“The world is a needle, and we are the thread.”
Telluria by Vladimir Sorokin is a fragmented, surreal novel set in a post-apocalyptic future where Europe has collapsed into a patchwork of medieval-like fiefdoms. The book consists of 50 loosely connected chapters, each offering a different perspective on this bizarre world where society has regressed into a mix of archaic brutality and technological remnants.
Early Chapters: A Fractured World
The opening chapters introduce the setting—a land where people are obsessed with “tellurium,” a mysterious substance hammered into the skull that induces euphoria. Various characters, from knights to peasants, pursue this drug, revealing a society addicted to escapism. A knight named Sir Pipo hunts for tellurium while navigating warring factions.
Middle Chapters: Absurdity and Violence
The narrative shifts between grotesque humor and brutality. A chapter depicts a bureaucrat forcing a man to eat paperwork as punishment. Another follows a group of monks who worship a giant mechanical head. The world is lawless, with warlords, cannibals, and religious fanatics ruling over scattered territories.
Later Chapters: Decay and Revelation
As the story progresses, the absurdity deepens. A traveling poet recites verses made of nonsense words, while a blacksmith forges weapons from melted-down history books. The final chapters hint at cyclical destruction—civilizations rise and fall, but humanity remains trapped in its self-destructive patterns.
Key Ideas
- Dystopian collapse of civilization into neo-feudalism
- Critique of addiction, both chemical and ideological
- Satire of bureaucracy and authoritarianism
- Fragmented storytelling as a mirror to societal breakdown
- Cyclical nature of history and human folly
Who should read this book?
- Fans of dystopian and absurdist literature
- Readers who enjoy experimental, non-linear narratives
- Those interested in Russian postmodern satire
- Admirers of darkly humorous social critiques