Countdown

Metro 2033: Countdown is the debut novel by Russian author Rinat Tashtabanov, written as part of the Metro 2033 universe. It was released in March 2016. The seventieth book of the series, this novel is the first part of the Chronicles of the Dead duology.

Plot
The main character, Shadow (one of the legendary "old men" of the cleaners), goes on raids with Moose's group, armed with an 1891/1930 Mosin rifle carrying a modern sniper scope. But, before that, he was just an ordinary man who was rescued at the city hospital in Podolsk. In the winter of 2015, he, along with a group of nine of his peers (salabons and one older one), are sent upstairs in search of medical supplies, food, weapons, and other resources. A sniper waits for them on the surface and eliminates almost the entire group except Sukhov, the older Viktor, and a teenage salobon fighter named Knysh. The sniper tricks Sukhov with a mock training grenade, jumps into the dugout, and almost kills Sergei. Fortunately, he is rescued by a squad from the hideout. Soon, a combat drone arrives, kills the remaining stalkers at their hideout, (including Viktor and Knysh), and mortally wounds the sniper. The sniper saves Sukhov at the cost of his own life and asks him to take his nickname, "Shadow".

Now, Shadow (A.K.A. Sergey Sukhov) is sent to Igor's hideout. On the way he encounters a pack of dogs, but is saved by a girl, medical officer Elza. Elza takes Shadow to the sniper's hideout, where he lies down for a week and comes to his senses after he refuses to make a deal with the devil. After Sergei wakes up, Elsa tells him her story and for the next month teaches him to shoot weapons. After he learns how to shoot perfectly, the two of them head back to the Podolsk Asylum. There, Shadow is accepted into the "Cleaners" special squad. There, he distinguishes himself as an excellent sniper and fighter. In 2033, Batya decides to put an end to the cannibals. He sends Moose's squad with Shadow to kill the Ripper. But, in the end, Shadow kills the Ripper's son, and the Ripper himself is wounded. Of the whole squad, only Shadow survives. He escapes but is pursued by the Ripper's cannibals. He eventually makes his way into a bomb shelter in a factory, where he kills quite a few of the cannibals, but is still caught. He is taken to Syany where the Ripper decides to get even with him for the death of his son, but Shadow is saved by Elsa again. Sergei escapes and reaches a hideout in the city. But there he's blamed for the failure of the operation. As a result, Sukhov agrees to Batya's offer to give his life in exchange for the lives of his wife and son. But Batya deceives Shadow and Mityai kills a pregnant Masha in front of Sergei. Soon, Sukhov finds himself crucified on the Cross. However, he is saved by a certain man.

Synopsis
He has long forgotten his former name, but he is used to looking at people through a sniper scope. All around him is a world gone up in flames. Hell rages in his heart. To find himself, he had to lose everything. His faith kept him alive. His thirst for revenge determined his future path. Now it is up to him to decide who lives and who dies. He knows that he will have to pay for everything, and death is on his heels. But he can, looking into the abyss and drinking bitter cup of fate to the bottom, to get redemption? No one knows. For legend has it that when the shackles of civilization fall and man's bestial grin is exposed, time will turn back and the countdown will begin...

Interesting Facts

 * The fourth cover in a row by Yana Polovtseva.
 * The novel grew out of a story of the same name that entered the second official short story contest.
 * It took four years from the conception to the release on paper.
 * In fact, this novel almost entirely consists of flashbacks, including those from 2033.
 * The first novel where Moscow appears, but in no way mentions its subway or the fate of its survivors. In fact, this is the first full-fledged novel about the Moscow suburbs.