Fascinating New Read

50km Up is solid hard science fiction novel that envisions what it would be like for a small team of scientists, engineers, medics, and everyday workers to begin colonizing Venus while under threat from many sides. It’s set in the near future and despite being full of new discoveries and innovations, Cameron makes them all fascinating and interesting. His scientific ideas are not just realisitcally conceived, but they are also well described and clear to understand for any layman. The team, itself, isn’t cold and purely logical, but they are a multicultural cast of characters that are also smart, funny and very likeable. Though his book is based on Venus, it reminds of Weir’s The Martian and Clarke’s The Sands of Mars infused with elements of Star Trek and 2001:A space Odyssey. Well worth reading.