Reviews

Roadside Picnic by Boris Strugatsky, Arkady Strugatsky

oddroad's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

captainhugz's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

newcombe74's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

fbroom's review against another edition

I’m not sure I understood this novel. It started as fun but turned dark very quickly. Aliens made contact with Earth and left a bunch of artifacts behind at the locations of contact, the Zones. Redrick Schuhar or Red is a “stalker”. A stalker is someone who illegally tries to smuggle things from the Zone. The Zones are areas protected by military and stalkers are usually caught and thrown in prison. Red is good at it. This book follows Red and the town he lives in across the years. He isn’t satisfied working for the institute. He isn’t making enough money. He is bitter. He loses his friend to the Zone. He is even more bitter, drinking to no end. Vulture, another well known stalker urges Red to go find the Golden Sphere which grants you any wish you want. Red is struggling throughout the book. His dead dad comes back. His daughter isn’t really normal. But what does Red really want? Even when he reaches the Golden Sphere, he is still struggling with his own thoughts ….

ryan_reads_alot's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

sirjohn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

salstini's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

connorrooke's review against another edition

4.0

This world lives in my head in a way that so very few stories can

noahtruelove's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.0

elvatikan's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.25