases if not for the predatory, hyper-survivalist Holnists who pounced on other bands of survivors without mercy.
* TheApunkalypse: The rule of law has collapsed AfterTheEnd, and brigands roam the countryside engaged in assault, rape and murder.

* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: {{Averted}}. [[CombatPragmatist Gordon]] never holds more than four bullets in his revolver, unless it's an emergency or it appears he's doomed. His gun is always secured in its holster. He takes a good care of it and always uses it with an accurate two-hand grip.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: The followers of Nathan Holn's philosophy will ''only'' accept orders from someone that they know can kill them. They generally don't murder their superiors by treachery or stealth, since that wouldn't prove who was 'better'.
* BackupBluff: [[spoiler: When the Holnists are encircling the unit of Willamette Army Gordon is commanding, he realizes their only chance is in pretending there are more of them. So he makes sure to shout orders to non-existing back-up at top of his lungs, trying to overcome the gunfire. It works only partially - the Holnists still overrun the camp, but at least [[TakingYouWithMe the Willamette forces managed to kill good chunk of the survivalists in the ensuing confusion]]]]. The charade is even brought back up later, when Gordon is recognized as the "mouthy fellow".
* BadassNormal: One of Gordon's comrades is a former [[SemperFi Marine]], and when both of {{The Dragon}}s are killed off-page while hunting him, the BigBad assumes that he is responsible. [[spoiler: The second Dragon actually killed the Marine, and was killed in turn by [[BigDamnHeroes George Powhatan.]]]]
* BandOfBrothers: Gordon's fellow militiamen. [[spoiler: They have been dead for more than a decade when the story starts]].
* BasedOnAGreatBigLie / LiesToChildren: 'The Postman' has arrived from 'The Restored States' to save the Northwest. [[spoiler: Cyclops turns out to be one as well.]].

* BlackComedy: The only comedy allowed. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools But it's fitting]].

** [[spoiler: When Corvallis was attacked by the anti-tech mob, the remnants of the local military arrived when the damage was already done and Cyclops was dying]].
** Gordon finally abandoned the post assigned to his militia unit when neither reinforcements nor relief came for over a year. By that time he was [[spoiler: the last man left guarding the empty soy silos]].
* CelibateHero: {{Inverted}}. Gordon wasn't with any women not because he didn't want to be, but because there was no opportunity or suitable woman for a ''long'' while. [[spoiler: When he's with Dena, he's more annoyed with her than aroused]].
* CharacterDevelopment: During the course of the story Gordon evolves from a frightened, timid drifter minding his own business and struggling to survive... into a {{Determinator}}, bringing hope to the terrorized people of Oregon and connecting the individual efforts of many communities into unified work for their mutual progress. He still remains a DeadpanSnarker though.
* ChekhovsGun:
** The diary Gordon loses in the beginning shows up toward the end in the hands of [[spoiler: the Holnists]], as does [[ChekhovsGunman the person who stole it]].
** The whistle Gordon receives from Abby in the first section became very handy in [[spoiler: the third one, when he used it to signal his men about a Holnist ambush]].
** The letter from Dena became useful when it was accidentally read by [[spoiler: one of the Holnist's slaves, inspiring her to help Gordon and Johnny escape]].
* ChosenConceptionPartner: Having mumps as an adult rendered Michael infertile. While he and Abby are both HappilyMarried, they also want to have a child. To avoid the genetic bottleneck effect and friction with a locally-picked father, they ask Gordon, an outside drifter, to try to impregnate Abby. The book somehow manages to handle it without making it as awkward as it sounds and it doesn't carry any romantic undertones, unlike the infamous RomanticPlotTumor from the film adaptation. [[spoiler: Gordon never again visits Pine View and intentionally distances himself from the daughter Abby bears]].
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Gordon, despite his strong common sense and all the bad things around, keeps on resigning himself to his fate and going for a rescue or providing help to the needy, even if he would prefer to remain the coward he feels he is. Instead of freezing he musters the resolve to do something heroic... or ''his body'' overcomes his cowardice and acts on instinct.

* ComesGreatResponsibility: A recurring theme, even if that power is the seemingly-innocuous position of postman.
* ConMan: By pure chance, Gordon ends up in a grand scheme as the mastermind behind it. It almost seems like he's made a postman [[YouCantFightFate by fate and can't do anything about it]].
* ConspiracyTheorist: Nathan Holn, a bat-shit insane nutcase. Everyone, including people born after the Doomwar (and thus lacking any serious education), wonder how he could get any support for his ideas. Except, of course, the Holnists who have taken his MightMakesRight philosophy even further.

** Gordon finding the postal van while trying to catch up with robbers who just mugged him. It helps in both the short and long term - first providing shelter and clothes, then giving him a perfect U.S. Postal Carrier disguise. This is also an example of the AnthropicPrinciple, as Gordon finding the van and needing to wear the outfit is what starts the story.
** Gordon finding [[spoiler: Dena after being recaptured by Holnists, moments before she expires in his arms]].

