Crazy and original worlds – review of the book “Picnic on the edge of the road and other songs”

The novels of the Strugacki brothers are science fiction stories. Is it worth going back to classic stories despite the passage of many years?

Five novels in one volume

The Picnic on the Roadside and other works is a huge collection, in which we can find as many as five novels by the Strugacki brothers, namely: Picnic on the edge of the road , Snail on the hillside , Monday starts on Saturday , It’s hard to be a god , A billion years before the end of the world . At the beginning of the review, I would like to highlight these titles. The authors simply have a talent for brilliant names. At first glance, they don’t tell us much about the plot or the world depicted, however, when we delve into a given story, it becomes clear where this title comes from. I like it very much, especially the great Picnic at the edge of the road. Moreover, I must point out that this is simply an example of difficult literature. We are immediately thrown here into the whirlwind of events, into an extraordinary universe often filled with various, unique terms. Sometimes, for several dozen pages, we have no idea what it is about, but it is not worth getting discouraged. In the case of the novel, Monday begins on Saturday , it is all the more atmospheric as the main character finds himself in a world that is alien to him and, just like the reader, only with time begins to understand all the nuances that govern this reality. Of course, each story is amazing and different, so I invite you to the world of the extraordinary imagination of the Strugacki brothers!

Birth of the Stalker

Picnic on the edge of the road – this novel contributed to the creation of the Stalker computer game , and then a whole series of books published by Fabryka Słów in the form of the Fabryczna Zona collection. In the Picnic, instead of the Chernobyl Zone, we have a fenced off area where aliens have landed. However, the story itself is much more complex, we are not just focused on the events taking place in the zone. The novel is rich in many interesting threads, such as the issue of people’s contact with a foreign civilization. I love the Stalker universe , both books and games, but I have to admit that the Roadside Picnic presents a higher level.

Monday starts on Saturday – a crazy story that immediately reminded me of the Master and Małgorzata Bułhakowa. What is not here … a lot of absurd situations related to both “magic” and simply bureaucracy. The main character stops in a town full of secrets and mysteries. I think it’s better not to say more, it is indeed an amazing novel, shocking and fascinating in every way, especially the final puzzle is impressive. It is worth discovering this abnormal world on your own skin.

Before the Lord of the Ice Garden

It is difficult to be a god – an unusual story, because it turns out that the Earthlings went to a foreign planet as historians. There they watch coups and bloody revolutions occur. So we have a medieval world where alien visitors armed with modern technology have appeared. Let’s add a philosophical consideration to this, and we have a universal story of power.

A billion years before the end of the world – in my opinion it is the most accessible novel in this collection. If only because it starts relatively calmly, we observe a genius at work, who cannot focus because someone is constantly disturbing him. With each side, however, it gets weirder and weirder, and then it’s a complete floppy ride.

A Snail on a Slope – the story focuses on two threads. First, we observe Pierec’s struggle with the Forest Authority. Such a struggle between a man and a bureaucratic machine. On the other hand, there is Candide, who fights against a forest full of dangers … This novel stands out significantly from the rest. An original and interesting idea, solid workmanship, although it seems to me that it is the weakest of all the stories posted.

Although at first glance the ideas presented in these works may seem strange, it turns out that there is a method in this madness. I got soaked in every novel and had a lot of fun with each one.

A powerful volume

I am very happy that the Prószyński i S-ka publishing house has decided to re-publish the novels of the Strugacki brothers. Although I prefer to read books in smaller formats, on the other hand, we get basically five novels for seventy-five zlotys. Let’s add a brilliant cover, which you want to display in your home library. It’s just a gem in every way, and even the few typos I noticed are not capable of influencing my judgment. This is one of the best books I have ever read, and I will never get rid of it for any treasure.

Is it worth getting to know the novels of the Strugacki brothers?

The answer to this question is very simple. In my opinion, it is a must-have! All these stories are amazing, original, universal in their own way. I am amazed at the ingenuity of the Strugacki brothers. Although these are not easy novels, after going through the first dozen or so pages it is easy to sink into these amazing worlds. The picnic at the edge of the road had charmed me before, and thanks to this release I was able to see that this is not the only brilliant piece in their portfolio.