Very Good. Depressing view of a truly dystopian future. ( )

I am torn about whether or not I liked this book.

What I did like about it is how the "new world" was presented as if it were perfectly normal to farm their "meat" and that there was only one acknowledged animal still existing and that there was only one race of humans. The author did not make a big deal of any of these issues as if they weren't fundamentally horrifying and revolting subjects.

What I didn't like about it was that it really was just an adventure novel where a boy grows into a man after numerous fight/battle scenes. There was no real exploration of the post-apocalypse world, or what caused the apocalypse in the first place.

I will admit that the very first page did cause me to go check the publication date because it seemed very dated/politically incorrect. The story had been written more recently (1986) than the tone of it felt (1950s) but I think this was intentional to show how "backward" society would become post-apocalypse.

Anyway, I did like the story, mostly. And it felt realistic too. I think I'll go see what else Barrett has written 'cause I'm curious now. ( )

THROUGH DARKEST AMERICA
By Neal Barrett, Jr.

It’s not very often that a fiction writer can make me cringe. Very little of what makes its way into print is even a tithe of the awfulness that is splashed across headlines and that is usually watered down to meet the demands of a public that has no tolerance for news that might be upsetting.

http://fireandsword.blogspot.com/2007/08/through-darkest-america-by-neal-barrett...

A dark, post-apocalyptic America. A strange read even for those who have digested King's The Stand and McCammon's Swan Song. Nevertheless, a worthwhile addition if you enjoy end of civilization as we know it books. This genre has come a long way since the days of On the Beach and Alas, Babylon. ( )