Yeah its quite easy to see what they took and what they innovated on. A big thing that was different that I didn't really catch years ago when I read it was how Red laughs off the idea of bringing a gun into the zone. Obviously the mutants don't really exist like they do in STALKER, but the idea being that any random guy looking to rob you is probably just going to get killed by an anomaly was pretty sobering.
@@IntoTheZone I know the comment is a bit late and its been a few years since i read the book but im pretty sure they see a cresture from the zone. I think its a scene where Red and Burbridge were at some graveyard or something, hiding from the zone guards they see some kind of monster.
I think it worth mentioning that creators were also pretty much likely inspired by Stanislaw Lem's "Solaris". The concept of the Zone as being not just a territory with anomalous phenomena, but an entity of absolutely different nature, which tries to communicate with humans looks pretty similar to the Solaris's ocean from the book.
Something I consider incredibly hilarious is that there was a meme going around with about a rat being killed by contact with an electrical outlet described in an existentially horrific manner that was often times compared to the book. The thing I find hilarious about it is the fact that it's an easier analogy to describe the book with than the one the book provides imo.
You know it's a good book when over three games and a movie or two adapted it. That and the fact that people are still talking about it outside of school 10 cheekis out of 10 breekis
It’s not Vulture’s wife, but Vulture’s daughter (or Buzzard depending on the translation) who he tells about his legs being taken. And his daughter is very beautiful as she was born before the zone was created
@@averystrangeguy4378correct The Vulture's daughter and Arthur are twins. Both appeared after the vulture found the golden orb for the first time wishing to have a family and perfect kids. A fair bit is lost in english translation buts it's implied heavily the kids of the vulture didn't arrive until he first found the orb and his wife was already gone
@Langton Industries never said the walking dead was good did I. In terms of the show itself a good adaptation of roadside could have replaced it. I agree what walking dead had become is garbage. Season 1 at the time was at least new TV but as the series went on it became drawn out unwatchable pap.
Thanks man, glad you enjoyed! And yeah, buzzard human piece of shit lol. I thought it was great that his own wife was pissed that he wasn't left for dead.
@@IntoTheZone You mean that woman in the 2nd chapter that talked with Red? Im pretty sure that's his dauther, he even said she was 20. Red even said that Buzzard ( Barbridž in Serbian version ) somehow created beautiful children that dont even look like him or his wife even though he goes to the zone.
I had heard of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. before this book, but I never checked it out. In 2022, I got a game called Into The Radius and heard about STALKER again and the book for the first time. I bought stalker and the book, and now I'm spending 2023 exploring the zone on my screen and in my new favourite book. Best book 1972.
Ive been in that trip for months. First i read all 3 metro books and played all 3 games, then i finished roadside picnic yesterday and just finished the stalker film. Next are the stalker games which i bought on steam for 8 dollars for all 3 games
Yeah i also finished the book recently too and i can say i was at the edge of my seat while reading some of the pages it's one of the best books i've ever read and i'll probably dig more into the Strugatsky brother's literature
I love my copy. I bought it back in 2008. It's the early version with the man holding the gold orb. It's got its original receipt saved in the pages. I cherish it.
Thank you for this. I found this lore to be calming and satisfying in strange way. You got tone and pace just right and done great job in presentating book. Salute Stalker
'Roadside...' was so thick with that distinctively Russian brand of fatalistic misanthropy. "They probably didn't even acknowledge our existence, busy with their intergalactic picnic" The game knew when to diverge from the book's plot. It takes the 'Anomalous Zone" concept, some of its overtones, and tells its own story.
Reading this book myself. It's just surreal to see all of these ideas and concepts weitten out after playing Sralker and metro. More so from the Soviet Union and how it's ideas still live on and how logically and illogical it was. Just. Yeah. Amazing.
I think he wished to wish something good. To die a good man. Thus the ball granted the wish by filling his head with the sentence (happiness for everyone, free of charge). This made him die a good man and mayhaps die for something more than himself.
