What do you think?
Rate this book
BioShock: Rapture
It's the end of World War II. FDR's New Deal has redefined American politics. Taxes are at an all-time high. The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki has brought a fear of total annihilation. The rise of secret government agencies and sanctions on business has many watching their backs. America's sense of freedom is diminishing . . . and many are desperate to take that freedom back.
Among them is a great dreamer, an immigrant who pulled himself from the depths of poverty to become one of the wealthiest and admired men in the world. That man is Andrew Ryan, and he believed that great men and women deserve better. And so he set out to create the impossible, a utopia free from government, censorship, and moral restrictions on science--where what you give is what you get. He created Rapture---the shining city below the sea.
But as we all know, this utopia suffered a great tragedy. This is the story of how it all came to be . . .and how it all ended.
Among them is a great dreamer, an immigrant who pulled himself from the depths of poverty to become one of the wealthiest and admired men in the world. That man is Andrew Ryan, and he believed that great men and women deserve better. And so he set out to create the impossible, a utopia free from government, censorship, and moral restrictions on science--where what you give is what you get. He created Rapture---the shining city below the sea.
But as we all know, this utopia suffered a great tragedy. This is the story of how it all came to be . . .and how it all ended.
444 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
1,012 people are currently reading
10.4k people want to read
About the author
John Shirley
292books447followersJohn Shirley won the Bram Stoker Award for his story collection Black Butterflies, and is the author of numerous novels, including the best-seller DEMONS, the cyberpunk classics CITY COME A-WALKIN', ECLIPSE, and BLACK GLASS, and his newest novels STORMLAND and A SORCERER OF ATLANTIS.
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
He is also a screenwriter, having written for television and movies; he was co-screenwriter of THE CROW. He has been several Year's Best anthologies including Prime Books' THE YEAR'S BEST DARK FANTASY AND HORROR anthology, and his nwest story collection is IN EXTREMIS: THE MOST EXTREME SHORT STORIES OF JOHN SHIRLEY. His novel BIOSHOCK: RAPTURE telling the story of the creation and undoing of Rapture, from the hit videogame BIOSHOCK is out from TOR books; his Halo novel, HALO: BROKEN CIRCLE is coming out from Pocket Books.
His most recent novels are STORMLAND and (forthcoming) AXLE BUST CREEK. His new story collection is THE FEVERISH STARS. STORMLAND and other John Shirley novels are available as audiobooks.
He is also a lyricist, having written lyrics for 18 songs recorded by the Blue Oyster Cult (especially on their albums Heaven Forbidden and Curse of the Hidden Mirror), and his own recordings.
John Shirley has written only one nonfiction book, GURDJIEFF: AN INTRODUCTION TO HIS LIFE AND IDEAS, published by Penguin/Jeremy Tarcher.
John Shirley story collections include BLACK BUTTERFLIES, IN EXTREMIS, REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY WEIRD STORIES, and LIVING SHADOWS.
source: Amazon
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,145 reviews
September 29, 2024
Would you kindly read a myriad of books?
World war, nuclear bombs, dictatorships, destruction, massive poverty slowly devastating the world in the mid-twentieths century. A man with a vision. A city with full liberties and complete autonomy, away from the dangers, vices, restrictions and dubious moralities of the outside world. A city isolated and protected, so humanity can restart free again.
A city... under the sea.
What could possibly wo grong?
The story of an utopia slowly transforming into the worst imaginable nightmare.
Based on the popular Bioshock game franchise (one of my all-time favorites), a novel that serves as a prequel to Bioshock 1 and 2. The story behind the foundation of Rapture, the hidden city under the seas. Very interesting to know the background story of Andrew Ryan and the beginnings of his mythical Rapture.
Entertaining, revealing, good enough to be worth the time, although nothing especially remarkable.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2011] [444p] [Horror] [Conditional Recommendable] ["Would you kindly" <3]
-----------------------------------------------
Serías tan amable de leer una miriada de libros?
Guerra mundial, bombas nucleares, dictaduras, destrucción, pobreza masiva asolando la segunda mitad siglo XX. Un hombre con una visión. Una ciudad con plena libertad y completa autonomía, libre de los peligros, vicios, restricciones y las dudosas moralidades del mundo internacional. Una ciudad protegida y aislada, para que la humanidad pueda volver a empezar libremente.
Una ciudad� bajo el mar.
Que podría malir sal?
La historia de una utopía que se transforma lentamente en la peor de las pesadillas imaginables.
Basada en la popular franquicia Bioshock (una de mis favoritas de todos los tiempos), una novela que funciona como precuela de Bioshock 1 y 2. La historia detrás de la fundación de Rapture, la ciudad oculta bajo los mares. Muy interesante para conocer la historia detrás de Andrew Ryan y los comienzos de su mítica Rapture.
Entretenida, reveladora, suficientemente buena para haber valido el tiempo, pero nada especialmente destacable.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2011] [444p] [Horror] [Recomendable Condicional] ["Serías tan amable" <3]
-----------------------------------------------
World war, nuclear bombs, dictatorships, destruction, massive poverty slowly devastating the world in the mid-twentieths century. A man with a vision. A city with full liberties and complete autonomy, away from the dangers, vices, restrictions and dubious moralities of the outside world. A city isolated and protected, so humanity can restart free again.
A city... under the sea.
What could possibly wo grong?
The story of an utopia slowly transforming into the worst imaginable nightmare.
Based on the popular Bioshock game franchise (one of my all-time favorites), a novel that serves as a prequel to Bioshock 1 and 2. The story behind the foundation of Rapture, the hidden city under the seas. Very interesting to know the background story of Andrew Ryan and the beginnings of his mythical Rapture.
Entertaining, revealing, good enough to be worth the time, although nothing especially remarkable.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2011] [444p] [Horror] [Conditional Recommendable] ["Would you kindly" <3]
-----------------------------------------------
Serías tan amable de leer una miriada de libros?
Guerra mundial, bombas nucleares, dictaduras, destrucción, pobreza masiva asolando la segunda mitad siglo XX. Un hombre con una visión. Una ciudad con plena libertad y completa autonomía, libre de los peligros, vicios, restricciones y las dudosas moralidades del mundo internacional. Una ciudad protegida y aislada, para que la humanidad pueda volver a empezar libremente.
Una ciudad� bajo el mar.
Que podría malir sal?
La historia de una utopía que se transforma lentamente en la peor de las pesadillas imaginables.
Basada en la popular franquicia Bioshock (una de mis favoritas de todos los tiempos), una novela que funciona como precuela de Bioshock 1 y 2. La historia detrás de la fundación de Rapture, la ciudad oculta bajo los mares. Muy interesante para conocer la historia detrás de Andrew Ryan y los comienzos de su mítica Rapture.
Entretenida, reveladora, suficientemente buena para haber valido el tiempo, pero nada especialmente destacable.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2011] [444p] [Horror] [Recomendable Condicional] ["Serías tan amable" <3]
-----------------------------------------------
September 23, 2011
This is the single best video game inspired piece of literature I've ever read. It stays incredibly true to both games (striding to connect them in ways the games were unable to do) and flushing out much of the world and answering many things I wondered about from the game. I always wondered why the splicers faces looked so messed up and this book gave a great answer to that, Perhaps that answer was in the game, but if it was, I missed it. It also really flushed out the character of Andrew Ryan.
I also really liked the narrative styling, of switching between many different characters throughout Rapture. It gave you much more of a full view of what was going on. And choosing to have it end just about where the game starts was a genius move, making it add to the experience of the game but take away from it in no way.
The only down side I can see in the book is that I wonder how I would have felt if I hadn't played the games. There is much here that would ruin much of the games, especially the first game. I also think the visuals of the book would not have been as clear or strong if I didn't have the game in mind. But, I think it was written for people who played the game, not he general market. The thing that could save it as a good book for someone who wouldn't be going into it having already played the games is the way it shows the downfalls of the extreme ideologies of laissez-faire capitalism and Ethical altruism. Not just the inherent failings of these ideologies, but how they are so easily corrupted and turned upside down by the potential of just a "few bad eggs" as some would say, or perhaps simple put: by human nature.
I also really liked the narrative styling, of switching between many different characters throughout Rapture. It gave you much more of a full view of what was going on. And choosing to have it end just about where the game starts was a genius move, making it add to the experience of the game but take away from it in no way.
