С большим трудом дослушал "Град Обречённый" Стругацких. Это, пожалуй, книга, которая доставила мне наименьшее удовольствие за посление 10 лет. Хотя завязка очень интересная: людей случайно выдёргивают из своего времени где-то в середине 20-го века и помещают в искусственно построенный город, ограниченный стеной бесконечной высоты с одной стороны и пропастью бесконечной глубины с другой, чтобы они участвовали в Эксперименте, суть которого так и не раскрывается. Важно, что участие добровольное, но зачастую людей выдёргивают из каких-то безвыходных ситуаций: из плена, перед казнью итд.
Люди в Городе в целом предоставлены сами себе, но обязаны менять профессию раз в 3 месяца. Новую профессию каждому определяет некая машина неизвестным образом. Еще периодически на город сваливаются странные бедствия: например, нашествие обезьян.
Так вот, лично я ожидал от этого произведения какой-то полудетективной социальной фантастики с закрученным сюжетом и неожиданной развязкой, а получил... плохо скрываемые жалобы авторов на устройство советского общества и вообще мира вокруг. Практически все персонажи в книге тем или иным образом отвратительны, порочны и лишены причин для сопереживания им. А описываемые события быстро скатываются в непробиваемый мрачняк без выводов.
Причем, это всё еще и крайне уныло читать (или слушать). Во-первых, многие вещи близки только человеку определённой эпохи, пережившему определённые события. Во-вторых, авторы очень сильно затягивают некоторые сцены (например, застолья), по-видимому, чтобы увеличить отвращение читателя к персонажам и к человечеству в целом. В-третьих, что я просто ненавижу в литературе: авторы без плавного перехода меняют реалистичные сцены на сюрреалистичные. Мне тупо пришлось гуглить краткие описания некоторых отрывков, чтобы вообще понять, о чем была речь. Представьте, если бы какой-нибудь Раскольников вышел на улицу и увидел бы там вместо людей говорящие бананы, но при этом повествование продолжилось бы так, будто всё в порядке. И тебе, как читателю, приходится ломать голову над тем, что это за бананы: это героя глючит? Или слишком заковыристая метафора? А может я случайно пропустил пару страниц с объяснением?
В общем, я догадываюсь, что советское общество не оправдало некоторые надежды в глазах Аркадия и Бориса, чем, видимо, глубоко их травмировало. В поздних интервью Борис Натанович вообще топил за капитализм по европейскому образцу, при этом в соседнем ответе непоследовательно ругая общество потребления.
Но, пожалуй, хочу оставить в своей памяти тех Стругацких, которые написали Полдень.
#fiction
📖Title : Forrest Gump
✍️Author : Winston Groom
⭐️Rating : 4.01/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Dec 31, 1986
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Summary:Forrest Gump, narrating in his own simple, Southern voice, recounts his unlikely journey from a small Alabama town to national prominence. Despite an IQ of 70 and a straightforward outlook, he becomes a college football star, fights in Vietnam, excels (unexpectedly) at ping-pong, ventures into shrimping, and becomes a millionaire. Through decades of American history he drifts and strives, anchored by his steadfast love for Jenny. With innocence and honesty, Forrest sheds light on the absurdities and wonders of life, proving that greatness often comes from humility, kindness, and being in the right place at the right time.
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#fiction#humor#classics#drama#adventure@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : Katabasis
✍️Author : R. F. Kuang
⭐️Rating : 4.03/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Aug 26, 2025
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Summary:Alice Law, an ambitious graduate student obsessed with becoming a leading magician, loses her mentor, Professor Jacob Grimes, in a magical accident—possibly her fault. Grimes’s soul is condemned to Hell, and Alice refuses to let death or damnation deny her future. Determined to rescue him, she risks her sanity, health, and very soul. Unfortunately, her bitter rival, Peter Murdoch, shares the same desperate mission. Forced into an uneasy alliance, the two must navigate Hell’s horrors together. Bound by ambition, rivalry, and guilt, they confront terrifying choices that test their humanity, their loyalty, and what they’re willing to sacrifice for power.
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#fantasy#darkacademia#fiction#romance#adult#mythology@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Return of the King
✍️Author : J.R.R. Tolkien
⭐️Rating : 4.58/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Oct 20, 1955
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Summary:In The Return of the King, the final volume of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, the forces of Gondor and Rohan prepare for the ultimate battle against Sauron. Aragorn embraces his destiny as the true king, rallying allies and marching to the Black Gate as a diversion. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam struggle through Mordor to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom. Gollum’s obsession leads to his and the Ring’s destruction, ending Sauron’s reign. Peace returns to Middle-earth, Aragorn is crowned, and the hobbits return to a changed Shire. Frodo later departs with the Elves to the Undying Lands.
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#fantasy#fiction#classics#adventure#novels#LOTR@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Two Towers
✍️Author : J.R.R. Tolkien
⭐️Rating : 4.50/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Nov 11, 1954
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Summary:In The Two Towers, the Fellowship is broken. Frodo and Sam continue their perilous journey to Mordor to destroy the One Ring, joined reluctantly by the treacherous yet pitiful Gollum, who becomes both guide and threat. Meanwhile, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Uruk-hai who have captured Merry and Pippin. Their paths lead to the war-torn kingdom of Rohan, where they aid King Théoden against the forces of Saruman. As darkness spreads and war looms, alliances are tested and hope flickers. The story deepens the moral complexity of the quest, showing how power corrupts and loyalty defines true heroism.