* CrazySurvivalist: The "Holnist Survivalists"; it's explicitly noted that after everything fell apart, Holn himself was dragged out and lynched for getting them started. Also that the Holnists forever tainted the term "survivalist".
* DeadGuyOnDisplay: Holnists "mark" their territory with crucified people. They also use it as a punishment for misbehaving slaves and a warning to others to stay in line.

* DeathGlare: Gordon gave one to the Mayor of Oakridge when he started to contest the Mayor's authority over the town - the first act of defiance the Mayor had to face in many years.
* DeathIsDramatic: Averted for almost all characters, who die suddenly, without much fanfare and often without funeral, but played absolutely straight when [[spoiler: Dena dies. She has all the time needed to talk with Gordon for the last time and expires calmly in his embrace]].
* DeconstructorFleet: Openly admitted by the author as the massive take down on [[AfterTheEnd the entire post-apocalypse genre]], which was at its peak of popularity back then. Most of it is achieved by simple PerspectiveFlip and telling the story from the perspective of people that are usually saved by some cliché, OneManArmy style anti-hero and making it a point to show just how horrible life without modern civilization can get. And that usual hero archetype is most represented by the ''bad guys'' here, with a lot of the ideas underlying it deconstructed.
* DesperatelyLookingForAPurposeInLife: Ever since the world collapsed, Gordon has been just drifting all over the northern parts of the former US, trying to find some place worth staying and any semblance of civilization worth taking part in.
* DisneyVillainDeath: After climactic and lengthy duel, [[spoiler: George Powhatan grabs General Macklin and throws him down a gorge]].

* TheDreaded: Subverted with the Holnists - they are generally feared, but hated even more. Large bands of Holnists can force people into submission, but if any of them are caught alone, the common people will show no mercy.

* {{Eagleland}}: The book examines both sides of this dualistic trope. Type I with all its liberty, equality and peaceful ways is contrasted with Type II for its paranoid extremism, gung-ho attitude, and over-the-top individualism. The hero is representative of the former, the villains the former.

* FauxAffablyEvil: Charles Bezoar tries to pass for a decent person for a while, but the illusion shatters eventually, [[spoiler: with just a few tiny pushes made by Gordon]].
* FeudalFuture: Countless communities were either reduced into clan-like organisations or outright serfdom under some strongman. Then there is the land under Holnist rule, which is divided into baronies - hell-holes where everybody except the local brute-squad are slaves for some local "lord".

* ForWantOfANail: [[spoiler: Holnists under general Macklin would probably have a field day in the Willamette Valley, if not for the fact Gordon organised communication and cooperation of local settlements under the ''de facto'' leadership of Servants of the Cyclops and convincing George Powhatan along with his hardened community to join the fight]]. Should they have gone in just a few months earlier, they would have easily won.
* FromNobodyToNightmare: One of the robbers at the beginning introduces himself as a former stockbroker. Later on, Colonel Bezoar says he was once a lawyer and Republican county commissioner.
* GoneHorriblyRight: Government research before the Doomwar used cybernetic enhancements to create SuperSoldier forces... [[IdiotBall without considering the psychological effects this would have on aggressive personalities.]] This research into 'augments' was soon cancelled, and most of the soldiers involved were BroughtDownToNormal before the Doomwar. [[spoiler: A second program, with a little more thought put into it, followed.]]

* TheGreatPoliticsMessUp: It's hinted that the Soviet Union survived until the Doomwar, or was toppled by violent revolution right before it. The war took place in the mid-90's.

** Subverted later on, when [[spoiler: he is captured by the Holnists for the second time. He manages to climb on [[UnwillingSuspension a beam his hands were tied to]]]], but the first thing Colonel Bezoar does is look in that direction the moment he realizes Gordon is missing. Gordon expects this however, dropping onto him at once.
* HalfwayPlotSwitch: From a loner faking a postal system to [[spoiler: a war involving superhuman experiments]]!
* HelpfulHallucination: Although they can't take direct action, all of Gordon's "ghosts" - [[spoiler: Cyclops, Johnny Stevens, the Army Scouts, dream-Ben Franklin and his chess-playing stove, the original postman etc.]] - appear to encourage him toward the end.

** People tend to share their loot if they find it together... sometimes. Otherwise they might [[NoHonorAmongThieves as well kill you for it]].

** The seasons in which the action takes place [[RuleOFSymbolism are related with this trope]]. In the first section, it's autumn, where everything is dying. Then the action fast-forwards toward early spring, when Gordon starts setting his Postal Service and things are going smooth. Then the Holnists show up - right when autumn is about to start. The war against them takes place mostly in the winter, when nature is dead and animals struggle to survive. In the end, when [[spoiler: the Holnists are defeated and Gordon heads toward California]], it's the beautiful spring of 2012.