The only down side I can see in the book is that I wonder how I would have felt if I hadn't played the games. There is much here that would ruin much of the games, especially the first game. I also think the visuals of the book would not have been as clear or strong if I didn't have the game in mind. But, I think it was written for people who played the game, not he general market. The thing that could save it as a good book for someone who wouldn't be going into it having already played the games is the way it shows the downfalls of the extreme ideologies of laissez-faire capitalism and Ethical altruism. Not just the inherent failings of these ideologies, but how they are so easily corrupted and turned upside down by the potential of just a "few bad eggs" as some would say, or perhaps simple put: by human nature.
May 19, 2015
Welcome to Rapture - the world's fastest growing pile of junk!
For those who have not played Bioshock, this book will probably not be very appealing; for those who did, it will be very disappointing. I am a big fan of the original Bioshock, which is the only reason why I read this book - and it's also the reason why I wouldn't recommend it to anyone interested in ever playing Bioshock, as it is nowhere near matching the quality of the story and writing as presented in the game.
For those unfamiliar: Bioshock is a first-person shooter set 1960, which begins with a bang: a plane crash somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, with a sole survivor - the protagonist, Jack. Jack manages to swim through the wreckage and fire to a nearby island, which contains only a single lighthouse - looming tall and ominous in the night. Upon entering, he is even more surprised, as the interior of the lighthouse is stylishly designed, with statues and numerous plagues and banners with propaganda slogans - - with music playing along the marble stairs. The stairs lead to a bathysphere terminal, which seems to be the only way out, and upon entering it Jack discovers that the bathysphere is active - and as he switches it on, it takes him to a real city hidden beneath the depths of the sea, created who refused to live with the rest of the world...
If you have not played Bioshock, you owe it to yourself to at least see the opening part I have just described - you can watch it . It's just seven minutes long - but what seven minutes are they!
There is just so much to enjoy about Bioshock: from its ambitious, cinematic scope, epic storyline, a large cast of diverse characters; art style combining art deco with steampunk, countless popular songs from the era combined with an orchestral score with beautiful, moving themes by Garry Schyman. Perhaps the largest asset of the game is how it draws the player into itself - Jack is a silent protagonist (the introductory movie is the only part of the game where he says anything) who is drawn into a completely strange, absurd and utterly impossible world, which shouldn't exist but does - Rapture, an underworld city. The player learns only what he/she will discover while playing the game, with their only companion being an Irishman nicknamed Atlas, who communicates with Jack via the portable radio he finds in the bathysphere. To understand Rapture and find his way through it, Jack has to rely on messages from Atlas and interact with its inhabitants, most of whom will not be friendly.
The most compelling thing about Bioshock is that it forces the player to explore the environment to find information - Rapture is peppered with hidden audio diaries, on which dozens of its various inhabitants recorded their thoughts and messages. The game gives no clue as to where they are located, and its entirely up to the player to find them - one can complete the game without listening to the majority of them, but would miss out on a large chunk of background storyline. This is genuine refreshment from constant and brutal exposition which we see in literature and film, where symbolism is heavy handed and equally heavily transparent.
If what I wrote sounds interesting, then you should definitely experience Bioshock for yourself - but not via John Shirley's book. It is set before the events of the game, as a mean of introducing the characters who would build and shape the underwater city of Rapture, but lacks everything which made Bioshock interesting in the first place. The prose if flat and unemotional; characters who were mysterious and compelling become lifeless and predictable. It is not a terrible book, but it's terribly by the numbers - so much so that it quickly becomes nothing more than a collection of winks and nudges to fans of the game, occasionally directly quoting specific parts of it. It lacks the scope of the game, all the different voices of its many characters; its different philosophies and themes are mostly summarized and thrown into the face of the reader, shall there be risk of him missing them. Bioshock is a truly unique experience - this book is just not.
For those who have not played Bioshock, this book will probably not be very appealing; for those who did, it will be very disappointing. I am a big fan of the original Bioshock, which is the only reason why I read this book - and it's also the reason why I wouldn't recommend it to anyone interested in ever playing Bioshock, as it is nowhere near matching the quality of the story and writing as presented in the game.
For those unfamiliar: Bioshock is a first-person shooter set 1960, which begins with a bang: a plane crash somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, with a sole survivor - the protagonist, Jack. Jack manages to swim through the wreckage and fire to a nearby island, which contains only a single lighthouse - looming tall and ominous in the night. Upon entering, he is even more surprised, as the interior of the lighthouse is stylishly designed, with statues and numerous plagues and banners with propaganda slogans - - with music playing along the marble stairs. The stairs lead to a bathysphere terminal, which seems to be the only way out, and upon entering it Jack discovers that the bathysphere is active - and as he switches it on, it takes him to a real city hidden beneath the depths of the sea, created who refused to live with the rest of the world...
If you have not played Bioshock, you owe it to yourself to at least see the opening part I have just described - you can watch it . It's just seven minutes long - but what seven minutes are they!
There is just so much to enjoy about Bioshock: from its ambitious, cinematic scope, epic storyline, a large cast of diverse characters; art style combining art deco with steampunk, countless popular songs from the era combined with an orchestral score with beautiful, moving themes by Garry Schyman. Perhaps the largest asset of the game is how it draws the player into itself - Jack is a silent protagonist (the introductory movie is the only part of the game where he says anything) who is drawn into a completely strange, absurd and utterly impossible world, which shouldn't exist but does - Rapture, an underworld city. The player learns only what he/she will discover while playing the game, with their only companion being an Irishman nicknamed Atlas, who communicates with Jack via the portable radio he finds in the bathysphere. To understand Rapture and find his way through it, Jack has to rely on messages from Atlas and interact with its inhabitants, most of whom will not be friendly.
The most compelling thing about Bioshock is that it forces the player to explore the environment to find information - Rapture is peppered with hidden audio diaries, on which dozens of its various inhabitants recorded their thoughts and messages. The game gives no clue as to where they are located, and its entirely up to the player to find them - one can complete the game without listening to the majority of them, but would miss out on a large chunk of background storyline. This is genuine refreshment from constant and brutal exposition which we see in literature and film, where symbolism is heavy handed and equally heavily transparent.
If what I wrote sounds interesting, then you should definitely experience Bioshock for yourself - but not via John Shirley's book. It is set before the events of the game, as a mean of introducing the characters who would build and shape the underwater city of Rapture, but lacks everything which made Bioshock interesting in the first place. The prose if flat and unemotional; characters who were mysterious and compelling become lifeless and predictable. It is not a terrible book, but it's terribly by the numbers - so much so that it quickly becomes nothing more than a collection of winks and nudges to fans of the game, occasionally directly quoting specific parts of it. It lacks the scope of the game, all the different voices of its many characters; its different philosophies and themes are mostly summarized and thrown into the face of the reader, shall there be risk of him missing them. Bioshock is a truly unique experience - this book is just not.
February 22, 2014
This was, simply put, one of the worst books I've ever read. Ever. It was awful. Shirley managed to take an idea that was already made up for him, with a rich history and details laid out for him, and screw it up so thoroughly and fantastically. Fans of the Bioshock franchise surely appreciate the amazing atmosphere, ideas, history, etc of the world. I can't imagine many people would play the original game and not go "Man, I would love to dig into this farther". But wait, they made a book about it! Yes! It must be interesting!
But it's not. Shirley prattles on for a few hundred pages about next to nothing at all. Major areas of storyline were completely glossed over, while focus was put on inane conversations and meaningless politicking. Everything is laid out and presented in the most hamfisted and unskilled way possible - the Objectivist politics are thrown in your face constantly - Ryan basically quotes their principles over and over, without any differentiation or compromise. We're constantly reminded of his views, but with zero subtlety - everything is very specific, very shallow and predictable.
That's not even mentioning the prose and writing itself, which was offensively bad. Like, not up to professional author standards. The dialogue was stiff, mechanical, monotonous. Shirley seemed to think that if he had characters use different sayings and mentioning accents, he could get away with them all sounding identical. His amateur presentations of many of the main plot pieces took away from what little story there was. I found myself just wanting to stop reading over and over again. If this book was longer, I might have just given up.
As much as the pieces of lore from Rapture tingled my nerd feelers from time to time, I would lose that reverie quickly when a character made some stupid comment, a completely irrelevant scene occurred, or Ryan spouted more textbook Objectivist nonsense. We get it, it's bad and ridiculous. We all know that. Well, all but Libertarians. I wouldn't recommend this book to ANYONE, not even hardcore fans of the game series. This book is completely uninformative and a terrible read.
