Metro 2034 Book Review
Metro 2034 book is a continuation of extremely successful "Metro 2033" novel written by Dmitry Glukhovsky. The story is set in ruined, post-apocalyptic Moscow, where radiation and genetically engineered chimeras made the surface completely uninhabitable by men.
Since the Earth surface became as hostile as Mars, the remnants of humankind are forced to survive in the well-hidden, well-sheltered bunkers with autonomous air and water supply. Naturally, Moscow metro, that was constructed to withstand a nuclear blast and radiation, became a shelter for Muscovites that were lucky enough to be in proximity the day the bombs fell.
That day, the world shrank to the size of Moscow subway's tunnels and stations. The centralized chain of command ceased to exist shortly after the break of the war, making each station a state in itself that wages war, makes alliances – and engages in endless political games with its neighbors. Numerous alliances arose, and there are all kinds of governments present in the metro, from democracy to communism and monarchy.
Metro 2034 timeline
Twenty years has passed since the beginning of the war, but the world above remains completely hostile to homo sapiens. However, Metro 2034 book is mainly dedicated to the events that happen one year after Metro 2033 book ending. This time, the story begins on "Sevastopolskaya" Moscow metro station, far from the prosperous trade federation "Ganza" built around the ring line.
The citizens of "Sevastoposlkaya" turned it into a little fortress since they have to fight the endless waves of monsters coming from the nearby "Chertanovskaya" station. They consider their home a little "Sparta", training its warriors so well they are being feared in the rest of the metro.
In addition to that, "Sevastopolskaya" engineers were able to set up numerous hydroelectric stations that utilize the underground streams around, making it an invaluable supplier of electricity to "Ganza" and the rest of Moscow subway.
Everything seems to be going pretty well, but there's one fatal flaw that not even brave "Sevastopolskaya" inhabitants can overcome – its distance from the center. The station is located in the far outskirts of Moscow metro with most of its northern neighbors being uninhabited. And of course, there are good reasons for that.
In fact, "Tulskaya" is the only "serious" northern station before "Ganza", and if anything happens to it – "Sevastopolskaya" will be cut from supplies and ammunition that it badly needs to repel the terrible creatures. As you probably guessed, the story begins when "Tulskaya" stops responding.
(by Alexey Troshin)
Philosophy behind Metro 2034 book
I must say right away that Metro 2034 book is completely different from its successful predecessor. The first novel was more about action, although it did have a good plot. This time, Dmitry Glukhovsky is trying to transmit a more serious message.
Yes, Metro 2034 novel is more about philosophy, so don't buy this book if you're just looking for more thrilling scenes. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of those in the novel, but overall it was written to make you think rather than just get excited.
However, if you think the book is boring – think again. As I said in Metro 2033 book review, Glukhovsky knows how to make you excited when he needs to. Don't worry, there will be plenty of mysteries and action to make you finish the book, but it will be a pity if you don't see the deeper meaning behind those decorations.
I would say that Metro 2034 book is all about choice. Choice between good and evil, ends and means, love and duty, bigger and lesser evil. Choice that can change the life of one – and choice upon which the fate of humanity rests. Choice that can't be undone.
Apart from that, the author seems to be asking that eternal question - what makes us human? Our looks? Our speech? Or perhaps that deep, moral “compass” that let us distinguish between right and wrong? Do we deserve the right to exist if we cease to be humans on the way? Questions, eternal questions. Questions with no simple answers…
By the way, you're about to meet someone who was supposedly dead in the first part. I won't give you the name of course, but be ready for a surprise. However, this character is going to be veeery different from the first part, as certain events left a heavy scar on his psyche.
Intrigued? You'd bet! However, that "return from the dead" is not the only change you'll notice in Metro 2034 book universe. I would say the whole world of Metro 2033 changed slightly, becoming even more complex and realistic.
However, when I say "realistic", I don't mean that nothing weird is going to happen. On the contrary, there are lots of very strange events that have no reasonable explanation. Metro 2033 also had some of those, but it was much more "worldly". Most of it was either mutants – or humans, and there were only a couple of things that couldn't be reasonably explained.
Mysteries of Metro 2034
However, Metro 2034 book is full of mystical events that do not have any reasonable explanation whatsoever. It may be slightly embarrassing, I know. Several years ago I didn't like stories that weren't telling me all the answers because I was expecting to get everything "on the platter".
However, today I think that a good science fiction novel absolutely must keep something for itself, without telling you explicitly why and how it happened. And that's what I believe make Glukhovsky's universe much more "real".
Ooh, there’s lots of interesting stuff going on. Stations infested with hellish mutants are just a small part of all the horrors people encounter in Moscow metro – and a significant part of them are located right on the grey line next to “Sevastopolskaya”.
(by Alexey Troshin)
In fact, in the first book some characters have a conversation where one of them says that even “Ganza”, with all its power and money, is unable to colonize the grey line because of all the weirdness that’s going on there. There’s a slight contradiction between the two books, because the character then goes on saying that all the grey line stations behind "Ganza" are uninhabited.
However, since that conversation took place at “VDNH”, a station very remote even by today’s standards, you can safely assume its residents were simply quoting the rumours, as they could not possibly have the accurate information.
Anyways, Dmitry Glukhovsky doesn’t limit himself to genetically engineered mutants that inhabit the post-nuclear Earth. In many cases, Metro 2034 book tells us of horrors that can’t be explained by reason, like that thick, white mist that inhabits “Nagornaya” Moscow metro station, randomly taking the lives of the by-passers. Is it some sort of a life form, like sentient fungi? A gas that makes you hallucinate and die? An alien organism?
As I said, there’s no clear answer. However, I believe that Glukhovsky wants us to think that those things came straight from hell as a punishment for our deeds, present and future. The very souls of innocent victims came back from the other side as it couldn't accept them all at once.
In fact, in Metro 2033 book the author suggests that the very spirit of our planet has been ruined by the nuclear blasts, and the souls have nowhere to go anymore. Therefore, they are destined to forever lurk in the shadowy catacombs of Moscow metro tunnels.
I would say that Metro 2034 book is gloomier and darker than the first one. As I said, I consider it more realistic than its predecessor. While most of the events described there are a complete fiction, the atmosphere of the book is much closer to the real world. Here and there, the characters will share with you the legends of Moscow subway, only to later disprove most of them - just like in real life.
However, not all hope is lost, as some of the legends seem to have a reasonable basis. Can it be there are communities of survivors scattered across the post-apocalyptic Russia? Can it be they managed to save whatever technology they possessed? Can it be there will be another book?
…and most important - can we avoid the apocalypse described by Dmitry Glukhovsky?
P.S. Unfortunately, there's no English version of this book yet. Once it available, I will make sure you will be the first to know! Meanwhile, you can improve your language skills by reading the original Russian version of Metro 2034.
Related posts:
- Metro 2033 Book
- Kievskaya Moscow metro station
- Kurskaya Moscow metro station
- Moscow metro map
- Moscow Metro 2 - the dark legend of Moscow
- Moscow metro
- Moscow Metro Museum
