What do you think?
Rate this book
Kiboko
From the quarter deck of an English steam frigate two bodies are sited, the bodies are those of an old man and a woman, possibly jettisoned cargo from a suspected slave ship. Angered by the effrontery of the escaping ship still in view against the roiling waves, the captain of the English frigate takes chase, determined to bring to justice the man he believes is responsible for the outrage ― Thomas Rutledge, the Yankee captain of a fast and elusive American clipper, the Flying Witch.
Thomas Rutledge is a veteran of the Confederate Navy who witnessed his home and family destroyed by a Reconstruction mob and became so embittered that he turned to the slave trade as a kind of revenge. When his friend, the powerful Arab trader, Binbin, tells him of the inland native empire of Buntoro with its stores of ivory ready for exploitation, he joins Binbin's venture. In Buntoro Rutledge meets the missionary, Kitty, a spirited product of Abolitionist Boston, and learns how little he really knows of native civilization.
In his first work of fiction, Daniel Mannix fuses these elements, and his love of Africa, into a look at the complexities of good and evil. It is an epic adventure of Africa during her wildest days.
Thomas Rutledge is a veteran of the Confederate Navy who witnessed his home and family destroyed by a Reconstruction mob and became so embittered that he turned to the slave trade as a kind of revenge. When his friend, the powerful Arab trader, Binbin, tells him of the inland native empire of Buntoro with its stores of ivory ready for exploitation, he joins Binbin's venture. In Buntoro Rutledge meets the missionary, Kitty, a spirited product of Abolitionist Boston, and learns how little he really knows of native civilization.
In his first work of fiction, Daniel Mannix fuses these elements, and his love of Africa, into a look at the complexities of good and evil. It is an epic adventure of Africa during her wildest days.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
11 people want to read
About the author
Daniel P. Mannix
44 books61 followersDaniel Pratt Mannix IV was best known as an American author and journalist. His life was remarkably different from other writers of his generation. His career included times as a side show performer, magician, trainer of eagles and film maker.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 1, 2025
Daniel P. Mannix masters storytelling. In Kiboko, he weaves a complex world. This book gives a peek into the world of East African slavery and pirates. You see African tribes fight and trade with each other. It shows the real dynamics from the 1800s, including Arab and American slave traders. For example, Arabs controlled the Zanzibar market, Americans brought the ships, and the British patrolled the seas to stop them.
The book has no clear heroes. Villains often play the hero's role. Slavers cheat and whip, but you somehow root for them. It is funny, like cheering for the wolf in a sheep story.
The book also includes magic. Tribes use spells to curse their enemies. There are also all-female fighters—tall, strong women who never marry and fight better than any male warriors. Their loyalty is absolute. Missionaries are present even in the remotest places in Africa. These elements make the story unique and surprising.
Mannix gives a practical look at this terrible history. You see the dynamics between all the groups. The book is informative but reads like an adventure. It is a clever, dark look at human nature that stays with you.
The book has no clear heroes. Villains often play the hero's role. Slavers cheat and whip, but you somehow root for them. It is funny, like cheering for the wolf in a sheep story.
The book also includes magic. Tribes use spells to curse their enemies. There are also all-female fighters—tall, strong women who never marry and fight better than any male warriors. Their loyalty is absolute. Missionaries are present even in the remotest places in Africa. These elements make the story unique and surprising.
Mannix gives a practical look at this terrible history. You see the dynamics between all the groups. The book is informative but reads like an adventure. It is a clever, dark look at human nature that stays with you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review