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sunn_bleach's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This'll be one of those books that I like more for the ideas than the content itself. "Roadside Picnic" is easily one of the most influential books of contemporary science fiction through the two pieces of media shouted-out on the cover. The Zone is fascinating, and I find myself dining on and thinking about the various horrific conceits in the novel. Many of the more insidious aspects are mentioned off-hand, as if the "traps" (how else to think of them from a human perspective?) have become mundane.
However, the book itself is... kind of boring. Perhaps this is because it's so short, at less than 200 pages for most modern editions. You have an initial foray into the Zone, but it's bookended by lots of talking and drinking with what felt like cursory examination of the weirdness that comes from the Zone. And I'm not convinced that banality is its own point; "Roadside Picnic" isn't a character study, as bolstered by Boris Strugatsky's own afterword. Dialogue feels mismatched, and chapters stop right as events start t move. For a book about the Zone and people's relationship to it, there's an awful lot of puttering about.
The high point is the conversation between Pillman and Noonan. The former's theory about aliens having the eponymous roadside picnic and leaving their trash for smaller creatures to obsess over is an absolutely fascinating postmodern outlook on man's purpose in the universe. The Strugatskys knocked those 10 or 15 pages out of the Zone's garage.
I'm glad I read this for the influence on some media that I adore, but it would be a hard sell to someone who isn't deeply invested in the history of Russian science fiction or just wants to get more out of the "Stalker" media.
However, the book itself is... kind of boring. Perhaps this is because it's so short, at less than 200 pages for most modern editions. You have an initial foray into the Zone, but it's bookended by lots of talking and drinking with what felt like cursory examination of the weirdness that comes from the Zone. And I'm not convinced that banality is its own point; "Roadside Picnic" isn't a character study, as bolstered by Boris Strugatsky's own afterword. Dialogue feels mismatched, and chapters stop right as events start t move. For a book about the Zone and people's relationship to it, there's an awful lot of puttering about.
The high point is the conversation between Pillman and Noonan. The former's theory about aliens having the eponymous roadside picnic and leaving their trash for smaller creatures to obsess over is an absolutely fascinating postmodern outlook on man's purpose in the universe. The Strugatskys knocked those 10 or 15 pages out of the Zone's garage.
I'm glad I read this for the influence on some media that I adore, but it would be a hard sell to someone who isn't deeply invested in the history of Russian science fiction or just wants to get more out of the "Stalker" media.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Cursing and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Pregnancy, Sexism, and Infidelity
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, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Sexism and Fatphobia
Minor: Gun violence, Pregnancy, and Domestic abuse
mlewis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, War, and Misogyny
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic and Pregnancy
kellyofcali's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I started out quite liking this, but as it went on, I sort of fell out of interest - it became a bit too twisty and I had a harder time following the writing over time. The authors seems to purposely obfuscate exactly "what is going on," which I did't mind always - they left space for imagining things which I think are too mysterious to really write - but also sometimes led to sort of boring confusion. Still, an interesting stylistic read in the sci-fi genre, for sure.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Alcohol, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence
Minor: Death and Pregnancy
gilnean's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Physical abuse, Violence, Death, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Cursing, and Alcohol
Moderate: Blood, Misogyny, Addiction, Infidelity, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Sexism
Minor: Ableism, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, Excrement, and Sexual content
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