Kirinyaga

Hailed for his imagination and worldbuilding, Mike Resnick has earned his place as a master storyteller in science fiction. In this haunting tale, set in the twenty-second century Kenya, polluted cities overshadow sacred Mount Kirinyaga, and traditional animal herds are mere memories. Koriba, a distinguished Kikuyu man, seeks to create a utopian colony on a terraformed planetoid he names Kirinyaga. As the mundumugu, or witch doctor, he leads the colonists in reinstating ancient customs and laws, making decisions that will shape their future. However, he faces numerous challenges, including a brilliant young girl whose intellect threatens their traditions and the interference of "Maintenance," which can revoke their charter. Unbeknownst to his people, Koriba maintains a computer link to humanity, and the colony's survival is jeopardized not by violence, but by mankind's relentless pursuit of knowledge. The Kikuyu people cannot remain stagnant, just as their planet cannot halt its orbit. Deeply moving and profound, this work stands as Resnick's most triumphant achievement, a compelling exploration of utopia that every science fiction reader will cherish for years to come.