Even though they exist in two different realms of the technological spectrum, fantasy and science fiction have a lot more in common than people may think. They require a breath of imagination that can quickly evolve into a fully fledged world. For some, the details and context involved in this kind of world building are irrelevant. But that doesn't mean they don't have value or can provide a more rounded storytelling experience. This was what I got from Venus Rises as it's pretty clear just how much research and thought went into crafting this futuristic, science fiction tale about capitalism, survival, and class warfare.
The story takes place in a future where Earth has been ravaged by ecological disaster to the point that it's unlivable. Mars is chosen as a suitable substitute, but it's designed for the rich and well off. Instead, the working class has to survive in a floating city on Venus. The book's title, Venus Rising, comes from a societal revolt that many of Venus's citizens are staging, looking for a better life and opportunities more in line with their Martian counterparts.
The work included to supplement the story is fairly impressive and reminiscent of the numerous appendices accompanying Tolkien's works. From a historical standpoint, a clear and concise timeline of events leads the reader from our present day to a futuristic time when the story takes place. In addition, plenty of scientific research went into developing a grounded and accurate portrayal of this setting. These two components combined allow the reader to be absorbed into this struggle for rebellion. That's not to say it's perfect. After setting up a wonderful premise, the story moves along fairly slowly. All of this supplemental information creates a very heavy plot that doesn't move as swiftly as it should. On the artistic side, the book's scratchy style works at times, but it becomes muddled during some action scenes, making the sequence of events difficult to follow. However, neither of these two criticisms will prevent hardcore science fiction fans from enjoying the immersive world of Venus Rises.