Almost had to read this just for the great title. This is a new translation of a classic novella by two Russian brothers. I compare this favorably with the another Russian sci-fi I've read recently, Metro 2033. Like that book, even with what is probably an excellent translation, the writing seemed a bit stilted. It took a little getting used to but it didn't really take away from the story. And it was an unique story. It tells the struggle of the people of the fictional town of Harmont, one of six "Zones" or landing sites of a brief alien visitation some 20 years earlier. The Zones are blocked off by the government and the numerous items that the aliens left behind have been slowly carried out and studied. Although some of these items have proven useful, like the endless power supply of what they call the spacecell, the uses of these items mostly remains a puzzle or a novelty. And the government's institute employees aren't the only ones searching for these items, there are also the "stalkers" who go into the Zone illegally at great risk to their lives to bring out the "swag" to sell to others who will pay much more than the institute. The Zone is dangerous and deadly, like a U.S. Superfund zone or Russia's Chernobyl site, full of traps and slime and things you can't even see that will kill you in a second. And, the Zone itself seems to slowly mutant the people who go in it and even their offspring. Only the bravest, most cunning, most desperate of men survive for long and, like with Metro 2033, this story had great characters, especially the main character stalker Red Schuhart, who is wrestling with the whole corrupt system, trying to keep true to himself, to be his own man, not owned by anyone or anything, and who then has to deal with the consequences of this to his family and friends. 
 Also like Metro 2033 the book contains a great philosophical discourse on the meaning of life, our existence, etc. In Metro it was the hookah-smoking former soviet soldiers. In Roadside Picnic, it was a drunken conversation between Dr. Valentine Pitman, a scientist at the Zone institute with another institute employee Richard Noonan about the meaning of the alien visitation. Was the visit and all the items left behind a sign or a test from some alien race to see if we were advanced enough for a full-fledged visit? Was it a prelude to a full-on invasion? Or was it as Valentine suggests (and where the title of the book came from) just a random stop over by some alien travelers, a roadside picnic on their way somewhere else. This drunken conversation contained what was perhaps the most interesting passage of the book: (view spoiler)[ "A picnic. Picture a forest, a country road, a meadow. Cars drive off the country road into the meadow, a group of young people get out carrying bottles, baskets of food, transistor radios, and cameras. They light fires, pitch tents, turn on the music. In the morning they leave. The animals, birds, and insects that watched in horror through the long night creep out from their hiding places. And what do they see? Old spark plugs and old filters strewn around... Rags, burnt-out bulbs, and a monkey wrench left behind... And of course, the usual mess--apple cores, candy wrappers, charred remains of the campfire, cans, bottles, somebody's handkerchief, somebody's penknife, torn newspapers, coins, faded flowers picked in another meadow." (hide spoiler)] 
 This book was very enjoyable and it did make me think a little about the universe and humankind's place and purpose in it. I am sure this book had some deep metaphorical meaning or connection to Russian politics that I didn't get and may never get but maybe something seeped in somewhere anyway and I have determined that I definitely need to read more Russian sci-fi.