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#fantasy#fiction#classics#adventure#novels#LOTR@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : 11/22/63
✍️Author :Stephen King
⭐️Rating : 4.35/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Nov 08, 2011
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Summary:11/22/63 by Stephen King follows Jake Epping, a high school teacher who discovers a time portal to 1958. Tasked with preventing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, Jake adopts a new identity and immerses himself in the past. As he navigates life in a different era, he falls in love and faces moral dilemmas, realizing that changing history comes with serious consequences. The past resists interference, growing more dangerous the closer he gets to his goal. Blending historical fiction, suspense, and romance, the novel explores the cost of rewriting fate and the weight of time.
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#fiction#sciencefiction#timetravel#horror#fantasy#thriller@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Intruder
✍️Author : Freida McFadden
⭐️Rating : 3.89/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Oct 07, 2025
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Summary:During a raging storm, Casey answers a desperate knock at her door and finds a young woman drenched in rain, covered in blood, and clutching a knife. Claiming self-defense, the stranger insists someone is trying to kill her. Against her better judgment, Casey lets her inside. As the night unfolds, inconsistencies in the girl’s story begin to surface. Tension escalates as Casey realizes she may have invited danger into her own home. With power outages, isolation, and rising paranoia, trust becomes a deadly gamble. By morning, Casey must uncover the truth—before the intruder destroys her life completely.
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#thriller#mystery#fiction#suspense#theintruder#freidamcfadden@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Storm
✍️Author : Rachel Hawkins
⭐️Rating : 3.82/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Jan 06, 2026
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Summary:The Storm by Rachel Hawkins is a Southern gothic mystery set in a small Alabama town anchored by a legendary, hurricane-battered island mansion. Years after a violent storm exposed a shocking murder, the tragedy still defines the community. When Jules, the disgraced daughter of a powerful local family, returns home, she is joined by her husband, an investigative journalist eager to uncover the truth behind the decades-old crime. As another storm looms, buried secrets resurface, loyalties fracture, and long-suppressed grudges come to light. The novel blends atmosphere, family drama, and suspense, showing how the past never truly stays buried—and how storms, both natural and human, reveal what people try hardest to hide.
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#thriller#fiction#mystery#suspense#adult#thestorm#rachelhawkins@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Frozen River
✍️Author : Ariel Lawhon
⭐️Rating : 4.38/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Dec 05, 2023
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Summary:The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon is a historical mystery set in 1789 Maine. Midwife and healer Martha Ballard is called to examine the body of a man found trapped in the frozen Kennebec River. While authorities quickly declare the death an accident, Martha suspects something far darker. As she records events in her diary and follows the clues, she uncovers a web of violence, secrets, and injustice involving powerful members of the community. Determined to seek the truth despite threats and social pressures, Martha risks her reputation and safety while fighting for justice in a society where women’s voices are often ignored.
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#fiction#mystery#audiobook#historical#thriller#ariellawhon#thefrozenriver@Bookslibraryofficial
📖Title : More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop
✍️Author : Satoshi Yagisawa
⭐️Rating : 3.85/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Dec 06, 2011
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Summary:More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop follows Takako as she continues healing while living above her uncle’s secondhand bookshop in Tokyo’s Jimbocho district. Surrounded by books and familiar faces, she confronts lingering grief, evolving relationships, and quiet uncertainties about the future. The novel focuses on small, meaningful moments, showing how literature, routine, and human connection gently restore a sense of belonging. Through everyday interactions, it portrays healing as gradual, imperfect, and deeply tied to community, memory, and the comforting presence of books.
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#fiction#japan#cozy#audiobook#romance#moredaysatthemorisakibookshop#satoshiyagisawa@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : Bemused
✍️Author : Farrah Rochon
⭐️Rating : 3.92/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Jan 07, 2025
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Summary:Five sheltered sisters living in a quiet seaside village learn that they are the legendary Muses, daughters of Mnemosyne, Goddess of Memory. After their mother is kidnapped by Hades, the sisters are forced to leave their protected lives behind. Guided by Calliope’s leadership, they journey through dangerous lands, face mythical trials, and uncover their divine powers. Along the way, they confront fear, doubt, and destiny itself. Through music, storytelling, courage, and unity, the sisters strengthen their bond and transform from overlooked performers into heroic figures, embracing their true identities and shaping their own legendary “gospel truth.”
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#fantasy#mythology#retellings#fiction#historicalfiction#audiobook#bemused#farrahrochen@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Count of Monte Cristo
✍️Author : Alexandre Dumas
⭐️Rating : 4.33/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Jan 01, 1844
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Summary:The Count of Monte Cristo follows Edmond Dantès, a young sailor wrongly accused of treason by jealous rivals and imprisoned in the grim Château d’If. During his long captivity he meets Abbé Faria, who educates him and reveals the location of a hidden treasure. After escaping, Dantès finds the treasure on Monte Cristo, assumes the title Count of Monte Cristo, and uses his wealth and cunning to exact elaborate revenge on those who betrayed him. Along the way he rewards the loyal and punishes the corrupt, exploring themes of justice, vengeance, mercy, and redemption.
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#classics#fiction#adventure#france#literature#novel#thecountofmontecristo#alexandredumas@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Haunting of Hill House
✍️Author : Shirley Jackson
⭐️Rating : 3.81/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Oct 16, 1959
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Summary:The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson follows Eleanor Vance, a lonely, emotionally fragile woman who joins a group invited to investigate Hill House, a mansion notorious for unexplained phenomena. Dr. Montague hopes to document supernatural activity, while the house itself seems alive—its architecture oppressive, its atmosphere deeply unsettling. As strange noises, writings on walls, and psychological disturbances intensify, Eleanor forms a dangerous bond with the house. Her growing sense of belonging blurs the line between madness and the supernatural. Ultimately, Hill House isolates Eleanor from the others, drawing her fully into its dark presence and tragic fate.
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#horror#classics#fiction#gothic#mystery#paranormal#thriller#thehauntingofhillhouse#shirleyjackson@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra