Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky (5/5)

Roadside picnic by Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky is described by the authors as Cosmic Horror however this is not the most notable aspect of the book. The book was written in Ukraine during the soviet union in 1971, 15 years prior to the Chernobyl accident however it describes a shockingly similar event as the context for the setting. The book describes the Chernobyl nuclear power plant blowing up creating an apocalyptic radioactive zone that contains many horrors. The book follows Reddrick Schuhart or Red a lab assistant at the Harmont branch of the international institute of Extraterrestrial Cultures studying the zone and its inhabitants. He also happens to be a “Stalker” who sneaks into the zone at night to recover artifacts with high monetary value. Being a Stalker is considered illegal by the government because of the severe amount of risk of going into the zone and what you might take out. One of the most important aspects of the book is the descriptive world-building the authors have employed. One example of this is the several different factions that can be found in the book. This book does factions the right way giving each one of them important and reasonable motives and goals there isnt a good side or a bad side everyone is just trying to complete their goals or survive. One of the most important factions is the Stalkers, this is a group of individuals that makes a living by sneaking into the zone and retrieving valuable items that they can sell on the black market for a high price. Another example of impressive worldbuilding is the landscape that the authors depict, they describe the setting in such vivid detail that you can create a perfect image in your head of the location and the events that take place. Red travels to many different locations within the zone that all create an eerie atmosphere This book has created a big fanbase that has fallen in love with the world that the authors created. One great example of this is the developers of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R game trilogy. These games are known for their expansion of the book material and hardcore gameplay that is a recreation of the experiences that Red had. To conclude Roadside picnic is an incredible book if you are interested in extensive world-building and incredible attention to detail this is a great pick.