But it's not. Shirley prattles on for a few hundred pages about next to nothing at all. Major areas of storyline were completely glossed over, while focus was put on inane conversations and meaningless politicking. Everything is laid out and presented in the most hamfisted and unskilled way possible - the Objectivist politics are thrown in your face constantly - Ryan basically quotes their principles over and over, without any differentiation or compromise. We're constantly reminded of his views, but with zero subtlety - everything is very specific, very shallow and predictable.
That's not even mentioning the prose and writing itself, which was offensively bad. Like, not up to professional author standards. The dialogue was stiff, mechanical, monotonous. Shirley seemed to think that if he had characters use different sayings and mentioning accents, he could get away with them all sounding identical. His amateur presentations of many of the main plot pieces took away from what little story there was. I found myself just wanting to stop reading over and over again. If this book was longer, I might have just given up.
As much as the pieces of lore from Rapture tingled my nerd feelers from time to time, I would lose that reverie quickly when a character made some stupid comment, a completely irrelevant scene occurred, or Ryan spouted more textbook Objectivist nonsense. We get it, it's bad and ridiculous. We all know that. Well, all but Libertarians. I wouldn't recommend this book to ANYONE, not even hardcore fans of the game series. This book is completely uninformative and a terrible read.
December 7, 2020
-Lo más habitual es que la literatura genere productos audiovisuales, pero el marketing cruzado cambió un poco el sentido de la tendencia a partir de los años ochenta.-
Género. Ciencia ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro BioShock: Rapture (publicación original: BioShock: Rapture, 2011) nos presenta a Andrew Ryan, un multimillonario al que las bombas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki hacen presagiar un holocausto nuclear futuro debido al enfrentamiento del capitalismo occidental y el comunismo soviético. Gracias a sus recursos económicos y con la ayuda de expertos en distintas materias, Ryan construye una ciudad submarina en el Mar del Norte, Rapture, con el objetivo de evitar la extinción cuando llegue la última guerra. Su plan es crear una sociedad liberal, lejos de regulaciones estatales y controles, algo que logra. Sin embargo, la sociedad que se forma en Rapture es completamente inestable por razones propias, pero también por las acciones de varios habitantes que, bien por codicia, bien por ideales radicales, bien por desarrollos científicos preocupantes, van llevando la sociedad utópica sumergida hacia una peligrosa distopía.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
Género. Ciencia ficción.
Lo que nos cuenta. El libro BioShock: Rapture (publicación original: BioShock: Rapture, 2011) nos presenta a Andrew Ryan, un multimillonario al que las bombas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki hacen presagiar un holocausto nuclear futuro debido al enfrentamiento del capitalismo occidental y el comunismo soviético. Gracias a sus recursos económicos y con la ayuda de expertos en distintas materias, Ryan construye una ciudad submarina en el Mar del Norte, Rapture, con el objetivo de evitar la extinción cuando llegue la última guerra. Su plan es crear una sociedad liberal, lejos de regulaciones estatales y controles, algo que logra. Sin embargo, la sociedad que se forma en Rapture es completamente inestable por razones propias, pero también por las acciones de varios habitantes que, bien por codicia, bien por ideales radicales, bien por desarrollos científicos preocupantes, van llevando la sociedad utópica sumergida hacia una peligrosa distopía.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
April 28, 2015
Bioshock is one of my favorite games despite the fact it's neither isometric nor turn-based and it's one of the games I replay every year or two so I had relatively high expectations from this book.Unfortunately book had flaws that because of which it doesn't reach same quality game has.
First:Pace of the book is too slow which makes this book dull at the times.
Second:There isn't anything new to the story.It's same thing we find out in game only in greater detail.
Third:Rapture doesn't translate well into book, too much of it's atmosphere was lost.
Why 3 stars than, why not lower?Well Rapture is interesting place and it's inhabitants memorable and that couldn't be ruined by mediocre writing in the book.
Rapture remains one the most interesting places I "visited" but even with better writer I don't think book is right medium for it.
First:Pace of the book is too slow which makes this book dull at the times.
Second:There isn't anything new to the story.It's same thing we find out in game only in greater detail.
Third:Rapture doesn't translate well into book, too much of it's atmosphere was lost.
Why 3 stars than, why not lower?Well Rapture is interesting place and it's inhabitants memorable and that couldn't be ruined by mediocre writing in the book.
Rapture remains one the most interesting places I "visited" but even with better writer I don't think book is right medium for it.
June 7, 2013
Honestly, when I picked this book up, I was expecting (and hoping for) a rather dumb book based on a video game that I could read for a few hours' entertainment.
I was surprised by how GOOD I actually found this book to be.
You don't have to be familiar with the Bioshock games for this to be a good book - though it would probably help. The book's concept is interesting right off the bat: a paradise built on the bottom of the sea, eventually falling to inevitable human corruption and power grabs. That isn't a terrible complex plot. However, it's HOW it happens that makes it interesting. The whole book is very psychological/sociological.
How does a person justify themselves when they do immoral things? How can differing philosophies coexist - or are they even capable of it? How far can you push loyalty? At what point does "absolute freedom" become a prison of its own?
The whole retro-futuristic setting of the story just add a layer to the already interesting concoction John Shirley wrote. The characters' interactions are what drive the story. In the beginning, Andrew Ryan is an idealist who can see the best in (some) people and seems to genuinely want to make the world a better place. By the end, through a continuously eroding society, he has become slightly more monstrous, and many of his cronies take the same self-destructive path.
All in all, this was a fascinating read that both gamers and non-gamers could enjoy.
I was surprised by how GOOD I actually found this book to be.
You don't have to be familiar with the Bioshock games for this to be a good book - though it would probably help. The book's concept is interesting right off the bat: a paradise built on the bottom of the sea, eventually falling to inevitable human corruption and power grabs. That isn't a terrible complex plot. However, it's HOW it happens that makes it interesting. The whole book is very psychological/sociological.
How does a person justify themselves when they do immoral things? How can differing philosophies coexist - or are they even capable of it? How far can you push loyalty? At what point does "absolute freedom" become a prison of its own?
The whole retro-futuristic setting of the story just add a layer to the already interesting concoction John Shirley wrote. The characters' interactions are what drive the story. In the beginning, Andrew Ryan is an idealist who can see the best in (some) people and seems to genuinely want to make the world a better place. By the end, through a continuously eroding society, he has become slightly more monstrous, and many of his cronies take the same self-destructive path.
All in all, this was a fascinating read that both gamers and non-gamers could enjoy.
February 6, 2018
A great book. Each character was so well done, with their own personality. The author did a great job taking a video game and using the story from it to make a novel. We are given characters from the game that we love (or hate as the case may be) and now have an even more extensive backround.
Taking mainly from the perspective of an simple workman, Bill, we see the creation, life and eventual downfall of the underwater city Rapture. Rapture was founded by Andrew Ryan, whose ideals of a better society, free of war, religion and government are well grounded. The city is off to a good start but, like any society, has problems over time. Other figures rise for power and get their own following. Financial segregation sets in and when plasmids are created: chaos ensues, violence rises and the people are forever changed.
John Shirley did a great job showing us these changes and inviting us into this underwater world. It has inspired me to replay the first game all over again!
**When I re-read this year I started the audiobook! Hated the narration! Had to stop and switch back to my physical copy. I do love this and am so glad I didn't start with the audiobook. It would have ruined it for me. If possible for you, use your eyes and read the words for yourself on this one! Huge difference!
Taking mainly from the perspective of an simple workman, Bill, we see the creation, life and eventual downfall of the underwater city Rapture. Rapture was founded by Andrew Ryan, whose ideals of a better society, free of war, religion and government are well grounded. The city is off to a good start but, like any society, has problems over time. Other figures rise for power and get their own following. Financial segregation sets in and when plasmids are created: chaos ensues, violence rises and the people are forever changed.
John Shirley did a great job showing us these changes and inviting us into this underwater world. It has inspired me to replay the first game all over again!
**When I re-read this year I started the audiobook! Hated the narration! Had to stop and switch back to my physical copy. I do love this and am so glad I didn't start with the audiobook. It would have ruined it for me. If possible for you, use your eyes and read the words for yourself on this one! Huge difference!
