So I just started reading The Postman by David Brin. A post-apocalypic sci-fi novel which spawned a really bad Kevin Costner movie (according to what I've read about it — I haven't seen it). I'd forgotten how good a writer David Brin is. I remember being very affected by Earth and enjoying the Uplift series.
Now, if you haven't seen the unspeakably wonderful Joss Whedon TV series Firefly, this will mean nothing to you, but when I came across the following passage in The Postman, my eyes popped out of my head:
"Hal an' Peter died in th' war, but I counted me an' Sally blessed that all three girls grew up. Blessed!"
"Sonny, it's not your fault. It was just bad luck."
"Bad luck?" The farmer snorted. "One raped to death when those reavers came through, Peggy dead in childbirth, and my little Susan… she's got gray hair, Gary. She looks like Sally's sister!"
