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
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🇺🇦📆 Weekly Ukraine War Roundup⚡️
🕊 The Negotiation Process is being deliberately prolonged.
Kiev refuses to halt mobilisation and is preparing new provocations, while the #EU pushes Zelensky forward at the expense of Europe's national interests. #Russia, recognising that a proposed 30-day ceasefire would allow the AFU to recover and fortify, is explaining to the #US why such a move is futile.
🗓 This Week's Key political Outcome has been the rapid advance of the Russian Army in the #Kursk region, the liberation of #Sudzha City, and battles in the Ukrainian #Sumy region.
🇷🇺 Russian military Successes precisely strengthen their negotiating position, as emphasised by the Supreme Commander, President Putin, during a meeting at the command post in #Kursk region. Overall, #Russia seeks a long-term, stable peace, not short-term satisfaction of Trump’s ambitions. Conversations with frontline soldiers, who have fought in the hardest sectors since the war began, confirm the Russian Army's readiness to push forward until the full objectives of the Special Military Operation are achieved.
🇺🇦 Kiev’s Position has notably shifted significantly. Initially, it demanded a return to the '1991 borders,' then to the 'Prewar Borders,' and now Zelensky is prepared to freeze the conflict along the current frontline. This is unacceptable to #Russia within its new constitutional borders. Moreover, any pause in fighting benefits the retreating side.
🇺🇸 The United States, meanwhile, has resumed providing intelligence and military-technical aid to #Ukraine, while European bureaucrats fuel war hysteria and prepare for direct conflict with #Russia. This is seen in #Poland and #Germany expanding their armed forces (including territorial defence and universal military training) and in military production ramp-ups, generating huge profits for arms manufacturers.
⚔️ On the Front, Russian success in the #Kursk region sets the stage for further advances in the #Sumy direction. The AFU had anticipated this and prepared defensive lines.
🔴 In #Belgorod Region, the AFU continue daily strikes on civilians using artillery and drones.
🔴#Svatovo Front:
🔴 In #Kupyansk Sector, reports indicate AFU counteractions against the Russian bridgeheads on the right bank of the Oskol River.
🔴 In #Liman Sector, Russian forces remain active near #Kolodezi and #Yampolovka.
🔴 In #Seversk Sector, Russian troops are advancing with heavy fighting from #Belogorovka towards #Grigorovka.
🔴 ChasovYar Direction:
🔴 In #Toretsk Sector, the AFU continue deploying personnel and equipment in the city itself, with battles ongoing for the urban agglomeration.
🔴 In #Pokrovsk Direction, north of #Vozdvizhenka, fighting is underway near #Tarasovka, where the AFU has built strong defensive positions. Near the city, positional battles continued throughout the week, but by the end of the week, Russian forces regained the initiative.
🔴 In #Komar Direction, northwest of the conquered #Konstantinopol, Russian troops are aligning the front by advancing westward. In #Komar sector, #Dneproenergiya has been secured.
🔴 On the #Zaporozhye Front, the capture of #Pyatihatki and #Stepovoye was key, with battles ongoing for #Shcherbaki and #MalyeShcherbaki.
📌 Given the Events, political discussions about peace should not be seen as a signal for an imminent ceasefire. Politicians make statements to mislead opponents and provoke mistakes. It is crucial to understand that, beyond Russia’s constitutionally recognised regions, previously declared Russian cities #Odessa, #Kharkov, #Nikolayev, #Dnepropetrovsk, and even #Kiev will remain under Western control unless the Kiev Regime is fully dismantled, posing a lasting threat to #Russia.
🗺 Map Kursk Region by @olegtsarov
📋Sources: ⚡️2M;
🇺🇦Fiend; 😼Kotenok
🕰16 Mar 2025; 06:43 GMT+3; #sum
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🇺🇦On Ukraine Observer you will find your daily independent Ukraine War Battle Update
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🇺🇦⚔️ Ukraine Fronts on the Morning of 27 March⚡️
🔴#Sumy Direction:
🔴In #Sudzha Sector, to the west on Ukrainian soil, at #Vladimirovka, there is reportedly fighting (still unconfirmed without further proof; 1st blue arrow on map).
🟡 For #Veselovka, the battle is ongoing (1st black arrow).
