Rating: 
Summary: Wow
Review: This 1920 book is a powerful example of prototype dystopian science fiction. It exists on more than just one or two levels. Impeccable math and science (Zamyatin was a Naval architect), religious imagery, jokes (that's right), and of course, scathing political prophecy are all present in this melting pot. Not to mention it's actually a fun read! The influence of this novel cannot be overstated in the political history of the world and in the science fiction genre. The amount of subtleties in this book that aren't shoved down your throat will guarantee your continued (and renewed) enjoyment of successive reads; there's something new on every round. Clocking in at a modest 232 pages for the paperback edition, it won't take you that long, though you may find yourself spending a lot of time in thought after finishing it. I've heard that there are better translations than this one. It's all a matter of preference, really, and this is the one that's most widely available. If you fancy yourself a science fiction fan or politically aware, this is more than worth your time.
Rating: 
Summary: It's alright
Review: Anyone who reads "We" and "Brave New World" will notice an astounding number of similarities, enough to make one wonder whether Huxley borrowed a little more than he should have. Nonetheless, this is a pretty good apocalyptic novel. I would rank it somewhere above the aformentioned "Brave New World" and below "1984". Perhaps the most interesting thing about the novel is the mathematical subtext. Zamyatin was a professional mathmetician and the names of his characters (which are numbers) supposedly are part of some master equation. Unfortunately, my Russian isn't up to reading the book in the original. Neither is my math, for that matter. But this is a quick read, very much a product of its time and location. It will probably take you an afternoon; and there are certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon.
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