[BRIEF NOTE] McDonald, The River of Gods

[rfmcdonald]

I've a particular fondness for the works of British science fiction author Ian McDonald. Perhaps it's because I was exposed to a story of his (the 1990 novella "Toward Kilimanjaro") at an early age, through a magazine of my uncle's. That's what clued me on to Geoff Ryman and The Child Garden, though my introduction to Ryman came through a different uncle. "Toward Kilimanjaro" was later expanded into the very enjoyable 1995 novel Chaga. I'm pleased, then, to report that I was able to acquire his latest tome, 2004's River of Gods (reviews here and here), at a very affordable price in trade paperback. From my brief perusal to date, this novel looks quite enjoyable, set as it is in a changed India in 2047, precisely a century after the declaration of independence.

One thing I'm curious about: How does he, a British citizen, represent (formerly British-colonized) Kenyans and Indians in Chaga and River of Gods? Does he do an effective job? What do Kenyans and Indians think? Is this the empire trying to write back?