39 pages 1 hour read

Arkady Strugatsky

Roadside Picnic

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1972

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Roadside Picnic by Arkady Strugatsky follows Redrick Schuhart, a lab assistant and stalker, who scavenges mysterious and dangerous alien artifacts left in the Zones on Earth after an extraterrestrial visit. The story explores his struggles and moral dilemmas as he navigates the hazards of the Zone, seeking a better life for his mutated daughter. Involves themes of psychological distress and violence.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Roadside Picnic, by Arkady Strugatsky, receives high praise for its thought-provoking concept and unique take on first contact with aliens. Readers appreciate its philosophical depth and the bleak, atmospheric setting. Some critiques mention slow pacing and underdeveloped characters. Overall, it's lauded for its originality and influence on the sci-fi genre. - Academic Web Editor

Who should read this

Who Should Read Roadside Picnic?

Readers who appreciate intellectually stimulating science fiction with philosophical undertones would enjoy Arkady Strugatsky's Roadside Picnic. Fans of Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky or Solaris by Stanisław Lem would find similar themes of existential inquiry and the human condition.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction