Ancient Ancient eBook Kiini Ibura Salaam
Download As PDF : Ancient Ancient eBook Kiini Ibura Salaam 
Winner of the 2012 James Tiptree Jr. Award, "Salaam's collection of 10 reprints and 3 original stories introduces readers to alternate worlds built around magic, sensuality, sexuality, and the search for emotional comfort, however tenuous. A lusty god temporarily bestows his sexual spark on a worn-out and unappreciated young woman in ''Desire.'' The world of mothlike aliens who feed on the heated ''nectar'' of human sexual energies is explored in three linked tales. A young man's grandfather sends him time traveling into danger as a punishment in ''Battle Royale,'' while ''Rosamojo'' is a straightforward revenge story about a young girl who uses magic to punish her rapist father. Unearthly magics frame ''Ferret,'' an intriguing snippet about a space colony ship guided by animal divination, and ''Marie,'' in which a pregnant Creole woman is willing to sacrifice anything to feel at home in New York City. Salaam's unusual settings and lonely characters will call to readers who hunger for sex, identity, or just a place to belong." Publishers Weekly review, March 5, 2012
Ancient Ancient eBook Kiini Ibura Salaam
NOTES ON DIVERSITY:This is another case where diversity is not really the right word to use here.1 This is a book of stories where, with one or two exceptions, the focus is on Black womanhood. Sometimes those Black women are in space. Sometimes they coexist alongside gods. Sometimes they live in New York and are beset by nostalgia for Louisiana. Sometimes they are aliens who communicate through dance. But unifying the collection of stories is a deep exploration of Black womanhood. It is a book written within a lived experience for others of that lived experience. It reminds me, in that sense, of Constance Burris’ BLACK BEAUTY.2
All philosophizing aside, this book is full of characters of color. And women. And it has some queer representation.
REVIEW:
Salaam is a lovely, poetic writer. From her language choice to the actual structure of the stories themselves, most of the stories in this collection are lyrical and haunting.
One of the clearest themes throughout all the stories is sex, which in virtually all cases3 is a powerfully positive and healing force in women’s lives. In stories like “Desire” and the trio of stories featuring the unnamed alien race represented by WaLiLa and MalKai who feast on human nectar (that is drawn out by way of sex), sex and sexuality is arguably coerced--but still, the power of it and the emotional connection it brings proves healing. Or at the very least complicated. The women in the stories remain agentic throughout even when used as vessels.
But I was more drawn to some of the other themes woven through the stories.4 Movement-as-freedom and movement-as-communication comes up again and again. Most clearly in the WaLiLa and MalKai stories, where WaLiLa and MalKai must learn to forsake their original language of movement/dance for spoken human languages, and again in “Battle Royale.” In “Battle Royale”, the narrator’s insistence on engaging in the flashing game/dance of razors leads to the fever-dream punishment meted out by his grandfather. But movement, or the lack of it, and how it can bring a different kind of freedom comes up in “Debris”, too.
There is an openness in Salaam’s resolutions that I enjoyed. Many of the stories were about a change of direction, a decision point, and were other writers would tell you where the characters were going, Salaam refuses to reveal what happens next. The conflict was that there was a decision to make, she seems to suggest. The trick of her stories is that there emotional gratification in knowing that a decision was made, but we don’t know which path was taken.
Salaam’s stories are fascinating. In particular, I liked “Debris”, “Ferret”, and “Ancient, Ancient”. “Rosamojo” was hard for me to read--I found it triggering--but it is a very good story.
_____
1: I need to write this post already about My Issues With The Word Diversity.
2: Although, if you’re into short speculative fiction featuring Black characters you should really check out BLACK BEAUTY, too.
3: The exception to this is “Rosamojo”. It is a very good story, but if you are triggered by sexual assault, especially as a survivor of childhood trauma, tread with caution.
4: I’m ace, man, I’m not getting the same sex-as-rapture thing these characters are getting.
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Ancient Ancient eBook Kiini Ibura Salaam Reviews
Short story collection. Surprising content, sometimes interesting, not always in a good way. The writing itself is pretty good, but by the end, I'm certain I wasn't the intended audience. Take that under consideration when you read my review. For you it might be five stars, or three. Dunno.
BTW, it has at least one "folktale" in it, but I wouldn't let a kid read any of it. Not because the author has bad intent, she doesn't, but because so much of it is extremely sex-soaked. Even the folktale bits.
I bought this book after finding out it was a co-winner of the 2012 James Tiptree, Jr. Award. As one might expect from this award the book is a powerful commentary on gender relations but also well-crafted fiction.
