Smoko

This short novel follows our protagonist as he joins New Zealand Post as a postie, but not your average bicycling postie with saddlebags that I conjure up images of from an earlier life (I live rurally now, so mine drives a van - and I am not really sure what urban posties ride in my local city, but I have seen a motorised scooter / bike contraption about) - the post distribution centre Ed now works at is the pilot for new Swiss three wheeled delivery vehicles, called Kurrus.

As well as Ed, who is constantly in the mid-range of his peers. Around him are a cast of amusing characters from the rule followers to the militant rule breakers, his miserable boss and the ex-special forces training and security man. The Kurrus, of course become a matter of conflict for the posties - some embrace them, others are strongly opposed, meanwhile Ed is trying to sort out what he wants from life.

An enjoyable and entertaining read, plenty of clever observations and character quirks well carried through the novel. There is plenty of New Zealand cultural referencing, but most of it not so strong that a non-Kiwi would be too lost or confused.

Great cover - the afterword tells us “I asked the AI for a picture of a massive industrial mail sorting machine inspired by the style of 1930s Russian Constructivist Art—specifically the work of Iakov Chernikhov. Lying in front of the machine I wanted a man drawn in a cubist style, wearing sunglasses, a polo shirt, and sneakers, drinking a cup of tea.”

4 stars