Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban

[King Bob]

I imagine we've all read this one. I think it was almost 40 years ago for me, so I decided to revisit it. Ultimately I think it's only okay. The dialect goes far for creating his world, but the story was a little lacking. The main character seems to have some sort of mystical experience in the middle, or perhaps he is supposing (like Simak) that the non-technological future will include ESP. And since it's set at least 3000 years after the nuclear war, it doesn't really make sense that there are still ruined cities. (although in his defense, I didn't know that either until I saw that show about what would happen if humans dissapeared. Was it called After People? The World without Us?) Maybe a classic for younger people?

[Drunk Monk]

Not me. Never read it. At least, I don't remember it.

[Greg]

Never read it.

[King Bob]

Apparently it's not as popular as I thought. My perspective may be warped from working in bookstores. It's a post-apocalyptic tale in England, where their chief entertainment (religion?) is a Punch and Judy like puppet show. All told in an invented dialect.

My copy had an afterword by David Mitchell who called it a favorite book, and an inspiration for the middle section of Cloud Atlas.