Riddey Walker, by Russel Hoban, is one of my all-time favorite books and I implore you to give it a try.
It’s in some ways a very traditional book; a young man fated for great things sets out on a quest from his village to explore the wider world where he gets involved in political conflict while exploring the world with the reader. It’s set in the far-post-apocalyptic future in England; society is emerging from a dark age after a catastrophic nuclear war. The novel is both a thrilling adventure and a *profound* exploration of the nature of man, of war, of religion, and of myth. (It’s somewhat reminiscent of *A Canticle for Liebowitz* and *Book of the New Sun.)* It was nominated for a Nebula and won the British & Aussie versions thereof.
But what makes it absolutely great is the language in which it’s written – it’s comprehensible english, but a distinct dialect; the author makes a valiant effort to emulate what future-english looks like after centuries of evolution. It’s like if one of Shakepeare’s contemporaries wrote a book in modern english. The unique language is more than a quirk; the language frames and restricts and coveyes the thought processes and belief systems of the characters in a very unique way. I’ve never read anything quite like it.
If I could quote one review that sums up the appeal: “The force and beauty and awfulness of Hoban’s creation is shattering” – The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
by Alternative_Let_1989