All-in-all a pretty good overview of the story. Thanks for the re-visit. IMO, Red wasn't a sympathetic character. He was just another turd like all of those in his industry and showcased in the story. One of the things that struck me in the book was that Arthur's fate wasn't a surprise to Red as Arthur approached the sphere while celebrating . Red said that he knew exactly what was going to about happen and chose not to watch. Red was truly a terrible person.
Along with the Witcher Books Roadside Picnic is one of the most visually descriptive, entertaining reads I've ever come across, if you love Stalker this book is only a quick read, I can't recommend it enough even if you don't know anything about Stalker This guy also read a very different interpretation of the book than what I read, Vulture = Buzzard, Vultures wife instead of being his daughter, I don't know if he read it wrong or the translations are just that different
I've seen roadside's influence as well in "Into the radius" throwing bolts, the artifacts. I picked the book up s year or so ago after I'd heard it was the inspiration for stalker
I always assumed the sparkly spiderweb substance was inspired from the Sparkler artefact, also explaining why Kirill died later on, unknowingly being consistently exposed to its deadly radiation (or something of the sort, being inspirational of the artefact I believe). Awesome video. Never saw this one somehow until now. Favorite book of all time hands down. A true work of written art.
I’m so confused. I just finished reading the book and your summary is so different from the story I read. Almost all the names are different, Arthur never saves red from the sludge they just end up crossing it, red didn’t seem obsessed by the golden sphere like this summary says and red is fully aware of what is going to happen to Arthur calling him a “key” to the golden sphere.
as interesting as the alien origin is, i think the nuclear desaster screwing everything much better cause it keeps the story somewhat grounded, got a question tough, and i love how the chaaracter asks himself why he keeps coming to the zone, i ask myself the same thing when i install stalker anomaly again and again
@@theflerffyburr7919 In S.T.A.L.K.E.R., the nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl wasn't much related to the game's events, but because the disaster created an area that was secluded and away from humanity, a group of scientists used the place to do experiments and ended up creating the Anomalous Zone.
Yeah one of the zones is in the middle of Canada somewhere, and that's where the story takes place. Seems about as good of a spot as any to stop your space ship and take a quick dump before heading on to your final destination.
@@Krashnikov I've read the Serbian version and i didn't see that the story takes place in Canada. I'm not sure if it even was written now in the original because you said you didnt see it either in your version
There is a time when something dies or someone goes into the past. Unfortunately, the Zone is becoming into my past life story... And It's already a "dead zone" for me. Thanks for your videos, Friend.
This is not one of the books i read. Because it is more than a book. Also, if you need any illustrations done im always on the server. wanted to do an illustrated video related to roadside picnic myself, as well as a video about the tarkovsky film. Cheers mate!
Wait, are there multiple versions if the book? The one I read has slightly different names, and Buzzard (aka Vulture) beat his wife to death, and his children are both beautiful because of one of his wishes from the Golden Sphere.
Downward mental spirals and characters casually discussing extremely heavy expository topics. Yep, sounds like Russian literature. Roadside Picnic is great, and it's real short. I read it in a couple days.
i used to be an avid novel reader when i was just 7, in the year 2007, vidya changed all that and my dis interest of hard books grew harder and harder.. so ashamed at meself for watching youtube spoilers on books that i like, because right now reading roadside picnic (have a copy from moscow) is like reading a text book from school.. i think i find most of me in my generation is losing the magic of imagination and replaced by spoonfed information... i only hope that the future isnt as bleak as i see it is..
It ebbs an flows between mediums, I truly believe right now we're in a more music/ painting renaissance tho the paint has become digital as has the amps for music have moved to sims.... I'm sure good writers will come along just be patient
Finally, a brief summary of Roadside Picnic worthy of mention. I can see the similarities and differences to the STALKER Series.
