Literally every step into one of the Zones is potentially deadly. However, it also includes deadly and incomprehensible waste that can be immediately fatal - or worse. In their wake, they left their “trash” behind - their visit is believed to have been a temporary and inconsequential rest stop in a longer journey, a “roadside picnic” - and this trash consists of technology advanced far beyond human understanding that could revolutionize the world. The beings landed in six Zones across the planet, stayed for only two days, and then left, without making any contact with humanity. Roadside Picnic is set in the years following an extraterrestrial event on Earth, known as the Visit. It’s a bit daunting to write a blog post about a book that is widely regarded as one of the greatest science fiction novels of all time, and deservedly so: what can I add to the discussion that hasn’t already been said? I won’t presume to add new insight about the book, but will simply share those thoughts that occurred to me while reading. The next natural choice was the classic 1972 novel Roadside Picnic, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. Boris Strugatsky’s afterword describes how uneasy the manuscript made myopic Soviet bureaucrats it has survived triumphantly as a classic because it expresses humanity’s inarticulate rage and wonder at life’s frustrations and promises.Ever since I read Dmitry Glukhovsky’s sublime 2005 novel Metro 2033, I’ve been interested in reading more Russian science fiction.
Over-lapping narratives show stalker Red Schuhart’s struggle to master the Zone’s inexplicable treasures and terrors. While cautious people keep their distance, furtive explorers called “stalkers” enter the Zones to retrieve objects that are wonderful but unpredictably deadly. The action takes place in and near a Visit Zone, one of six areas suddenly scattered with incomprehensible artifacts and disturbing phenomena one baffled scientist ruefully suggests that aliens visited Earth like careless tourists and dumped their trash here. As this vivid new translation demonstrates, it also remains a powerful study of human behavior in the presence of superhuman power. Since its 1972 appearance in Russia, the Strugatsky brothers’ novel has been published worldwide, inspired Andrei Tarkovsky’s memorable film Stalker, and been the basis for the S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
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