Thoughts and Images

  Roadside Picnic: 2012, Cover Chicago Review press. Book: Roadside Picnic (alternative title S.T.A.L.K.E.R) Author: Arkady and Boris Strugatsky Pages: 193 Hard Core Scale: 4/4 Normal Scale: 10/10 Publish Date: 2012 (1972) About: An event happens creating several zones of unique phenomenon. One zone is near the town of Harmont. Government and military institutions set up to control, study, and regulate these zones. However, an illegal occupation known as being a Stalker crops up to get people and objects in and out of these zone areas illegally. Red Schuhart is a stalker of the Harmont Zone. This is his story, his family’s story, his friends’ story, Harmont’s story, and humanities' story and I cannot do this story justice in summary. Short Review: Oh I have craved such a thing for a long time. This is a real masterpiece of science fiction right here. Yes, this is what the S.T.A.L.K.E.R video games and Andrei Tarkovsky’s masterpiece of the film are based on. Ye...

Hello World I am an anthropologist, folklorist, and storyteller. Here I will discuss and review stories, comics, anthropomorphics, discuss writing mechanics, and culture. Here you will also find a book diary of sorts, so all the books I read will receive a short review and end up here. Yes, that includes the folks who publish a work after they end up on my critique table. A note on scores: Reviews will have two scores The Hardcore scale: out of 4. This is how I rate things and due to my strong opinions, frame of reference and experience may be harsher. The normal scale:  Out of 10. A very inaccurate translation of Hardcore scale for normal audiences decisions. The nature of the two scales may not line up correctly and there may be moments where they may not align up score wise being higher than another.