The universe of Rapture is fascinating: an isolated society on the ocean floor that has as its basic principle the belief that humanity, when not regulated and limited by the State, can only thrive. The author treats Mcdonagh and Gorland like rats in a lab experiment: he puts both of them in an isolated society with minimal regulation, which values free competition above all else, to see which one becomes more successful in the end. Gorland, on the other hand, sees in Rapture’s propaganda (the unwavering defense of the free market) a perfect business opportunity.īy putting these two characters to clash in Rapture, the narrative establishes two opposing visions operating within the same setting: that of a serious and honest worker, and that of a profiteer who never misses a single opportunity to exploit the person next to him. The plumber sees his value finally recognized, as he’s placed as one of those responsible for repairing and maintaining the foundations of a city on the bottom of the sea, to where he sets off immediately with his family.

Mcdonagh has always dreamed of becoming an engineer and, one day, is indeed offered the chance to make his dream come true by an eccentric tycoon. The story initially follows two main characters: the plumber Bill Mcdonagh and the scammer Frank Gorland. It puts its focus on the game’s setting – the underwater city of Rapture –, and the philosophy behind it, but fails to add anything new to the game’s story, failing to develop it properly. Written by John Shirley based on the two first Bioshock games, Bioshock: Rapture is a science fiction novel that intends to tell a story that complements the great original material.

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