August 22, 2012
This book is a prequel to one of my favourite survival horror video games called BioShock, so I just had to read the prequel. The plot of the video games are based loosely off of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. The game starts out with the protagonist crash landing in the middle of the Atlantic ocean where he then discovers and under water utopia called Rapture. You then slowly make your way through the city encountering its inhabitants who seem to be out of their minds and are attacking you. Your only company is an Irish man's voice through a shortwave, hand held radio who asks you to do certain tasks for him. The book shows you what happened before the city's downfall: who had the idea to make a city under the sea, how it was built, how it was kept a secret, the scientific breakthroughs that were made, the civil war. I would suggest reading this only if you've played the video game(s) first and even then only if you like survival horrors. Again, I really, really enjoyed reading this book and then playing the video game afterwards and seeing how well the author brought every aspect of the video game into the book.
Read
July 1, 2016Sadece oyunun hayranlarına tavsiye edebileceğimiz, üzücü çeviri hatalarıyla dolu bir roman Bioshock: Rapture Şehri.
2007’de çıkan BioShock adlı meşhur video oyununu baz alan kitap, Rapture adlı muazzam sualtı şehrinin ve onu inşa eden adamın, Andrew Ryan’ın öyküsünü anlatıyor. Burada neler olmuştur? Nasıl olmuştur da yıkık dökük hâli bile böylesine gösterişli olan bu şehir bu hâle gelmiştir? Böyle bir yerin okyanusun dibinde ne işi vardır? Nasıl inşa edilmiştir? Ve neden? Kitabımız tam olarak bu konuyu ele alıyor işte.
Roman 1945 yılında, Rapture’un kuruluşundan üç yıl önce Andrew Ryan’ın New York’taki ofisinde başlıyor. Küçük bir çocukken babasıyla birlikte Rusya’dan kaçarak Amerika’ya gelen Ryan genç yaşında ülkenin sayılı zenginlerinden biri hâline gelmiştir. Gelin görün ki “özgürlükler ülkesi� olarak addedilen Amerika’nın da aslında diğer yerlerden pek bir farkı olmadığını fark etmeye başlamıştır. Sendikalardan, İşçi Milislerinden, yardım derneklerinden ve her tür dinden nefret eden bir adam Ryan. Onları “parazitler,� kendisi gibi “büyük adamların� sırtından geçinmeye çalışan küçük insanlar olarak adlandırıyor. Hiroşima’da yaşanan atom bombası felaketinin ardından kendisi gibi insanların sığınabileceği, devletin ve zayıfların kuralları tarafından kısıtlanmayacağı, kendilerine kimsenin ulaşamayacağı bir yere çekilmeye karar veriyor. Ona göre bunun tek bir yolu vardır: okyanusun dibinde bir şehir kurmak. Yani Rapture’u�
Roman bu açılıştan sonra her biri farklı bir tarihi kesiti ve insanları gösteren bölümler hâlinde, parça parça ilerlemeye başlıyor. Şehrin kuruluşunu, başlangıçta yaşanan güçlükleri, adaptasyon sorunlarını, ardından yükselişini ve gelişmesini, hayal edilemez başarılara kucak açmasını ve en sonunda da her güzel şeyin başına gelen yegane felaket, yani insanoğlunun hırsları ve bencilliği tarafından yıkılışını izliyor, âdeta modern bir Atlantis masalına tanık oluyoruz.
Yazar John Shirley kitabı yazarken konudan gram sapmadığı gibi kaynaklara muazzam bir titizlikle bağlı kalmış. Oyunda karşılaştığınız hemen hemen her olayın, her cesedin, her mekânın, hatta her ses kaydının bile kitapta bir yeri var. Muazzam bir detaycılık! Takdire şayan bir aslına sadakat.
Gel gelelim kitabı herkese değil de sadece oyunun hayranlarına tavsiye etmeme neden olacak en önemli etmen de yazarın bu aşırı detaycılığı ve sadakati olmuş. Bir kere kitabın akıcı bir bütün değil de sahneler arası atlayış yapan, kısa bölümler hâlinde yazılması olaylardan kopmanıza neden oluyor. Neredeyse her 4-5 sayfada bir tarih, mekân ve olayları yaşayan kişi açısından sürekli yer değiştiriyoruz. Her ne kadar anlatılan ana konu aynı olsa da bu kopukluklar kitabın sürükleyiciliğini önemli ölçüde azaltıyor. Üstüne bir de takip edemeyeceğiniz kadar çok isim olması işleri bizim için biraz güçleştiriyor.
İkinci ve asıl hayal kırıklığı olan etmense çeviri ve editörlük. Kitap beni bu anlamda çok ciddi bir şekilde üzdü. Bir cesetle karşılaştığında öğürmesi gerekirken “geğiren� karakterler, yerlerinde yeller esen “dedi� ekleri, gülümsemesi gerekirken “parıldayan� insanlar (beamed), hayalarından bahseden birinin “toplarım� demesi (balls), kapıdan içeri yavaşça değil de “sürünerek� girenler (crawl) şu an aklıma gelen ve okurken kafamı duvarlara vurmama neden olan hatalardan sadece birkaçı.
Ne ironiktir ki Rapture çökerken çeviri de yükselişe geçiyor. 240’lı sayfalardan sonra birdenbire az önce saydığım hatalar asgariye iniyor ve kabul edilebilir, akıcı bir anlatım karşılıyor bizi. İşin güzel kısmı tam da işlerin karışmaya ve heyecan dozunun artmaya başladığı kısımlarda oluyor bu. Kötü tarafıysa o noktaya gelebilmek adına yaklaşık 250 sayfalık bir eziyete katlanmak zorundasınız.
Sonuç olarak muazzam bir detaycılık, aslına inanılmaz bir sadakat içeren ama kesintili anlatımı ve aşırı kalabalık karakterleri nedeniyle sadece oyunların hayranlarına tavsiye edebileceğim bir kitap Bioshock: Rapture Şehri. O da çeviri konusunda çok takıntılı değilseniz�
- M. İhsan TATARİ
İncelemenin tamamı için:
2007’de çıkan BioShock adlı meşhur video oyununu baz alan kitap, Rapture adlı muazzam sualtı şehrinin ve onu inşa eden adamın, Andrew Ryan’ın öyküsünü anlatıyor. Burada neler olmuştur? Nasıl olmuştur da yıkık dökük hâli bile böylesine gösterişli olan bu şehir bu hâle gelmiştir? Böyle bir yerin okyanusun dibinde ne işi vardır? Nasıl inşa edilmiştir? Ve neden? Kitabımız tam olarak bu konuyu ele alıyor işte.
Roman 1945 yılında, Rapture’un kuruluşundan üç yıl önce Andrew Ryan’ın New York’taki ofisinde başlıyor. Küçük bir çocukken babasıyla birlikte Rusya’dan kaçarak Amerika’ya gelen Ryan genç yaşında ülkenin sayılı zenginlerinden biri hâline gelmiştir. Gelin görün ki “özgürlükler ülkesi� olarak addedilen Amerika’nın da aslında diğer yerlerden pek bir farkı olmadığını fark etmeye başlamıştır. Sendikalardan, İşçi Milislerinden, yardım derneklerinden ve her tür dinden nefret eden bir adam Ryan. Onları “parazitler,� kendisi gibi “büyük adamların� sırtından geçinmeye çalışan küçük insanlar olarak adlandırıyor. Hiroşima’da yaşanan atom bombası felaketinin ardından kendisi gibi insanların sığınabileceği, devletin ve zayıfların kuralları tarafından kısıtlanmayacağı, kendilerine kimsenin ulaşamayacağı bir yere çekilmeye karar veriyor. Ona göre bunun tek bir yolu vardır: okyanusun dibinde bir şehir kurmak. Yani Rapture’u�
Roman bu açılıştan sonra her biri farklı bir tarihi kesiti ve insanları gösteren bölümler hâlinde, parça parça ilerlemeye başlıyor. Şehrin kuruluşunu, başlangıçta yaşanan güçlükleri, adaptasyon sorunlarını, ardından yükselişini ve gelişmesini, hayal edilemez başarılara kucak açmasını ve en sonunda da her güzel şeyin başına gelen yegane felaket, yani insanoğlunun hırsları ve bencilliği tarafından yıkılışını izliyor, âdeta modern bir Atlantis masalına tanık oluyoruz.
Yazar John Shirley kitabı yazarken konudan gram sapmadığı gibi kaynaklara muazzam bir titizlikle bağlı kalmış. Oyunda karşılaştığınız hemen hemen her olayın, her cesedin, her mekânın, hatta her ses kaydının bile kitapta bir yeri var. Muazzam bir detaycılık! Takdire şayan bir aslına sadakat.