However if one is a casual reader of science fiction, fantasy, or horror this type of book may be quite frustrating for you. You cannot read it quickly, you cannot read it casually, you must engage with each story one at a time, you must roll the ideas and images in your head for a while to understand and appreciate them.
Salaam's work goes beyond gender discussion into race issues, family dynamics, personal conflicts, and the a multitude of possible futures, pasts, and alternatives. None of her characters -- female or male -- are perfect or straightforward. If you can handle that then this book may be well worth your effort. For teachers out there this would be a very powerful book to include in a contemporary literature, gender studies, or race studies course but you will have to devote a few weeks to it to fully get students through it and to help them wrestle with the concepts.
I love short stories and Salaam's collection was wonderfully different. I didn't know what I was getting into, but I was quickly caught up in her various worlds.
Desire The opening story took me straight to Africa and warring, ancient gods and a woman who rediscovers her sexuality after years of marriage and children. I felt for all the characters, mortal and immortal. One of my equal second favourites.
The next three stories (Of Wings, Nectar and Ancestors, MalKai's Last Seduction and At Life's Limits) are about WaLiLa and her group, and they are strange and wonderful. I don't want to say too much and spoil the magic of these three. But I tell you, I found my body swaying after the last story to invisible music and my feet tapping.
I've read Rosamojo before and it makes me alternately mad and sad every time I read it. I want to wrap my arms around her, but she doesn't need me. She's strong.
Battle Royale and Ferret both perplexed and intrigued me.
K-USH The Legend of the Last Wero was my other equal second favourite of the collection. I would like to read more about these people.
Marie was fantastic, a story about a woman rediscovering herself and her culture. I cheered for her.
The final story, Pod Rendevous, blew me away. Loved it. Again, I would like to read more about this culture.
So much of this collection was about metamorphosis, either just about to happen or in the thick of it. This is a beautifully realised collection that will open your eyes and your mind.
NOTES ON DIVERSITY
This is another case where diversity is not really the right word to use here.1 This is a book of stories where, with one or two exceptions, the focus is on Black womanhood. Sometimes those Black women are in space. Sometimes they coexist alongside gods. Sometimes they live in New York and are beset by nostalgia for Louisiana. Sometimes they are aliens who communicate through dance. But unifying the collection of stories is a deep exploration of Black womanhood. It is a book written within a lived experience for others of that lived experience. It reminds me, in that sense, of Constance Burris’ BLACK BEAUTY.2
All philosophizing aside, this book is full of characters of color. And women. And it has some queer representation.
REVIEW
Salaam is a lovely, poetic writer. From her language choice to the actual structure of the stories themselves, most of the stories in this collection are lyrical and haunting.
One of the clearest themes throughout all the stories is sex, which in virtually all cases3 is a powerfully positive and healing force in women’s lives. In stories like “Desire” and the trio of stories featuring the unnamed alien race represented by WaLiLa and MalKai who feast on human nectar (that is drawn out by way of sex), sex and sexuality is arguably coerced--but still, the power of it and the emotional connection it brings proves healing. Or at the very least complicated. The women in the stories remain agentic throughout even when used as vessels.
But I was more drawn to some of the other themes woven through the stories.4 Movement-as-freedom and movement-as-communication comes up again and again. Most clearly in the WaLiLa and MalKai stories, where WaLiLa and MalKai must learn to forsake their original language of movement/dance for spoken human languages, and again in “Battle Royale.” In “Battle Royale”, the narrator’s insistence on engaging in the flashing game/dance of razors leads to the fever-dream punishment meted out by his grandfather. But movement, or the lack of it, and how it can bring a different kind of freedom comes up in “Debris”, too.
There is an openness in Salaam’s resolutions that I enjoyed. Many of the stories were about a change of direction, a decision point, and were other writers would tell you where the characters were going, Salaam refuses to reveal what happens next. The conflict was that there was a decision to make, she seems to suggest. The trick of her stories is that there emotional gratification in knowing that a decision was made, but we don’t know which path was taken.
Salaam’s stories are fascinating. In particular, I liked “Debris”, “Ferret”, and “Ancient, Ancient”. “Rosamojo” was hard for me to read--I found it triggering--but it is a very good story.
_____
1 I need to write this post already about My Issues With The Word Diversity.
2 Although, if you’re into short speculative fiction featuring Black characters you should really check out BLACK BEAUTY, too.
3 The exception to this is “Rosamojo”. It is a very good story, but if you are triggered by sexual assault, especially as a survivor of childhood trauma, tread with caution.
4 I’m ace, man, I’m not getting the same sex-as-rapture thing these characters are getting.
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