Escape from Kathmandu

by Kim Stanley Robinson

Book Overview

Kim Stanley Robinson's Escape From Kathmandu is a light-hearted fantasy tribute to the world of extreme mountain climbing follows the adventures of two American expatriates living in Nepal.

Living in the city of Kathmandu in the Kingdom of Nepal are dozens of American and British expatriates who are in love with the Himalayas. George Fergusson is one of them--he works as a trek guide for "Take You Higher, Ltd.", leading groups...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312874995
• ISBN13: 9780312874995
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

One of the funniest books ever

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.

Offbeat and Charming

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.

Hiking in Nepal?

After 30 days on the Annapurna Circuit, I decided to torture my body further by hiking to Everest Basecamp. What kept me sane? This book! It is hilarious - especially when you have been to places mentioned in the book. Throw away all your travel guides and take only this book. This is a totally irreverate look at Nepal.

It was so offbeat I loved it.

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

funny, unusual, a good read

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.