* InLoveWithTheMark: {{Discussed}}. It's speculated that this could be the reason why [[spoiler: Dena and the Scouts']] plan to infiltrate the Holnists failed.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Averted. The pre-war [=AI=] computers were a step between real [=AI=] and standard mega-computer, build on specially designed processors and components. Only if running sufficiently long could they reach true sentience going beyond the ability to answer questions and solving equations on their own. [[spoiler: Which makes Cyclops' death even more shattering]].
* InverseLawOfUtilityAndLethality: Gordon is a former sophomore of some sociology-themed major who was attending acting group in spare time back then... which helps him all the time in the postwar world.
* IronicName: The Holnists' call their domain "the Free Realm", with their military being the "American Liberation Army". They're a slave society and seek to conquer everyone else around them. No doubt they would not view this as ironic however-rather as the [[MightMakesRight freedom of the strong]] to crush or rule the weak, [[AboveGoodAndEvil without restraints]].
* {{Irony}}: After impressing inhabitants of Pine View, Gordon is hoping to stay there for a while or even settle with them - something he really wants to do. Instead, they decide to encourage him to journey further, so his grand plan is destroyed. The whole situation keeps on repeating itself each time he reaches new place suitable for settling down in his postal attire - the only one he owns. He keeps thinking about this even when the lie about the Restored United States snowballs into near-reality level.
* IWantMyJetPack: In the book's timeline, humanity managed to build computers capable of reaching true AI, introduced ''two'' generations of cyborgs and were able to deploy military-grade laser weapon systems. All by the mid 90's.
* JustFollowingOrders: Inverted. Gordon is devastated, because he ''doesn't'' issue any orders for his men to follow - they choose by themselves to conduct many barbaric acts to later blame Holnists for them.
* KeystoneArmy: Given how Holnists' ranks work, [[spoiler: [[DecapitatedArmy killing all of their high command in the last chapter]]]] inevitably leads to their demise as an organized force. Without that unity they not only become easier targets, but it's also heavily implied [[EnemyCivilWar they start fighting each other for command]], every gorilla for himself.

* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler: Roger Septien, the robber from the very first pages of the book, is eventually killed by Johnny when he and Gordon are escaping Holnists [=HQ=]]], as he is unlucky enough to stand guard in a vital spot.
* LifeWillKillYou: It's never clearly stated, but apparently a sizable chunk of [[spoiler: the militia unit Gordon was serving in]] died from malnutrition and dental infections caused by low hygiene. In fact, the death toll from those was bigger than from attacks they repelled.

* MagneticHero: PlayedWith. It's not Gordon as a person, but rather him as an ''idea'' of a person catching attention and gaining support from all the local communities.
* {{Matriarchy}}: And a noble one - Pine View is guided by elderly Mrs. Thompson. The first chapter is much more prone to use tribalistic references and thus even narration calls her a matriarch a few times.
* MedalOfDishonor: Johnny is very thankful for Gordon's sharp mind and that little whistle... while Gordon was busy contemplating abandoning the whole unit and wasted a lot of time on thinking about it instead of acting and thus providing some real advantage.
* MistreatmentInducedBetrayal: The two slaves that [[spoiler: release Gordon and Johnny and help them escape]].

* NoodleIncident: The events before and right after the Doomwar are a long series of those. Things like "Slavic Resurgence", "Cuban problem", "Kenyan front", "Slavic-Turkic War" or "One-Week War" are only mentioned and never truly discussed. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Because the past is not important - the present and future are]].
* NormalFishInATinyPond: After spending the last fifteen years on wandering through the wasteland, Gordon is ''still'' an easy target for bandits roaming around, but when compared to inhabitants of the Willamette Valley he is an extremely experienced scavenger and scout, able to find holes in local defenses on the fly or picking off small squads of Holnists one by one.
* NostalgiaFilter: Often invoked by different characters toward the pre-war world. People tend to sing commercial jingles just to recall good old times. Also part of what makes Gordon's masquerade so effective: of all the hallmarks of civilization before the collapse, the accessibility of the postal service and the positive connotations it held make it a symbol that survivors latched onto immediately. One survivor fondly reminisces on how their father would leave out a glass of whiskey for the mail carrier every Christmas.
* ObligatoryWarCrimeScene: The Willamette Army on ''their own fallen'', to convince the general public how horrible the Holnists are. Not that the Holnist themselves are saints - collecting genitals and ears of killed enemies is a standard procedure for them, just as rounding up the survivors for slavery and [[TheSocialDarwinist castrating males they perceive as weak]].
* OfficerAndAGentleman: Deconstructed. Being the most civic person in the whole Willamette Army and ''de facto'' commanding officer of it, Gordon is struggling under this role. He openly admits there are better candidates to lead men. And he realizes how bad it is to be a gentle philosopher during the war with the worst kind of dishonorable, brutal scums he could stumble upon, but must maintain the strong-willed facade for the sake of morale.
* OneHitKill: Justified, since [[spoiler: Gordon punches Bezoar's jaw]] into his brain. And [[RealityEnsues almost breaks his hand by doing it improperly]].

