SciFi • 1972 • 4 Stars
Roadside Picnic is set on Earth after alien "Visitations" leave mysterious Zones with bizarre artifacts. People called Stalkers, like Redrick Schuhart, illegally enter Zones to collect these artifacts, which have extraordinary and often hazardous properties. The narrative focuses on Redrick's life, from financial gain to personal loss and existential questioning, as he deals with the Zone's effects on society and himself.