EUtopias and Other Futures: A European Journal of Science Fiction

We are here today to count the number of women on this book cover and beyond... By Péter MARTON ** Join the European Science Fiction group on Facebook for related discussions. ** One of the strenghts of the allegory in Glukhovsky's Metro 2033 is exactly what very probably would have been an obstacle to publishing this book in the US first. Because what all US editors encourage writers to include in their stories by default these days is... strong female characters (with some good reasons, at that). The number of strong female characters in Metro 2033 = 0 (zero). The reason is not chauvinism. To the contrary: through the absence of women, regardless of whether this is intentional or intuitive, the story demonstrates the importance of not standing in the way of women taking leading roles in the running of the world. In the subterranean universe, where man is often wolf to man, the sun doesn't shine, for it has no alternative. (See what I did there? H/t simul...

 Map of the Kremlin. Source (author: "Ludvig14") By Péter MARTON ** Join the European Science Fiction group on Facebook for related discussions. ** This is a very brief post, but with what may qualify as spoilers. The aim is to discuss one of the key metaphors in Glukhovsky's book. One that's not particularly sophisticated, but is very effective, and yet... goes unrecognised by many readers for what it is (especially by those enjoying the book on the superficial level of just following Artyom running around in the dark in his quest to make sense of his... quest). We learn about the Kremlin two important things in Metro 2033 :  Above the ground, the stars on top of the towers attract people who can't resist looking at them. In fact, this is no mere attraction: they are lured there. They keep staring and, imperceptibly to themselves, their feet deliver them to the being or thing that resides inside. If you're reminded of the Eye of Sauron, I gu...

By Péter MARTON ** Join the European Science Fiction group on Facebook for related discussions. ** This will be the first today in a series of brief posts about things that make Dmitry Glukhovsky's 2005 novel Metro 2033 very interesting, and a must-have in the collection of all true fans of speculative fiction. (Yes, the matchbox label art is also there. Scroll down first if you wish, and then come back to read this.) The first reason I will name is the location. (To point out the obvious.) It's the Moscow Metro in the post-(nuclear)-apocalypse. A location that we, readers, along with chief protagonist Artyom and the rest of the survivors, are closed into. The plot traverses only around 25 stations - the full network consists today, as of 2018, of up to 14 lines and 245 stations over up to 419 kms ("up to," i.e. depending on how you count; note that the network has expanded since the writing of the book). In this dark new world, some of the stations a...