The Second

5 hrs. 8 min.

Language Russian

Author Sergey Medvedev

Narrator Anton Makarov

Description

In the near future, there’s a cozy village on the coast of the Sea of Azov. As a result of the mysterious Tumult, everyday life has changed beyond recognition: the regional center is crawling with bandits, and the Don is full of crocodiles that escaped from the local zoo; no cell phones. But none of this bothers the residents of Margaritovka—enterprising and cheerful retirees who set out to build nothing less than Paradise on Earth. They’ve mastered canning, knitting, fishing—and generally try to enjoy the little things. But this isn’t an idyllic story like Philemon and Baucis: the heroes will face danger, and far from everyone will make it to the end. In Margaritovka they sometimes even hold sports competitions (shooting), but the main thing is that retirees have learned to stand up to aggressive city dwellers (and that’s not easy). Everything that happens in Margaritovka is carefully recorded in the diary of Viktor Sergeyevich Petrov, whose call sign is “The Second.” The novel “The Second” is a post-apocalyptic absurd black comedy in which Cormac McCarthy’s “No Country for Old Men” is combined with Eldar Ryazanov’s “The Promised Heavens.” Sergei Medvedev is a playwright living in Rostov-on-Don. Plays based on his works run in Russian and European theaters.