4 ms·

Most of their novels are good read. Especially "Hard to Be a God", "Snail on the Slope", "The Ugly Swans", "The Inhabited Island", and, of course, "The Roadside

Most of their novels are good read. Especially "Hard to Be a God", "Snail on the Slope", "The Ugly Swans", "The Inhabited Island", and, of course, "The Roadside Picnic". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_and_Boris_Strugatsky http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkady_and_Boris_Strugatsky Actually, it was very interesting phenomena, how in age of strict Soviet censure these seemingly Sci Fi books were filled with philosophical, humanitarian and political ideas. Lots of Soviet people grew up on these texts, within these imaginary worlds, which are so much better than harsh Soviet reality. Nowadays, btw, authors of the next generation implant big ideas into what seems to be stories about vampires.)

senko 12y ago
Could you point to a few examples (of the latter)?
- vadman 12y ago
  By "stories about vampires" GP probably means Lukyanenko's "* Watch" series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Lukyanenko#Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Lukyanenko#Series "Night Watch" the movie made some splashes even in the West, IIRC. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMHQsjgQDrA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMHQsjgQDrA
atombender 12y ago
I also really like the Maxim Kammerer books about the Wanderers, the mysterious, incomprehensibly intelligent alien race that seems to be manipulating the human race from some unseen vantage point. The first novel in this sequence is "Beetle in the Anthill", and continues with "The Time Wanderers". A connection to Roadside Picnic is never made, but it's certainly possible to speculate. (One of the novels you mention, "The Inhabited Islans", is also about Max, and was also published in English as "Prisoners of Power". There is a recent Russian movie adaptation of it that's apparently not bad -- anyone seen it?) There is also a great short story, "Wanderers and Travellers", set within this same continuum. It can be found in the anthology "Paths Into the Unknown". It's a wonderful little gem for anyone who loves Roadside Picnic or the Wanderer novels, or just scifi in general.

senko 12y ago

Could you point to a few examples (of the latter)?

vadman 12y ago
By "stories about vampires" GP probably means Lukyanenko's "* Watch" series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Lukyanenko#Series http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Lukyanenko#Series "Night Watch" the movie made some splashes even in the West, IIRC. Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMHQsjgQDrA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMHQsjgQDrA

atombender 12y ago

I also really like the Maxim Kammerer books about the Wanderers, the mysterious, incomprehensibly intelligent alien race that seems to be manipulating the human race from some unseen vantage point. The first novel in this sequence is "Beetle in the Anthill", and continues with "The Time Wanderers". A connection to Roadside Picnic is never made, but it's certainly possible to speculate. (One of the novels you mention, "The Inhabited Islans", is also about Max, and was also published in English as "Prisoners of Power". There is a recent Russian movie adaptation of it that's apparently not bad -- anyone seen it?) There is also a great short story, "Wanderers and Travellers", set within this same continuum. It can be found in the anthology "Paths Into the Unknown". It's a wonderful little gem for anyone who loves Roadside Picnic or the Wanderer novels, or just scifi in general.