* PaperThinDisguise: But it works, since Gordon is the only person aware of how he got himself the postman uniform. It's also reasonably downplayed early on, before the whole thing snowballed into becoming self-sustaining. Aside from the uniform, Gordon also forges a few documents and has to rely on mail brought from Pine View to gain any real credibility - the uniform is only a sweetener to the hard evidence.
* PrecisionFStrike: As Gordon is about to [[spoiler: [[RefusalOfTheCall leave Corvallis]]]]:

* RealMenWearPink: The original postman was wearing a colorful paisley shirt under his jacket. He was shot while trying to deliver crucial mail through bandit-infested territory and still had enough resolve to hide his jeep and the correspondence. This becomes handy for Gordon when he finds the body years later - the uniform's shirt was left in mint condition and still well-ironed, waiting in the bag on the passenger seat.
* RefusalOfTheCall: George Powhatan. [[spoiler: Well, he tried]].
* ResignedToTheCall/ TenMinuteRetirement: [[spoiler: See RefusedTheCall. Poor George.]]

** [[spoiler: Cyclops is dead]].
** Towards the end of the book, the Postman discovers why the Holnists have been pushing so hard into Oregon. [[spoiler: They are retreating away from an army in the Republic of California]].

--> "Sure was nice of that fellow, findin' this for us. Wish we could thank him. Ought to get to know him so we don't shoot first if we ever see him again".

** After figuring out that [[spoiler: Cyclops is just a benevolent scam used to uphold some remnants of unity and civilization, he is ready to ride away, especially after learning about advancing Holnist ''army''. But then he clenches his teeth, turns back his horse and [[WeHelpTheHelpless takes command over panicked civilians]] as "the legal representative of the Restored United States, with authority over Northern Oregon and Washington State"]].
** Later, when [[spoiler: the war is getting really bad, he again contemplates ditching the Willamette Valley, especially since he knows Holnists are already encircling his sleeping camp. Instead, he pulls out [[ChekhovsGun his whistle]] and wakes up everyone, organizing fierce defense]].
* SerialNovel: The first part of the book was originally published as a short story and later the second one was written as continuation in the same format. The final part was added after Creator/DavidBrin decided to turn it into full-fledged book. It ''shows''. The first part is written in a completely different style and with vocabulary aiming to point how primitive the world is. Both the first and second part of the book are clearly stand-alone stories. The final part is obviously [[ArcWelding aiming to sew everything together]] into much tighter structure.
* SexyDiscretionShot: Right before Gordon and Abby are about to get busy, the chapter ends. The next one starts after their last encounter. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools It works]], [[ChosenConceptionPartner given the nature of their deal]].

* ShamingTheMob: After being finally invited to Powhatan's Sugarloaf Mountain fortress, Gordon quickly realizes lies about the Restored United States won't work here. Instead he ditches all the speeches prepared in advance and calls everyone there out [[ApatheticCitizens on their indifference and lack of action]], when they have all the means and skills needed for the fight against Holnists and how things will turn out if they won't help their neighbors. [[SubvertedTrope It still doesn't work]].
* SherlockScan: How Gordon deduced that [[spoiler: Cyclops is dead and the whole thing is just a masquerade]] - he tied together numerous, disconnected clues and then confronted people with his theory.

* SoMuchForStealth: When approaching [[spoiler: what he thinks is]] a bandit hideout, Gordon is trying to do it as silently as possible, looking for each of his steps. The moment he turns his gaze from the ground, he instantly steps on a dry twig. [[SelfFulfillingProphecy Right after lampshading this very trope]].

* SpannerInTheWorks: Gordon with his SnowballLie shows up just few months before [[spoiler: Holnist evacuation into Oregon. This means they encounter organised and fierce resistance of the entire region, rather than just picking settlements one by one like they're used to]].

* StrawFeminist: The title character is caught between the Scouts and the Holnists ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy straw masculists]].) The Scouts come off better, but they're still slightly crazy. The main difference between the Scouts and most examples on this page is that they are more or less egalitarian feminists that both know of the progress made towards gender equality in the USA during the 20th Century as well as recognize the fact that in the post-apocalyptic present all those achievements are being eroded. Furthermore, they realize that within a generation or two women could be in the same situation they were two centuries ago, or if the Holnists win far far worse. This possibility they really want to avoid. The "slightly crazy part" is because they're long on ideology and commitment but short on practical solutions. Although they earnestly try to train and prepare for the coming conflict, battle between the Scouts (in their current form) and the Holnists would be a lot like an armed hiking club trying to repel a Cossack raid. [[spoiler: Perhaps unsurprisingly, their plot against the Holnists fails]]. It is important to note that Scouts, unlike Holnists, are not only aware they have SmallReferencePools for their ideology, which obviously leads to various misinterpretations, but are doing their very best to keep the more extreme stances and ideas under the rug, while Holnists go head-on with their extremism.
* SuperSoldiers: The Augments, who were chosen for their violent tendencies, modified [[BodyHorror freakishly]], and deployed several times before the government wised up to what that sort of soldier does during peacetime. Post-Doomwar, they hold the top positions among the villainous Holnists. [[spoiler: George Powhatan is a second generation augment, chosen because he is an ActualPacifist and forcibly transformed with more subtle implants focusing on [[MasterOfYourDomain biofeedback]].]]