Yeah its quite easy to see what they took and what they innovated on. A big thing that was different that I didn't really catch years ago when I read it was how Red laughs off the idea of bringing a gun into the zone. Obviously the mutants don't really exist like they do in STALKER, but the idea being that any random guy looking to rob you is probably just going to get killed by an anomaly was pretty sobering.
@@IntoTheZone I know the comment is a bit late and its been a few years since i read the book but im pretty sure they see a cresture from the zone. I think its a scene where Red and Burbridge were at some graveyard or something, hiding from the zone guards they see some kind of monster.
@@heibk-2019 It was a zombie. Probably Red's father.
All I have to say. Both stalker and metro have the post apocalyptic genre down!
@@subifudriftkings Accept that Stalker is not post apocalyptic where as Metro is.
I think it worth mentioning that creators were also pretty much likely inspired by Stanislaw Lem's "Solaris". The concept of the Zone as being not just a territory with anomalous phenomena, but an entity of absolutely different nature, which tries to communicate with humans looks pretty similar to the Solaris's ocean from the book.
The hell is Stanislaw
@@iamerror1699a
name
@@iamerror1699polish writer pal
Something I consider incredibly hilarious is that there was a meme going around with about a rat being killed by contact with an electrical outlet described in an existentially horrific manner that was often times compared to the book. The thing I find hilarious about it is the fact that it's an easier analogy to describe the book with than the one the book provides imo.
You know it's a good book when over three games and a movie or two adapted it. That and the fact that people are still talking about it outside of school
10 cheekis out of 10 breekis
what cheeki breeki means
@@AK-tf3fc it's a phrase that bandits use in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game
@@AK-tf3fcSomething like, “Is everything alright?” Or “Everything’s alright!”
You know it's a good when barely anyone reads it but pretend to know the plot
It’s not Vulture’s wife, but Vulture’s daughter (or Buzzard depending on the translation) who he tells about his legs being taken. And his daughter is very beautiful as she was born before the zone was created
i don't think she was born before the zone was created, i think she was born when vulture wished for a perfect daughter from the golden orb
@@averystrangeguy4378correct The Vulture's daughter and Arthur are twins.
Both appeared after the vulture found the golden orb for the first time wishing to have a family and perfect kids.
A fair bit is lost in english translation buts it's implied heavily the kids of the vulture didn't arrive until he first found the orb and his wife was already gone
Can you imagine how kino it would be if they made a series out of this like they did with Chernobyl
They had a show in the works with HBO (i think it was HBO) but it never made it past the pilot. It's floating around on youtube somewhere
@Into The Zone it was AMC and it got canceled. It.looked like it could have been a contender to replace the walking dead
@@thebusybuilder4071 if you think walking dead is anything but garbage there is no hope for you
@Langton Industries never said the walking dead was good did I. In terms of the show itself a good adaptation of roadside could have replaced it. I agree what walking dead had become is garbage. Season 1 at the time was at least new TV but as the series went on it became drawn out unwatchable pap.
@@WiseOwl_1408 WHAT BRO, TWD IS ACTUALLY SO GOOD
Thank you for doing a video on this, in my opinion, masterpiece of writing.
Thanks fren
Just finished reading this the other day. Clicked here thinking this was a review, but stayed for the excellent overview.
Buzzard is a sleezeball.
Thanks man, glad you enjoyed! And yeah, buzzard human piece of shit lol. I thought it was great that his own wife was pissed that he wasn't left for dead.
@@IntoTheZone You mean that woman in the 2nd chapter that talked with Red? Im pretty sure that's his dauther, he even said she was 20. Red even said that Buzzard ( Barbridž in Serbian version ) somehow created beautiful children that dont even look like him or his wife even though he goes to the zone.
It is his daughter, Dina, in the English translation I've read.
Mmmmm.... Dina!
🤤🤤😍
@@IntoTheZoneRed mentions Vulture (Buzzard) beated his wife to death the only other woman in the burbridge family is Dina Vulture's daughter
I had heard of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. before this book, but I never checked it out. In 2022, I got a game called Into The Radius and heard about STALKER again and the book for the first time. I bought stalker and the book, and now I'm spending 2023 exploring the zone on my screen and in my new favourite book. Best book 1972.
