The Helmet of Horror: The Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur by Victor Pelevin
This books is weird. It is tied to both mythology and the modern world. Much of it consists of dialogs between mythological beings. They look at mythology, religion and other aspects of life. There is the maze and the natural and supernatural nature. There is enlightenment and other things. It felt interesting, but I wasn't sure where it was going.
Homo Zapiens by Victor Pelevin
After Soviet Communism fell, Russia fell into a capitalistic free-for-all. Homo Zapiens explores this world from the view of a few participants. It feels like a Russian version of Generation X. The rules of the capitalistic came are still being worked out. People try to make money, but the end result of success is often involvement of the mob and death. People get so much money that showing consumption is the point. Drugs may be smoked in currency just to show how much money somebody has.
In a capitalist world, you need to use marketing to get your message out and make sales. Making ridiculous ads may make you well known, but not respected. Serious ones may give a degree of success, but no memory. The goal is to get some balance. However, some of the characters just go for the most ridiculous ones they can, because they can.
The end of the book drifts off into more randomness. It is as if the book itself trips on a mixture of capitalism and drugs.
