39 pages • 1 hour read
Arkady StrugatskyRoadside Picnic
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1972A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
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
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 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.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsBook Details
Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction