Chapters, chapters, dividers
The book is divided into two main parts. The whole thing is preceded by an appropriate prelude and interspersed with interludes. Interestingly, the author ends his novel with an interlude, not an epilogue. This is an announcement that we will return to the series again. Each of the above-mentioned main sections is densely divided into chapters. The latter are even smaller. The smallest chapters are very short and not too far apart, which makes reading easier. Such a procedure does not allow us to forget what we are reading about and what stage we are at. Intriguing subheadings heighten the tension and anxiety, arousing the appetite for more. If someone is going to take a break from reading, he can do so without losing the thread.
“All my angels are busy”
The plot begins with the seeds of a few separate stories, to be merged shortly afterwards into one focused around the protagonist. Uber’s cynical but deadly joker. Personally, I approached this character with a considerable distance, even prejudice. Her nickname simply amused me in the world. Especially since in my opinion it should be called Über, because the name probably comes from the verb überführen. It fits perfectly both the hero himself and the ideology he professes. As I turned the pages and gradually got to know Uber, I gained incredible respect for it. Wroczek creates an amazing protagonist in front of the reader. A flesh and blood stalker. A person who, after reading alone, would like to have by your side in every skirmish. Expressive, terrible and very credible at the same time. For the creation of Uber itself, it is worth reaching for this title. Readers who like to analyze the characters of fictional characters will be delighted.
“Soloviev, called Soloviev”
In terms of complexity and strength of character, Uber is in no way inferior to the rest of the herd of side characters that we get to know on Piter’s cards . Over time, we form an opinion about each of them. The author was able to outline some of the characters in such a way that we will immediately feel genuine hatred for them. We will feel empathy for others or put ourselves in their shoes. Wroczek has and uses an amazing talent to create amazing heroes using really small amounts of text.
In interesting, but neat descriptions, it smuggles a lot of data about them. Thanks to this, even after one situation or exchange of opinions, we get a quite specific idea about this or that character. Speaking of dialogues, they are simply constructed well. They are not boring. They provide information, make you smile and freeze the blood in your veins. The conversations are pleasant to read, despite the fact that the protagonists (except Uber and a few more important characters) express themselves in a similar style. However, this does not spoil the reception, as there are relatively few side characters. It only makes us fully appreciate the artistry with which the main ones were thought out and presented to the reader.
God’s answering machine
The first part of the book is a very personal story centered on Uber itself. During his foray to the surface, he disconnects from his group and eventually ends up back underground, but not where he would like or plan. A miraculously survivor, he reaches a station where he has not been before. There, as it turns out, bad, unexplained things happen. In order to get out of the unfortunate station, the hero has to work off his debt. He gets to know the inhabitants and the whole situation there. Although he initially has it deeply … respectable, he is becoming more and more interested in what is happening there. Often through the influence that people know have on a tough, determined and self-confident stalker. He is most strongly influenced by a girl, for whom he reveals himself as a prayed angel from heaven, sent by God himself, to find her mother. Associations
with the assumption of Leon the professional as accurate as possible. Soon the girl and her relatives cease to be indifferent to Uber. Wroczek manages the events slightly differently than Luc Besson. Piter’s protagonist gets tangled up in a complex plot. Until the end, he does not know who is pulling the strings and who is whose puppet. The reader accompanies Uber with him in the investigation. He analyzes the statements of the metro residents he meets, looks for connections. He wonders what kind of terrible dragon this can inhabit the station? A number of these secrets are discovered by the reader together with the protagonist. Thanks to this, he has the impression that he actually participates in the events
and follows their development with bated breath.
“Uberzadanie dla ubersoldata”
The second part, definitely shorter than the first, tells a different story. There we find a bigger conflict, which may be described in more detail in the prequels of the novel. I approached the Battle of the Twins without knowing the previous parts of the series, hence the possibility of an interpretation other than the reality .Uber does not appear until the second part. The reader finds his favorite in the career. Skinhead gets the opportunity to get out of jail in return for completing a certain task, that is, supporting one of the warring parties. For this purpose, the hero gathers a team, which includes, among others, otherwise famous personalities who also have shady business behind them. Another cinematic association is very appropriate again, this time directed by Robert Aldrich. The ending remains open. This mission could also have been described in previous parts, and the Battle of the Twins is about events previously listed in the chronology.
“Look how the sea sighs sweetly”
Szymun Wroczek adds color to his history using many other works of culture. All properly annotated. Quotations are placed in the right places, enriching the reading and proving how well the author of Piter is read . The only caveat can actually be the title of the novel which is not very catchy in my opinion. There is only one sentence devoted to him throughout the book. It is possible that the references should be found between the lines, although I did not succeed. The reference to the title is camouflaged and appears in such a moment that it can be easily avoided by following the fast-paced action. It could have been done a bit differently, especially since Uber’s colorful statements contain hundreds of potential titles that would be easier to track and appreciate.
Metro universe 2035
It is impossible not to refer to the source of this universe, that is, to the trilogy of the original Metro by Dmitry Głuchowski. Even though the premise is the same, the whole of Wroczek’s book is quite different than Głuchowski’s series. The latter creates the vision of the metro
with numerous philosophical references. When reading Metro , especially 2033, we get the impression that we are dealing with a kind of utopia. The protagonist thoroughly analyzes the situation
in which he finds himself, considers and reflects. Meanwhile, Wroczek does not experience similar treatments. His Metro is darker, more brutal, more bloody
and much more firmly on the ground. There is much more to action, skirmishes and sharp exchanges of views than analyzes or outbursts of the heroes. It is therefore a book aimed at an adult reader. The story serves a lot of interesting twists and turns that attract even more attention and keep you from tearing yourself away from the events until the very end. At least the first part. Reading does not get boring at all, nor is it tiring in any way. The pages run away so fast that no attention is paid to it. The second part is unfortunately a bit less engaging. Due to the fact that it is much shorter, it does not catch the eye and does not spoil the perception of the whole.
Edition
The book looks very nice. The cover is well prepared, with embossed inscriptions. The first page shows his Uber height, so the cover alludes to the content, which is not always so obvious. On the inside of the covers we have a beautifully drawn map of the St. Petersburg metro. On the last page, there is a picture of probably the Uber team, tastefully integrated into the short description of the content. The font on both the covers and the pages of the novel is pleasing to the eye, and so are the chapter captions. Everything as it should be. So, when it comes to the paper edition, there is nothing to complain about except for a few typos.