* SurvivorGuilt: Gordon doesn't feel too good about the fact that [[spoiler: all his fellow militiamen are dead]]. It's more than a decade and he still labors under the burden of being the last man standing.
* TakeThatAudience: There are countless jabs throughout the story towards all sort of prepper types that might read the book simply because it's set AfterTheEnd. Even with Holnists removed from the equation, the sole notion of the glorified "self-sustaining survivor" is shred to pieces. Rather than focusing on the [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality self-righteous hero]], the story instead points out what happens if two (or more) such types end up in a single area and how much havoc they are going to cause to people around them. By the start of the book, the vast majority of those types managed to kill each other dead ''over a decade'' ago, in the process squandering a huge amount of vital supplies and dragging the whole civilization down to "protect" their lifestyle.

** When tracking the muggers in the first chapter, Gordon notes that he will most likely die in the process... but at least the surrounding area will be a bit more safe for future travelers.
** [[spoiler: The general fighting style of the Willamette Army is described by their utmost defiance. Even when on the losing end - which is their usual situation - they always make sure to kill as many Holnists as possible]].
* TapOnTheHead: [[spoiler: One of the augments knocks Gordon out after finally finding out who is commanding the defenses]]. [[RealityEnsues He only fully recovers from it a few days later, being barely conscious for that time]].
* TaughtByExperience: The Willamette Army is trained this way. And by experience we mean being slaughtered each time they engage Holnists.

* TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture: The setting was this from the mid-80s perspective. Now it's a full-blown AlternateHistory.
* UnspecifiedApocalypse: The details are intentionally kept vague, but it's relatively easy to figure out that whatever the Doomwar was about, it ended up with limited nuclear exchange, combined with high-altitude detonations (thus EMP) and biological agents were also used. However, ''neither'' of those knocked the government or civilisation as such down. Instead it was result of the various mobs that formed in the aftermath of war, some of which actively and deliberately gunned down and destroyed any sign of reconstruction they've came across, further combined with indifference of people not affected directly. The letters Gordon finds in the van clearly indicate that things were struggling, but somewhat still normal ''three years'' after the Doomwar and he was himself a Guardsman in the National Guard some two years after the war. All this uncertainity is used as a plot-point, since in the end, it doesn't really matter and people have to come to terms with it if they didn't already.

* UnwillingSuspension: When [[spoiler: Holnists capture Gordon for the second time]], his hands are tied over his head to the beam and he is suspended ''just'' above the ground.
* UtilityBelt: {{Downplayed}}. Gordon's military belt holds his most important belongings: canteen, Swiss army knife, tube of iodine, compass and [[TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers holster with his gun and bullets]].
* VictoryByEndurance: Discussed and invoked. General Macklin explains to Gordon how his minor setbacks are meaningless in the long run, simply because he has ideological superiority over "cowards" - the Holnists can simply wait out for [[WeAREStrugglingTogether the local alliances to collapse over time]] when they will no longer be under pressure of direct threat, only for the Holnists to return then to mop up the survivors one-by-one. All while the teachings of Nathan Holn are ''very'' tempting to ambitious, strong and brave individuals, further eroding ranks of the "sheep". [[spoiler: But it's the Willamette Valley that comes out victorious this way, simply by resisting the Holnists for long enough to finally convince [[SummonBiggerFish George Powhatan to join their fight]]. Few weeks later Holnists are a DecapitatedArmy on retreat and busy fighting each other for the leadership, while the Oregon region emerges as unified territory with a strong government]].
* WackyWaysideTribe: Gordon recalls all the small communities he had visited in his years of wandering - quite brutal and closed to outsiders, unless [[ARealManIsAKiller equally brutal acts were committed to gain entry]].
* WalkingTheEarth: What Gordon is doing since [[spoiler: his squad of militiamen was wiped out]].
* WasntThatFun: According to Johnny, he had a great time while [[spoiler: escaping from the Holnists' [=HQ=]]].
* WeCanRuleTogether: Macklin makes an offer like this to Gordon when he's his prisoner. He recognizes that Gordon is a {{worthy opponent}} of the Holnists, and says he'd be made a baron. Knowing Gordon's principles, he even says that he'd be able to treat his serfs compassionately if that's his wish. Gordon flatly rejects this however.
* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Subverted. Remember those robbers from the first chapter and who Gordon apparently left alone? [[spoiler: They manage to bite his ass ''twice'', when their leader returns in the third part of the book, as a freshly recruited Holnist, along with Gordon's diary, the only existing proof that there is no such thing as the Restored United States. General Macklin couldn't be more happy about all of this]].
* WhatHaveIBecome: The Chairman of Public Safety from Curtin, after realizing how barbaric life has become. Bonus points for being a former member of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASPCA ASPCA]], now organizing dog fights. [[ManlyTears He starts to weep over this]].
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: The brutal survivalists/Holnists are led by General Macklin and his aides, who were [[spoiler: pre-war experiments on creating soldiers with superhuman strength and speed]]. The government chose the most ruthless, intelligent, and efficient killers in its military, with foreseeable results when the US itself turned into an anarchistic warzone. Macklin is finally killed by [[spoiler: George Powhatan, a later experiment of the same ilk, though with a nature loving Neo-Hippie as subject]].

