Historical dystopian science fiction from one of the first Soviet dissidents, this book inspired 1984 and many others. Zamyatin's rocket is ahead of its time - partially the product of the authors background as a naval engineer.

We learn the story through the main character's diary entries. He has an ordered mind, thrown akilter by unexpected passion, and this comes through in the text. Unfortunately, while his character changes, the remaining characters are flat and unbending. Religion plays a larger element here than in most dystopian fiction, and this is well written also.

Otherwise the writing is clunky, and I'm not sure if that is the translation. I thought Orwell did a better job portraying his dystopian state, and his ending was far more tragic. Interestingly, Orwell claimed in a book review of Brave New World that Huxley had lifted many elements from this book, and then 17 years later Orwell used even more of it to write 1984.