Kirinyaga: A Fable of Utopia collects Mike Resnick's famous Kirinyaga stories and ties them together in a thematic arc that has novel-like c...
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Feb 14, 2012
Chris
rated it: 
I was torn on this one. I wanted to like it going in and was actually captivated by the opening story, "One Perfect Morning, with Jackals". That was a great introduction to the new world set up by the Eutopian Council (clever name, that) called Kirinyaga, an attempt to get back to the roots of the Kikuyu tribe of what we barbaric Europeans call "Kenya".
And here's where the being torn comes in. As I read story after story, I realized that I didn't like the narrator More...
And here's where the being torn comes in. As I read story after story, I realized that I didn't like the narrator More...
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Feb 03, 2011
Stephen
rated it: 
5.0 stars. WOW!! This was an exceptional collection of inter-connected short stories that should be seen as one complete story. The cosmetic premise of the of the stories is about a group of 22nd century Kenyans unhappy with its evolution into "another European city" who emigrate to a planetary colony in order to live simply and in harmony with the land as their ancestors did. The real or underlying premise of these stories are about the struggle of one person against the inevitability
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Dec 07, 2009
Cv
rated it:
I would rate Mike Resnick as not only a master storyteller, but also a master of the parable. While on the surface this is the story of Koriba, the witchdoctor, or Mundumugu of his tribe, the Kikuyu. This is a couple centuries in the future when Koriba has the will to get a planet terraformed so that his people can emigrate from the disgustingness that is Kenya with all its European influences and get back to the traditional soil-tilling, mud-hut living past that is the right of his people. S
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Jun 19, 2009
Laura
rated it:
This was the perfect Book Club book. I think that this is a book worth reading, discussing, and enjoying no matter what your genre preference is. It is a quick read, entertaining, well written, engaging, and thought-provoking. I am very impressed with this writer's talent.
I spent a good deal of the book frustrated or angry with the main character (who is telling the story from his own perspective) but I still couldn't put the book down. It was too fascinating! The picture of the More...
I spent a good deal of the book frustrated or angry with the main character (who is telling the story from his own perspective) but I still couldn't put the book down. It was too fascinating! The picture of the More...
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Jul 01, 2009
Beth A.
rated it:
This is a story of obsession. Koriba is the leader of a group of people who live on a planet terraformed to be like Africa and designated as a Kikuyu Utopia. Koriba detests the European culture that has taken over Kenya, and how the European and Kenyan cultures have overtaken the identity of the Kikuyu people.
His Utopia is established as a place for the Kikuyu people to return to their original culture and live in harmony with the land. He is their mundumugu, or witch doctor. He is t More...
His Utopia is established as a place for the Kikuyu people to return to their original culture and live in harmony with the land. He is their mundumugu, or witch doctor. He is t More...
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Feb 14, 2012
Jennifer
rated it: 
2.5 Stars
It's tough to rate a book that was actually well-written but due to content just really didn't make me feel happy about having read it.
Kirinyaga is a collection of short stories that are tied together to read as a novel. There was continuity to the stories. There was a sense that each chapter was a story unto itself, but they also seemed to push forward a larger story. Each chapter contained one or more 'parables' told by the mundumugu--witch doctor--to te More...
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Feb 18, 2012
Becky
rated it:
Kirinyaga is a collection of inter-related short stories that center around a terraformed planet designed to be the new home of the Kikuyu tribe of Africa, where they can live their lives in the old, traditional way, without interference from modern society.
I almost stopped reading this book 2 chapters (stories, technically) into it. Two main reasons for this:
1- I really dislike parables. They are usually obvious, simplistic, and preachy.
2- I intensely dislike Koriba, More...
I almost stopped reading this book 2 chapters (stories, technically) into it. Two main reasons for this:
1- I really dislike parables. They are usually obvious, simplistic, and preachy.
2- I intensely dislike Koriba, More...
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Aug 06, 2010
Bryan
rated it:
Yes, yet another Resnick review from me. Before I get to the actual review, let me answer the inevitable resounding "Whys?" echoing from my many readers (2, 3? I've lost count, time for another census). I started reading Resnick for two reasons: 1) because after hearing he was a huge Africa fan who used his African experiences in his stories, I looked him up, noted our mutual interest in Africa and crosscultural writing, and I got an email a few days later with a buttload (yes, that is
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Dec 06, 2009
Ben
rated it: 
Mike Resnick's Kirinyaga is an example of how science fiction isn't necessarily a genre; it's just a setting. Kirinyaga is technically science fiction, because it involves colonizing another world (the eponymous planetoid Kirinyaga, named for the mountain upon which the god of the Kikuyu, Ngai, lives). However, Kirinyaga isn't about spaceships or combat with high-tech weaponry or vast, evil empires. It's a collection of fables, and an extremely well-written one at that.