Gel gelelim kitabı herkese değil de sadece oyunun hayranlarına tavsiye etmeme neden olacak en önemli etmen de yazarın bu aşırı detaycılığı ve sadakati olmuş. Bir kere kitabın akıcı bir bütün değil de sahneler arası atlayış yapan, kısa bölümler hâlinde yazılması olaylardan kopmanıza neden oluyor. Neredeyse her 4-5 sayfada bir tarih, mekân ve olayları yaşayan kişi açısından sürekli yer değiştiriyoruz. Her ne kadar anlatılan ana konu aynı olsa da bu kopukluklar kitabın sürükleyiciliğini önemli ölçüde azaltıyor. Üstüne bir de takip edemeyeceğiniz kadar çok isim olması işleri bizim için biraz güçleştiriyor.
İkinci ve asıl hayal kırıklığı olan etmense çeviri ve editörlük. Kitap beni bu anlamda çok ciddi bir şekilde üzdü. Bir cesetle karşılaştığında öğürmesi gerekirken “geğiren� karakterler, yerlerinde yeller esen “dedi� ekleri, gülümsemesi gerekirken “parıldayan� insanlar (beamed), hayalarından bahseden birinin “toplarım� demesi (balls), kapıdan içeri yavaşça değil de “sürünerek� girenler (crawl) şu an aklıma gelen ve okurken kafamı duvarlara vurmama neden olan hatalardan sadece birkaçı.
Ne ironiktir ki Rapture çökerken çeviri de yükselişe geçiyor. 240’lı sayfalardan sonra birdenbire az önce saydığım hatalar asgariye iniyor ve kabul edilebilir, akıcı bir anlatım karşılıyor bizi. İşin güzel kısmı tam da işlerin karışmaya ve heyecan dozunun artmaya başladığı kısımlarda oluyor bu. Kötü tarafıysa o noktaya gelebilmek adına yaklaşık 250 sayfalık bir eziyete katlanmak zorundasınız.
Sonuç olarak muazzam bir detaycılık, aslına inanılmaz bir sadakat içeren ama kesintili anlatımı ve aşırı kalabalık karakterleri nedeniyle sadece oyunların hayranlarına tavsiye edebileceğim bir kitap Bioshock: Rapture Şehri. O da çeviri konusunda çok takıntılı değilseniz�
- M. İhsan TATARİ
İncelemenin tamamı için:
April 18, 2022
"If the modern world were a patient in my care...I would diagnose it suicidal." Dr. Lamb, pg 148
This was really entertaining. The tone of the book was filled with a sense of paranoia, gradual deterioration, substance addiction, and the slow decent into madness that reflected the atmosphere of the game. The backstory was well-written and created to great lead-up to the game's opening. John Shirley did a great job of telling the origins of Mr. Andrew Ryan, the city Rapture, The Sisters, ADAM, and much more. The sense of a disastrous utopia turned dystopia
Here is a memorable scene from the game I remember:
In 2007 I was stationed in Monterey, California. I had the same roommate for three years when we lived in the bachelor barracks. He would play BioShock and the first Assassin's Creed every evening after we finished our homework. He was so good playing I would watch him because it was like watching a movie. I have sentimental value attached to this game still after these years.
I had a fun time reading this and would recommend this to anyone familiar with the game. Thanks!
This was really entertaining. The tone of the book was filled with a sense of paranoia, gradual deterioration, substance addiction, and the slow decent into madness that reflected the atmosphere of the game. The backstory was well-written and created to great lead-up to the game's opening. John Shirley did a great job of telling the origins of Mr. Andrew Ryan, the city Rapture, The Sisters, ADAM, and much more. The sense of a disastrous utopia turned dystopia
Here is a memorable scene from the game I remember:
In 2007 I was stationed in Monterey, California. I had the same roommate for three years when we lived in the bachelor barracks. He would play BioShock and the first Assassin's Creed every evening after we finished our homework. He was so good playing I would watch him because it was like watching a movie. I have sentimental value attached to this game still after these years.
I had a fun time reading this and would recommend this to anyone familiar with the game. Thanks!
June 26, 2022
Llegué a este libro sabiendo apenas que se basaba en un juego de pc o consola? y me sonaba un tráiler del mismo pero poco mas. Y la verdad es que me ha resultado bastante entretenido.
Sinopsis: Había terminado la segunda guerra mundial. La política del New Deal de Roosevelt había cambiado los Estados Unidos: los impuestos eran muy altos, y las bombas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki auguraban una aniquilación total. La libertad estaba en crisis, y muchos no se resignaron a perderla. Entre ellos, un soñador, un inmigrante que salió de la más profunda pobreza y se convirtió en una de las personas más ricas y admiradas del mundo; Andrew Ryan. Él pensaba que los hombres y mujeres más importantes merecían algo mejor, y por eso decidió crear una utopía libre de gobiernos, de censura, de restricciones morales para la ciencia, donde se da lo mismo que recibes. Creó Rapture, la brillante ciudad bajo el mar. Pero esta utopía acabó en una gran tragedia.
La parte quizá mas tediosa o lenta es el comienzo con la construcción de la ciudad y el reclutamiento de gente, pero a partir de la 2ª y 3ª era de Rapture todo ha sido mas dinámico con mas acción, cifi, poderes especiales (super hombres), avances en bioingeniería. Muy entretenido.
La historia se centra sobre todo en Bill un hombre que estaba trabajando de mantenimiento pero que su sueño era ser ingeniero y allí que aparece Andrew Ryan y le convence para su proyecto ultra secreto de la ciudad sumergida de Rapture.
7.5/10
# 5. El número 250 de tu lista de pendientes de goodreads. Reto literario lecturas pendientes 2022.
Sinopsis: Había terminado la segunda guerra mundial. La política del New Deal de Roosevelt había cambiado los Estados Unidos: los impuestos eran muy altos, y las bombas de Hiroshima y Nagasaki auguraban una aniquilación total. La libertad estaba en crisis, y muchos no se resignaron a perderla. Entre ellos, un soñador, un inmigrante que salió de la más profunda pobreza y se convirtió en una de las personas más ricas y admiradas del mundo; Andrew Ryan. Él pensaba que los hombres y mujeres más importantes merecían algo mejor, y por eso decidió crear una utopía libre de gobiernos, de censura, de restricciones morales para la ciencia, donde se da lo mismo que recibes. Creó Rapture, la brillante ciudad bajo el mar. Pero esta utopía acabó en una gran tragedia.
La parte quizá mas tediosa o lenta es el comienzo con la construcción de la ciudad y el reclutamiento de gente, pero a partir de la 2ª y 3ª era de Rapture todo ha sido mas dinámico con mas acción, cifi, poderes especiales (super hombres), avances en bioingeniería. Muy entretenido.
La historia se centra sobre todo en Bill un hombre que estaba trabajando de mantenimiento pero que su sueño era ser ingeniero y allí que aparece Andrew Ryan y le convence para su proyecto ultra secreto de la ciudad sumergida de Rapture.
7.5/10
# 5. El número 250 de tu lista de pendientes de goodreads. Reto literario lecturas pendientes 2022.
January 25, 2025
One of my favorite books of all time, I want to cry there is no sequel. I would read these books forever. The only flaw is I want more. MORE RAPTURE!
I Need someone unfamiliar with Bioshock to read this book and let me know if it is actually good or if I'm just insanely biased
I Need someone unfamiliar with Bioshock to read this book and let me know if it is actually good or if I'm just insanely biased
February 1, 2015
**2015 Reading Challenge W/Josh: #41 A Book By An Author You've Never Read Before**
I did not expect to enjoy this book. This book was one of my brother's choices for our reading challenge we are doing together. A novel based on a video game? I couldn't be less enthused. So imagine my surprise when I was actually starting to really get into the story. I thought it was unique and interesting and I ate it up! My only complaint was that it felt a bit choppy at times but the author has to cover a span of about 13-14 years in a short amount of time. So I understood why chunks of time were skipped every once in a while. Luckily it didn't detract from the story and I was still able to follow along without any problems.
This book is basically a prequel to the video game series. It's my understanding that the video game starts out not long after this book ends. I wouldn't know though since I don't play. My brother is a gamer and a big fan of the Bioshock games (hence why I got stuck reading this book). My last obsession with video games died with Dr. Mario back in the 90s.
So to wrap it up I thought it was a great story. And I really enjoyed it. Though the ending was a bit abrupt. I think even if you are not a video game fan but enjoy this genre you would still enjoy this book.
