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e_l_k's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I picked up this book due to my increasing interest in the promise of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game series (since the sequel comes out soon), as well as to start myself on some Russian/Soviet science fiction. I was not prepared for just how gripping this little gem of a story would be, how engaging the characters would be with their struggles to find agency and stability between an alien anomaly and the government trying to control it. I strongly recommend reading before investigating the history of its publication, dutifully reflected on by one of the authors at the end of this edition. The story holds up on its own without the background, but I gained a lot of respect for it and its authors after learning of their struggles to publish in an increasingly paranoid Soviet environment. Needless to say, there is a reason this book is now considered a classic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Cursing
Moderate: Sexism
Minor: Ableism
spacecowboy1867's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death
Minor: Alcoholism
speir's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Sexism, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Death, and Pregnancy
beckhaze's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
eachz's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I found this really interesting and engaging, it's hard to say if I enjoyed it or not? It was a bit hard to follow in places but it did immerse me in an interesting world and had a very strong atmosphere. I'm interested to learn a bit more about the authors and what inspired them to write this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Violence, and Alcohol
spacecorn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I've seen many people in the reviews argue that this book doesn't have enough of a plot.
I argue that it shouldn't be any other way.
When you think of science fiction, what do you typically think of? Star Wars, Star Trek, Back to the Future, Metropolis, heck even Dune. What do all of these pieces of media have in common?
They all feature things so improbable that they tiptoe the line between science and fantasy, and most importantly, they are all set in the future.
I would argue that Roadside Picnic is a true science fiction novel. It is set in the present day and features normal people facing the cosmic horror of the unknown. Now yes, you could argue that the events of the book are extremely unlikely, but what would you place your money on? Lightsabres or the Zone? I don't mean to bash these franchises, I love conventional sci-fi to bits, but this book has made me rethink the term 'sci-fi' altogether.
Roadside Picnic invites the reader to explore a conceptual world, merely glimpsing through a window at how the authors predict humanity would react to the appearance of the zones. Yes, it doesn't have much of a plot, but that's because it doesn't need one. It could almost be read as a thesis paper, with characters holding different views on the events of the book and conversing with each other about said views.
Roadside Picnic is a truly remarkable piece of Science Fiction that has made me rethink the entire genre, and I implore anyone with a fascination with the unknown or interest in the sciences to read it.
I argue that it shouldn't be any other way.
When you think of science fiction, what do you typically think of? Star Wars, Star Trek, Back to the Future, Metropolis, heck even Dune. What do all of these pieces of media have in common?
They all feature things so improbable that they tiptoe the line between science and fantasy, and most importantly, they are all set in the future.
I would argue that Roadside Picnic is a true science fiction novel. It is set in the present day and features normal people facing the cosmic horror of the unknown. Now yes, you could argue that the events of the book are extremely unlikely, but what would you place your money on? Lightsabres or the Zone? I don't mean to bash these franchises, I love conventional sci-fi to bits, but this book has made me rethink the term 'sci-fi' altogether.
Roadside Picnic invites the reader to explore a conceptual world, merely glimpsing through a window at how the authors predict humanity would react to the appearance of the zones. Yes, it doesn't have much of a plot, but that's because it doesn't need one. It could almost be read as a thesis paper, with characters holding different views on the events of the book and conversing with each other about said views.
Roadside Picnic is a truly remarkable piece of Science Fiction that has made me rethink the entire genre, and I implore anyone with a fascination with the unknown or interest in the sciences to read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Alcohol
Moderate: Death
Minor: Body horror and Sexual content
linnybear's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I suppose my decision to read it in english was the first mistake, I always find russian classics thrilling and engaging but this one had no effect on me. Maybe if I read it in my native language (polish) whcih has way more language similarities to russian I'd enjoy it more. I find certain themes of this book, such as main character's alcoholism cliché (as if his whole character is based on stereotypes) but perhaps I shouldn't hold it against it due to the age and the country it was written in (with its certain society problems and literary traditions). I completely understand the impact this novel had on an entire genre, I think the storyline itself had lots of potential and with better execution it could still keep up with time 50 years later but that would require something more than throwing philosophical debates in the last two chapters.
tl;dr it's fine I guess? read Lem instead
tl;dr it's fine I guess? read Lem instead
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Fatphobia and Sexism
Minor: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, and Pregnancy
elizlizabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
3.0
It was a very vibes no plot book. It was an interesting exploration of a different kind of first-encounters theory. Definitely a product of its time in the treatment of women and the stereotypical scifi MC (always drinking, smoking and depressingly pondering, so I wasn't all that invested in the stakes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism and Death
helloits_sam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Violence, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Ableism and Misogyny
yasmin_raev's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Violence, and Murder
Minor: Infidelity