The narrato More...
The narrato More...
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Feb 15, 2009
Chanpheng
rated it:
Collection of Resnick's stories on a group of traditionalists relocating to a terraformed world to preserve their ancient culture, free of the influence of European influence. The narrator is the 'Witch Doctor,' one of the original founders of the movement, who manipulates the world through his interpretation of their god, Ngai. There are interesting conflicts, which remind me of many culture clashes from the US, but even more timely, a fundamentalist viewpoint that all good comes from the ancie
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Sep 24, 2008
Nicolas
rated it:
Kirinyaga raconte donc, du point de vue de Koriba, le shaman ou plutôt mundumungu du village, la vie d’une utopie africaine sur un planétoïde placé, apparement, dans le système solaire. L’histoire est racontée avec un talent consomé, et il n’est pas une ligne du récit qui ne semble soigneusement pensé pour faire réfléchir le lecteur. Du début à la fin, on est emporté par Mike Resnick, écrivain amoureux de l’Afrique, qui compose ici un livre beau, puissant, mais terriblement triste.
L’avant More...
L’avant More...
Jan 16, 2012
SF_Fangirl
rated it:
This is a wonderful book/short story collection. It's a very interesting sci fi novel because it's told from the POV of educated man who is pursuing a Kikuyu utopia which is defined as the state the Kikuyu tribe in Kenya was in before the western world imposed itself and change their culture and religion. So the "hero" fights to maintain primitive customs like leaving the old, infirm, and babies born breech out to be eaten by wild animals. It's also a thought-provoking, examination
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Oct 04, 2010
Hazelgreenluv
rated it: 
I rated this book as "I didn't like it" because I didn't like it. But, at the same time, I have to admit this is a great book.
It's beyond the genre.
Among the short stories in this book, "For I Have Touched the Sky" is absolutely amazing and well-written.
I just can't relate to most of the characters and they annoyed me so much that it was like a torture for me to read through this book.
That's why I didn't like it. Still, it's worth reading.
It's beyond the genre.
Among the short stories in this book, "For I Have Touched the Sky" is absolutely amazing and well-written.
I just can't relate to most of the characters and they annoyed me so much that it was like a torture for me to read through this book.
That's why I didn't like it. Still, it's worth reading.
Apr 23, 2011
Terry
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Feb 15, 2012
± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ±
rated it:
I'm gonna be really lazy with this one, and just link to Jen's review. I think she generally summed up my feelings, and I don't feel like writing out a review after posting about it this morning in the group. *shrugs*
Mar 05, 2010
Amanda
rated it:
My father-in-law told me to read this book. I wasn't into it at first, but the more I read, the more I liked it. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself thinking about it even when I wasn't reading it. I do enjoy good social-science fiction.
Jan 31, 2011
Richard
rated it:
I reviewed this years ago in SF Age, so I'm not going to repeat that here. I'll just say that my opinion hasn't changed. This is a worthwhile book, well worth anyone's time.
Jul 08, 2008
Megan
rated it:
This was quite well-written, and definitely made me think a great deal. The individual stories are engaging, and the world as a whole intriguing. The only trouble I had was relating to the protagonist, Koriba, and his goals for his world. Are they good goals to have? Even if they are worthy goals, are the methods he uses good one? I understand the desire to fight against the homogenization of culture, but the idea that even giving his people a choice would corrupt the culture he's trying to pres
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Jul 24, 2011
Tracy
rated it:
Brilliant, a lovely series of short stories that create a greater tapestry of the birth and eventually downfall of a utopia.
May 12, 2008
Brandie
rated it:
Even though this was a collection of short stories, it read like one continuous book. Each story was a portion of one man's life during his quest for forming a utopia. Can you really make a utopia for a whole society? Will it only be achieved for a select few and if so, what about the others living in that society? Can there truly be a utopia for all?
I really enjoyed the stories. Some were hard to read, given my own personal beliefs and views. But that aside, it was a really good rea More...
I really enjoyed the stories. Some were hard to read, given my own personal beliefs and views. But that aside, it was a really good rea More...
Oct 19, 2010
Scott
rated it:
A brilliant fable of culture and ideals - and their survival and evolution. Includes the greatest example of an anti-hero since Michael Corleone.
Jun 15, 2008
Scott
rated it:
Basically, if I could take any book I've read and force High School English students to read something, this would be the book. Incredible!
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Oct 16, 2007
Josh
rated it:
Utopia on another planet and the limitations humans face in living up to it. Great book.
Feb 22, 2012
Feb 19, 2012