3.5 stars
I did not expect to enjoy this book. This book was one of my brother's choices for our reading challenge we are doing together. A novel based on a video game? I couldn't be less enthused. So imagine my surprise when I was actually starting to really get into the story. I thought it was unique and interesting and I ate it up! My only complaint was that it felt a bit choppy at times but the author has to cover a span of about 13-14 years in a short amount of time. So I understood why chunks of time were skipped every once in a while. Luckily it didn't detract from the story and I was still able to follow along without any problems.
This book is basically a prequel to the video game series. It's my understanding that the video game starts out not long after this book ends. I wouldn't know though since I don't play. My brother is a gamer and a big fan of the Bioshock games (hence why I got stuck reading this book). My last obsession with video games died with Dr. Mario back in the 90s.
So to wrap it up I thought it was a great story. And I really enjoyed it. Though the ending was a bit abrupt. I think even if you are not a video game fan but enjoy this genre you would still enjoy this book.
3.5 stars
February 18, 2020
Будучи книгой-приквелом, у книги был невелик выбор о чём рассказывать, учитывая тесные рамки первых двух игр. Однако за началом пути Эндрю Райана смотреть интересно, а вот за первыми годами жизни города совсем нет. Автор пытается раскидываться фансервисом налево и направо, цитируя дневники из игры, однако это делает всё только хуже. Делает он это не всегда умело, в книге масса противоречий, поэтому в фанатском сообществе книгу не считают каноничной. Книга скачет от события к событию, толком не раскрывая ни один из описываемых эпизодов. Создаётся ощущение, что половину текста (или дальше больше) попросту вырезали. И не очень понятно, что делать тем, кто прочтёт эту книгу до игры, главный спойлер тут упоминается и запомнится. Наверное, лучше читать эту книгу после игр, но смысла в этом будет мало. А лучше � вообще её не читать.
January 8, 2018
Personalmente, me ha gustado, pero también es cierto que un factor importante fue el ya conocer a los personajes de antemano o que me sonaran al menos. Puede que, de no ser así, el principio se haga un poco confuso. Además, al no haber jugado, no hay esa pequeña emoción por entender cómo pasaron cosas de las que ya sabemos el resultado. Por otro lado, es cierto que está la emoción de no saber qué va a pasar.
La historia en general no es difícil de seguir ni mucho menos, aunque pueda ser lenta al principio hasta que el proyecto coge marcha. Es entretenida y la caracterización de Andrew Ryan, Fontaine, Tenenbaum y otros personajes es muy buena a mi juicio.
Reseña completa:
La historia en general no es difícil de seguir ni mucho menos, aunque pueda ser lenta al principio hasta que el proyecto coge marcha. Es entretenida y la caracterización de Andrew Ryan, Fontaine, Tenenbaum y otros personajes es muy buena a mi juicio.
Reseña completa:
August 2, 2011
I did not care for this book, not because of the writing style, or any grudge against the author, but because of the book itself. I am a fan of the Bioshock game series, and the most intriguing and captivating part of the game to me was how the storyline enveloped me to the point where I was a character, as such I did not know everything about Rapture, or the situation as it stands and I was forced to piece it together as I went along. This book really takes all that hard work and sets itself right in front of the reader, and while it was helpful I'll admit to have some of the blanks filled in, much of what is explored: chiefly Ryan's back story is completely against the grain of the game. Andrew Ryan is an intriguing character in the game series because his motives, and his life are so mysterious, and no matter how much you learn through the game, Ryan is forever a mystery that only bits and pieces are ever flushed out, furthermore the game itself is something of a latter day Heart of Darkness, and like Mr. Kurtz, his life before he went to the Congo is largely unnecessary to the plot, his actions and complete motives are not needed to still get the full story, or as close to one as Conrad permitted that is. This book however lays out Ryan's life story too completely. We find he is Russian by birth, and an expatriate from the Revolution there. He suffered through his life, pulled himself up by his bootstraps and built Rapture to escape what he viewed as oppression above the surface. Besides being rather predictable (it largely mirrors the life of Ayn Rand, who Ryan is based on), it also proved too Horatio Alger-esque and by definition unbelievable. In other words Ryan slipped away from plausibility and declined back into being a video game character.
January 15, 2019
"A man chooses, a slave obeys!"
Well, I guess when Andrew Ryan faces off with "Jack" this isn't the first time he utters those words. I can see why this novel received mixed reviews, but to be honest, I rather enjoyed it. What's been done here is John Shirley has taken all the audio and diary's and pieced them all together into one cohesive story. With of course, a lot more detail and insight into the time period and the minds of the characters.
I especially enjoyed the further character development that was given to McDonagh, Sullivan, Suchong, Tenenbaum, and even Frank Fontaine. While in Bioshock we got introduced to Frank Fontaine, we really didn't know much about his back story other than what was pieced together through the audio diary's. It was also enjoyable to learn of the birth of 'Atlas'.
For me, I feel satisfied, as now I have a better understanding of how the plasmids were created, as well as the Little Sisters and Big Daddy's, and why they were all created. This definitely makes playing the game a more enjoyable experience. I have played the game(s) since reading the book, and I find myself wanting to listen to EVERY diary carefully now. I just can't help myself.
Now, there were some parts in the novel that I did find to be somewhat stale, where the storyline slows down and doesn't progress at a pace that I'm typically comfortable with. It wasn't really until Part III I believe that I REALLY became intrigued with where things were headed as this is where we start to see Rapture really devolve.
I would say, if you're a fan of Bioshock, then it's definitely worth the read. There are highs and lows, but in the end, having read it, it only enhances the gaming experience. You definitely feel more connected.
Well, I guess when Andrew Ryan faces off with "Jack" this isn't the first time he utters those words. I can see why this novel received mixed reviews, but to be honest, I rather enjoyed it. What's been done here is John Shirley has taken all the audio and diary's and pieced them all together into one cohesive story. With of course, a lot more detail and insight into the time period and the minds of the characters.
I especially enjoyed the further character development that was given to McDonagh, Sullivan, Suchong, Tenenbaum, and even Frank Fontaine. While in Bioshock we got introduced to Frank Fontaine, we really didn't know much about his back story other than what was pieced together through the audio diary's. It was also enjoyable to learn of the birth of 'Atlas'.
For me, I feel satisfied, as now I have a better understanding of how the plasmids were created, as well as the Little Sisters and Big Daddy's, and why they were all created. This definitely makes playing the game a more enjoyable experience. I have played the game(s) since reading the book, and I find myself wanting to listen to EVERY diary carefully now. I just can't help myself.
Now, there were some parts in the novel that I did find to be somewhat stale, where the storyline slows down and doesn't progress at a pace that I'm typically comfortable with. It wasn't really until Part III I believe that I REALLY became intrigued with where things were headed as this is where we start to see Rapture really devolve.
I would say, if you're a fan of Bioshock, then it's definitely worth the read. There are highs and lows, but in the end, having read it, it only enhances the gaming experience. You definitely feel more connected.
October 25, 2011
So I read lots of crappy books. Sometimes I want to read a massive serious book, and other times I just want candy. It's unfortunate so much of this candy is bad and makes me sick afterwards, and I just keep eating it because I already opened it up, so might as well finish.
There's a flavor of this book candy that's based on video games, and pretty much without exception, it's all tooth-rotting-remainder-bin awful. If any of my reviews on these kind of books are like 3 stars or I say "Meh, thought it would be worse"--that was me being charitable. Every book going off of video game backstory has been terrible...
until now.
Thinking about it, the biggest challenge is relating to the story if you've never played the game. Now every game based book I've read, I've also played the hell out of the game--so not sure. I think Rapture here might be the only book that transcends its origin. Not that it's particularly hard--part of the reason why Bioshock is a work of art, is the atmospheric storyline. Part Ayn Rand, part Captain Nemo--the plot is good--and the author here does an amazing job. He skips around the many characters--crazed plastic surgeon, gangster/fishmonger, loyal mechanic, girlfriend, doctor, and Andrew Ryan himself, but sells nothing short.
If you liked the game, you should love the book.
There's a flavor of this book candy that's based on video games, and pretty much without exception, it's all tooth-rotting-remainder-bin awful. If any of my reviews on these kind of books are like 3 stars or I say "Meh, thought it would be worse"--that was me being charitable. Every book going off of video game backstory has been terrible...
until now.