* ZergRush: The only time the Willamette Army scores any victories are all-around assaults on isolated Holnist positions. They might be thorough, experienced and ruthless survivalists, but it's not of much use while being simply overrun.

* FalloutShelterFail: The protagonist of mentions finding fallout shelters whose owners didn't make it every so often, and hoping that the prior occupants stocked up on more non-perishable food than useless stuff like gold.

* RealMenWearPink: The original postman was wearing a colorful parsley shirt under his jacket. He was shot while trying to deliver crucial mail through bandit-infested territory and still had enough resolve to hide his jeep and the correspondence. This becomes handy for Gordon when he finds the body years later - the uniform's shirt was left in mint condition and still well-ironed, waiting in the bag on the passenger seat.

* DividedWeFall: The only reason why Holnists or just regular thugs and bandits can thrive is lack of cooperation and unity on the side of the communities they oppress. The book as a whole makes it a point to explain that civilization and society as we know it can exist when and only when people work together for shared goals, putting the group ahead of their own ambitions. This was written [[{{Greed}} in the 80s]].

* StrawFeminist: The title character is caught between the Scouts and the Holnists ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy straw masculists]].) The Scouts come off better, but they're still slightly crazy. The main difference between the Scouts and most examples on this page is that they are more or less egalitarian feminists that both know of the progress made towards gender equality in the USA during the 20th Century as well as recognize the fact that in the post-apocalyptic present all those achievements are being eroded. Furthermore, they realize that within a generation or two women could be in the same situation they were two centuries ago, or if the Holnists win far far worse. This possibility they really want to avoid. The "slightly crazy part" is tha, so they're long on ideology and commitment but short on practical solutions. Although they earnestly try to train and prepare for the coming conflict, battle between the Scouts (in their current form) and the Holnists would be a lot like an armed hiking club trying to repel a Cossack raid. [[spoiler: Perhaps unsurprisingly, their plot against the Holnists fails]]. It is important to note that Scouts, unlike Holnists, are not only aware they have SmallReferencePools for their ideology, which obviously leads to various misinterpretations, but are doing their very best to keep the more extreme stances and ideas under the rug, while Holnists go head-on with their extremism.

* StrawFeminist: The title character is caught between the Scouts and the Holnists ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy straw masculists]].) The Scouts come off better, but they're still slightly crazy. The main difference between the Scouts and most examples on this page is that they are more or less egalitarian feminists that both know of the progress made towards gender equality in the USA during the 20th Century as well as recognize the fact that in the post-apocalyptic present all those achievements are being eroded. Furthermore, they realize that within a generation or two women could be in the same situation they were two centuries ago, or if the Holnists win far far worse. This possibility they really want to avoid. The "slightly crazy part" is tha, so they're long on ideology and commitment but short on practical solutions. Although they earnestly try to train and prepare for the coming conflict, battle between the Scouts (in their current form) and the Holnists would be a lot like an armed hiking club trying to repel a Cossack raid. [[spoiler: Perhaps unsurprisingly, their plot against the Holnists fails]]. It is important to note that Scouts, unlike Holnists, are not only aware they have SmallReferencePools for their ideology, but are doing their very best to keep the more extreme stances and ideas under the rug, while Holnists go head-on with their extremism.

* StrawFeminist: The title character is caught between the Scouts and the Holnists ([[ProudWarriorRaceGuy straw masculists]].) The Scouts come off better, but they're still slightly crazy. The main difference between the Scouts and most examples on this page is that they are more or less egalitarian feminists that both know of the progress made towards gender equality in the USA during the 20th Century as well as recognize the fact that in the post-apocalyptic present all those achievements are being eroded. Furthermore, they realize that within a generation or two women could be in the same situation they were two centuries ago, or if the Holnists win far far worse. This possibility they really want to avoid. The "slightly crazy part" is that the Scouts are mostly from a pocket of civilization centered on a surviving university campus, so they're long on ideology and commitment but short on practical solutions. Although they earnestly try to train and prepare for the coming conflict, battle between the Scouts (in their current form) and the Holnists would be a lot like an armed hiking club trying to repel a Cossack raid. [[spoiler: Perhaps unsurprisingly, their plot against the Holnists fails.]]