Ive been in that trip for months. First i read all 3 metro books and played all 3 games, then i finished roadside picnic yesterday and just finished the stalker film. Next are the stalker games which i bought on steam for 8 dollars for all 3 games
Yeah i also finished the book recently too and i can say i was at the edge of my seat while reading some of the pages it's one of the best books i've ever read and i'll probably dig more into the Strugatsky brother's literature
I suggest you to watch the 1979 Tarkovskij's film "STALKER"
I love my copy. I bought it back in 2008. It's the early version with the man holding the gold orb. It's got its original receipt saved in the pages. I cherish it.
Thank you for this. I found this lore to be calming and satisfying in strange way. You got tone and pace just right and done great job in presentating book. Salute Stalker
Thanks man, glad you enjoyed it.
'Roadside...' was so thick with that distinctively Russian brand of fatalistic misanthropy. "They probably didn't even acknowledge our existence, busy with their intergalactic picnic"
The game knew when to diverge from the book's plot. It takes the 'Anomalous Zone" concept, some of its overtones, and tells its own story.
Reading this book myself. It's just surreal to see all of these ideas and concepts weitten out after playing Sralker and metro. More so from the Soviet Union and how it's ideas still live on and how logically and illogical it was. Just. Yeah. Amazing.
The game "Into the Radius" takes ALOT of inspiration from this book!
Into the Radius is the reason i’m here
At 25:36 there’s a quote / tip they reference in Into The Radius.
Such a good game
Honestly, I think ITR takes more inspiration from Roadside Picnic then S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
This is such a great summary. It hit all the major plots while distilling the characters down to their essence. Great job!
Great video about an awesome book. Definitely one of my favorites. It’s good to see it get some more direct attention.
Wonderful recap of such a dark story. I keep wondering to this day what his wish really was.
I think he wished to wish something good. To die a good man. Thus the ball granted the wish by filling his head with the sentence (happiness for everyone, free of charge). This made him die a good man and mayhaps die for something more than himself.
All-in-all a pretty good overview of the story. Thanks for the re-visit. IMO, Red wasn't a sympathetic character. He was just another turd like all of those in his industry and showcased in the story.
One of the things that struck me in the book was that Arthur's fate wasn't a surprise to Red as Arthur approached the sphere while celebrating . Red said that he knew exactly what was going to about happen and chose not to watch. Red was truly a terrible person.
Along with the Witcher Books Roadside Picnic is one of the most visually descriptive, entertaining reads I've ever come across, if you love Stalker this book is only a quick read, I can't recommend it enough even if you don't know anything about Stalker
This guy also read a very different interpretation of the book than what I read, Vulture = Buzzard, Vultures wife instead of being his daughter, I don't know if he read it wrong or the translations are just that different
There's probably something wrong with his edition since i'm pretty sure there's a point where it's mentioned that Vulture beated his wife to death
Yes, the dialogue is witty.
Thank you for the summary! You have a nice story telling voice
I've seen roadside's influence as well in "Into the radius" throwing bolts, the artifacts. I picked the book up s year or so ago after I'd heard it was the inspiration for stalker
Amazing music choice my friend, perfect for Roadside Picnic
Great vid man, thanks for summarizing this book I always wanted to read.
Great summary. Keep it cheeki breeki comrade.
I always assumed the sparkly spiderweb substance was inspired from the Sparkler artefact, also explaining why Kirill died later on, unknowingly being consistently exposed to its deadly radiation (or something of the sort, being inspirational of the artefact I believe). Awesome video. Never saw this one somehow until now. Favorite book of all time hands down. A true work of written art.
A game based on Roadside Picnic, not just inspired by it, would be pretty cool.