Thinking about it, the biggest challenge is relating to the story if you've never played the game. Now every game based book I've read, I've also played the hell out of the game--so not sure. I think Rapture here might be the only book that transcends its origin. Not that it's particularly hard--part of the reason why Bioshock is a work of art, is the atmospheric storyline. Part Ayn Rand, part Captain Nemo--the plot is good--and the author here does an amazing job. He skips around the many characters--crazed plastic surgeon, gangster/fishmonger, loyal mechanic, girlfriend, doctor, and Andrew Ryan himself, but sells nothing short.
If you liked the game, you should love the book.
October 4, 2021
A must-read for fans of the series.
July 25, 2024
I’ve loved Bioshock since I played it as a kid and was excited when I found out there was a book connected to the games� but I feel like this was a bit of a letdown.
I did enjoy reading about the setup and backstory of Rapture and Ryan and the rest of the characters we see in the games. I liked the way the audio diaries were tied in! And I liked getting some extra characterization for secondary characters that we encounter in the games.
What I didn’t care for was the writing. It felt awkward and unnatural at times, and dialogue was� odd. I feel like this also focused on the wrong stuff at times - some of the chapters were so draggy that I was almost bored.
Overall a 3 star :( this had a ton of potential but I just didn’t vibe with it.
I did enjoy reading about the setup and backstory of Rapture and Ryan and the rest of the characters we see in the games. I liked the way the audio diaries were tied in! And I liked getting some extra characterization for secondary characters that we encounter in the games.
What I didn’t care for was the writing. It felt awkward and unnatural at times, and dialogue was� odd. I feel like this also focused on the wrong stuff at times - some of the chapters were so draggy that I was almost bored.
Overall a 3 star :( this had a ton of potential but I just didn’t vibe with it.
September 22, 2020
Siamo alla fine della Seconda Guerra Mondiale. Il New Deal di Roosevelt ha ridefinito la politica americana, le tasse hanno raggiunto nuovi picchi storici, i bombardamenti di Hiroshima e Nagasaki hanno suscitato il terrore della distruzione totale. La nascita di agenzie governative segrete e di sanzioni sugli affari ha spinto molte persone a guardarsi le spalle e il senso di libertà dell’America è in calo. Molti sono pronti a tutto, anche ad azioni disperate, per riprenderselo. Tra loro c’� un grande sognatore, un immigrante che si è saputo tirar fuori dalla più profonda povertà e diventare uno degli uomini più ricchi e ammirati del mondo. Si tratta di Andrew Ryan, convinto che i grandi uomini e le grandi donne debbano meritare di meglio. Ryan ha lavorato per creare l’impossibile, un’utopia libera da governi, censure e restrizioni morali contro la scienza dove si raccoglie quel che si semina. Ha creato Rapture la città scintillante sotto il mare. Come tutti sappiamo, però, quell’utopia è stata colpita da una tragedia. Questa è la storia di come tutto ebbe inizio e di come tutto finì.
Ho conosciuto Ryan il giorno in cui io e i ragazzi stavamo installando l’impianto dei sanitari nella sua lussuosa abitazione di Park Avenue. “Oi!� Mi dice, “Che cos’� tutto quell’ottone? L’impresario mi aveva convinto a usare lo stagno.� “Beh,� gli faccio, “Immagino che allora sarà l’impresario che verrà a sgorgarle il water ogni due settimane, giusto? Se è il prezzo che la preoccupa, pago io la differenza per l’ottone, quindi stia sereno.� “E perché dovrebbe farlo?� Dice lui. “Beh, Mr. Ryan, profitto o no, nessuno spala merda dai gabinetti costruiti da Bill McDonagh.� Il giorno dopo ero il nuovo impresario di Ryan.
Bill McDonagh è un po� il protagonista del libro che non ha una vera e propria trama continuativa ma, seguendo una linea temporale, ci racconta singoli episodi chiarificatori su come è nata e perché sia cambiata Rapture, sino a diventare quella distopia che fa da sfondo al titolo videoludico Bioshock.
Se vi è piaciuto il gioco amerete anche questo libro, una sorta di versione estesa e cartacea dei diari collezionabili che va ad approfondire dettagliatamente molte delle figure chiave - in game in gran parte già passate a miglior vita. Il tutto attraverso una persona di fiducia del “Grand’Uomo�, Bill McDonagh, uno di quelli che in Rapture oltre alle proprie speranze forse non ci avrà messo i capitali, bensì tanto olio di gomito da conoscerla come le sue tasche.
Fortunatamente dell’analisi diretta degli scontri si parla poco (è decisamente meglio giocarselo quest’aspetto) e ci si concentra sulle controverse questioni politiche e morali che caratterizzano l’affascinante e claustrofobica polveriera di emozioni sul fondo oceanico.
Un tesoretto di curiosità sulla suggestiva ambientazione che mette in risalto le caratteristiche dei protagonisti, andando a sottoscrivere l’ormai famosa:
In ogni accezione della frase, dato che degli uomini ci vengono evidenziate virtù� e vizi. Una filosofia di vita che, è proprio il caso di dirlo, fa acqua da tutte le parti. Una società edificata su nuovi ideali che collassano su loro stessi e dalle cui ceneri? (si può dire dato dove stiamo) rinasce una folle anarchia.
Avventurosa immersione in un luogo indimenticabile, lettura consigliata, peccato che oggigiorno il volume si trovi solo a prezzi esorbitanti.
P.S.
Però Andrew Ryan apprezzerebbe sapete, per via del libero mercato� e chi si lamenta è un parassita! :P
August 22, 2011
As a Bioshock fan and veteran I personally really enjoyed reading Bioshock: Rapture. Many of the brilliant subtle implications Shirley implants within the text (you'll get what I mean) provide the dark, disturbing atmosphere of this strange new world that doesn't cease to stretch the boundaries of imagination.
As a Bioshock player this was great because it added a whole new layer to the story and revisited the world of Rapture which I was already familiar with, but at a different angle, and that gave me a completely new perspective of the settings. The characters, some of which I had known as simply bosses or extra names to fill gameplay gaps, now turned into embodiments of their own, with their own backstory and their own personalities before the twisted events of Bioshock. It was also enjoyable to bridge the gaps, and see how all the events of Bioshock: Rapture eventally lead out into the events of the game.
Even if you're not a Bioshock gamer, you'll still enjoy it because of its writing style (which is truly suspenseful and gripping) and the world which is being introduced freshly to you. I think Shirley has done an excellent job making the new characters, which even Bioshock gamers don't known about, such as some of the constables or civilians which add an interesting texture to the story. You'll find that the storylines have been very well thought out and connected with such subtle precision.
The only slight downside to the story, which is only a downside to some readers, if that the story can be quite dark and slow paced. If you're a patient reader, more unlike usual Bioshock gamers, which have gotten used to the game's adrenaline pumped moments, you'd be right at home with the style of Bioshock: Rapture. I don't recommend this book for those aren't mature enough to grasp and accept some of things Shirley writes about in his story. There are some disturbing revelations and descriptions featured in those texts, and if you're sqeumish I don't think you should give it a try
But overall, a fantastic book, definitely 5 out of 5 stars. Go pick it up. NOW.
As a Bioshock player this was great because it added a whole new layer to the story and revisited the world of Rapture which I was already familiar with, but at a different angle, and that gave me a completely new perspective of the settings. The characters, some of which I had known as simply bosses or extra names to fill gameplay gaps, now turned into embodiments of their own, with their own backstory and their own personalities before the twisted events of Bioshock. It was also enjoyable to bridge the gaps, and see how all the events of Bioshock: Rapture eventally lead out into the events of the game.
Even if you're not a Bioshock gamer, you'll still enjoy it because of its writing style (which is truly suspenseful and gripping) and the world which is being introduced freshly to you. I think Shirley has done an excellent job making the new characters, which even Bioshock gamers don't known about, such as some of the constables or civilians which add an interesting texture to the story. You'll find that the storylines have been very well thought out and connected with such subtle precision.
The only slight downside to the story, which is only a downside to some readers, if that the story can be quite dark and slow paced. If you're a patient reader, more unlike usual Bioshock gamers, which have gotten used to the game's adrenaline pumped moments, you'd be right at home with the style of Bioshock: Rapture. I don't recommend this book for those aren't mature enough to grasp and accept some of things Shirley writes about in his story. There are some disturbing revelations and descriptions featured in those texts, and if you're sqeumish I don't think you should give it a try
But overall, a fantastic book, definitely 5 out of 5 stars. Go pick it up. NOW.
