Metro 2033

I came to Metro 2033 after playing the game first, curious to learn more about the world that sucked me in. I quickly realized the book is very different from the game, and in a good way. Where the game leans on suspense and action, the book slows down and builds out an eerie, detailed vision of post-nuclear Moscow’s metro system. It’s shrouded in mystery, layered with supernatural touches, and has a level of suspense that keeps you hooked. What stood out most for me was the sheer depth of the world and the different types of people Artyom encounters. The book really captures the struggle of humanity trying to survive, adapt, and make sense of life in the tunnels after an apocalypse. It dives into philosophical themes about existence, survival, and human nature, things the game could only hint at. Sometimes it does slow down in these moments, but I actually enjoyed the more thoughtful, horror-tinged pacing. That said, if you’re expecting nonstop firefights like in the game, this might feel a little slower than you’d want. There are definitely tense and thrilling moments, but the focus is more on atmosphere and ideas than pure action. Still, I think that’s what makes it such a powerful read. Whether you’ve played the game or not, Metro 2033 is worth picking up. It’s part thriller, part mild horror, and part deep dive into what humanity might become after the end of the world.

Metro 2033 attempts to take a genre filled to the brim with generic stories and create a new and exciting perspective. For the most part it succeeds. By telling the story from a Russian perspective the author exposes the reader to ideas and customs not often heard of in American literature. Its story is creepy and feels like a genuine representation of what a post apocalyptic society would function like. This is why the story succeeds, and its supernatural elements are done extremely well and do not feel out of place. Metros strength is in its atmosphere and situations it creates. The main character Artyom is forced unto a quest whose goal does not become clear till the later third of the book. This allows the book to focus on the world around Artyom and the journey to find out the true purpose of his mission. Many of the factions in the Metro mimic real life nations with some being strictly capitalist while others adopting stricter doctrines such as communism or Fascism. The author takes these factions from real life influences but adds a unique spin to them. For example the Nazi party believes that pure blood Russians are the master race while the Nazi party of 1940’s Germany believed in German superiority. This is present throughout the book, where many of the people trapped in the metro adopt religions and doctrines from the real world but with limited information about it decide to create their own principles. The stations in Metro serve as a “safe zone” for travelers. But due to the ever present threat of rival factions and creatures the reader is never fully at peace even when Artyom is in a friendly environment. One aspect the book does well is making the reader ever tense and on edge. The book develops a sense of ever present danger and make the calmer chapters a welcome change for the reader. This is a great aspect because the reader feels the tension of the protagonist and is able to be more immersed in the book. Overall the book is well written, and the reader will rarely get bored. One issue is the book can feel a bit long since it take so long for the main quest to start. Its a refreshing step away from generic post apocalyptic fiction and tackles a smaller more personal story then books such as The Passage or The Stand. I highly recommend this book to those tired of the genre and in need of a unique perspective.

The origin of Artyom. It's probably a very well known story to many, so I won't belabor anything here. My only complaints about the book are there a few missed periods, and, in a few places, the translation of Russian to English breaks down leading to a station name not matching the provided metro map. Also, it would have been nice if they have had the map span two pages to make it easier to see the locations, as keeping track of Artyom's placement is critical to immersing yourself in the text.

The pages are thick and it makes the book feels like a great quality. Sometimes books aren’t good quality and are damage easily, this one however gives me hope that it will stay intact.

I truly enjoyed reading this book. Actually got engaged with the Metro universe first through the video games, and after finishing the first two I decided to read the book. It is different from the videogames but complements the universe perfectly, through a deeper version of the characters we know in the video games and a well written and interesting story that explores a post-apcalyptic civilization from multiple angles. This books has everything, adventure, survival horror and post apocalyptic scenario that will keep you reading pages without even feeling it.

Livre est bien précisé en anglais... Comme je désirais (contrairement à pas mal de commentaires...) Bref. Super livre... J'avais envie de m'y mettre après avoir joué aux jeux il y a un moment mais je ne suis pas dessus du voyage..! Vraiment superbement décrit et pleins de détails parfois trop... Comme pour beaucoup d'histoire du genre la mise en place peut paraître un peu longue mais passé cela il y a des instants ou je ne pouvais pas m'arrêter avant d'avoir fini certains chapitres ! La traduction est très correcte et contrairement à un autre commentaire je n'ai tické qu'une fois ou deux à la tournure d'une phrase ou à un mot qui ne me semblait pas forcément juste..! Je conseille donc vivement !

I recommend this book. After reading this book, I hid under my bed for a week. Scary!

Comprei o livro como presente pro meu namorado, ele é muito fã de coisas russas, e eu sou maravilhado com a franquia Metro nos jogos! E agora com esse livro vou dar a ele a experiência desse universo pelos livros, enquanto eu tenho a experiência pelos jogos, acho que tá equilibrado! Hah! No demais, livro maravilhoso, cheiroso (cheiro normal de livro novo então sei lá haha!), na capa da frente e de trás tem o mapa do metro, o que achei genial demais! Vale a pena cada centavo, mesmo não tendo lido tenho a história inteira na cabeça por causa dos jogos, então sei que vale a pena porque nos jogos ainda era meio resumido, nos livros é simplesmente uma obra prima!