A series was set to come out in 2016 but it was cancelled kind of a shame really
That ending is gorgeous
Roadside Picnic is incredible book
I’m so confused. I just finished reading the book and your summary is so different from the story I read. Almost all the names are different, Arthur never saves red from the sludge they just end up crossing it, red didn’t seem obsessed by the golden sphere like this summary says and red is fully aware of what is going to happen to Arthur calling him a “key” to the golden sphere.
This guy made a few mistakes unless he read a separate translation perhaps
that's because the book is an anomaly in itself. a cogitohazard
There are a couple of translations.
This is the best film if it was meant to be. And the best creepypasta if it becomes one. I am in love
Interesting how the newer translation of this book changes things. Some small some major
Great video, like always fren.
as interesting as the alien origin is, i think the nuclear desaster screwing everything much better cause it keeps the story somewhat grounded, got a question tough, and i love how the chaaracter asks himself why he keeps coming to the zone, i ask myself the same thing when i install stalker anomaly again and again
Tell me you never played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. without telling me you never played S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
@@gharm9129 ?
@@theflerffyburr7919 in S.T.A.L.K.E.R the source of anomalous activities wasn't the radiation, but the CConsciousnes tinkering with noospehere.
@@theflerffyburr7919 In S.T.A.L.K.E.R., the nuclear meltdown in Chernobyl wasn't much related to the game's events, but because the disaster created an area that was secluded and away from humanity, a group of scientists used the place to do experiments and ended up creating the Anomalous Zone.
I bet you never played the original trilogy
Excellent review. Thank you.
Stalker the movie is now available on RUclips, and i had to watch this video to prepare.
wait..... roadside picnic takes place in canada!?!?
Yeah one of the zones is in the middle of Canada somewhere, and that's where the story takes place. Seems about as good of a spot as any to stop your space ship and take a quick dump before heading on to your final destination.
@@IntoTheZone well that's cool, I must have missed that when i read it, cheers from ontario :)
Ripping off Russians is morally acceptable i guess if they can do it too… who wants to make a game?
@@Krashnikov I've read the Serbian version and i didn't see that the story takes place in Canada. I'm not sure if it even was written now in the original because you said you didnt see it either in your version
@@stickyy_fingaas I'd have to re read it it's been a while, seemed a little odd, our country only got interesting within the past couple years hahaha
So much of this is incorrect.
The itcher doesn't make a noise.
Buzzards kids aren't deformed. They are perfect. Thats the whole point.
There is a time when something dies or someone goes into the past.
Unfortunately, the Zone is becoming into my past life story... And It's already a "dead zone" for me.
Thanks for your videos, Friend.
Everything okay friend?
I got a very eerie feeling reading that hope you are okay
Thank u so much
Also inspiration for into the radius vr game
Good job
This is not one of the books i read.
Because it is more than a book.
Also, if you need any illustrations done im always on the server. wanted to do an illustrated video related to roadside picnic myself, as well as a video about the tarkovsky film. Cheers mate!
Here from into the radius
Wait, are there multiple versions if the book? The one I read has slightly different names, and Buzzard (aka Vulture) beat his wife to death, and his children are both beautiful because of one of his wishes from the Golden Sphere.
Also otherside picnic and into the radius
Yeah I'm ripping this off mate. Not apologising.
howdy fren
Downward mental spirals and characters casually discussing extremely heavy expository topics. Yep, sounds like Russian literature. Roadside Picnic is great, and it's real short. I read it in a couple days.
Hi
🙋👍☢️
i used to be an avid novel reader when i was just 7, in the year 2007, vidya changed all that and my dis interest of hard books grew harder and harder.. so ashamed at meself for watching youtube spoilers on books that i like, because right now reading roadside picnic (have a copy from moscow) is like reading a text book from school.. i think i find most of me in my generation is losing the magic of imagination and replaced by spoonfed information... i only hope that the future isnt as bleak as i see it is..
It ebbs an flows between mediums, I truly believe right now we're in a more music/ painting renaissance tho the paint has become digital as has the amps for music have moved to sims.... I'm sure good writers will come along just be patient