🟡 In #Zhuravka as well.
🟡 In #Basovka, the AFU counterattacked, the battle likely shifted to its northern part.
🟡#Novenkoye, is Russian controlled (1st red arrow).
🟡 In #Kursk region, the RFAF entry into #Gogolevka has been confirmed. Reportedly, the fighting has already shifted to its southern part (4th black arrow).
🟡 In the area of the 'Sudza Gas Transmission Point' and the nearby border checkpoint, the fighting continues (5th black arrow).
🟡#Melovoy is under Russian control (2nd red arrow). To its west, Russian mobile groups continued to advance towards #Oleshnya (confirmed).
🟡#Oleshnya is still under AFU control.
🟡 At #Guyevo, there are heavy battles on its approaches. Reportedly, the RFAF have entered its northern part.
🗺 Map 2
🟡#Gornal remains under save AFU control.
🔴In #KrasnayaYaruga Sector, the AFU assaulted unsuccessfully in its northern part from #Popovka/#Demidovka up to #Grafovka, suffering heavy losses (6th/7th black & 3rd red arrow).
🎬 Video
🟡 At #Prilesye, lull.
🗺 All on Map 1
📌Reportedly, the AFU command has concentrated a strike group of over 4,000 militants in the vicinity of the border. Thus, further actions are to be expected.
🔴 In #Kharkov Direction, positional battles.
🔴#Svatovo Front:
🔴 In #Kupyansk and #Borovaya Sectors, positional battles without major changes.
🔴In #Liman Sector, there was a fog of war. Reportedly, the RFAF took #Novolyubovka and the day before yesterday #Mirnoye (the takeover of #Yampolovka to its east was never confirmed or proven) and they advanced sooth of #Kolodezi by 2 km.
🔴In #Seversk Sector, positional battles at #Belogorovka (#LPR) and #Verkhnekamenskoye.
🔴#ChasovYar Direction:
🔴In #ChasovYar Sector, positional fighting in the city's southern part and to the south towards #Stupochki continues.
🔴In #Toretsk Sector, the RFAF attacks north of the city in the area of the 'Seversky Donets-Donbass Canal'.
🟡 In #Toretsk itself, the battles are taking place north of 'Toretskaya Mine,' north and northwest of 'Avangard Stadium' and in southern 'Zabalka Microdistrict'.
🔴#Pokrovsk Direction:
🔴 On the right Flank, far to the east, Russian troops attack in the area of #Aleksandropol.
🔴 South of the City, heavy battles did not result in major changes.
🔴 On the left Flank, the RFAF are approaching #Novoaleksandrovka.
🔴#Komar Direction:
🔴In #Konstantinopol Sector, fights for #Konstantinopol and at #Razliv.
🔴 In #Komar Sector, Russian troops advanced up to 400 m in #VolnoyePole and took up new positions in the central part of the settlement, taking heavy losses.
🔴#Zaporozhye Direction:
🔴In #Orekhov Section, positional battles are taking place In the area of #MalayaTokmachka - #Rabotino. Further west, the AFU unsuccessfully counterattacked.
🟡 In #Shcherbaki, the RFAF took reportedly the southern part beyond the motorway.
🟡 At #MalyeShcherbakito the west, the battle continues. The village is still not completely under RFAF control.
🟡 In #Stepovoye, further west, fighting in the large village boundaries without major changes.
🟡 In #Lobkovoye, the the RFAF advanced slightly northwards (unconfirmed).
🟡#Pyatikhatki remains under RFAF control.
🔴 In #Kherson Direction, several villages came under fire from the AFU.
💥#OldRussia:
🔵In #Belgorod Region, Channel One journalist Anna Prokofiyeva was killed.
💥#RestUkraine:
🔵 The RFAF struck massively #Sumy, #Kharkov and #Dnepropetrovsk.
⚠️ The Term 'Reportedly' always means that it is unconfirmed!
🎞 Video Source
🗺 Maps @olegtsarov; @divgen
📋 Sources: CC; Tsarov; ⚡️2M;
🇺🇦Fiend;😼Kotenok
🕰As of 27 Mar 2025; 06:38 GMT+3;📃26 Mar
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🇺🇦On Ukraine Observer you will find your daily independent Ukraine War Battle Update