As a travel guide through post apocalyptic America, this is the one of the best I've read. For those who have seen the History Channel's Life After People, the idea of our monuments and roads rotting away is kind of old news. Since this came out in the 90s, it must have made some waves. 
 The story is kind of laid back. Most of the fighting is glossed over. This is definitely a setting driven book. The characters do however have their moments. I do feel that I would have liked the novel a bit more if the government used by the main characters hadn't been so Roman. It was hard to believe that they would have developed this very Roman way of government and culture without some outside input.