Customer Reviews

Escape From Kathmandu

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Well, this is certainly a change of pace for the fans of Kim Stanley Robinson's epic "Mars" trilogy. That series, of course, was an intricate meshing of hard science, ecological musings, adventure, and sociological speculations. In its scope and in the wealth of issues with which it dealt, it was not unlike Frank Herbert's classic "Dune" trilogy.

"Escape from Kathmandu" is something far different.

For one thing, it is set in the Nepal of our own timeframe (or close thereto...the four stories were originally written in the mid-'80s). For another, the protagonists are not colonizers or scientists or eco-rebels...they're hash-smoking Western expatriates who hang about the Himalayas in a rather carefree fashion, living for the thrill of climbing. Happily enough, for those with eyes to see, the area is rife with yetis, hidden cities and tunnels, and reincarnated lamas. So adventure is never too far away.

The plots themselves are rather slight and uncompelling, and they creak somewhat under the weight of the political views heaped upon them. Tibet and the Dalai Lama = good, China = bad (the Chinese are portrayed as genocidal militant oppressors and poachers to boot, although in the current political climes, many would tend to agree with this assessment). The ruling elite of Nepal are villains. Governments are almost uniformly bad, but luckily they will someday be overthrown by enlightened spiritual types.

Nevertheless, the book does offer some insight into the impoverished country of Nepal, although an earlier reviewer notes that most of the information is wrong or misleading, so don't take any of the descriptions of conditions as gospel truth.

It's especially weird to read this book now, given the very recent upheavals in the country in June and July of this year (the crown prince's killing spree and the resignation of the prime minister). Since some of the members of the royal family actually appear as characters in the stories, it's rather unsettling to find out their real-life fates lately.

On the whole, the books seems dated, but KSR fans might want to check it out.

I enjoyed Kim Stanley Robinson's shorter works, but had mixed feelings about the Mars trilogy, so when I found a copy of this book at the local used book shop, I was not sure what to expect.

Hard science was absent in this modern day tale of hash smoking expatriates set in Nepal. Using Yeti's and other local lore while taking big swipes at China, governmental corruption, NGO's and other likely targets, this book did not cover new territory.

However, this book is FUN. As an old Asian expatriate hand, and as a jaded NGO representative, I am typically unimpressed by writers touching on these topics. This enjoyable read had me laughing out loud.

The writing itself was fairly crisp and to the point. No overall plot to speak of, parts of this book could have served as independant short stories.

Put this on your "just for fun" list but do read it!

Kim Robinson's spoof on life in Nepal is fast and funny, a great romp. It's also reasonably accurate as concerns places and names, and its descriptions of the scenery at high altitudes is evocative. Always remember, though, the main story is pure fiction. Like the yeti itself. Read the book for pleasure, but don't expect to become informed about Nepal in any detailed sense. The author evidently has only visited the area, he hasn't lived there long enough to get to know it in depth. He doesn't know enough about caste and tribal distinctions and he has a rather naive slant on internal politics. But I don't want to be too harsh, for at least in an allegorical sense he provides some useful insights about clashes between the modernization the Nepalese want and the traditional values they don't want to lose, and about some of the environmental problems and paradoxes that bedevil the whole modernization process. (Note: I was US Ambassador to Nepal, 1981-84).

There are many westerners living in Kathmandu, Nepal. One of the expatriates George Fergusson works as a guide. He receives a letter addressed to George F. After opening his mail, he realizes that the content is intended for the American George "Freds" Fredericks. Soon the two Georges team up to rescue a captured Yeti, sneak into Tibet to aid a llama, and find time to get into other adventures that highlight the stark, beautiful geography of Nepal and Tibet, and the people who reside in the Himalayas.

This book is actually four related novellas that highlight the adventures and misadventures of the two Georges. The title tale and the second story "Mother Goddess of the World" are very exciting otherworldly action thriller with an emphasis on the heroes. The final two tales provide more adventures, but center on the natives and the geography. All four stories are well written, making for an insightful look at the countries at the top of the world.

Harriet Klausner

I've read most of Robinson's science fiction novels, and have enjoyed most of them. However, this book is a whole different kettle of fish!

A series of stories about the misadventures of two jaded American climbers in the Himalayas, this book is wacky and laugh-out-loud funny. Interweaving such elements as Buddhism, yetis (abominable snowmen), exploitation of third-world countries by the West, and very believable descriptions of climbing expeditions in the Himalayas and the crazy people who undertake them, this book has a warm and gentle heart. I enjoyed it so much the first time I read it that I re-read it every couple of years to enjoy it again.

The yeti in a Dodger's baseball cap encountering a surprised ex-president Jimmy Carter in a Kathmandu hotel stairway still makes me laugh.

Very imaginative, very creative. But there's definitely a young male adult audience feel to the thing. Which is fine if you like that thing, which I don't. I kept waiting for the big lesson in there, or some big meaningful connection between the stories. The second one where they climb mount everest was my favorite. The last two were my least favorite. They got too weird and dark and I've no idea where the author was going with them.
I read this on vacation. I don't think I would have finished it half-way through the Shambhala story otherwise. It would be a good idea for a TV movie for young adults.

"Escape from Kathmandu" is a lively and entertaining book. It is laugh out loud funny in places as its two main protagonists engage in some way out adventures.

Beneath the far fetched plot lines there are actually many accurate and interesting insights into life in Nepal. Corruption in the government, widespread poverty, the inefficient beauracracy are all touched on in a sensitive and intelligent manner. Although if you don't know much about Nepal you might find it difficult to distinguish where the fantasy ends and reality begins in places.

All in all it is a worthy book, a great combination of comedy, adventure and travel writing.

I will never forget the first time I picked up this book. I was wandering through the shelves of my local bookstore and, seeing the title (which was uncannily similar to the title of a heinously bad '80s movie), I decided to glance through it.

The last thing I expected was one of the funniest, cleverest, most absorbing books I'd read in ages. I have to say that this and Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog vie for supremacy in my mind for the funniest work of speculative fiction. The second story, especially, made me laugh so hard I had to put the book down and take deep breaths. The characters are marvelous, and the situations they find themselves in are deliciously outlandish.

Go out and buy this book! I promise you won't be disappointed, as long as you leave your expectations for the genre at the door. Escape from Kathmandu is nothing if not unconventional.

I found this book in a hotel lobby and started to read it while waiting for a friend. It was so funny I had to find a copy so I could finish it. The book consists of 4 long stories. the first story is a hilarious meeting between a yeti, a couple of trek guides, and former president Jimmy Carter in a Kathmandu hotel. In the second story, the hero accidently climbs Mt. Everest. The third story involves the real location of Shangrila (Shambahla) on the dangerous Nepal/Tibet border, disputed by India and china. The pace is fast, with a lot of surprises, and I rationed myself to one story a day so I wouldn't finish it too soon. However, in writing the fourth story, the author seems to have lost interest. It's tedious, repetitive, and suddenly ends without any resolution. I think the author just quit writing or couldn't see how to complete the story.

This is Nepal as it was in the 80's A throwaway novel, when compared to his masterworks like the Mars Trilogy, this entertaining read is highly recommended for anyone who has trekked [or dreams of trekking] in Nepal. He evokes the Kathmandu of the late 70s and 80s perfectly - from named restaurants and hippie highpoints to the bustle, muck and medieval layers of Kathmandu and its environs. Descriptions of the town and trekking the nearby mountains ring true, although the plot itself is too thin to support much examination. It's a fun book, in the style of The Ascent of Rum Doodle.