Roadside Picnic

What I expect / know

• A great amoung science fiction stories
• Soviet (Ukranianian?)
• Grim
• Spawned a well like Game series
• Contains a forbidden Chernobyl like "zone" where the aliens/artefacts are

Chapter 1

• Classic noir / old school scifi narrating everything that is happening from 1st person perspective
• Didn’t expect it to be set in small town America with an international cast
• So far reminds me of a classic Assimov/Philip K Dick short story
• Good but not great