Roadside Picnic, Stalker and Zone - pt 1.

 

The novel Roadside picnic  by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, begins with a sublime piece of misdirection, an interview with a scientist via Radio, and a classic piece of Russian humour - a swift bit of build up and knock down:

"I suppose that your first serious discovery, Dr Pilman, should be considered what is now called the Pilman Radiant?"
"I don't think so. The Pilman Radiant wasn't the wasn't the first, nor was it serious, nor was it really a discovery. And it wasn't completely mine, either."

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