August 22, 2015
Bioshock:Rapture es la secuela del videojuego Bioshock Infinite y la precuela del Bioshock original, se trata de la historia que se intuía en los audios que estaban esparcidos por todo Rapture. Es decir, la fundación de Rapture, su crecimiento inicial próspero e ilusionante y su posterior caída debido a las políticas extremas que se llevan a cabo en la misma. La novela narra con un ritmo cinematográfico (no hay que olvidar que su escritor fue uno de los guionistas de "El cuervo" de Alex Proyas) todos estos acontecimientos, es decir, con rápidez y sin detenerse mucho en descripciones de la ciudad ni de los personajes (ni física ni psicológicamente), centrándose casi única y exclusivamente en la acción. El motivo de esto es la gran cantidad que en ella aparece, es una obra ambiciosa que que tiene que contar muchas cosas en poco espacio y por tal motivo no puede centrarse mucho en ningún personajes en concreto. El autor a pesar de ello no desiste y le otorga un cierto protagonismo a Bill McDonagh, un personaje que en su secuela apenas tiene impacto alguno pero que supone en esta novela la personalidad con la que más se identifica el lector y con el que genera una cierta empatía. Pero poco más, el estilo narrativo es plano y monótono, te da casi igual quien muere y quien no y no profundiza en casi ningún elemento central de su secuela, es decir, en los splicers, las Little sisters (horriblemente traducido a Hermanitas) y los Big Daddies, solo al final estos dos últimos tienen cierta relevancia, mientras que los primeros son seres excesivamente caricaturizados sin ningún trasfondo humano ni coherente. Es una obra que recomiendo a todo fan de Bioshock para completar la grandiosa historia que se esconde detrás de uno de los mejores videojuegos de la Historia, pero para el lector común esta novela puede convertirse en casi una tortura comprender (por lo confuso de la narración) y acabar.
March 12, 2017
The Bioshock games are some of the best that I've ever played. I love all three dearly, so of course I wanted to read this book, which is meant to cover the founding and fall of Rapture. If you have not played the Bioshock games, and have any interest whatsoever in doing so, then please, please do. At the very least, watch , to get a taste of the story and the world. Now, this book isn't great, and it could be. What is best and most engaging is that which is taken more or less directly from the games. The best bits of writing are cribbed from the audiologs you can hunt up in the games. Shirley doesn't actually add that much, except perhaps to cobble together the scattered information from Bioshock and Bioshock 2 into a single comprehensive timeline, something that isn't really done for you in the games. I did spot a few places where the book contradicts the games. On one hand, those are mostly minor differences. On the other, some of them are obviously choices that Shirley actively made for some reason, and they don't do much to add to the story. There's no reason to read this book if you haven't played the games. In fact, I'd advise against it if you have any intention of doing so. If you have played the games, you've already encountered the best writing this book will have to offer. And unfortunately, there's not a lot in the way of character insight to sweeten the deal. At least it's a very quick read.
May 23, 2016
Bilhassa Bioshock serisini oynamış olanlar için gerçekten de güzel bir kitap. İlk iki oyunda yaşanan olayların öncesini başarılı bir şekilde ele alıyor ve neredeyse oyunda gördüğünüz en ufak ayrıntıya bile yer veriyor. Yazar John Shirley ses kayıtlarına, mekânlara, sağda solda bulduğunuz cesetlere kadar hiçbir şeyi atlamamış ve hepsini ilmek ilmek örmüş.
Bununla birlikte konu çok fazla küçük bölümden oluşuyor. Bölüm içinde bölümler var ve durmadan mekan değiştiriyoruz. O nedenle konunun devamlılığı kayboluyor. Akıcı bir anlatımı olduğunu söyleyemeyeceğim.
Ve çeviri... ilk 240 sayfanın çevirisi cidden çok kötü. Son 200 sayfada ise maharetli bir editörün elinin değmesiyle birlikte o sorundan kurtuluyorsunuz. Ama kitabın ilk yarısı boyunca küçük çaplı bir işkenceye katlanmanız gerekiyor.
Raptrure'ın oyunlardaki hâlini inşasından yıkımına kadar merak ediyorsanız bir bakın derim, ama inanılmaz sürükleyici bir macera da beklemeyin.
Bununla birlikte konu çok fazla küçük bölümden oluşuyor. Bölüm içinde bölümler var ve durmadan mekan değiştiriyoruz. O nedenle konunun devamlılığı kayboluyor. Akıcı bir anlatımı olduğunu söyleyemeyeceğim.
Ve çeviri... ilk 240 sayfanın çevirisi cidden çok kötü. Son 200 sayfada ise maharetli bir editörün elinin değmesiyle birlikte o sorundan kurtuluyorsunuz. Ama kitabın ilk yarısı boyunca küçük çaplı bir işkenceye katlanmanız gerekiyor.
Raptrure'ın oyunlardaki hâlini inşasından yıkımına kadar merak ediyorsanız bir bakın derim, ama inanılmaz sürükleyici bir macera da beklemeyin.
September 3, 2016
Loved this! Bioshock is my fav game of all time so I was sort of expecting to be pedantic and find tons of flaws and little things that were wrong but I really didn't. It took the whole world of the first two games, put everything in and even added some stuff that fit perfectly. There was even a reference to Infinite! Which I was not expecting.
I'm not sure I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't played the game though, since it might be a bit confusing and far-fetched to the uninitiated.
I'm not sure I would recommend this book to anyone who hasn't played the game though, since it might be a bit confusing and far-fetched to the uninitiated.
September 7, 2022
*3.5 stars*
Now please don't judge me but besides an hour or two, I myself have never played a Bioshock game. HOWEVER Bioshock is an important franchise to my Husband, so by proxy it is important to me too.
I finally sat down and watched him play the first two games and seeing as books are my thing and he owned "Bioshock: Rapture" already I figured this was a great way to enjoy more of the world laid out in the games.
Due to a large amount of this book being about the politics of Rapture and the fight of Ryan vs Fontaine vs Atlas it can be a bit of a slog at times but also at the same time adds depth to so many characters and gives you extra little tidbits the games do not give. In the end I actually had a great time and as far as video game novels go, thought this was very good!
Now would you kindly excuse me it's time to watch my Husband play Bioshock Infinite!
Now please don't judge me but besides an hour or two, I myself have never played a Bioshock game. HOWEVER Bioshock is an important franchise to my Husband, so by proxy it is important to me too.
I finally sat down and watched him play the first two games and seeing as books are my thing and he owned "Bioshock: Rapture" already I figured this was a great way to enjoy more of the world laid out in the games.
Due to a large amount of this book being about the politics of Rapture and the fight of Ryan vs Fontaine vs Atlas it can be a bit of a slog at times but also at the same time adds depth to so many characters and gives you extra little tidbits the games do not give. In the end I actually had a great time and as far as video game novels go, thought this was very good!
Now would you kindly excuse me it's time to watch my Husband play Bioshock Infinite!
April 22, 2012
If by chance you haven't played the game yet, this book is a great way to start. There's no spoilers at all so no worries about knowing everything for the game. It's a great introduction to the story and the world of Rapture. You learn about all of the characters and even discover some surprising history about Andrew Ryan.
I adored this book and could not put it down, which I admit, surprised me a lot. I never have high hopes for books based on video games. They are usually alright but nothing that would be considered engaging or even quality writing. This book however is completely amazing. The author does a fantastic job of creating the world of Rapture and weaving all of the characters and history together. You can't help but want to learn more and keep reading.
I would even read this book again just to slip away to Rapture for a little bit more.
I adored this book and could not put it down, which I admit, surprised me a lot. I never have high hopes for books based on video games. They are usually alright but nothing that would be considered engaging or even quality writing. This book however is completely amazing. The author does a fantastic job of creating the world of Rapture and weaving all of the characters and history together. You can't help but want to learn more and keep reading.
I would even read this book again just to slip away to Rapture for a little bit more.
June 20, 2016
Çok güzel bir konusu var aslında. İnsan doğasını acımasızca ortaya serende bir kurgusu var. Ve evet! Rapture'da yaşanan herşey yüzünüzü buruşturmanıza, iğrenmenize neden olsa da şaşırtıcı değil. İnsanız ve kötüyüz maalesef!
Kitaba başladığımda çok kolay okunur bir kitap olduğu kanaatindeydim. Bu fikrim hala değişmedi. Kolay okunuyor, çabuk ilerliyor ama... İşte, var orada bir ama!
Kitaba başladığımda çok kolay okunur bir kitap olduğu kanaatindeydim. Bu fikrim hala değişmedi. Kolay okunuyor, çabuk ilerliyor ama... İşte, var orada bir ama!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,145 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.