The Powerless of this World (Russian: "Бессильные мира сего") is a 2003 Russian novel by one S. Vititsky -- A.K.A. Boris Strugatsky, one of the Strugatsky Brothers; you know, the one that didn't die. This might explain why it's so bleak. As already mentioned, it's a rather depressing novel overall, but the premise and the characters are still rather neat, and the depressiveness makes the various crowning moments stand out more.