* StrawFeminist: Dena, [[ZigZaggedTrope sort of]]. She's very heroic despite her possibly-crazy outlook, however. More - she's quite aware that she might have misinterpreted many facts about the pre-war world because of the SmallReferencePools she has access to.

* UnspecifiedApocalypse: The details are intentionaly kept vague, but it's relatively easy to figure out that whatever the Doomwar was about, it ended up with limited nuclear exchange, combined with high-altitude detonations (thus EMP) and biological agents were also used. However, ''neither'' of those knocked the government or civilisation as such down. Instead it was result of the various mobs that formed in the aftermath of war, some of which actively and deliberately gunned down and destroyed any sign of reconstruction they've came across, further combined with indifference of people not affected directly. The letters Gordon finds in the van clearly indicate that things were struggling, but somewhat still normal ''three years'' after the Doomwar and he was himself a Guardsman in the National Guard some two years after the war. All this uncertainity is used as a plot-point, since in the end, it doesn't really matter and people have to come to terms with it if they didn't already.

* TheDreaded: Inverted with the Holnists - they are generally feared, but hated even more. Large bands of Holnists can force people into submission, but if any of them are caught alone, the common people will show no mercy.
* TheDrifter: Gordon's ultimate role, after he finally embracess The Call.

* UnspecifiedApocalypse: The details are intentionaly kept vague, but it's relatively easy to figure out that whatever the Doomwar was about, it ended up with limited nuclear exchange, combined with high-altitude detonations (thus EMP) and biological agents were also used. However, ''neither'' of those knocked the government or civilisation as such down, but instead the various mobs that formed in the aftermath of war, some of which actively and deliberately gunned down and destroyed any sign of reconstruction they've came across, along with indifference of people not affected directly. The letters Gordon finds in the van clearly indicate that things were somewhat still normal ''three years'' after the Doomwar and he was himself a Guardsman in the National Guard some two years after the war. All this uncertainity is used as a plot-point, since in the end, it doesn't really matter and people have to come to terms with it if they didn't already.

-->'''Charles Bezoar:''' That's ''[[BerserkButton Colonel]]'' Bezoar.]]

* TheSocialDarwinist: Holnists, who firmly believe that the strong should rule the weak, the only possible law is the law of the jungle and idealistic principles are only good for fools.

* TheSocialDarwinist: Holnists, who firmly believe that the strong should rule the weak, the only possible law is the law of jungle and idealism is only good for retarded kids.

* SexyDiscretionShot: Right before Gordon and Abby are about to get busy, the chapter ends. The next one starts after their last encounter. [[TropesAreNotBad It works]], [[ChosenConceptionPartner given the nature of their deal]].

* WriterOnBoard: But a [[TropesAreNotBad really good one]]. Brin makes a good cause for his agenda: society can only work when people within it are willing to cooperate and look past their own personal gains, focusing on the broader picture instead, as this will benefit them anyway. The sum can be much greater than its parts, making all those individuals who feel powerless stronger as a group.

* BlackComedy: The only comedy allowed. [[TropesAreNotBad But it's fitting]].

* NoodleIncident: The events before and right after the Doomwar are a long series of those. Things like "Slavic Resurgence", "Cuban problem", "Kenyan front", "Slavic-Turkic War" or "One-Week War" are only mentioned and never truly discussed. [[TropesAreTools Because the past is not important - the present and future are]].

* DeconstructorFleet: Openly admitted by the author as the massive take down on [[AfterTheEnd the entire post-apocalypse genre]], which was at its peak of popularity back then. Most of it is achieved by simple PerspectiveFlip and telling the story from the perspective of people that are usually saved by some cliché, OneManArmy style anti-hero and making it a point to show just how horrible life without modern civilization can get (that usual hero archetype is most represented by the ''bad guys'' here, with a lot of the ideas underlying it deconstructed).

* ActionSurvivor: Gordon, who is regularly out of his depth and survives by guile or luck..

* WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity: he brutal survivalists/Holnists are led by General Macklin and his aides, who were pre-war experiments on creating soldiers with superhuman strength and speed. The government chose the most ruthless, intelligent, and efficient killers in its military, with foreseeable results when the US itself turned into an anarchistic warzone. Macklin is finally killed by George Powhatan, a later experiment of the same ilk, though with a nature loving Neo-Hippie as subject.

* VictoryByEndurance: Discussed and invoked. General Macklin explains to Gordon how his minor setbacks are meaningless in the long run, simply because he has ideological superiority over "cowards" - the Holnists can simply wait out for [[WeAREStrugglingTogether the local alliances to collapse over time]] when they will no longer be under pressure of direct threat, only for the Holnists to return then to mop up the survivors one-by-one. All while the teachings of Nathan Holn are ''very'' tempting to ambitious, strong and brave individuals, further eroding ranks of the "sheep". [[spoiler: But it's the Willamette Valley that comes out victorious this way, simply by resisting the Holnists for long enough to finally convince [[SummonBiggerFish Goerge Powhatan to join their fight]]. Few weeks later Holnists are a DecapitatedArmy on retreat and busy fighting each other for the leadership, while the Oregon region emerges as unified territory with a strong government]].

* FromNobodyToNightmare: One of the robbers at the beginning introduces himself as a former stockbroker. Later, Colonel Bezoar says he was once a lawyer and Republican county commissioner.

* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler: Roger Septien, the robber from the very first pages of the book, is eventually killed by Johnny when he and Gordon are escaping Holnists [=HQ=]]], as he is unlucky enough to stand on guard in a vital spot.

* {{Matriarchy}}: And a noble one - Pine View is guided by elderly Mrs. Thompson. The first chapter is much more prone to use tribalistic references and thus even narration calls her a matriarch few times.

* NormalFishInATinyPond: After spending last fifteen years on wandering through the wasteland, Gordon is ''still'' an easy target for bandits roaming around, but when compared to inhabitants of the Willamette Valley he is extremely experienced scavenger and scout, able to find holes in local defenses on the fly or picking off small squads of Holnists one by one.

* PaperThinDisguise: But it works, since Gordon is the only person knowing how he got himself the postman uniform. It's also reasonably downplayed early on, before the whole thing snowballed into becoming self-sustaining. Aside from the uniform, Gordon also forges few documents and has to rely on mail brought from Pine View to gain any real credibility - the uniform is only a sweetener to the hard evidence.

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Holnists, who base a person's worth on his (emphasis on ''his'') strength. This leads them to be a cult of hyperviolent, luddite lunatics who kill without hesitation and enslave anyone weaker than them. It's also implied that they and their kind are the reason why civilization ultimately collapsed, having gunned down any attempt at reconstruction they came across.

* ShamingTheMob: After being finally invited to Powhatan's Sugarloaf Peak fortress, Gordon quickly realizes lies about the Restored United States won't work here. Instead he ditches all the speeches prepared in advance and calls everyone there out [[ApatheticCitizens on their indifference and lack of action]], when they have all the means and skills needed for the fight against Holnists and how things will turn out if they won't help their neighbors. [[SubvertedTrope It still doesn't work]].

* StrawFeminist: Dena, [[ZigZaggedTrope sort of]]. She's very heroic despite her possibly-crazy outlook, however. More - she's quite aware that she might have misinterprated many facts about the pre-war world because of the SmallReferencePools she has access to.

* SurvivorGuilt: Gordon doesn't feel too good about the fact that [[spoiler: all his fellow militiamen are dead]]. It's more than a decade and he still labors under the burden of being last man standing.
* TakeThatAudience: There are countless jabs throughout the story towards all sort of prepper types that might read the book simply because it's set AfterTheEnd. Even with Holnists removed from the equation, the sole notion of the glorified "self-sustaining survivor" is shred to pieces. Rather than focusing on the [[ProtagonistCenteredMorality self-righteous hero]], the story instead points out what happens if two (or more) such types end up in a single area and how much havoc they are going to cause to people around them. By the start of the book, the vast majority of those types managed to kill each other dead ''over a decade'' ago, in the process squandering huge amount of vital supplies and dragging the whole civilization down to "protect" their lifestyle.

-->'''Charles Bezoar:''' [[BerserkButton That's Colonel Bezoar.]]
* TrainingThePeacefulVillagers: When things turn bad, Gordon has to train a [[RagTagBunchOfMisfits bunch of civilians, farmers and teenagers]] into a force capable of fighting or at least putting up organised resistance against [[EvilArmy the Holnist]] [[BadassArmy Army]].

* VictoryByEndurance: Discussed and invoked. General Macklin explains to Gordon how his minor setbacks are meaningless in the long run, simply because he has ideological superiority over "cowards" - the Holnists can simply wait out for [[WeAREStrugglingTogether the local alliances to collapse over time]] when they will no longer be under pressure of direct threat, only for the Holnists to return then to mop up the survivors one-by-one. All while the teachings of Nathan Holm are ''very'' tempting to ambitious, strong and brave individuals, further eroding ranks of the "sheep". [[spoiler: But it's the Willamette Valley that comes out victorious this way, simply by resisting the Holnists for long enough to finally convince [[SummonBiggerFish Goerge Powhatan to join their fight]]. Few weeks later Holnists are a DecapitatedArmy on retreat and busy fighting each other for the leadership, while the Oregon region emerges as unified territory with a strong government]].

* WorthyOpponent: One of the main points of Holnist philosophy is high regard toward people who managed to beat them, but that doesn't mean any quarter in case of being encountered in the future:
** To his own surprise, Gordon is praised for killing of two Holnists he encountered in the library.

* ZergRush: The only time the Willamette Army scores any victories are all-around assaults on isolated Holnist positions. They might be thorough, experienced and ruthless survivalists, but it's not much of use while being simply overrun.